By Chris Dougherty
Certified RV technician
One of the most unpleasant tasks in RVing is handling waste. Nothing incenses an RVer more than a dump station visit gone bad, and yet all too often people opt to purchase substandard sewer hoses and fittings to save money and end up with a mess.
Inferior sewer hoses are susceptible to cracking, crushing, unraveling and punctures. Poor fittings may not stay secured to the hose or may not fit properly in the sewer connection. This can result in a messy situation and spill that the RVer is responsible for.
There are many RV sewer hose systems on the market, from the aforementioned cheap products to “Cadillac” systems that cost hundreds of dollars. Now these “Cadillac” systems work well, for sure, but most RVers are priced out of buying them.
I have found and extensively tested a system with multiple clients that is holding up exceptionally well. Its Camco’s RhinoFLEX sewer hose system, which the company touts as the world’s toughest sewer hose. They have designed a hose made of heavy-duty polyolefin reinforced with steel wire that, like a straw, will hold its shape no matter what position you bend it into. This is a great feature for storage as, once disconnected, the hose compresses down into a firm collapsed package, while traditional hoses spring around everywhere. A 10-foot hose compresses down into a 32-inch package, and the 15-foot hose to just 45 inches for storage.
The connection system for the RhinoFLEX is also unique and very strong. Utilizing a four-pin connection over the standard two, the bayonet connectors have built-in swivels and the removable hose ends lock onto the hose with locking rings, which allow the ends to be swapped around as needed.
I am particularly fond of this system for fifth-wheels that have multiple sewer connections at different points on the RV. Utilizing one or more RhinoFLEX wye (“Y”) fittings and a variety of hose lengths, all the sewer connections can come together to feed into one sewer connection.
RhinoFLEX hoses are available in complete kits of 15 and 20 feet each, and hoses are available in 10- and 15-foot sections, and 5- and 10-foot extensions, all with removable and swappable ends. In addition to the wye, translucent and clear fittings are available in 45- and 90-degree bends, as well as a swivel elbow fitting with a 4-in-1 sewer adapter.
While these systems aren’t cheap, they’re cheap insurance against a poo bath and will outlast the competition by a long shot.
The RhinoFLEX hose is available at Amazon.com, and at your favorite RV retailer.
More information on RhinoFLEX as well as Camco’s other sanitation products can be found at camco.net.
