Back or side door for hose reel

« **on:** July 02, 2020, 09:57:00 am »

Hi guys
System booked in for 6-7 weeks time. 500 litre upright on a ford transit custom. I was lying awake last night and trying to work out what door would be best to have the hose reel coming out of? Think as it stands they said the back door but I was thinking and realising the amount of jobs I have where I always pull up side on and tend to work out the side door.(not always easy to park van so it’s backing on).

Got a trolley dump also for those jobs I will need a backpack and as it stands this will be used from the side door. They have also said I could have a flat tank instead (I’m assuming more compact if I wanted the hose reel on top of the tank) but with the upright I’ve definitely been told I will less likely get air locks and will be better for the trolley dump.

PF also sell a boom arm extender for the electric hose reel (to extend 90 degrees) would this solve my problem for the jobs where I’m side on? Question is back or side door? Cheers

« **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2020, 10:20:13 am »

my hose is out the back door for me but my vans smaller than yours(connect LWB).....i have no problem pulling out a load of hose and walking in front of my van if a need to(which i do a few times a month)....

its personal preference

« **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2020, 10:59:05 am »

We have floor rollers fitted in all our vans and they come out of the back of it , I wouldn’t want to work leaving doors open on the vans , should there be any wind they blow shut , and if anything is stolen your insurance will be invalid as it’s left open , I know some have hoses out of side doors but all the ones I have seen cause an awful trip hazard due to the height the hose comes out at , personally think having it through the floor is the best option

« **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2020, 11:13:28 am »

Quote from: Splash & dash on July 02, 2020, 10:59:05 am

We have floor rollers fitted in all our vans and they come out of the back of it , I wouldn’t want to work leaving doors open on the vans , should there be any wind they blow shut , and if anything is stolen your insurance will be invalid as it’s left open , I know some have hoses out of side doors but all the ones I have seen cause an awful trip hazard due to the height the hose comes out at , personally think having it through the floor is the best option

Hi Splash.

I thought the back and side doors were the same height. How would having the hose coming out the side be any different to coming out the back in terms of a trip hazard?

« **Reply #4 on:** July 02, 2020, 12:15:14 pm »

Because typically out the side door will be on top of a tank. Also typically it will be onto a pavement not the road.

« **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2020, 12:17:17 pm »

I would go out the back. Maybe put your trolley filler out of the side where gravity and height will be your friends.

« **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2020, 12:19:50 pm »

Quote from: Suffolkcleaners on July 02, 2020, 11:13:28 am

Quote from: Splash & dash on July 02, 2020, 10:59:05 am
We have floor rollers fitted in all our vans and they come out of the back of it , I wouldn’t want to work leaving doors open on the vans , should there be any wind they blow shut , and if anything is stolen your insurance will be invalid as it’s left open , I know some have hoses out of side doors but all the ones I have seen cause an awful trip hazard due to the height the hose comes out at , personally think having it through the floor is the best option

Hi Splash.

I thought the back and side doors were the same height. How would having the hose coming out the side be any different to coming out the back in terms of a trip hazard?

As has been said the reel is usually on top of the tank , and it will be going straight across a pavement rather than having a loop pulled out away from the van if that makes sense , with underfloor rollers the highest the hose is off the ground is 6-10 inches and it’s totally fkat by the time it reaches the pavement

« **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2020, 12:25:34 pm »

I tried a variety of options 18 years ago ,I had the hose going out of the side door , rear doors none of which I found worked well especially if parking in a line of vehicles in a street , I had and still have fixed reels and free standing ones for some jobs , but find the floor rollers are the best option 99% of the time

« **Reply #8 on:** July 02, 2020, 04:06:07 pm »

I have 3 reels 1 on each side door and one out the back but the new shape RENAULT TRAFFIC rear doors can flip of the latch and bend the hinges in high wind might try under floor rollers

« **Reply #9 on:** July 02, 2020, 05:17:08 pm »

Cheers guys. Back doors it is. I’m going for an upright and I think the electric hose reel will be separate near the back doors (and tank at back against bulkhead)

« **Reply #10 on:** July 02, 2020, 07:29:29 pm »

I decided to use a swivel base with an extension roller fitted to electric hose reel so can easily pull hose out alongside the kerb avoiding parked vehicles left or right depending on which side of the road I park, best decision I ever made.

« **Reply #11 on:** July 02, 2020, 08:07:28 pm »

Hi Windows washed. Looks good. Does that basically take care of the worry of not always being able to back up? Pure Freedom do a boom arm which allows you to work at 90 degrees. Is this similar? Also where did you get the swivel base from? Was that PF as well? I'm getting the reelmaster also

. Do you like this? Is this easy to use etc? Cheers

« **Reply #12 on:** July 02, 2020, 08:11:47 pm »

It's all Pure Freedom. Swivel base is fixed to floorpan. It weighs quite a bit, quite surprised. It's the extension roller, swivel and hose reel. Defintely worth getting the swivel base as makes life a lot easier than a fixed reel when it comes to parking near other vehicles. Use to have underfloor rollers but not half as good, too much tension on the hosereel under floor pan, better this way.

