It’s much easier and more sanitary when poop runs downhill. Remember the Forrest Gump saying, “Stupid is as stupid does”? It appears some of these hookups could use a lesson. The law of physics exists for our benefit. When gravity does the work for you, why defy it? When you do, it’s much harder to push sludge uphill. So why make the task difficult?
Page Contents
When gravity was first discovered
Common sense notwithstanding, some folks are making a simple task more difficult. In the late 1680s, British scientist Sir Isaac Newton was instrumental in introducing the law of gravity to his fellow scientists marking his landmark work – Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687. Legend says he was contemplating the forces of nature when he witnessed an apple fall from the tree and reasoned there must be a force to keep it in place or else it would move. So, wouldn’t you make the simple connection that downhill works better?
Bad connections leave messes!
Bad connections leave messy results… Ewww! No one needs stinky! This is what happens when your hookup is less than optimal.
Be resourceful in supporting the black tank hose
The sidewinder support system from Camco is a great help for your hose, but if it’s not available or you don’t have one, perhaps you can find some blocks of wood to brace the hose to create that downhill swirl.
Another option to keep your hose flowing is the Valterra Easy Slider Sewer Hose, pictured below. If you choose to use this support, make sure you have enough to support on all topographical challenges. Not all campgrounds have level surfaces and some will give you a headache to keep this task simple.
Proper use of gravity and the landscape with support
For those who prefer a graphic example of a more suitable means of voiding your tank, try the easy slider sewer hose support or the sidewinder support system. It will make dumping so much easier. There are oodles of videos, blogs, articles and pictures available to peruse for improving the downhill chore.
Related:
Why didn’t I think of that?! An easy trick to keep your sewer hose clean
How many sewer hoses does an RVer need?
##RVDT1641
I agree with Kenny in the comments; First two setups are due to the sites drain pipe too high. I am a licensed professional engineer (civil / structural) and really do understand how fluid flows. I have been at quite a few campgrounds that have the drain far too high for normal sewer hose supports (such as the kind hot linked in the article). Really well designed and constructed waste dumps are few and far between.
I’ve used sections of plastic rain gutters for YEARS. I cut them to various lengths and use them as needed. Works great.
That’s why I also keep a long piece of vinyl sewed up and full of peat gravel just in case I need extra weight on the end to keep it from popping out.
In all fairness the first two pics are higher than the rv pipe.
Yes, and too many RV parks have the same setup. I’m curious if the author of this post thought the RVer should jack up his RV
If camping at Pin Oak Campground in Natchez Trace State Park near lexington, TN, DO NOT choose site number 26 because there is no way to arrange the hose to flow downhill. The connection point is at the far back of the 88′ gravel drive and it is set at the highest point of the lot! Macerators only!
The name of the article should be ridiculous campground sewer arrangements.
Love my macerator.
Until something jams it while dumping, then not so much. Still, a nice thing to have when gravity or distance is against you.