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Old 02-26-2020, 10:25 PM   #1
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Any way to drain the macerator hose?

Hi all,

I am new to RVs. I just bought a used Winnebago ERA that has a macerator pump for waste, installed.from the factory. When emptying the tanks, the pump works fine and pumps the waste through the hose until the tank is empty.

However, at that time the water stops flowing, and I still have a bunch of grey water in the attached hose. Gravity will not drain the hose, and no amount of wiggling the hose will cause it to drain. It is like covering a drinking straw with your finger. The vacuum won't let the hose drain.

Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?
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Old 02-27-2020, 07:41 AM   #2
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I'm not sure whether this will help answer all your questions but I installed a Thetford macerator on our RV after we bought it. It too holds a vacuum on the left over fluids and is slow to drain that. I do have a gray-tank bypass hose that I can loosen to allow the remaining fluids to drain. Does yours maybe have that feature that you can do the same?
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Old 02-27-2020, 10:08 AM   #3
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Take your finger off the other side of the hose... I mean, open the gray water valve and the remaining water in the hose will drain out.

I installed a Sani-Con on a previous RV and that's the way I did it. When the waste gate valves are closed, the fluid in the hose is trapped. Leave the end of the hose in the dump and open the gray water valve, then lift the hose close to the RV and the fluid will drain out.

Once completed just close the gray valve, cap the end of the hose and put it away. It will be mostly empty. It's tuff to get it fully empty. And that's OK.

Word to the wise -- don't get any holes in the hose. If you do you'll have a waste water jet fountain when the pump is running. Ask me how I know.
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Old 02-27-2020, 02:56 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by creativepart View Post
Take your finger off the other side of the hose... I mean, open the gray water valve and the remaining water in the hose will drain out.

I installed a Sani-Con on a previous RV and that's the way I did it. When the waste gate valves are closed, the fluid in the hose is trapped. Leave the end of the hose in the dump and open the gray water valve, then lift the hose close to the RV and the fluid will drain out.
The gray valve was open and there was no flow. Wonder if the pump is clogged or just really well sealed.
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Old 03-04-2020, 05:25 PM   #5
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How about adding a “Y” valve on the macerator that has cut out valves on both legs of the “Y”. EZ to find at many stores. Drain Hose goes to one leg, the other is shut when draining the RV. When secured from dumping, the unused leg of the “Y” valve can be opened to vent the hose. My macerator comes with such a connection which I usually use to flush the drain line.
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Old 03-05-2020, 05:03 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by divide0 View Post
Hi all,

I am new to RVs. I just bought a used Winnebago ERA that has a macerator pump for waste, installed.from the factory. When emptying the tanks, the pump works fine and pumps the waste through the hose until the tank is empty.

However, at that time the water stops flowing, and I still have a bunch of grey water in the attached hose. Gravity will not drain the hose, and no amount of wiggling the hose will cause it to drain. It is like covering a drinking straw with your finger. The vacuum won't let the hose drain.

Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?
I assume the macerator is located at the tank; the tank gate valve is before the macerator pump - right?
And you don't have another gate valve at the sewer outlet - the sewer hose connection port, therefore I'm assuming you have the remaining water in the line from the macerator pump to the sewer hose connection port. If this is the case, you can install an additional sewer gate valve at the sewer connection port.

I had a similar issue with our View 24V which has the macerator for the gray tank. It empties the tank but had water still in the flexiable line from the pump to the sewer outlet. Each time I opened my sewer cap on the next trip would result in about 1/2 gallon of water that was sitting behind the cap. That doesn't look good to spill on a campsite pad. I installed a 1 inch gate valve at the combination wye for the gray/black tank sewer port. I just have to remember to open it as well as the gate valve at the macerator pump, but it did solve the water sitting behind the sewer port cap.

Bobby
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Old 03-06-2020, 11:12 AM   #7
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Installing an extra gate valve is a great idea. I also have grey water that empties out when I go to dump my tanks, however it is only 1/2 - 1quart. So I have a plastic gal jug that I cut out the top that easily catches this and no more spills. But having that 2nd gate valve would be the best solution.
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Old 03-07-2020, 08:53 AM   #8
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Installing an extra gate valve is a great idea.
Actually, it doesn't have to be the RV type gate valve. I believe a PVC ball valve will work and is more manageable at the sanitary outlet.
I'm working on the re-configure this weekend since the small gate valve I installed is difficult pull the T-handle since it is located further back of the sanitary outlet.
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Old 05-20-2020, 05:02 PM   #9
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My 2017 ERA 70X has a macerator pump. The hose from the macerator has a ball valve on the sewer end. With the ball valve open and the black water and gray water tank valves open the hose drains just fine.

The problem you are having is because the black water tank valve controls all the flow to the macerator and must be open to drain either tank and to allow the vacuum to be broken.
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