On Thu, 9 Dec 2010 13:51:25 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Dec 9, 9:49Â*am, notbob wrote:
On 2010-12-09, Jeff Thies wrote:

Â* Â*I've never given this much thought. Do I need to drain the hose or not?

Yes

No - If it is a decent quaity, it will expand with the ice formation.
Now the connectors on the ends are a different story. Plastic
fittings and plastic garden sprinklers, etc, cannot take the expansion
and will almost surely crack.

We lost a couple otherwise good plastic nozzles even after draining
all pressure from the hose. Probably the little water they retain is
enough to break them when it freezes.
Never left a hose over winter full of water.
Now I take off the nozzles and bring them inside.
Turn off inside water stops, open outside faucets, roll out hoses to
drain most water and roll back up.
About 5 minutes.
Same hoses - medium quality - for about 8 years.

--Vic