Ewww that smell...

[Daveo0o]

My RV's got 'the stink'. It is worst in the wet bay, and for all the world seems to be eminating from the flexible 3.5" hose that stretches between the dump valve junction outlet and the Sani-Con macerator. I have not tried replacing that hose, yet. If that is the source, can anyone suggest a non-permeable material selection for this hose section?

["007"]

My macerate came with a heavy wire reinforced hose. When the pump pumps if the hose isn't heavy duty it will collapse. The hose connection has to have a good seal against the black pipe also. A vacume is created when its pumping.

Heavy duty hose

[William Willard]

This has come up several times on this forum -- The common answer, is to replace the 3" hose with a heavier one -- I had the same problem, & the new hose did the job -- Billy Paul Willard

[Happycarz]

The new hose didn't help mine. So, I took the sani-con out 3 weeks ago and no more smell. I then talked to Tom at Maceratorpumps.com and he made me a bayonet adapter to mount on the end of my sani-con pump. Now I can use the 3" hose or the sani-con. I'll just keep the sani-con in a sealed plastic container.
To use the Sani-con, I just open the floor port in the wet bay, swivel the discharge "Y" toward the hole and attach the sani-con through the opening. When done and disconnecting, I don't have the dripping that I got when I attached it in the horizontal position.

[William Willard]

I think Harry has a "Condition" is the reason he still had the smell -- Billy Paul

[Bill2]

I replaced the hose in mine about a yr. ago and all of the smell has gone. As long as it is a strong and non-permeable hose it will work.

[Daveo0o]

Bill, do you have any suggestions regarding a source for a "strong, non-permeable" hose. The one that came with the sani-con is strong, but my nose tells me it is permeable.

I spent the day flushing tanks, checking for leaks, mopping out the wet bay interior with bleach, filling the 3" sani-con hose with a strong bleach and water solution and letting it soak, spraying the exterior of the 3" hose with bleach and water, etc. In short, everything except removing the hose.

This is my third coach with a sani-con, it's practically brand new, and this is the first time anything like this has happened. The smell source is in the wet bay, and thankfully does not show up inside the coach. My next choice is to remove the hose and sani-con, does anyone have any other suggestions?

[Bill2]

The one I replaced mine with was purchased at Camping World. It had to be cut to size. It is kind of a real light bluish color. I don't have the packaging it cam in but I think they say on the boxes whether they are permeable or not. I am pretty sure it is Camping world camco self clamping catalog # 10764 for $29.99. Of course you don't need the clamps so they have to be cut off, I done this replacement about 2 yr. ago. No smell since.

[Happycarz]

That's the one I used - blue/gray vinyl from camping world. It didn't collapse, and it didn't control the smell either.
I think BP's (William Willard) nose is burned out. Last time I visited him, he thought the wet bay was pure heaven.

[Downsizer]

We installed a hard wire macerator pump in Jan, 2010. All seemed fine and worked great. Within the last month or 2 we were getting a bad odor. I also noticed my waste valves we getting stiff so I ordered new ones to change BEFORE they wouldn't open. YECH!! What a mess. I took the 2 valves and the junction "Y" pipe off as a unit and it was full of sludge!!! BIG TIME
Prior to the removal, I flushed both tanks with fresh water to help me stay cleaner... didn't matter!!! I disconnected the macerator pump and went back to the old style big hose... NO SMELL!
Personally, I think the tanks are both designed to flush/flow out with the large hose and get all the sludge out. The macerator is a great idea, but the "waste" just doesn't flow fast enough to get out to the pump and builds up in the waste valves and that entire area.

[Diplomat Don]

I used the best hose Camping World had. I think it was a Camco heavy duty. My smell is gone.

[Daveo0o]

On the occasions when I have removed the macerator hose connection from the y pipe outlet, the multiple-tab retainer ring on the 3 inch connection has ended up with broken locking tabs. I don't know if the ones sani-con uses and supplies with their hose is just made of the wrong stuff, or what the reason might be. I don't think I ever had that problem with everyday 3" dump hose use in pre-macerator days, but it has happened to me with the sani-con retainer ring several times now.

I still have not replaced the hose, but did open that connection and after letting it dry, the good news is the smell is gone.

[RVDude]

There is a well known "issue" with the SaniCon supplied 3in hose that connects from the drain valve Y to the macerator - the supplied hose has a high degree of gas permeability. This is what is allowing some odor to escape thru the wall of the hose into the compartment.

Many folks have simply replaced that 2ft piece of 3in with a super premium "standard" sewer hose and reported that the odor completely disappears. Search these forums for many discussion about this.

I have never felt the need to replace mine so I can't speak from personal experience. Not that my stuff don't stink, oh contrary, the amount of odor permeation just never seemed an issue to me. But the reports and solution seem completely viable to me from every perspective.

[RVDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveo0o ...the multiple-tab retainer ring on the 3 inch connection has ended up with broken locking tabs. I don't know if the ones sani-con uses and supplies with their hose is just made of the wrong stuff...

In my opinion, the SaniCon supplied adapter has ears made from extremely thin material that easily breaks. Consider replacing that adapter with a POLYCARBONATE 45 degree clear model with thick rock solid ears (without the undercut groove on the inside of the ears) and a solid O-ring seal. Virtually indestructible. It is Camco #39432, note the label it has in the picture. This is NOT the Camping World model with 2 (or sometimes 4) ears all undercut and NOT made of polycarbonate.