Okay, it’s sewer hose education 101 time. Here are three RV sewer hoses spotted at RV parks. Our panel of sewer hose experts commented on each setup. Their conclusions:
This is a good hose setup. It’s sloped nicely for good flow. The hose is off the ground, which is a requirement in some states. So the owner of this hose gets a B-plus. He would have received an A if he had a higher quality hose like the one from Drain Master the RV Travel staff uses for dispatching its nasty contents to the sewage portal at campgrounds across America.
This hose has a bad case of droop. You might say it “pooped” out at the end, not quite making it to the finish line in proper fashion. It gets a C-minus for inefficiency.
This hose, or hose setup, gets an F. The long hose to the left, from the forward bathroom, is okay, although it has far too many connectors where leaks could occur, and its shoddy appearance does not help the overall ambiance of the neighborhood. But the hose on the right, from the rear bathroom, is a disaster. You wonder why the RV owner couldn’t pop for $10 to replace it. How many drip, drip, drips of sewage have seeped out of this?
That’s your lesson for the day.
##RVT810 ##RVDT1357
I actually arrange our sewer hose like #2 with a droop near the city connection. That acts like a trap that fills with liquid and prevents sewer gas from the city system backing up in my unit. We normally have the valves closed on both grey and black, but old habits die hard and sometimes the grey is open.
That could have been my hose in the photo except the coach colors are wrong.
The black tank and the gray tank should be closed until ready to dump. We have advised this repeatedly in this newsletter and on the website.
Not gray if you have a washing machine
I would STILL advise keeping valves closed, dumping before and after doing laundry.
A separate issue: If I had a washing machine, I’d seriously consider routing a discrete drainhose for it – mixing lint with kitchen grease makes a fibrous clog even professional cleaners struggle with.
I leave a small loop in the hose just before the sewer connector. One reason, “washing machine” it will fill up a gray tank faster than you can believe. It’s so easy to forget about a closed gray tank. I close the gray before dumping the black tank, than flush with the gray. Running loads of laundry keeps it well flushed. 8 years with no problems or stink.
Actually the second picture has the droop that would act as a trap to keep out the sewer gas so I would give it a much higher grade.
I give marks to #2. Obviously – look at the quality product, the completely sealed connection, and the carefully arranged supports. This RV-er has thought about his connection and put some effort into getting it right. His p-trap is neater than mine, but we agree on the need and solution.
What I didn’t see on #1&2 is something holding down the end of the pipe. #3 seems to have some sort of make shift system to keep the end down.
Don’t need anything to hold down the 90 degree fitting they’re so tight in the female adapter that there hard to pull out so there never a problem of them just flip out of the fitting.
Several people already commented on the P-trap in number two being CORRECT so I won’t beat that horse again…
That said I would actually take points off all three for leaving a hose connected at all. Since I am not leaving my valves open to dry out my tanks, I am thereby dumping deliberately when I do. If I’m pulling and closing valves, it’s not that much extra time to take the hose out at that point. By leaving the hose deployed, the sewer is open to release gas, and the hose may be damaged by cumulative sun, someone tripping or whatnot.
If I were staying somewhere long enough to want to leave hoses out, I’d jump to making a stiff connection with PVC pipe. Smooth pipe supports itself and flows massively better.
“The hose is off the ground, which is a requirement in some states.”
Why? I don’t understand why the sewer hose can not be on the ground.
Gord, I cannot tell you why but I have traveled in more than one state where the “hose off the ground” policy is enforced.
We have traveled to every state except Alaska, and have never heard of “hose off the ground” let alone had it enforced.
If you have traveled to every state, then it is very unlikely that you have been to all of them in the last half dozen years, during which many new environmental laws were put into place. I first encountered this a few years ago. It might have been in Oregon but I can’t remember for sure. Having a secure connection with the sewer was never a requirement until maybe 10 years ago. Now many states require it. RV parks do not always enforce it, but some do. Times change, laws change.
I’ve encountered this requirement in Sedona, AZ and in Palm Springs CA.
It is because these hoses, especially when stored in the bumper, tend to develop pinhole leaks which will allow seepage into the ground and not be detected.
