I have an older installation of .710 drip irrigation hose which has sprung some leaks, and I'm trying to patch it with .700 hose (because .710 isn't available anymore). This means I'm using .710 fittings with .700 hose, and the resulting joint is pretty leaky.
I've mostly fixed it by wrapping a couple of layers of gaffer's tape around the ends of the smaller hose, but am dubious as to how long that is going to remain effective. Is there a better way to handle this situation?
First off, for cases where the fitting goes inside the hose, I often boil water in a kettle, and briefly dip the hose in the hot water before pushing it onto the fitting. This ensures it goes all the way.
Second, when there is a chance that a fitting may pop off, for instance because the pressure might be too high or things don't fit quite right, I use stainless steel ring clamps. These are not hugely inexpensive and they do a great job. They have a ratchet system, and you tighten them with a small socket wrench. They compress beautifully around the pipe.
