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One of the goals of being an RV owner is saving money everywhere you can, from campsites and fuel, to parts and accessories. When it comes to your RV sewer hose, however, you want something durable yet affordable. Afterall, the last thing you want is for a camping trip to be ruined at the hands of a blown out or leaking sewer hose.
Second only to purchasing your RV, choosing the best RV sewer hose is one of the most important decisions you will make. Trust me when I say that you DO NOT want to skimp on this very important decision.
In this article we are going to cover the best options when it comes to RV sewer hoses and a few key fittings that will make dumping your waste tanks a huge success.
Let’s jump in…
What Is An RV Sewer Hose?
An RV sewer hose is a lightweight, flexible hose that allows you to drain your waste tanks into a sewer connection or dump station. Basically, the hose connects from your RV drain outlet to the connection in the ground where you dump your waste.
Why You Should Use A High-Quality RV Sewer Hose
The main reason to use a higher quality sewer hose is, well, poop. Cheaper hoses aren’t as durable and are more prone to leaks. And the last thing you want leaking is your RV sewer hose.
Higher quality hoses might cost a few extra bucks on the front end but will save you the humiliation and embarrassment from spilling raw sewage all over yourself. But hey, that might make a great story the next time you’re sitting around a campfire with your friends.
In addition, more expensive hoses won’t be as susceptible being crushed or punctured if stepped on and often have smoother interior walls for easier dumping and cleaning.
Not All RV Sewer Hoses Are Created Equal
While every sewer hose has the same basic purpose, they are not all the same. They are all typically 3 inches in diameter but come in a variety of lengths and thicknesses.
It may not seem like it, but there is a bit of pressure inside your RV sewer hose when dumping. The thicker the hose, the less likely you are to have a blowout.
The connections and fittings are usually universal but having a selection of different RV sewer hose fittings on hand is always a good idea. Some dump stations or portable RV waste tanks may have connections, or pipe sizes that are different than your hose.
It’s always better to be prepared and never need it than it is to need it and not be prepared.
Things To Consider Before Buying
Before jumping in and buying a camper sewer hose, there are a few things to consider first.
Thickness: The thickness of a sewer hose is measured in “mils” which is equivalent to 1/1000th of an inch. For reference, a typical credit card measures approximately 30 mils and a dime measures almost 50 mils.
The thicker the hose, the more durable, and less susceptible to punctures and damage it will be.
Storage: An RV sewer hose can easily be stored in the rear bumper of a camper, in most cases. However, keep in mind that you will need additional storage for elbows, connectors, and any other fittings you may need.
We store our hoses and fittings in the basement storage area of our camper in a low-profile under-the-bed plastic bin.
Some sewer hoses will collapse to fit into smaller storage spaces while other, more rigid hoses, won’t.
Cost: You don’t want to skimp here. The cheaper sewer hoses are far less reliable and durable than a quality hose. You don’t necessarily need to purchase the most expensive hose on the market. There are several quality hoses that are durable and damage resistant that won’t break the bank.
Hose Length: The length of hose you need is going to depend largely in part on your set-up. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your RV sewer hose is long enough to reach from the waste connection on your rig to the rear bumper. Then add a few feet for good measure.
In most cases a 20’ sewer hose is sufficient, but there are some instances where you may need a few additional feet of hose. So having a hose extension on hand is always a good idea.
4 Best RV Sewer Hoses
We compiled a list of the 4 best RV sewer hoses that we would highly recommend along with some pros and cons of each.
Camco RhinoFLEX 20’ Sewer Hose Kit
Camco is hands-down one of the most popular brands in the RV industry when it comes to accessories. They are well known for making quality products at an affordable price.
The Camco RhinoFLEX sewer hose kit is a great example of that.
This RV sewer hose is made of 23 mils of polyolefin plastic and is reinforced with steel wire for extreme durability.
This sewer hose kit comes with everything you need right out of the box. Because there are two 10-foot hoses, having enough hose to dump shouldn’t be an issue.
The 90-degree clear fitting allows you to see what you’re dumping (it helps to know when your tanks are clean). In addition, the rotating 4-in-1 sewer connector will fit a 3” slip connection or 3” to 4” threaded connections.
The included storage caps give you peace of mind that your storage space will remain clean, dry, and odor free.
PROS:
- Ready out of the box
- Compresses down for easy storage
- 4-in-1 adapter fits any sewer connection
CONS:
- Connections may come loose
- Bayonet connectors require strong grip strength
- Difficult to store inside rear bumper
Thetford Titan 20’ RV Sewer Hose Kit
The Thetford Titan is the sewer hose that we currently use for our travel trailer. We have used this hose for a handful of years, and it hasn’t let us down.
With everything you need right out of the box, this RV sewer hose kit is a great choice for those on a budget who are looking for a tough, durable sewer hose. In fact, some say it just might be the toughest hose on the market.
Unlike many other hose kits, the Thetford Titan features a wide grip handle which makes it much easier to connect to the waste valve.
The main complaint we have with this hose is the ability to store it. The extended grip handle doesn’t quite fit into our rear bumper. And since it is thicker than most other hoses, it doesn’t collapse very easily making it somewhat difficult to store.
PROS:
- Extremely durable
- Long grip handle makes it easier to connect
- Low Price Point
CONS:
- Not as flexible as other hoses
- Difficult to store
Valterra Viper 20’ RV Sewer Hose Kit
Like the two sewer hose kits listed above, the Valterra Viper kit comes with everything you need right out of the box. There are two 20’ hoses for extreme versatility when it comes to dumping. In addition, these hoses compress down to 50 inches when not in use which makes them very easy to store.