We travel full-time throughout N. America. The biggest problem that we’ve seen is that the park’s sewer connection is often too high to get a smooth flow when you factor in the height of the angle connection at the end of the sewer hose. This seems to be the norm.
You said exactly what I was thinking! More often than not our hose has a sharp climb at the end where it connects. This leads to the stinky slinky dance as you pick up the hose at one end and lift, lift, lift from one end to the other so you can get it completely drained. Another excellent reason to make sure all of your connections are secure, especially if you have an extension!
You gave the hose with a droop a C-. Have you ever thought that this may have been by design? When fully hooked up, we like to leave the shower grey tank valve open and the black closed. If we don’t create a water trap with a droop in my hose, then we have had unpleasant sewer gasses in the bathroom. If we purposely leave a droop in the hose, this does not occur. When it comes time to pull the black valve, I’ll simply remove the droop at the same time. Never assume that you know it all, your C- is my A+ !
You may have a point. We’ll check this idea out.
Are there not traps in your unit to prevent this? Mine has a trap on every drain.
Yes. No matter what this RVer’s intent, creating one’s own P-trap is not necessary and not a good idea. If you do not want sewer odors coming into your RV from the RV park’s sewer system, simply keep your tank valves shut until you are ready to dump. This is the best way for a variety of reasons.
My unit is a 2003 Sprinter 297bhs by Keystone and is fourth camper for us and the first one to have this issue. Yes, all of the drains have traps but for some reason, the bathroom would always smell if we don’t do this and have the grey open. We keep the black tank closed when on full hookups but always leave the grey open. I have a wife and three daughters, if I kept it closed, I’d be constantly out there draining the tanks so the “p trap” using the hose was a simple solution.
Regardless the last setup is a disaster waiting to happen! Plus I never thought about the homemade p trap for the sewer. That makes sense and it looks like when he is ready he has some excess sewer hose stand available at the end
Frank, I agree. It’s best to just leave your tank valves closed until it’s time to dump.
Chuck
I agree that the Drain Master is a nice hose, but unless you are full timing $130+ for a sticky slinky is a lot!
The argument that picture 2 is best is like asking which truck pulls best – to each their own!!
I think any good hose in good condition works fine – just keep them inspected!
Happy camping
As most everyone says dump black tank first. I disagree -My method is gray, black, gray. Why by doing a little gray I can observe is all my connections are tight, no pinhole leaks etc.It is much easier to clean up dishwater/bathwater than the other.
So first dump a little gray determine your connections are tight and working correctly then do the black and finish with the grey to clean out the hose.
Grey/black/grey
Great idea!
Good idea, Will have to remember This!
In one mans lonely opinion I agree with setup #2. Just like everywhere else in plumbing one finds a “P” trap. We usually leave our grey water valve open until the day before the black needs dumping. Our grey tank is pretty small. Over the years we’ve had an occasional infestations of tiny flies in the bathroom. It seems to only have happened when we didn’t put a droop in the line.
Regardless of where I stay or for how long, I only hook up the stinky slinky when I am ready to dump. Most campgrounds have the sewer connection high off the ground and I usually have to move the hose up and down to “help” the contents go down the sewer. We usually never stay in one place more than 7 days so I dump before I go.
I’m one of those people that leave the gray tank valve open. I purposely use setup #2 because it acts like a sink trap, keeping those nasty sewage smells out of the RV. Got this tip from an expert’s article several years ago. It works. Of course, when I dump the black tank I straighten it out so solids flow out properly. Sometimes one should check facts more carefully.
I’m a plumbing contractor with 35 years of experience and #2 is the way to go as it makes a trap with water in it to keep sewer gases from going up the hose. If you have your bathroom fan on when you flush it will pull gases right up and into the bathroom WITHOUT the trap in the sewer hose. Lots of people saw this as well.
Like most so called experts these days too much opinion and not enough facts. Ok the third picture WTF is going on there. LOL I agree with that one. In the second picture like someone already said that is common if you let your gray tank open. And the first picture the red sewer hose is a good quality hose. Much better than most. Just because you like another over priced hose better does not make the red one bad quality. Been using the red one for many years with no problems.
