Fire Hose Reels & Spares

In the UK, the fire hose reel is generally red, round, fixed to a wall and contains 30 metres of 19mm fire hose tubing in red semi-rigid hose. In many other countries, layflat hose is often concertinaed in a hanging rack.

The purpose of both is to provide a steady flow of water in a fire situation without having to set up lengths of hose like the Fire Service would do. This makes a hose reel essential in high rise buildings and large industrial complexes.

There are essentially two types of valve and three types of reel design. Both are available as 19mm or 25mm with the 19mm being the most popular.

Automatic or Manual

Manual hose reels are like the one in your garden where you need to turn on the tap – or gate valve – before running out the hose. This lets the water into the system. This is helpful where frost may be a problem in exterior or exposed places to prevent pipe damage.

An automatic valve has the water permanently on but, when the reel is being run out, after about four turns, the automatic valve will have opened the ware flow. This naturally saves time and effort and is often preferred in emergencies. A simple twist of the hose reel nozzle will let the water flow from the hose.

Fixed Hose Reel

A fixed hose reel, whether manual or automatic, is fixed to its wall bracket and only turns as the hose is run out. By far the most popular, it should always have a roller or beaded hose guide to enable the hose to be pulled in any direction easily.

Swinging Hose Reel

As you can guess, the swinging hose reel is truly multi-directional as it will swing away from its mount on a bracket that contains the water inlet and will follow the direction of pulling making it even easier to use.

Recessed Hose Reel

Essentially a swinging reel with an extra bend in the bracket, the recessed hose reel can be fixed within a recess so as not to impede a corridor or thoroughfare, but will swing out in any direction when pulled. This type can also be concealed behind a door for architectural and design purity.

Standards And Manufacturers

Any hose reel should meet the stringent design criteria of BS EN 671-1 and should be installed and maintained in accordance with BS 5306 part 1. The hose should conform to EN 694:2001 which replaced BS 3169.

In the UK, the quality reels use modular parts to keep the same design, can be installed easily by one person, are easy to service and are simply to use. Well known current makes are the Chubb Multiway and the Macron Fireater Series 55.

Moyne Roberts, who also trade as Walker Fire and Fire Safety Warehouse (FireSafetyWarehouse.co.uk), have their own range of hose reels, too.

Most other hose reel manufacturer names from the recent past are generally now part of the UTC group and include Norsen, TG (Thomas Glover & Company) and NOHA.

Hose Reel Dimensions

Most UK reels will have similar dimensions but we will quote our Thomas Glover reel made for them by Noha

• Reel diameter – 560mm
  
  
• Weight without hose – fixed reel weighs 11.5kg, swinging is 19.5kg and the recessed weighs 20.5kg
  
  
• Max hose lengths of standard reel – 30 metres but an extended 19mm reel can take 45 metres and is available to order
  
  
• Hose weight – 19mm x 30 metres weighs 16kg and 25mm x 30 metres weighs 17kg
  
  
• Mounting height – 1400mm to the centre of the drum with the valve being 700mm below the centre of the drum
  
  
• Inlet pressure – 2.5bar min and 10bar max
  
  
• Fixing requirements – 4 x M10 wall bolts to a solid wall

Additional Accessories

Popular accessories include chrome-plated brass nozzles in place of the standard plastic ones and a beaded hose guide for a fixed reel.

For flammable liquid or petrochemical areas, a special foam attachment is available called Reel Foam and will instantly convert the water into a foam generator.

Cabinets and covers are recommended for exterior use and, in extreme temperatures, a heater would be required.

In some instance, hose reels have been removed. Although we recommend this is only done after consulting your local Fire Officer, it has been accepted to install two 13A rated water fire extinguishers in place of a reel.

Fire Protection Online supplies every style of hose reel and all the accessories from stock.