Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[myglaren]

[Zelandeth]

I've had several people point out that this hose isn't likely long term ethanol safe. Which hacks me off having sought advice from a company whose whole existence is based around selling and making hoses.

My go to usually is ISO7840 A1 Marine grade hose as I *know* that is entirely ethanol safe (and resistant to basically anything short of a direct tactical nuclear strike). However that's not sadly something I can just drive five minutes to somewhere and buy...hence wandering round to Pirtek today.

My other choices locally are Halfords (X2) or Motorserv basically...who just have four year old loops of equally nameless hose as Halfords, bundled with the wrong type of hose clamps hanging on the back wall but for three times the price. I'll need to check what Top Gear down in Flitwick have to offer in the fuel line department, but even that's an hour and a half round trip - and today like many days I just didn't have time for that. I've had Bedford Battery recommended to me by many folks - but that's even further afield. I'd figured an actual fluid transfer specialist was a fairly safe local bet.

Have to admit that the nonsense surrounding fuel lines and trying to find what is actually ethanol safe and what isn't, then also sifting through what is fake and what isn't, is really the single thing which makes me want to most to just sack this hobby off once and for all and just buy a Tesla and be done with it. It doesn't seem to matter how much money you do or don't spend or how carefully you try to pick stuff out you still either get it wrong or wind up being sent rubbish.

The one which failed on me today by the way was labelled as SAE J30 R9 - which as far as my reading suggests, should be ethanol safe. Though it's blatantly obvious that the printing on that example means absolutely nothing.

Last lot I actually got in I wound up getting a friend up in Aberdeen go and pick up for me from a marine specialist there and post down to me...which doesn't seem the most efficient solution!

[CitroJim]

Gosh! That was scary Zel I only ever use proper fuel hoses... Shame you didn't say yesterday Zel as I have quite a selection here..

And worrying about the quality of fuel hose available these days... I'll have to keep an eye on what I've used on Bluebell... All marked SAE J30 R9...

Although, her having a carb, there's no real pressure involved... I did find however, those cheap plastic fuel filters soon go brittle.

[Zelandeth]

All you can really do is keep an eye on it Jim. The problem really is twofold. One is that there is just so, so much counterfit hose out there, especially from online sources. Secondly is that so, so few outlets seem to sell the right stuff. I did a check today, and not one of Halfords (x2), Motorserv, Top Gear had R9 rated hose on the shelf - they're still merrily selling R6 though, which isn't long term ethanol safe...I was also somewhat amused to be told in one store that the Pearl branded hose was good quality stuff. Has the bar really been lowered that far? Also was packaged with two worm drive clips of totally the wrong type for hooking up fuel lines...Yeah, that inspires confidence.

Motor Parts Direct down in Bletchley were the only one to actually have ethanol safe line available, though not in a pressure rated form on the shelf sadly - and they didn't really exude an aura of wanting me to pester them with questions like whether they could order proper Gates Barricade hose in. I got the impression that while they do have a retail counter that they'd rather just stick to trade customers.

So we circle back around to Bedford Battery who are apparently a Gates stockist and have access to the Barricade range. So I guess I'll be paying them a visit shortly then. In all honesty, I must have been recommended them by a dozen people separately now and have really been struggling to find a local factor who are even vaguely interested in actually getting my business, so I think it's time to just swallow the annoyingly long round trip time and pay them a visit. Long term if they're actually decent it will probably save me time rather than having to repeatedly bash my head against the other lot.

I know picking hose up from a physical store doesn't make you by any means immune to the fake products which are all over the place - but at least you get to see what you're buying then, as in at least a couple of cases it's been absolutely immediately visually obvious that what I'd been sold was fake when it arrived from the online sellers. The printing being in Comic Sans (no, I'm not kidding) and a complete lack of any form of reinforcement in the hose at all on one example would have been chucked straight back over the counter if it had been in an actual shop - rather than a two week long wrangle to get a refund via PayPal.

[CitroJim]

Oh what a game Zel You must gave visited every car spares place in the district!

I worry about the plethora of counterfeit and poor quality stuff everywhere... I hear even transistors, especially special RF types, are regularly counterfeited nowadays

And then counterfeit hazardous electrical equipment bearing unauthorised CE and UK marks... It's amazing the world has not gone up in flames already and half the population electrocuted themselves...

[myglaren]

And then counterfeit hazardous electrical equipment bearing unauthorised CE and UK marks... It's amazing the world has not gone up in flames already and half the population electrocuted themselves...

Big Clive has loads of videos on such items, mostly sourced from eBay.

[CitroJim]

I really must watch some of his videos Steve... He is often wheeled out on a vintage radio forum I frequent when discussion turns to dodgy gear and before the over-zealous mods put a stop to it just as it gets interesting...

Big Clive seems to have found both fame and his niche...

[myglaren]

He has a lot of interesting and frequently quite amusing stuff. Not all electrical either.
His double-entendres can be quite subtle too.

[Michel]

And then counterfeit hazardous electrical equipment bearing unauthorised CE and UK marks... It's amazing the world has not gone up in flames already and half the population electrocuted themselves...

Using one of these style of adapters or multi-sockets at a certain large London airport is a sackable offence. It was made extremely clear to us in our Electrical Competency and Safety training.

[CitroJim]

Using one of these style of adapters or multi-sockets at a certain large London airport is a sackable offence. It was made extremely clear to us in our Electrical Competency and Safety training.

Good to hear of some proactivity Mike

[xantia_v6]

Those adapters remind me of a friend of my father, nearly 50 years ago, took a holiday in the USA and while browsing in a Sears, saw a toaster oven that he liked. Not being a total fool he asked if it was suitable for 230V operation. The answer was that it was 120V only, but for a few dollars they could supply a voltage converter, which looked like a slightly bulky travel adapter, but was clearly marked 240V in 120V out.
So he gets the oven home and plugs it in via the adapter (to 230V), only to find that it blew the house fuses and main breaker when switched on.
He brought to us to determine what was going on.
The oven had 2 simple resistive éléments, each rated at 120V 1200W, so on 120V the oven would draw 20A.
Then we opened up the voltage converter which was obviously too small to contain a transformer and switch mode converters were not available then, so what did it contain?

Spoiler: show

A 5A 200V silicon diode in series with the phase connection

It was lucky that he had not yet tried to use the adapter with other 120V equipment containing mains power transformers.

[mickthemaverick]

BFTW

If any of these are of interest to you Zel you can find the listings at:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... ta1&page=6

[CitroJim]

Mike, I just looked at your spoiler...

[Zelandeth]

That's three times today at a retail counters in three (previous unvisited) separate motor factors I have had to ask in my head "Are you actually that clueless, or do you really just not want my business because you'll need to process a parts order?"



It is just utterly depressing.

[CitroJim]

It is just utterly depressing.

Zel, having seen your Facebook post on this subject I fear there's a bit missing here...

For the record, I agree, it is