Choosing the Right Hose Reel

Hose reels are devices for winding, unwinding, and storing hoses. They are mainly used to transport gases and liquids in industrial applications.

Designed to provide fast, convenient access to hoses, cords, flexible tubes, and wires, these systems guarantee immediate, easy use.

Hose reels can be made of steel, stainless steel, plastic, or wood. Depending on requirements, they can be permanently fixed to a wall, or mounted on a truck, tractor, or cart for greater mobility.

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  • What criteria should I take into account when buying a hose reel?

    When choosing a hose reel, there are several factors to consider.

    The fluid inside the hose:

    The reel must be adapted to the fluid inside the hose, taking into account the following aspects:

    • The nature of the fluid: Water, oil, gas, fuels, pesticides, fertilizers, foodstuffs, or air?
    • The temperature of the fluid
    • Fluid pressure: For example, is it a low-pressure or high-pressure fluid?

    The reel, and more precisely its size, also depends on the hose and in particular:

    • The outer diameter of the hose
    • The length of your hose

    Finally, the choice of reel depends on several other criteria, such as:

    • The materials used, which must be adapted to the constraints of the working environment. The reel can be made of steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, or aluminum.
    • Mounting location: Is it to be mounted on a ceiling, wall, or pole? Or will it be free-standing or mobile?
    • The desired rewinding system, which can be manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric.
  • What are the different hose reel models?

    There are several hose reel rewinding devices: spring-loaded hose reels, manual reels, and motor-driven reels.

    PLYMOVENT spring hose reel
    PLYMOVENT spring hose reel

    Spring hose reels

    These feature a locking ratchet that allows the hose to be extended to the desired length. Other advantages of this system include:

    • No manual effort
    • Ease of use
    • Lack of maintenance
    • The absence of recourse to an energy source
    • The ability to place this type of reel anywhere, thanks to its compact size
    Schneider Druckluft manual hose reel
    Schneider Druckluft manual hose reel

    Manual hose reels

    These require human effort to operate through a crank handle. They are mainly used for hoses carrying grease, oil, water, antifreeze, and low-pressure air. Other advantages of this system include:

    • They are less expensive than automatic reels, mainly because they are not powered by electricity
    • Ease of use
    Conductix-Wampfler motorized hose reel
    Conductix-Wampfler motorized hose reel

    Motorized hose reels

    These are equipped with an externally mounted motor. The motor can be electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic. This type of reel is used for hoses carrying oil, grease, water, or compressed air. Their main advantages are:

    • No physical effort required
    • They can be used with any length of hose, even extreme lengths
    • They work with a variety of motors

    Electric-motor hose reels: Simply pull the hose to deploy it. When finished, the hose retracts automatically.

    Pneumatic-motor hose reels: These are powered by compressed air. They are used to reel in hoses carrying fluids such as fuels, to avoid the risk of electric shocks or sparks.

    Hydraulic-motor reels: These are suitable for tough working environments, as they are very durable and safe.

  • What materials are used in the construction of a reel?

    Choosing the right construction material for a hose reel is of prime importance, as it depends on working constraints and the intended application. Hose reels must be able to meet a variety of requirements, such as:

    • Corrosion resistance
    • Tensile strength
    • Shock resistance
    • Resistance to high and low temperatures
    • Non-abrasiveness

    They are therefore available in a variety of materials:

    • Wood
    • Plastic
    • Steel
    • Stainless steel
    • Galvanized steel
    • Aluminum

    In industrial environments, reels should be made of corrosion-resistant metals such as stainless steel and aluminum. In medical environments, where sanitary requirements apply, reels should be made of stainless steel, which is more hygienic.

  • Should I choose a fixed or portable hose reel?

    Hose reels can be portable or fixed. The choice of one over the other depends on the application.

    RAASM fixed hose reel
    RAASM fixed hose reel

    Fixed hose reels:

    These are the basic hose reels. They are wall- or floor-mounted and extend from there. A crank handle is usually attached.
    They are generally made of stainless steel and plastic.

    Euromair portable hose reel
    Euromair portable hose reel

    Portable hose reels:

    These are ideal if you need to move the hose reel frequently.
    They are generally mounted on wheels, making them easy to move around. They also feature a crank handle for manual hose rewinding. Their main limitation lies in their stability. They are less stable than fixed reels, and can even tip over. We therefore recommend that you opt for a portable hose reel only for low-pressure applications. It’s worth noting that some wall-mounted reels can be detached from their brackets and transported manually to the desired location. This half-fixed, half-portable system combines both functions in a single device. It does, however, require some strength.

  • Which hose reel is right for which application?

    Here are the different types of reels available. We’ve listed the most commonly used in the industry.

    High-pressure hose reels

    These can be used to safely store hoses containing air, water, or any other heavy fluid under pressure.
    These reels, which meet special safety standards, are specifically designed to ensure that hoses never twist so that they never reduce the pressure inside the hose line.

    Exhaust hose reels

    These hose reels are used to store vehicle exhaust hoses, for example, on a building site.

    Water hose reels

    Cylindrical in shape, these reels are used to store water transport hoses. They are particularly useful in applications such as industrial cleaning, pressure washing, and supplying water to farms.
    These reels can be fixed or portable, depending on requirements. Models vary according to the retraction system, pressure rating, and hose dimensions (length and diameter).

    Air hose reels

    Also known as pneumatic hose reels, these are connected to an air compressor and perform two main functions: transport air over long distances, and use pneumatic power to wind and unwind the hose.
    The main advantage of this type of reel is that it delays hose wear.
    These also allow the hose to continue to be used even when wound, protecting it from wear and tear.
    These models are usually ceiling-mounted and are frequently found in automotive repair shops.

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