It is a heavy-duty suction and delivery hose. The galvanised steel wire helix embedded in the wall stops it collapsing under suction or crushing under load, so it works on both sides of a pump. Typical uses are water transfer, tanker and drum emptying, workshop extraction, pond and irrigation pumping, and general industrial, agricultural and commercial fluid handling.

Yes - that is what the steel helix is there for. This is the key practical difference between it and layflat hose, which collapses instantly under any negative pressure and is discharge-only. If you are plumbing a pump and only want to buy one type of hose, wire reinforced PVC is the one that will do both jobs.

Internal diameters from 10mm to 51mm, cut to order from 1 metre up to a 50 metre full coil. Order by internal diameter and match it to the outside diameter of the pump spigot or fitting. A full coil is considerably better value per metre if you have a long run or several hoses to make up.

3 to 12 bar depending on diameter - the smaller bores take the higher pressure - over an operating range of -10C to +65C, built to BS6066. Note that the pressure rating falls as the bore increases, so check the figure for the size you are ordering rather than assuming the top of the range applies.

The transparent PVC lets you see what is flowing through the hose, which is genuinely useful for spotting air locks, blockages, contamination or the point at which a tank has run dry. It also makes it obvious when the hose needs cleaning. If light exposure and algae growth are a concern in a permanent outdoor installation, an opaque hose is the better choice.

Cut the PVC between the wire coils with a sharp blade, then cut the wire itself with side cutters, and tape or dress the cut wire end so it cannot work through the wall or catch your hand. Leave a clean square end with enough smooth hose beyond the last coil for the fitting and clip to seat on.