Sewer Hose & Fittings
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5281
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 5:23am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sewer Hose & Fittings
Posted By: Luv2Q
Subject: Sewer Hose & Fittings
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 12:30am
|
Well, tonight has been sewer research night. Am trying to get schooled before we take delivery later this month. So .. The consensus seems to be 15' RhinoFlex hose, 45-degree clear Hydroflush elbow, 2 water lines (plus regulator, 'Y' connector & elbow), sewer line supports, rubber gloves, and something like Sanitubes for carriers. Does this look about right? Q#1: Are there sewer line fitting sizes to be concerned about? E.g, 3" diameter vs 4", etc. Or are all RV sewer line fittings standardized? Q#2: Anyone use the Valterra Viper hose? Or is RhinoFlex the hands-down favorite? Wow, what an educational evening. I'm just pooped out!  Who would have thought a You-Tube of the clear elbow while draining the black water tank would have been so fascinating? It just needed the 'Jaws' theme music. Thanks in advance for any comments, suggestions. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Replies:
Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 1:01am
|
You don't need the sewer line supports unless you plan to camp for an extended time where you have full hookups and leave the hose hooked up. Even then it is recommended to keep the valve closed until the black tank is at least half full, so I've never seen the need. Clear elbow? Give me a freaking break  There seems to be a fascination inherent in some people with getting the black tank clean enough to eat out of.  I've never had a problem with a black tank in 40+ years of RV camping- just follow 3 simple rules- >1 fill the toilet bowl half full of water after #2 before flushing. >2 Use toilet paper that falls apart in water- don't need high priced RV paper. Use what you like at home if it passes the water test- put a few sheets in a water filled container, wait a couple of minutes and stir- did it mostly come apart? If yes it is ok to use. >3 After dumping (and after you moved out of the way if others are waiting) put a couple of gallons of water in the black tank. This fills the drain line out of the tank so nothing gets compacted in it, if someone doesn't follow rule #1. Please don't be one of those PITA campers that holds up the line at the dump station as he strives for 10 minutes or more to get his black tank perfectly clean. Not necessary at all. I just dump and go, 3 minutes tops at the dump station for both black and grey- BTW I use nothing but Dawn dishwashing liquid in my black tank, don't need all kinds of fancy high priced chemicals. A good healthy squirt per day of Dawn has worked great for me. Never have an odor problem if tank is dumped at least once a week. Sewer lines are standardized at 3" for the RV- however you will run into dump stations designed by the clueless that did not follow this convention. Had one last week at the Silverthorne Colorado city owned dump station. They didn't have any rinse or potable water available either so what can I say. ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 10:02am
The RhinoFlex is a pretty standard choice for a lot of folks, I like mine just fine. And actually the hydroflush elbow is a pretty neat item also, it's pretty much an item you only use if you have full hookups at your site so that you can really get a good flush of your tanks. But they are very useful, I've seen other Podders use them at camp and you'd be surprised about the amount of stuff it will indeed flush out of your tanks, on those occassions when you have a full hook up and can piddle a bit. Myself I've never found the sewer supports to be necessary, it's only one or two trips a season that I have full hookups and even then I still follow my same dump procedure as I do when hitting the dump station. Just something extra to store in my opinion. Gloves, never a bad idea if you want to use them, I like to keep a bit of sanitizer ready for my hands afterwards as well. But yes you seem to have it all pretty much covered there, your water line setup seems sound and proper and it looks like you've done a lot of good research and learned alot! Let us know any other questions you might have!! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: Grayotter
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 10:32am
|
Love your Dawn idea. Does it keep your blackwater sending unit clean enough to be accurate? Gar ------------- Love2 1der |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 11:18am
|
I have gloves but rarely use them - at most I get a little liquid on my hands and my kids always open the door and run the faucet so I can wash up afterwards w/o touching anything. I also have them Lysol the bottoms of my shoes before I go in to wash. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
|
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 12:00pm
|
I bought the sewer hose supports but have only used them once. I wouldn't buy them again. We dry camp to often to make them worthwhile.
I have the clear elbow and really like it. It's good to know when your discharge is clear and when it isn't. The Dawn in the black tank sounds great. I will probably combine that with what I already do: putting 1 cup of water softener in the black tank after we dump it. And don't forget that your new Pod will probably come with the sewer flush already. Combined with the other tips here, that's probably all you'll need. I would suggest that you have the dealer test it before you drive off. The check valve on ours was put in backwards, so it doesn't work. I could fix it myself, but my dealer will be winterizing ours fairly soon, and I'll just get them to fix it then. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 3:58pm
Same here Doug, I've not used gloves since like my first or second trip to the dump station years ago. I wash up after with soap and then some antiseptic stuff. DW does the same job for me as your kids do, she runs the faucet! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: MoPod
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 5:48pm
|
Several weeks ago we were 3rd in line for the dump station. Owner of trailer #1 comes out with industrial rubber gloves past his elbows, safety glasses, and bottle of bleach then flushes and flushes his tank until you could drink from it. Next, owner of trailer #2 reaches into the back of his pickup for his stinky slinky that has no fittings on either end. He holds it onto the single valve on his trailer bare-handed and lets it drain for a while. After a few minutes he announces good enough, pulls it away still draining from both ends and throws it into the back of the pickup. He wipes his hands on his jeans, jumps into the truck and drives away. I hope as trailer #3 we split the difference. No rubber gloves, but a box a wet antiseptic wipes to do our hands as we get back in the vehicle. ------------- Bill & Nancy 2015 RPod 179 Previously 2010 RPod 176 2014 Explorer Sport |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 9:30pm
well number two is a almost pushing it! lol, i like trailer #3! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: Kickstart
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 9:57pm
|
Combine WillThrill's water softener and TNT's Dawn and you pretty much have the GEO Method which I'm using with the new Kodiak. So far, so good. Nine camping trips with the new trailer and my tank level indicators are still accurate--imagine that!
P/S Full hook up sites I backflush the heck out of the blackwater tank using a clear HydroFlush and skanky garden hose. Dump sites and it's a 2 minute dump and run. ------------- '10 RP 175-Replaced by 2014 Kodiak 173 QBSL '12 Toyota Tundra '05 Sportster (half a Harley) Retired-We're on Beach Time! |
Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 11:27pm
|
Well, heck, you guys & gals have taught me a lot, and I sure appreciate it. Aside from the advice on equipment & supplies (like Dawn), it's nice to know some do's & don'ts when hangin' out at the dump station. Yep, Trailer #1 would be a real PITA and Trailer #2 .. well, don't shake hands with that guy. And I found that the RhinoFlex and most everything else is right there at Wally World, so that was good news. Thanks again, all. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 9:53am
Actually that was Budward with the Dawn. I tried the Geo method, and found the water softener caused more odor problems. However, we were having issues with the lower toilet seal which was finally fixed this summer so maybe it would be ok now. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Hairy Podders
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2014 at 7:09pm
|
We were at a campground about 6 weeks ago & I asked the girl in the office where the dump station was at. She promptly told me. Then said " it gets lined up on sunday mornings, so pull into an empty full hookup site & dump there". I thought that was a great idea & used her advice.
Lesson Learned... BTW, we have a straight clear tube that I put on the dump valves before the stinky slinky. ------------- Darryl, Julie & Lindsey Cooper & Libby- Devoted Canines 2014 RP178 2006 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon |