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Discussion Forum

garden hose thread size?

bmauers | Posted in General Discussion on May 14, 2006 11:08am

Can anyone tell me what’s the size/thread of the common garden hose connector? I wanted to buy some ball valves but had no idea.

thanks,

-brad

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Replies

  1. rich1 | May 14, 2006 11:18pm | #1

    3/4 hose.

    1. bmauers | May 15, 2006 01:52am | #2

      Thanks Rich. What about the threads? They never seem to match anything in the plumbing aisle- very coarse and rounded.

      1. seb | May 15, 2006 02:05am | #3

        its a odd thread as he said, 3/4 hose, is the name of it
        Bud

      2. webby | May 15, 2006 02:13am | #6

        bmauers,

        rich was telling you the size.

        Hose threads are just that, and noted by the terminology "hose thread." If you are trying to connect a typical ball valve to your hose,  it is like putting a's and b's together. you need either all a's or all b's.

        The ball valves and for that matter almost everything (pipe fitting) in the plumbing aisle uses what is called IPT or "Iron Pipe Thread" it is a very defined and uniform thread in whatever size pipe is need. IPT is different from "hose thread" wich you correctly observed is a looser, and more rounded thread, which is I think meant to be easier to connect garden apparatus to plus it is easier to manufacture.

         Manufacturers said "After all garden junk doesn't need the precision threading of gas or water pipe that is going in the home we will just stop any leak with a big fat rubber washer."

        There are bunches of different thread types in existence.

        To adapt a ball valve to your hose, go to the hardware, or box store, and buy a brass peice called a hosethread adapter to go from your hose to whatever size ball valve you bought. At a store like Lowes' you might even have to look in the brass fitting section in the plumbing aisle.

        Hope this helps,

         

        Webby

      3. User avater
        IMERC | May 15, 2006 07:00am | #12

        need 3/4 hose to 3/4 pipe to make it workLife is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

        WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

        Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

  2. MrBill | May 15, 2006 02:07am | #4

    Brad,

     You might have to get a couple of adapters to make it work. I dont think I have ever seen ball valves with the hose thread on them. You may want to try a plumbing supply house, they might have something not available at the box stores.

    Bill Koustenis

    Advanced Automotive Machine

    Waldorf Md

  3. User avater
    zak | May 15, 2006 02:12am | #5

    At the big box stores around here they've got ball valve sillcocks (I think that's what they're called), like a normal outdoor hose connection, but with a ball valve.  I don't think  you're going to have much luck finding a normal brass ball valve with hose thread ends, unless it's a little shutoff that goes on a hose before a sprinkler.  Plumbing parts tend to be compression, pipe thread, or sweat.

    zak

    "so it goes"

  4. WayneL5 | May 15, 2006 03:30am | #7

    Garden hoses have 3/4" GHT threads.  Standard pipe threads are NPT.  As you know they are not interchangeable.  To find ball valves with those threads you generally have to look in the rack in the store with other garden hose fittings, not in the plumbing section.

    If none of the ball valves you find suit you, you can by GHT to NPT adapters.  These also are generally in the garden hose section of the store.

    1. junkhound | May 15, 2006 04:19am | #8

      As you know they are not interchangeable  ---  but yu can make them so

       put 2 washers in a 3/4 female hose fitting they will seal to a clean 3/4 NPT.

      What is this IPT a previous poster mentioned, never heard of that one. 

      Recall  Looooong time ago NPT was known as either Whitworth or Briggs, can't remember which one became NPT.

      1. Landman | May 15, 2006 04:44am | #9

        Lee Valley tools has Ball Valves with garden hose thread on each side. They come in either single or double valves, and attach to the hose bib or a garden hose. look in the gardening section under watering in the on line catalogue.

        1. bmauers | May 15, 2006 08:45pm | #22

          Landman- Lee Valley has exactly what i'm looking for, thanks! I have their woodworking catalog memorized but never considered them for something like this.Thanks to everyone for all the info. "GHT" -ya learn something new everyday! I just wanted a simple, leak-proof way to shut off the water in the middle or end of a hose run and not restrict flow. Stuff in the lawn/garden section is junk, with fittings that also double as tiny sprinklers. Big box stores are the worst offenders. Then i wandered into a local plumbing supply store and stood in amazement at the heavy, brass valves that look like they'd never leak in a 100 years. I just couldn't figure out how to connect them to a garden hose, but Lee Valley already figured that out. THanks again.
          -brad

          1. Landman | May 15, 2006 09:17pm | #23

            Glad to help out. I've used a couple of the double Lee Valley valves for a few years.  If you are in an area that gets frost, take them in for the winter. 

          2. WayneL5 | May 15, 2006 10:53pm | #25

            I've always found brass ball valves with garden hose threads at my local Ace Hardware.  I haven't tried the big box stores because they are my last resort.  Hopefully you won't need to mail order them from Lee Valley.

          3. DanH | May 15, 2006 11:38pm | #26

            Yeah, your standard inline hose valve is essentially a ball valve. Most are plastic or pot metal, but the better quality ones are brass.