The pre-installed fittings not only rotate, but they seal tightly to ensure a leak proof connection. The clear 90-degree elbow allows you to see when your tanks are running clean water and the adapter fits any drain you can imagine.
What we like most about this hose is the overall thickness. It is 25-mils thick and has a 135-mil protective bead for extra strength and durability.
If you’re looking for the “middle-of-the-road” option for an RV sewer hose, this might be a great option for you.
PROS:
- Collapsible for easy storage
- Durable and virtually puncture proof
- Ready right out of the box
CONS:
- Bayonet connectors can be difficult to handle
- Sections can be difficult to connect to each other
- Connectors will not fit into standard RV bumper
Lippert Waste Master 20’ RV Sewer Hose
Last and certainly not least on our list of RV sewer hoses is the “grand-daddy” of sewer hoses. The Lippert brand is synonymous with the RV industry for making high-quality accessories and parts.
The Lippert Waste Master is a single 20-foot sewer hose that is capable of collapsing all the way down to 66-inches for easy storage.
This is one of the most innovative sewer hoses on the market. Instead of the standard bayonet connections most hoses use, this sewer hose utilizes a CAM lock connector found in many commercial hose applications. You will, however, have to install the opposing CAM on your RV.
The discharge side of this sewer hose features a 90-degree elbow that will fit into any sewage port. In addition, the “nozzle” is permanently connected and features a built-in shut-off valve and a clear view port so you can see what’s going on.
The hose itself is made nearly smooth on the inside to prevent any solids from getting trapped while dumping.
PROS:
- CAM lock connection
- Collapsible to 5′ 6″ for easy storage
- Built-in shut off valve
CONS:
- High price point
- You will need to install CAM lock to your RV
- CAM lock can be difficult to install on older rigs
RV Sewer Hose Fittings And Accessories
The RV sewer hose kits listed above are ready to go, right out of the box. But there are a few key sewer hose fittings and accessories that will make dealing with your sewer hose less…crappy.
Camco Sewer Hose Rinser
Many new RVers make the mistake of not fully rinsing out their sewer hose before storing it. Dumping the gray water last is the first step to ensuring your hose is adequately clean.
Go one step further to ensure your sewer hose is cleaned sufficiently with a sewer hose rinser like this one.
It connects easily to your sewer hose with bayonet fittings and the threaded port connects to any garden hose.
Valterra 45 Degree Hydroflush Attachment
Keeping your black tank clean is the first step in having a smooth waste dumping experience. It’s inevitable that your waste tanks will get mucked up. There’s no way around it. However, a sewer tank rinser will help mitigate some of the nastiness.
Many RVs and campers are equipped with a black tank flush, but for those that don’t, this RV accessory is a must. Our Kodiak has the black tank flush that we use every time we dump, but we also use this Hydroflush attachment to take our tank cleaning one step further.
The built-in backflow preventer insures there is no contamination to the freshwater system.
Camco Sidewinder Sewer Hose Support
Many RV resorts and campgrounds have certain rules regarding your RV sewer hose. One of those rules is keeping your hose off the ground. That’s not the only reason you should keep your sewer hose elevated.
Keeping your hose elevated will also help protect it from punctures and crushing from being stepped on.
The Sidewinder Sewer Hose Support not only keeps your hose elevated, but it also makes the task of dumping your waste tanks a bit easier. It is designed to give a slight slope from your RV to the sewage connection.
Storing An RV Sewer Hose
Many RVs and campers will have a rear bumper that is often used to store an RV sewer hose. However, the larger fittings of the higher quality hoses don’t always fit inside the bumper. We used to keep our Thetford Titan sewer hose in the rear bumper. But we found that the fittings would often get stuck, so we chose a more conventional method of storing our hose.
The most common way to store your sewer hose and fittings is to simply toss it in a plastic storage bin with a lid and keep in in the basement storage area, or in the back of the truck.
However, when it comes to storage, RV owners are some of the craftiest and “think-outside-the-box” people on the planet.
Here are a few ideas that other RVers use to store their sewer hoses.
- 5 Gallon Bucket
- Fence Post Method
- Toolbox
- PVC Pipe
5 Gallon Bucket
You guessed it. The name says it all. Many RVers simply store their sewer hoses and all fittings in a 5-gallon bucket. I would recommend a bucket with a lid that fits securely to avoid any aromas escaping or any spillage in case the bucket tips over.
Fence Post Method
The fence post method for storing a sewer hose is simply mounting a 5” vinyl fence post cover to the underside of a camper. To make for easy removal of the sewer hose, a makeshift drawer can be made out of 4 ¼” half-round gutter. To learn more about this method, check out this article by Learn to RV.
Toolbox
A toolbox works much the same as a 5-gallon bucket. If there isn’t enough room in your basement storage or the bed of the truck for a bucket, a toolbox can be mounted on the rear hitch to store an RV sewer hose and all of the sewer hose fittings. Just be sure to lock it up, although I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to steal a sewer hose.
PVC Pipe
The PVC pipe method works the same as the fence post method, only with PVC pipe. This can be a weekend DIY project, or you can purchase a pre-made storage tube like this one from Amazon.
In Conclusion
One of the most dreaded parts of RVing is dumping waste tanks. It smells, it’s nasty, and if you happen to “spill” or have an RV sewer hose “blowout”, you’re in for long day of cleaning and scrubbing.
It’s always best to invest in a high-quality RV sewer hose and fittings to reduce the risk of a dump station catastrophe.
With the choices above, you will have a successful waste dump at the dump station, the campsite, or into a portable RV waste tank.
Let us know how you store your RV sewer hose. Drop us a comment below and tell us about it. We would love to hear from you.
