Friction Loss Basics

What Friction Loss Does to Your Pump Pressure

Every time water moves through a hose, friction between the water molecules and the hose wall steals pressure. By the time the water reaches the nozzle, the pressure is lower than what the gauge shows at the pump. The longer the hose, the more friction. The greater the flow, the more friction — and that relationship is not linear: doubling the flow more than doubles the friction loss. This is the core of hydraulic calculation for handlines and master streams.