How to Choose Your Hydro Jetter Hose

Selecting your high pressure hose for your jetter can be a daunting prospect. With so much variety of brands, lengths, and quality, not to mention the price tag that accompanies, it’s important to get the right sewer hose for what you need. Here we’ll break down the important components that every jet operator should evaluate when choosing their hose.

Sewer Jetter Hose Brands

There are many hose brands on the market, but the most popular sewer hoses are the US Jetting, Parker, and Piranha hose brands. Each offers a different value for different applications. The Parker sewer hose brand is known for high quality, durability, and a good balance between flexibility and kink-resistance. Piranha jetter hose maintains a good quality, but is more economically priced. It is a stiffer hose which useful for straight pipes where you’re pushing the hose up the pipe and don’t want it to turn around. Piranha offers a wider variety of hose lengths and generally has a quicker lead time for the more customized options. Last but not least, the US Jetting hose is a great balance between price and quality. It maintains the same high quality as the Parker jetter hose but without the price tag. It also successfully walks the fine line between being flexible without kinking.

Hydro Jetting Hose Specifications

The most important features to keep in mind when picking your hose is the size (both diameter and length) and working pressure. The chart below shows what diameter hose is required for the different types of pressure and GPM. The standard length of sewer jetting hose is 500’ but jet operators must consider their access points to determine hose length requirements when making their choice.

Size of Hose	Working Pressure	GPM	Pipe Size
1”	2000 – 3000 PSI	50 GPM+	12″ – 48″
3/4”	2000 – 3000 PSI	30 – 40 GPM	10″ – 48″
5/8”	3000 – 4000 PSI	20 – 25 GPM	8″ – 36
1/2″	3000 – 6000 PSI	12 – 18 GPM	4″ – 24″
3/8”	3000 – 4000 PSI	10 – 12  GPM	3″ – 6″
1/4”	3000 – 4000 PSI	5 – 8 GPM	2″ – 4″
3/16”	3000 – 4000 PSI	5 – 8 GPM	3/4″ – 1 1/2″

Working pressure of a hose is the pressure that hose is designed for run at for long periods of time. Burst pressure is simply what pressure the hose would have to reach in order to burst.

Jetter Hose Safety

The single most important factor in the lifespan of your jetting hose is the care taken when using and storing the jetter hose. Abrasions, rubbing, and wearing most commonly happen when customers aren’t using the key hose protectors such as tiger tails, leader hoses, and manhole rollers.

Tiger tails are the black and yellow tubes that are a few sizes larger than the main jetting hose and are designed to have the jetting hose run through them while they enter the pipe. The tiger tail creates the barrier between the sewer hose and the sharp edges of the pipe to reduce friction and cuts.

Leader hoses are the short hoses that attach to the end of the main hose that are always a different color to the main jetter hose. They serve two purposes – first to alert the jet operator when the nozzle is approaching the end of the pipe as they pull the hose back, and second to act as a sacrificial part of the hose that is easier to replace than the entire 500’ roll.

Manhole Rollers or Manhole Protectors are crucial when jetting in a manhole. Both parts are designed to protect the hose against the sharp edges of the manhole. The Manhole Roller allows the hose to go straight down the manhole without rubbing against the edge, whereas the Manhole Protector simply creates a ring against the edges so the hose can’t rub up against the edge. Either should be used in conjunction with the tiger tail for full hose protection.

Lastly, when storing jetting machines for long periods of time, it is best to keep them inside or away from direct sunlight as this can eventually create dry rot in the hose over time.

Ask the Experts

We know that selecting hydro jetter hose is a big investment, so call us today to get information and a quote on which hose your jetter needs. With combined decades of knowledge and experience, our sales team will ensure that you can make an educated selection that meets all of your requirements.