« **Reply #13 on:** July 02, 2020, 08:20:07 pm »

Will definitely look into that windows washed. Cheers. How do you find the Reelmaster as a whole?

« **Reply #14 on:** July 02, 2020, 08:30:35 pm »

It's very good. Almost on full speed reeling in now I'm getting use to it. Should have bought it years ago, saves so much time getting hose to and from a job with the least of hassle, saves quite a bit of time daily, very surprised. Don't feel tired messing around with manual hoses anymore which is another bonus.

« **Reply #15 on:** July 02, 2020, 08:33:36 pm »

Sounds good. I’ve never used a Manuel hose reel. I’m literally going all in and moving from a backpack to the Reelmaster 👍😃

« **Reply #16 on:** July 02, 2020, 09:09:27 pm »

I have side and back fixed reels .

« **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2020, 09:11:17 pm »

For a 2 man I would go for 1 at the rear and 1 at the side door.

« **Reply #18 on:** July 02, 2020, 09:12:35 pm »

It would be even easier if you a had twin side loading doors you could reel that 1 out either door.

« **Reply #19 on:** July 03, 2020, 04:08:40 pm »

out from the back
but i haven't much choice.

« **Reply #20 on:** July 03, 2020, 04:13:21 pm »

I've done both and now it's side for me.

I can park in the right spot 95% of the time and it's a dead straight run to the back of the house.

I can also go up the road and down the road without any problem.

« **Reply #21 on:** July 03, 2020, 05:12:35 pm »

Quote from: Suffolkcleaners on July 02, 2020, 08:33:36 pm

Sounds good. I’ve never used a Manuel hose reel. I’m literally going all in and moving from a backpack to the Reelmaster 👍😃

Sometimes they are Fawlty and then you get Syee-bill to put them right. Polly be okay if you're lucky.

« **Reply #22 on:** July 03, 2020, 06:57:10 pm »

I have a Pure Freedom system fitted. I was always used to a side door 'pull out'

They fitted me outside ports to the rear (standard I think? )
In my opinion, much better - I can now work both sides of the van, I can angle the hose reel to suit.
One way terrace streets are now so much better.
I can lock the van without fear - the only thing that could get nicked, is my fairly expensive hose reel - but that's better than any poles/ladders Etc.. 🤞

« **Reply #23 on:** July 03, 2020, 07:18:03 pm »

Quote from: Marko on July 03, 2020, 06:57:10 pm

I have a Pure Freedom system fitted. I was always used to a side door 'pull out'

They fitted me outside ports to the rear (standard I think? )
In my opinion, much better - I can now work both sides of the van, I can angle the hose reel to suit.
One way terrace streets are now so much better.
I can lock the van without fear - the only thing that could get nicked, is my fairly expensive hose reel - but that's better than any poles/ladders Etc.. 🤞

Hi Marko. Do you mean the hose reel is bolted down but you can swivel it so you can work from the back or the side? I thought pure freedom fix the reel down to either work from back or side doors? If it’s possible to work from both with one hose reel then happy days. I will need to look into that

« **Reply #24 on:** July 03, 2020, 07:41:42 pm »

No mate - I plug it in from the outside.

It's a free standing hose reel.

I remove it from my van, close my back doors, plug it in/turn pump on/away I go.

You can angle the reel to any direction. Left/right etc..

I've got used to it now after working for about 10 yrs from the side door and I much prefer it.
It feels safer and I can pull up to houses either side of the road without thinking about the side door.

« **Reply #25 on:** July 03, 2020, 07:49:34 pm »

Ahh ok. Is there even an option to make it so you can work from the side and back door from the same hose reel?(as in a bolted in hose reel)

I’m assuming no otherwise PF would have informed me of this option.

So as a complete first time hose reel user (not even used a Manuel) would you say go from the back doors if I had a choice?

« **Reply #26 on:** July 03, 2020, 07:56:34 pm »

I can only comment from my experience of both but... I worked from my Trafic side door, straight out with a fixed hose reel. Really easy, fixed to top of tank.
It's only after I've had outside ports fitted I've realised how silly it was too leave the van doors open.
Also, now I can work left & right side of van without moving. I think back to the amount of times I moved the van up and down a street to suit the open side of the van.
Just makes sense to me?

« **Reply #27 on:** July 03, 2020, 08:03:41 pm »

I was Planning on getting an upright 500 Litre so generally speaking as far as I’m aware it’s not really an option to have the reel on top of the tank(Unless I change to a flat tank but with my trolley dump etc and avoiding air locks I’ve been told an upright would be better)

Surely there is something on the market that can enable you to work from both doors from one bolted in hose?