Electric reel worth it?

[Bwfc]

Is it worth the expense of getting a reel? Also what battery would u need to power it?
Finally how does it deal with snags??

 

[Part Timer]

Is it worth the expense of getting a reel? Also what battery would u need to power it?
Finally how does it deal with snags??

Depends on your type of work and workload. After 7 hours working, non stop, and facing a 100m reel in you'll think it is.

 

[Bwfc]

Tbh I rarely have more than 50 m of hose out. I probably do about 7 hrs a day.

 

[Pjj]

When they first came out I thought what a waist of money I’ll never have one , now we have then in all the vans and couldn’t consider winding in my hand , I would definitely say it makes the working day easier and a bit quicker as for battery its connected into the battery’s that run the pumps and boiler ,as for snags yes they have a cut out built into them but it only needs the hose pulling away from obstacles and it winds on the reel fine

 

[Part Timer]

Tbh I rarely have more than 50 m of hose out. I probably do about 7 hrs a day.

Also I'm 60 this year, not quite as old as @Den but do more hours then him, this also comes into the equation

 

[Iron Giant]

I've had mine a few years now and couldn't be without it makes the work day so much easier not having to chew on with a manual reel, I can park the van a 100m away from the last house and it's effortless reeling in, as for snags well you have to sort them out as you would with a manual hose,

I have this battery Numax XV31MF Sealed Leisure Battery 12V 105Ah it's half starter battery and half leisure battery which is meant to better cope better with the demands of an electric reel also the twin terminals mean I can have my reel and controller connected permanently with the larger terminals free to attach my charger every day after work.

 

[steve garwood]

When they first came out I thought what a waist of money I’ll never have one , now we have then in all the vans and couldn’t consider winding in my hand , I would definitely say it makes the working day easier and a bit quicker as for battery its connected into the battery’s that run the pumps and boiler ,as for snags yes they have a cut out built into them but it only needs the hose pulling away from obstacles and it winds on the reel fine

Quicker, yes if you are lifting the reel in and out etc.
As I’ve mentioned before, my reels are chest height and bolted to the sides of my tank frame.
I considered electric reels and watched countless videos on YouTube.
There isn’t a single video showing a hose being wound in that’s quicker than how I wind in.
I just stand to one side, flick my wrist and it’s a piece of doddle.
I can see why people get them. But at the moment, not for me ?

 

[dazmond]

If you want to make your working day easier then an electric reel is a must,same as using xtreme poles and hot water...they all make your day a bit easier.

 

[Mattlekim]

I don't have one but have used one when working for @Skxawng. He's also has the auto feed feature and wireless winding. which for me makes a huge difference to speed. Been able to have the reel wind in while I can spot and remove it from tires.

But for me a standard electric reel would be no use, yea it would save my arms, but it wouldn't be a y quick. Batter is a 105amp batter

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

Yes, 100% worth it. It’s probably not as quick when compared to someone winding in at full speed. But they’re not doing that at the end of a 8 hour day. It saves so much energy and also the risk of repetitive strain. I know lads with issues in their elbows, wrists etc from winding in all the time. I kept putting one off. Citing above reasons. Then I got one when I upgraded as part of the package and have never looked back!

 

[ched999uk]

I bought one in the Black Friday sale as well as through the floor rollers.
Previously I was lifting out my reel, plugging it into the van port, pointing it to where I wanted to go and walking away with the hose. Now I just grab the hose and walk away! Then when I returned to the van I had to bend down, reel in, unplug the hose from van and lift it in. Now I just walk back to van and press the button.
I would say electric reel and through floor rollers are faster, more secure and a lot less strain on your body.
As for snags, they do happen same as manual reeling, the Pure Freedom reel and I think most others have 'snag detection' so they cut power if resistance is 'felt' when reeling in, like the hose getting stuck under a tyre or someone stands on it! It's the same as a manual reel in that when you can't turn the handle the hose is snagged .
I tend to try and avoid snagging when I walk back to the van by moving the hose from tyres, wheelie bins etc when I walk back. I do get the odd snag when the hose tangles it's self stopping it going through the floor rollers but that's sorted by just pulling the hose back and untangling it, same as you would a manual reel.

For me it just makes things easier, a bit quicker and less wear and tear on my old body ?

 

[THL4KEL]

I wouldn't be without one. Saves fatigue on your joints, helps you work longer, helps me work.faster.

 

[Iron Giant]

Quicker, yes if you are lifting the reel in and out etc.
As I’ve mentioned before, my reels are chest height and bolted to the sides of my tank frame.
I considered electric reels and watched countless videos on YouTube.
There isn’t a single video showing a hose being wound in that’s quicker than how I wind in.
I just stand to one side, flick my wrist and it’s a piece of doddle.
I can see why people get them. But at the moment, not for me ?

They'd be head height to me and I'd need a beer crate to stand.

 

[marlowswindows]

If my electric reel broke tomorrow I would order a new one by the end of the day. Fingers crossed I don't have too.

Get a pure freedom reel. Don't waste your money on a power up 3d

 

[Iron Giant]

The x-line hose reel is like the old Power Up HD pretty sure @tench0771 bought one not so long ago

 

[Clean zero]

Yes definitely worth it saves your body a lot of stress may not think it in younger years but as the years roll on wear and tear will show on arms and back from lifting the reel in and out of the van

 

[Den]

I used electrics for years wouldnt want to be without them, 100m is seconds no man could reel in manually the speed than an electric reel does.
even if you don’t use the full 100m daily still much better than manually reeling in.

 

[Pjj]

I think the pure freedom reels are 100 meters in 40 seconds ?.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

When they first came out I thought what a waist of money I’ll never have one , now we have then in all the vans and couldn’t consider winding in my hand , I would definitely say it makes the working day easier and a bit quicker as for battery its connected into the battery’s that run the pumps and boiler ,as for snags yes they have a cut out built into them but it only needs the hose pulling away from obstacles and it winds on the reel fine

When I first went wfp I decided to study the folk on this forum who were doing exceedingly well in window cleaning. I noticed they all had big vans, 650l or above tanks, two man system, RO, hot pure, electric reels and Xtreme poles. So I copied them and have never looked back. Time and energy is money and the less time and energy it takes means more money coming in. SFG, conny roof cleans and all the rest means its a no brainer so I second what Reflections has said. ?

 

[Crystalalan]

I used electrics for years wouldnt want to be without them, 100m is seconds no man could reel in manually the speed than an electric reel does.
even if you don’t use the full 100m daily still much better than manually reeling in.

What! even if I eats me spinach!

 

[Bwfc]

Most seem in favour thanks for the replies. So I suppose I need rollers to make it work?! as I have my current reel bungee strayed in which works well. Only on a few jobs it snags on van doors if I don't pull enough out