Sewer Hose

In addition to Sani-Con assume it is a good idea to carry the standard type of dump hose.  Would be interested in suggestions for length, brand, fittings, storage, etc.  On the same subject area an RVing friend of mine suggests using Dawn Liquid Detergent for the black tank as opposed to other chemical treatments. Is this an RV myth or for real?

I bought a Rhino, the shortest I could get, that collapses up fairly small.  It tucks back in the right corner of the trunk in space that really will not fit much else anyway.  I've never used it, just there for emergencies.

We also bought a Rhino AND the support thingy and toted them all over the country. We've needed the 3" hose once, I think (maybe twice) and have never used the bulky support thingy. The hooks on our macerator cracked and opened up a leak when we ran it so we went with the 3" hose to dump then went for the macerator repair. The sales rep before Earl said I didn't need to carry one because all the campgrounds sell them. If there is a dump station, they usually sell the hose.

That said, many people keep the 3" hose hooked up when they are stationary for a while. It is quicker and quieter to dump that way. Some people also keep their grey tank open to drain through their 3" hose for most of their stay but I've read that isn't the best practice as you are opening a sewer vent so the fumes go up through your rig and out into the campground.

John has left the macerator hose out on the ground a few times to stay hooked up (valves closed) but I worry that hose will puncture.

As for length, it will depend on your camping style. If it is just for emergency use at dump stations, you just need a short hose as you drive right up to those. If it is to leave hooked up while camping, you'll need a longer one (or two short ones with connector) so that you can reach randomly placed drains at the campsites. We've had them placed at the rear of the site, right next to our macerator and almost to the front of a back-in site (why? - nobody knows).

We had an extra outside cabinet added behind the driver door on our 2552 (thanks to Tom Hanlon's suggestion) and our messy stuff goes there - 3" hose and jack pads. The stupid support thing rides in the car top carrier - as pristine as the day I bought it. We expect to use it when we start camp hosting as we'll stay hooked up with the 3" hose then. 

Like the others, we carry a Rhino 3" and the support frame for it.  Have never used it, but good to know it's there.

As to tank treatment, we swear by Happy Campers Organic.  Really does a great job in both keeping the tanks clean and odors eliminated.

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Campers-Organic-Holding-Treatment/product-reviews/B007S0H5DU

   - Mike

We normally carry two 15 ft sections of 3" sewer pipe.  Normally one section is enough but on a rare occasion two sections are needed.  It appears that most people use the pump system to discharge.  Sine we RV during the seasons where freezing is common, we have never used the pump in two years of ownership of a PC.

After we finish dumping we often add a small amount of clean water and some Dawn so it will slosh around while traveling to the next stop. As for additives we have in our almost 20 years of RVing only used adequate water (btw a natural deodorizer) in our tanks with never an odor problem.