Community Forums

stutch · 10-02-2021, 06:00 AM

One thing I didn't look forward to before purchasing my Dutch Star was managing the Wet Bay. YUK!!!!!

Since we had mascerating toilets, I thought the traditional 3" hose was overkill for what was passing through it. Originally I bought a Sewer Solution, which used a water jet, to force solids and liquids to move down the hose and into the sewer. Normally, the contents of both tanks just flowed without help, but the water jet option was....just in case. Unfortunately the hose was only 3/4" ID and the emptying of both tanks was very slow.

So, I made the mod in the pic. Used a 1 1/4" ID pool hose with a quick connect fed by te connections you can see in the photo. Combined with 2 remote valve openers (switches under kitchen sink) make the system work flawlessly.

Best of all, the Wet Bay stays clean as all connections are exterior.

By the way, I had to modify a solid cap on the transparent elbow to accept the PVC connector. Basicall drilled an offset hole, a little PVC glue and silicone around the whole seal for added security. intentionally used a rubber connector between 1 1'4" PVC just in case I had to take it apart for cleaning. The pvc runs down the cleaning drain hole and out to the quick connect.

Very clean and extremely easy to use. Can disconnect/connect hose and store it in less than a minute. again, very clean!!!!

Just sharing my Rube Goldberg creation.

littlebob · 10-02-2021, 03:01 PM

That looks good.

shootist · 10-02-2021, 03:13 PM

I would prefer rvers keep their spills contained and clean them up instead of dumping them on the ground , when possible. Just had a friend sling his hose all over at my dump, obviously not thinking that I actually use it too.

RealNiceTent · 10-02-2021, 03:25 PM

The wet bay does look good, but what about ground clearance? Do you have to worry about leaving it behind at a speed bump or something? I can think of three places I go where that might not survive, and GD speed bumps are everywhere!

Flyer15015 · 10-02-2021, 03:46 PM

Stutch,
That looks good !
I had to do something similar to our '04 Pace Arrow, because the OEM setup required me to either crawl under to hook up the hose, or fish it all out the bottom hole in the wet bay. Either one was not acceptable !
Pict 1 shows the OEM set up. 2 and 3 shows my fix.
I'm much happier now, and a whole lot cleaner.

Mike in Colorado

RealNiceTent · 10-02-2021, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shootist

I would prefer rvers keep their spills contained and clean them up instead of dumping them on the ground , when possible. Just had a friend sling his hose all over at my dump, obviously not thinking that I actually use it too.

My first experience with dumping the tanks on ours was a **** show. We had taken the granddaughters to a state park that had water and electric but no sewer hookups. The dump station there was set up with wands to flush your tank and hoses but, they are a rigid setup and will not work with our remote dumps, and there was no way for me to hook up my flusher system. Well we live about 10 miles from another State park that has a spigot just close enough for my flusher to hook up. When we headed home I stopped to dump the tanks, I get all lined up at the dump station, got my hoses and connectors out, ran the flusher hose to the spigot and I am ready to hook up the dump hose. The afternoon breeze the area is known for is about 30 knots with the occasional gust of about 40 knots. My dump connection points straight down almost in the middle of the bay, the coach is rocking in the breeze, I'm all gloved up and I reach in and remove the cap, this is when I learn that I have a bad remote dump valve. Thank goodness I was not talking to anybody, i twisted the cap off the lugs and start to drop it down to discover the drain pipe is full, and yes I got a shower. Right about the time I'm trying to get the cap back on, the wind shifts and gusts, lovely. After getting the cap back on I got the dump hose set up into the dump receptacle, pulled up through the port and bungied ready to hook up to the coach. I then pulled the cap and got the hose hooked up with a minimum amount of additional spillage. Including my hose-down, and changing clothes it took me about a half hour to clean up the we bay, myself and leave the dump station cleaner than I found it. I currently have 2 new valves (grey and black) in the Ebay shopping cart to fix it right, along with a few other goodies for the upcoming overhaul of the wet bay. My temporary fix for the summer was to add a third valve that mounts to the hose lugs and then the hose connects to it.That third valve is going to stay, I may replace it with a permanent mounted type, but it is going to stay. i am never getting that shower again.

