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oregonhiker · 05-25-2016, 07:10 PM

We had our Sani-Con replaced last fall after the first one had some issues. The new unit is certainly louder than the previous one. We just got back from a trip and when I was dumping the tanks I noticed that when I turned it on that the hose starts to expand in length and a little in diameter. I am talking about the 1 inch hose after the Sani-con pump. I had this bad vision of the movie "RV" as I was there watching it. I called Thetford this morning and that was of little help as she said that she had never heard of anything like that and got no other help or thoughts on the matter. I don't recall the first setup we had having this same characteristics. Has anybody else had any problems like this? I don't know if I am worrying for nothing. It is the Box Mount Sani-Con style if that question comes up. Also the flow seems good so I don't suspect blockage(my first thought).

BFlinn181 · 05-25-2016, 09:08 PM

The hose wouldn't expand if there wasn't pressure building up. Or...perhaps you're flushing Viagra into the black tank?

oregonhiker · 05-26-2016, 12:05 PM

I thought of a blockage also but it looks as though it is flowing fine. I was just curious if anyone who has a newer Sani-Con experiences the same as I do. That is with a louder unit and a hose that swells and moves around like a snake when it gets turned on. I use a hose support under it and but when I turn it on it climbs right off the support.

jrusselltx · 05-26-2016, 03:03 PM

Partially depends on whether you're going directly into a sewer connection at the end of the sanicon hose or going through more (garden) hoses. When I dump to our garage toilet it's through about 125 feet of garden hose at the end of the sanicon hose. The back pressure makes the sanicon hose swell more and get longer more than if it's going directly to the sewer, but even then it does some swelling and wiggling. DON'T forget to take the green cap off the end. It really swells up then. Don't ask me how I know.

andyh · 05-29-2016, 01:40 PM

With the standard Sanicon end there is enough pressure build up to stretch and move the hose. I ha e not noticed swelling.

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BFlinn181 · 05-29-2016, 01:44 PM

Upon further thought, I had a garden hose swell up when used, it turned out the inner lining leaked into the space surrounding it and swelled up the outer sheath. I'd stand clear while using the hose, if the outer sheath gives way, you'll have a true s--t eating grin! Perhaps if you contact Sanicon, they can give incite into whether it's normal or a sign of internal hose failure.

oregonhiker · 05-30-2016, 09:01 AM

Sanicon/Thetford helpline was absolutely no help. When explained the problem she told me that she had never heard of it before. I asked who there that I could speak to about my concerns and if there any solutions and again she said that she hadn't heard of it and that there was no one further to talk to. Not much faith here in their tech line if all that they help with is by whether they have had a call on a problem or not. My one thought was that since the pump was a lot louder was that it might be pumping higher pressure thus putting more pressure on the hose. When I have said swelling I have meant that the hose swells to the wire bound exterior diameter. I didn't want to move it around too much as I was just imagining this poo fountain and me unfortunately being in it. Hopefully what I am dealing with is normal for their newer pumps and that it is not defective.

BigSkyBob · 05-30-2016, 09:06 AM

I've been using my Sani-Con for over 8 years and have noticed the hose curling or moving on the ground lots of times. I've associated this with a larger volume of solids traveling through the hose at times. I've always considered this normal so I didn't have issues with this happening.

96 Wideglide · 05-30-2016, 04:59 PM

The 1" hose that comes with the Sani-con seems to be fairly good quality.

Now the 3" hose has it's own issues

!!

jrusselltx · 05-31-2016, 01:25 PM

What I see on mine, in addition to the length increasing and the squirming around on the ground some, is that as the hose lengthens due to the internal pressure from the pump, that it tightens up the plastic between the spiral "ribs" of the hose, It appears to get larger, but it is just the previously depressed plastic being forced out to about the diameter of the ribs. Not a problem for the hose.

oregonhiker · 05-31-2016, 10:57 PM

Thank you to all that have commented. I feel better that it just isn't me and that it appears normal. It just seems to be more pronounced on the newer system that they installed last year. I figure better safe and ask questions than to ignore and have a fountain of the worst kind.

SuperGewl · 05-31-2016, 11:15 PM

Ah yes the POOP fountain, looks good from afar but smells like crap from near and afar.

Some have already stated, make sure you remove the little cap from the end of the hose. It's not pretty when you let the pressure build and then it let's go. What's bad is that now you have to take the cap off with pressure behind it.