A very large number of manufacturing and industrial operations require pressurized water and air for power. In order to keep air and water pressure stable and consistent, it is an absolute necessity for you to keep hoses in optimal condition. Dragging your hoses over the ground, around sharp corners, and over obstructions is never recommended. Hoses will become kinked or damaged, causing a drop in pressure and effecting safety and performance. High pressure hose reels are a much better way to transport and operate air and water high pressure hoses.

High pressure hose reels significantly prolong the longevity of hoses and improve their performance. They make it easier for workers to do their jobs. Machinery that relies upon compressed air or water will also perform much better under consistent pressure from a piece of equipment that can be trusted not to fail. Safety will also improve, because high pressure hose reels are engineered to systematically and efficiently retrieve hoses after use, so workers to do not have to retrace their steps and laboriously wind up the hose by hand after completing a task.

Because of the diversity of high pressure hoses that are used in industry, the type of water or air hose reel you choose depends on a number of very key factors that you should pay very close attention to. Without the proper “fit,” the reel will not effectively store, transport, or retrieve the hose, and damage or injury could result.

When choosing a reel, the size, length, and type of hose weight heavily upon your selection. Hose retraction method and the mounting position of your high pressure hose reel also play an important rule. As a general rule, you always want to select a high pressure hose reel with a little more space than you require. This makes retrieval faster and easier, and the extra disc space actually acts as a protective shield on either side of the hose.

The type of retraction the high pressure hose reel uses is also a very important consideration. If your employees already have their hands full operating machinery or material handling tools, a motor driven or spring driven hose reel is preferable. Spring driven reels are great for facilities with large power bills and high overhead. Spring driven reels will automatically rewind high pressure hoses without a power source. The operator can guide the hose smoothly onto the reel with one hand. Motor driven reels rely upon an AC, DC, Air, or Hydraulic power source and again require only one hand to guide retraction. When a person can use both hand, and when working in an area without a convenient power source, a hand crank air hose reel works just as well, provided there is an operator with two free hands to crank the reel and guide the hose back onto the reel.

Most factories mount their air hose reels horizontally, on the floor. This is why the majority of material handling companies ship air hose reels pre-configured for floor mounting. However, the same configuration can be used to mount the reel on the ceiling if necessary, and vertical wall-truck mounts can also be ordered from Your material handling vendor for special operations or uniquely designed facilities.

Your material handling vendor will also further your reel even further to meet your exact requirements. Once you have chosen your reel type, we can also provide you with different add-on features such as roller brackets, special mounting brackets, carry handles or a cart for portability. Call a material handling specialist now to see what we can do for you.