Sewer hoses have come a long way since I started in 1976. I bought a Drain Master hose long before mentioned here. Nothing works better! A few months ago CW had sale $75. Vets that order from the company get a discount.
Whoever wrote this article certainly isn’t a plumber. They should have started the article…”in my opinion.” As I see it the only real issue is #3
To the editorial staff, IMHO you can dis band this “slinky” review board. Most folks that paid attention in high school physics get the mechanics of gravity. After that, it’s preference. Your article does highlight one design flaw. Two black drains on one coach is poor, lazy design. Ok, I’m done.
I see it all the time, the manufacturer is not going to run two bathrooms into one black tank that are 30’ apart and then run one dump line from a centrally located black tank. The runs can only be just so long to maintain proper drainage. If you want to put the blame somewhere blame the RVers who think they’re at home and must have two bathrooms. Manufacturers are more than happy to put as many “goodies” as people want because that raises the price.
And that’s exactly why most rv’s that have two bathrooms have one situated directly over the black tank with the other being a macerator type that grinds everything into a liquid so that it will flow long distance to the black tank.
I have two drains but they are for gray and gray & black.
So… I’d get a B+ because I didn’t invest $100 for a better sewer hose? If my set-up works and is off the ground (and doesn’t leak) it should be an A. And maybe an A in economics for not investing in a hose at 5x the price. Okay and loose a few “style points” for not getting the greatest and latest in sewer hose fashion.
You could also by 5 sewer hose to their one, my thinking is good job. 😊
With a drop in the line–#2– yeah U will get a trap–But with the trap U will still get a sewer smell with the fan running because the black tank is vented with its own vent….
Does anyone know the reason WHY putting your sewer hose on the ground is not allowed in some places?
Can spring leaks on the bottom and leak onto the ground without you seeing it. Especially if some people leave the gray water open.
Can you tell me which states require off the ground sewer hoses connections. Is Texas one of them?
#2 does keep the gases from the sewer from backing up.
Was going to say the same thing. P trap.
I do this but put the p trap at the rv end of the hose. I also make a much tighter U shape to ensure the trap is completely full of water. I leave the grey tanks open until the last 2 days. Then when i dump the black tank get rid of the trap, then flush the black tanks then dump the grey. I dont have to “milk” anything.
Oh my Oh my … The pictures, the ignorance (of the cheap & lazy & irresponsible sob’s), the excuses, the stories … WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP !!!!! (pun intended) !!
I wish I could tell if you thought the article was 100% correct or only 66% correct
One problem is getting to a campsite that has the dump higher than or level with the drain. Love to “milk” the hose every time I drain.
I travel and work with Habitat for Humanity Care-A-Vanners and this last year stayed in one place for 5 months (New Mexico in Late Fall to Spring). I’m always hooked up as the sun when hottest is on the far side of the trailer. After 5 years of 24/7 RVing, with freezing weather and such I’m replacing my hose with a heavy duty one but cannot afford the Drain Master one and it would’t fit in my small trailer storage. I guess if driving one of the big boys I wouldn’t worry about price and that heavy clunky thing on the end. So I’m agreeing with # 1 except mine is Rhino brown not pretty red. 70 yr. old woman doing Construction.
We have a 22’ travel trailer with a waste pipe that is very low to the ground. We always have to lift and walk the slinky to empty it. I hate it! I saw a travel trailer in a campground with a tiny pipe about the size of a garden hose attached to the sewer drain. After some research, I found it was a Valterra Sewer Solution. I bought one on Amazon , including an extension hose. It is my favorite thing!! You attach a garden hose to it and it is like a macerator. It has a strong jet of water that breaks up the black tank contents as it drains and pushes it to the sewer- even uphill!!! It’s not as fast as a slinky so you don’t want to use it at a dump station but it is perfect for use at a campsite! Just turn it on, open the black tank, and let it run till the water turns clear. Then turn a little lever to shoot water into the tank to flush it out! Turn it back and it finishes cleaning out the hose. No muss no fuss! And no more walking the slinky in front of the neighbors.