Orbit Brass Hose Quick Connect Set

Years and years ago -- at least 6, and probably quite a few more -- I picked up two of these sets ( the auto shut-off version ) at my local Orchard Supply Hardware ("OSH") and permanently installed them on our garden hose and two sprayers. Over those years, they served us without a problem. We're in a different house now, with a few more garden hoses and sprayers and sprinklers, so needed to increase the number of quick connection fittings. But a visit to OSH revealed that they're no longer carrying this product. Not recalling the "Orbit" brand name, I ordered a box full of well-reviewed Gilmour Brass Quick Connectors from Amazon, planning to "start over" and trusting the good Bosch Tool name (Gilmour's parent company). Too bad those Gilmour connections were horrible, with a poor seal design and loose fitting rubber grips. They went back to Amazon, and I chose instead these Orbit quick connects, due to their similar appearance to the ones I already owned. So in a nutshell: + The rubber grips are hearty, and tightly affixed to the brass. My old ones have never come loose. + The internal seal design uses a dedicated O-ring for sealing the quick-connect, a key element the Gilmour fittings lack. + These can be tightened down with wrench and made "permanent" to hoses, faucets and attachments without affecting usability. Yes, this is an expected attribute not normally worth mentioning, except that I was unable to do it with the Gilmour fittings without making it impossible to actually use the quick connect / disconnect feature. + All brass construction (according to the product description) -- watch out, because Orbit also sells aluminum versions of this product, and they won't have the same durability as brass. + The connection/disconnection process isn't effortless, i.e. my 2 year-old can't operate them just yet -- but it is easy with a firm hand press. It's probably not proper of me to trash one product in my review of another -- something I try to avoid doing, anyway -- but I'm blown away with how bad the Gilmour design is compared to this product I've taken for granted all of these years. But the highest complement I can pay to Orbit is their quick-connects work so well and so unassumingly, I took them for granted all this time. These are the connectors to have.

These are true solid brass. They do not corrode. And are well worth the price for that reason alone. The also work well and are easy to connect and disconnect.

I had purchased a set of these at Home Depot years ago, but I just used them for the first time. I found that they have an auto shutoff mechanism. If the female end is not connected to a male end, water does not flow. So, I guess that allows you to switch between different sprayers without turning off the water. It may also be a safety mechanism? The frustrating part was that I keep a female end on the faucet, and water would not flow from the faucet with the female end attached. For example, if I wanted to fill a watering can right from the faucet. Anyway, I just received and used apparently the same connector, now purchased on Amazon. This “version” does not have the auto shutoff, which I am happy about. The two versions look alike from the side, but my older version has a cap-like element when looking down the bore, while the new version (at least new to me) is open. Great product, but confused me.