RealNiceTent · 10-02-2021, 05:21 PM

Stutch & Flyer, both wet bays look good, my concern is the loss of ground clearance. Around here it seems every parking lot has speed bumps, some of which are overkill and a real PIA when you are also trapped when you get to them.
I can't agree more about the PIA it is having dump hose port located in the floor. Stuffing and dropping the hose is bad enough, but then getting my slunky far enough under the hose under the coach so there isn't a big dip hanging down like a P trap. It's a ll a pain to keep the wet bay, yourself and the dump station/sewer hookup area clean.
I am getting ready to overhaul my wet bay and you two have my gears turning. I am literally gutting the whole bay to get to and replace the remote dump valves, and my low spot and water tank drain valves. I am going to plumb my hot water drain into the bay too, that way all my winterization drains are in one spot. I'm also reinforcing the control panel and improving the lighting with LED. I might just have to design and build a custom port through the front of the bay door.

stutch · 10-02-2021, 05:50 PM

Much higher than the 2 exhaust pipes on the same side. Gen and Oasis. Also much higher than axles, jacks, etc... The section you are loking at is 3" lower than bottom of MH basement.

Sbrownstein · 10-02-2021, 06:09 PM

My Georgetown came from the factory that way!

153stars · 10-02-2021, 11:23 PM

Do you have cam-lock cap , I believe sewage outlet needs to be capped while traveling.

Mudfrog · 10-03-2021, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

Stutch,
That looks good !
I had to do something similar to our '04 Pace Arrow, because the OEM setup required me to either crawl under to hook up the hose, or fish it all out the bottom hole in the wet bay. Either one was not acceptable !
Pict 1 shows the OEM set up. 2 and 3 shows my fix.
I'm much happier now, and a whole lot cleaner.

Mike in Colorado

In picture #2, is it an optical illusion or is the pipe going through the wet bay floor smaller than 3 inches?

Ours goes through the floor but is easy to reach. It has the rotating hatch with openings for slinky, fresh water hose, and shore power cord. I make my hook ups then turn the hatch back to make a seal so that no critters get in. I'm glad to say, Winnebago did a great job setting up the tanks and plumbing system on our old rig.

RealNiceTent · 10-06-2021, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stutch

Much higher than the 2 exhaust pipes on the same side. Gen and Oasis. Also much higher than axles, jacks, etc... The section you are looking at is 3" lower than bottom of MH basement.

Must be the angle of the shot, it looked pretty close to the ground to me. I'm still adjusting from ground clearance being of first importance. For so many years the road to the "campground" involved four wheel drive or some serious driving "skills" in a 2 wheel drive. My brain sees low hanging anything and automatically goes, 'That ain't gonna work." lol I'll get used to this stay on the maintained road stuff sooner or later.

Flyer15015 · 10-07-2021, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudfrog

In picture #2, is it an optical illusion or is the pipe going through the wet bay floor smaller than 3 inches?

Ours goes through the floor but is easy to reach. It has the rotating hatch with openings for slinky, fresh water hose, and shore power cord. I make my hook ups then turn the hatch back to make a seal so that no critters get in. I'm glad to say, Winnebago did a great job setting up the tanks and plumbing system on our old rig.

No, it is a 3" pipe. I could not find a fitting that would exit the existing hole, so I had to move the exit hole over to the back edge of the bay, and make a cover for the hole to keep critters out. The pipe exits about 10" behind and 8" above the exhaust pipe and with about 800 miles on the coach since I made this mod, I see no evidence of the exhaust gases causing any harm to the drain.
AND it is so much easier to dump. I'm a happy camper.

Mike in Colorado