Important to note:
It’s normal to experience a slight decrease in water pressure (up to 15%) when using a retractable hose reel (of any brand) compared to a standard garden hose. This is due to the internal design, including the direction changes the water must make inside the reel.
This is normally unnoticeable unless you already have low water pressure.
Overview:
This trouble shooting applies to both the Evolve and Classic retractable hose reels.
Resolution:
Complete the following checks to isolate the issue:
1. Hose Connector with Flow Control: Ensure the Hose Connector with Flow Controller is fully open. This fitting has a yellow or grey lever and controls water flow.
2. Check for kinks & hose damage:
Check along the full length of the hose by pulling the hose all the way out.
On the Evolve Hose Reel, inspect the leader hose. To do this slide off the side cover in which the leader hose enters the reel (it is marked ‘Hoselink’) and check for kinks or leaks at the entry point.
3. Remove the spray gun: This will test the water flow directly from the hose. If pressure improves with the spray gun removed, the issue may be with the spray gun itself, rather than the hose reel.
4. Check for blockages: Small skinks or other insects at times can crawl into the hose, if the hose has been disconnected from the tap or the spray gun left off. This can cause blockages. To attempt to clear this, you can try reversing the water flow through the reel. Do this by attaching the spray end of the hose to the tap and running water backward through the reel, under full pressure.
5. Inspect the water pressure at the tap: Uncouple the hose from the tap and ensure that adequate flow is coming from the tap. Ensure the tap is fully turned on to allow for maximum water flow.
As an option you could also temporarily disconnect the reel and test the water flow using a standard garden hose for comparison. This can help determine if the reel itself is causing excessive pressure loss.
Product Comparison (Flow Rate Tests)
Model | Time to fill 16L bucket | Flow rate (L/min) |
30m Evolve | 46.73 seconds | 20.54 |
30m Classic | 57.37 seconds | 16.73 |
Both the Classic and the Evolve Hose Reels are great options for your gardening needs. However, if you generally have low water pressure, or use tank or bore water, the Evolve Reel is recommended due to its improved internal design that allows for a higher flow rate.
The Evolve reel, which supports about 22% better water flow compared to the Classic model.