Update 5/29/16 For the best possible performance without leaking get the Gilmour 09QCMGT Green Thumb Brass Male Connector for Hose along with the Orbit Female Quick Connect. (Please see update at bottom) I bought two of these along with ordering several more brass male hose connects so I could quickly change different sprinklers, nozzles, pressure washers etc. I put the two brass female quick connects on the end of each of the two hoses my house has and the brass male hose connects on all of the sprinklers, jet nozzles, etc. Some of the sprinklers, nozzles etc it worked perfect but for others it would leak like crazy. It was driving me nuts! I used all new rubber washers and teflon tape but it still would not stop the leaks! I was about to give up when I found a couple of older Gilmour male hose connects laying around that were brass colored aluminum. I thought "what the heck" and screwed one into a jet nozzle that leaked with the Orbit brass male hose connect. Eureka it worked! That's right, the metal aluminum Gilmour male hose connect with the Orbit female brass quick connect stopped all of the leaks I was struggling with! The only thing with the Gilmour male connect is that the tightening rubber ring around it cannot be tightened as much as the Orbit before it slips, unless you use vice grips right on the metal like I did. So for those of you thinking of going to this quick connect system this is what I suggest you try: 1. Order one Orbit Brass Hose Quick Connect Set 58117 (NO auto shut off feature-I hate those) 2. Go to Lowes and buy one Gilmour metal male hose connect. (Probably aluminum though looks brass colored). It should be less than $3. (Don't buy the set, JUST the one male hose connect for now). 3. Put the Brass Orbit female quick connect on the end of your garden hose. Make sure to use teflon sealing tape and hand tighten and then wrench tighten another quarter to half turn. Do not over tighten, it will begin to collapse the rubber o-ring seal inside. 4. Try the Orbit brass male quick connect on all of your sprinklers, nozzles etc and see which ones don't leak. Make sure to have new washers in all of them. Older items with corroded threads may be unusable and need replacement. No need for teflon tape at this time, a couple of drops leaking is good enough for now. 5. For those accessories that leaked a lot at the coupling try the Gilmour male hose connect you bought at Lowes. It should work pretty good with just hand tightening and no teflon tape at this point. 6. Order the needed number of Orbit Brass quick connect sets and additional male couplers, and go to lowes and get the needed number of Gilmour metal male quick connects. 7. Do your "permanent" installation on all your devices with teflon tape, hand tightening and slight wrench tightening. You should be good to go! I hope it works as good for you as it did for me! One final note: I did not try the Gilmour Brass male hose connect, so I don't know if it would have worked the same as the metal one. Something I plan to try when the metal ones start to corrode. UPDATE 8/16/2012 I ordered a Gilmour brass male quick connect and it worked perfectly with the Orbit brass female quick connect. No Leaks! I now recommend that you buy ONLY the Orbit 58118N Female Brass Quick Connect (not the set) and ONLY Gilmour Brass Male Hose End Connector 09QCM however many you need. I think you will be very happy with the performance of these two products combined. Vic

I recently purchased a 2600 PSI Gas Pressure Washer. and the first thing that i realized i hated was the connection of the hose. So i bought a few of these. Connected one end to Pressure washer. and other to hose, and allows me to quickly hook up the two and get to using it. Added another male end to a sprayer that has always leaked at the threads, and i just chalked it up to a cheap hose/sprayer combo. However with these hooked up the seal between the sprayer or hose and the quick connects is perfect, and the seal between the quick connect fittings is the same. I have left the water on for a few days before i realized that i did, since there was no water leaking. Simply cannot ask for more. The Quality of the build is great. The quick connect release works perfect, even while under pressure you can break it free with little force. And the thickness of the brass is great.

The unit worked fine until the male part of the connector would no longer stay connected. The brass appeared well machined, had pre-inserted washers, installed easily by hand without pliers and had no leaks. I was pleased. Then three days ago while washing the dog I was totally sprayed with water as the male partially separated from the female. I turned the water off, disconnected it completely and tried again. Same result. I inspected both male and female. Appeared that one of the three retaining balls that slide into a channel in the female part to hold the unit together was not sticking out far enough to stay in the channel to hold the unit together. Maybe I just got a bad one. . . but I only used it about five times. Disappointed of course -- and five days after item return expired.

I have ORBIT connectors on all my hoses and hose attachments - even my pressure washer. They make it so quick and easy to switch from a sprinkler to a nozzle. My wife can switch them with little effort and no mess. I have noticed inconsistent quality issues in some brands but the Orbit connectors are always a good fit even with the connectors I have that are over 10 years old. Since you will save so much time whenever you attach or detach an item make sure you take the time to install them correctly - I use plumbers tape and vise grip pliers to get a good no-leak seal.

These are durable and long lasting. Much better than the ones you find at big box store by the same brand that are aluminum with a "brass like" finish. Those do eventually oxidize and the fit decreases.

Some of the new orbit connectors are not brass. These ones seem to be brass. The delivery was way sooner than they predicted. I am very please.

Sadly the connection hose didn’t fit, so I wasn’t able to use it.

The product was reasonable price and it works great

Good quality peice