A few years ago I bought a new hose that I could use with my new pressure washer. I don’t want anything expensive, but my old hose lasted a pretty long time and really the only thing wrong with it was the outlet end threads were worn down since I never screw anything onto the end (and I had replaced the gasket at the spigot end a few times, but it still leaks). I got the new hose at Walmart, something in the middle range, and not too long since those always seem to get tangled worse. I didn’t realize it, but the metal fittings on each end were not the usual brass, but aluminum with a coating to make them look like they are brass. I keep that hose hooked up to a spigot on the back patio so I can use it to clean off Buddy Baer’s feet when he get them caked in dirt digging holes (at least once a day).
As I was moving the hose to sweep underneath it the crappy aluminum gave way and tore halfway loose from where it attaches to the spigot. So now I needed either a new hose or a kit where you cut the end off and put a new one on. I found a set of 3 (so I could fix my other hose) at Amazon for $11, but I don’t get free shipping. I found something that looks very similar at eBay. These were both also aluminum. The brass ones tend to be a lot more expensive ($64 for 3 at Home Depot!). Some of the identical looking ones on eBay claimed to be brass and almost certainly were not. I went ahead and ordered a set of 3 from eBay, arriving next week.
I tried unscrewing the old hose, but it was on there pretty tight for some reason. After using pliers, a wrench, a pipe wrench, vise grip pliers, and finally applying some oil and a heat gun, I was able to get it off with a basin wrench. What had happened was the aluminum had corroded onto the brass of the spigot. These two are pretty distant on the cathode chart and actually make a decent battery. Why anyone would sell something that will definitely corrode to go on brass in a wet environment is beyond me. Maybe new houses have plastic spigots? It is like when they used to use galvanized pipes for water lines instead of copper and they would corrode on the inside until the water couldn’t run through them anymore.
I tried to cancel my order for the aluminum repair kits, but it was too late. I found some at Amazon that seem to be confirmed brass by a few users, but will wait. The other thing I thought I could do is attach a plastic quick release attachment in between the hose and spigot. This would keep the two dissimilar metals out of contact, but the plastic ones aren’t that cheap and will probably last about as long as it takes for aluminum to corrode. Once I get something else to order so I can get free shipping I will just order the brass repair kit from Amazon and in the meantime will use the aluminum ones from eBay.