Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting flow of powder coating material in an electrically nonconductive powder hose include providing an electrically conductive material that extends along at least a portion of the length of the hose to collect tribo-charge transfer that is produced by frictional contact between the powder coating material and an interior surface of the hose. The collected tribo-charge transfer is used to produce an electrical current in the electrically conductive material. A circuit detects the current in the electrically conductive material and produces an output that indicates whether powder coating material is flowing through the hose.