            If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

          4. DavidThomas | May 16, 2006 11:45pm | #27

            Yeah, your standard inline hose valve is essentially a ball valve. Most are plastic or pot metal, but the better quality ones are brass.

            Well yeah, but.  .  .  .  The in-line hose valves ($2 to $4 for plastic, pot metal or brass-plated) are ball valve but are not full-bore ball valves.  They neck down to a 1/4" or 3/8" port.  For good flow, full-bore ball valves are best.  Then gate valve (which are awkward to use).  Lastly, globe valve (which are used in most hose bibs) produce a lot of pressure drop at high flow and essentially restrict flow to under 10 gpm.David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

      2. User avater
        BillHartmann | May 15, 2006 06:51am | #11

        IPT - Iron Pipe Thread.It is a generic term.http://www.dent-mfg.com/threadsizes.htmSome references says that it is a straight thread.http://www.redheadbrass.com/faq.aspx#q9Briggs -"History of Briggs Pipe Thread (NPT).—The USA (American) Standard for Pipe Threads, originally known as the Briggs Standard, was formulated by Mr. Robert Briggs. For several years around 1862 Mr. Briggs was superintendent of the Pascal Iron Works of Morris, Tasker & Company, Philadelphia, Pa., and later engineering editor of the “Journal” of the Franklin Institute. After his death on July 24, 1882, a paper by Mr. Briggs containing detailed information regarding American pipe and pipe thread practice, as developed by him when superintendent of the Pascal Iron Works, was read before the Institution of Civil Engineers of Great Britain. This is recorded in the Excerpt Minutes, Volume LXXI, Session 1882–1883, Part 1, of that Society. It is of interest to note that the nominal sizes (diameters) of pipe ten (10) inches and under, and the pitches of the thread were for the most part established between 1820 and 1840. By publishing his data, based on years of practice, Mr. Briggs was the means of establishing definite detail dimensions. The Briggs formula did not provide for the internal threads or gaging requirements for making taper threaded joints. It established only the external thread on pipe, with no tolerance. . . "http://tinyurl.com/ofzs5

    2. JohnSprung | May 15, 2006 10:03pm | #24

      Pipe threads are tapered, and hose threads aren't.  The 3/4 hose threads are pretty much equivalent to the big end of the tapered pipe threads.  For a temporary setup where there isn't much mechanical force on the joint (and a little leakage is tolerable), you can put male hose threads into female pipe with some teflon tape.  I've done hydraulic ground rods that way.  

       

      -- J.S.

       

  5. DanH | May 15, 2006 06:24am | #10

    You can buy the hose to standard NPT fittings, then thread that to a regular threaded valve. The hose end is a coarse 3/4" thread.

    If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
  6. DavidThomas | May 15, 2006 07:22am | #13

    Everything everyone said is true, if disjointed.

    Why do you want ball valves in hose thread? Do you want higher flow out of the hose spigot? If so, you're on the right track - normal hose bibs are globe valves and always have a high pressure drop across them if you have much flow. Good for NOT hydraulically mining the petunias right out of the garden. Really bad if your roof is on fire and you want to do something about it. If this is your interest, reply to me and I'll post more on that topic.

    Anyway, I usually but pipe-thread ball valves and then use the 3/4" MPT (male pipe thread) to 3/4" MHT (male hose thread) brass adpators as needed.

    David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
  7. Grover | May 15, 2006 07:55am | #14

    It's been a long while....but aren't there *2* over-the-counter sizes?? I think there's also 5/8" or some such thing out there....

    1. User avater
      MarkH | May 15, 2006 01:51pm | #15

      You can get 5/8 garden hoses, but they all have 3/4 fittings.

      1. DanH | May 15, 2006 02:30pm | #16

        I have seen larger size hose fittings, but they're exceedingly rare.
        If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

        1. User avater
          MarkH | May 15, 2006 04:31pm | #17

          Fire hose?

          Lots bigger!

          1. DanH | May 15, 2006 05:02pm | #18

            No, I'm thinking it was at a nursery or some such.
            If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

          2. User avater
            MarkH | May 15, 2006 06:53pm | #20

            I found some mention of 1 inch hose thread for golf courses.  Never saw any before myself.

            http://www.golfcoursenews.com/articles/article.asp?Id=584&SubCatID=57&CatID=12

          3. DanH | May 15, 2006 07:45pm | #21

            Yeah, consider that a 1" hose can deliver about twice as much water as a 3/4" hose, so it can make a big difference where large volumes are needed. (Of course, won't make much difference for the average HO who has a 7/8" service connection and 3/4" or smaller pipe to the sillcock.)
            If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

  8. cynwyd | May 15, 2006 06:42pm | #19

    female hose x 3/4" male adapter is what you need, this will get you from hose threads to threads the ball valve can work with

  9. MJR6301 | Apr 25, 2020 12:22pm | #28

    i believe the info the initial inquirer wanted was:

    Remember that the thread standard for garden hose connectors in countries like the US, its domains, and Canada is recognized as “GHT,” or garden hose thread. It has a straight thread with a diameter of ¾” and a pitch of 11.5 threads per inch, or TPI."

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