Topic Moved - Hose Reels, Figure Eight and other hose storage methods and opinions

Mike V

Member
This is a classic example of a topic going way off topic so I moved it here.....



Quote Originally Posted by Johnson View Post

Mike do you still not believe in hose reels?



Mike V Responds:

I have never been a fan of hose reels for a few reasons I will explain below.

The life of your hoses depends upon normal and abnormal stresses acting on them. Normal meaning the everyday use, Abnormal meaning using/treating the hose in a way it was not intended to be used.

Some companies log more hours on hoses than others thus increasing the normal wear and tear.

As you know, high pressure hoses are constructed using metal wire. Metal fatigue is one of the main reason hoses fail. During operation, various steady and unsteady forces act on the hose as well as the various components of your unit. Think about the pressure the hose is containing and then releasing, constantly expanding and contracting. Also, as you yank on your hose (no joke intended) this causes extreme stress at a specific point, over time you will see bulges in the hose from the yanking. These bulges while sometimes subtle (sometimes look like small kinks) will be the first to fail. Continued stresses at a weak point make it worst. Not all hoses are created equal either and this also has a direct impact on the repeated action of these variable forces. The quality of materials used in the construction of these hoses vary and hoses should be chosen based on quality not price. Your dollars will be better spent over the long term if you buy a high quality hose. Winding the hose tightly on a reel will add further stress to these already weak areas causing more fatigue and eventual failure.

The other factor is the reel itself, it also has parts that will fail, rust and over time not function as intended, needed repair or replacement. I have enough equipment already that needs repair or replacement over time so I try to eliminate excess dollars spent whenever and wherever I can.


We keep about a 2' of space along one side of all of our trailers which allows the hose to be laid out in a figure eight the length of the trailer in a manner which does not cause excess stresses. It is as easy and as fast to put up at the end of the job.

Again, this is just my opinion and how I choose to setup the trailers for my crews.
 
Ron Musgrave's Reply to the above post:

I'll stick to hose reels mike , time savings out weigh all the above. Lower production and higher payroll make up for all those objection you state above.

It sounds like you have used junk reels?

I also could see on residential if there longer hose reels making it often more difficult to maneuver. We roll in and out average 10 times a night the cost of hand rolling would be crazy
 
Mike V's Reply:

I wasn't trying to convince anyone to change, I was asked why we didn't use reels and stated my opinion based on my experience and of course technical facts.

But Ron, besides hours logged (which we are not debating) production volume and higher payroll have zero impact on metal fatigue, metal fatigue is not debatable. I understand you prefer reels for speed and the time savings. I would personally pay a few more cents in labor to save a few dollars in consumables.

I've never bought a reel so I just based that statement on the fact that they are constructed of metal and various parts on a reel wear out, if that is not the case then I stand corrected.

Regardless, we figure eight our hose.
 
Simple ergonomic is another Mike , I care less truthfully strength of hose lasting longer. I stopped using expensive synthetic oil because I could buy a motor half way through life do to the higher cost. Was not worth getting a few hours more by using it.
Process means money, speed and happier employees effect cost. Everything is about production times and expenses.
 
Now in my 6th year of operation, I still have NEVER bought or used a hose reel. I have a 9' x 2' section on the inside of my 6'x12' open trailer that I "figure 8" five 100' sections of hose and just pull off what I need. I raced another contractor once to see who could pull in 200 feet of hose the fastest. The guy with the hose reel won by 20 seconds. Now if space becomes an issue, I would buy a couple hose reels but my current setup doesn't need them. One less piece of equipment that has to be purchased and maintained for a few dollars labor is the way I look at it. Now, if I buy a flatbed someday...hose reels definitely.
 
If you buy a decent hose reel like Hannay it will last many many years. The only thing to worry about is if your running strong chemicals or hot water you will have to rebuild the swivel occasionally.
 
I didn't own any hose reels for a while either. I picked up some used ones for cheap and figured I would try them out. I do prefer reels and my guys do too.
I still think to this day I could beat anyone in a hose rolling contest lol. I was so fast at it. Had to be.
 
All of our employees have their own truck and trailer and are held accountable for the equipment and vehicle. They know that if it is a birds nest, they are the ones that have to fight it. They are not paid by the hour, so the amount of time it takes them to move from job to job is more important to them than it is to me. It behooves them to keep it neat. I also do periodic inspections on all of our vehicles and trailers on both sides of the business to make sure they meet my expectations.
 
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