Sewer hose problem

[kfrere]

I love the macerator system in our new AI, but no matter how many configurations I try I cannot store the sewer hose/head back in its compartment without kinking the hose. There's just no room in the compartment to do otherwise. As a result the hose has developed a hole at the kink. If someone is able to store the assembly without this problem please tell me how you are doing it.



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[NOLA_russ]

I stop with about a foot or 18 inches of hose free, position the elbow in the compartment to the right of the reel, and wind in the remainder. Carefully. ☺

[Titus]

I had problems getting it all to fit on the reel. I had a pinhole in the lasat foot. Cutting it off and using a hose clamp to reattach solved both problems.

[toskeysam]

Leaving about 18" off reel gives enough slack to work valve assembly into cavity. I leave it that way. I had to have the kink cut out a week after I took delivery. Tech suggested the 18" loop and showed me how to stow it that way. Works great and no kinking the hose.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by toskeysam

Leaving about 18" off reel gives enough slack to work valve assembly into cavity. I leave it that way. I had to have the kink cut out a week after I took delivery. Tech suggested the 18" loop and showed me how to stow it that way. Works great and no kinking the hose.

+1 for me.

[gmillerok1]

One of the first things I did was cut off about 3 feet of hose, and put a 90 degree pvc angle on the hose so the hose faces straight out instead of being bent 90 degrees when stored. It's not a matter of if, only when, the hose will start to leak with the constant bend.

Now, it goes in all the way, and snugs up in a straight angle to the reel.

Problem solved.

[mjwcubed]

I too recently had my hose cut back after (what seemed out of no where) a few pin holes appeared (not a clean thing to have spray on you as a surprise). But, having it cut back a bit not only took care of the pin holes, but also helps with the "rewind"....I also carefully retract towards the end (almost lost a finger one day the thing works so well) and then position the elbow for storage. As much as anyone wants to keep that hose as long as you can for use - this was the best thing to happen for retracting (and obviously for less kinks and holes).

[73shark]

I found that by pulsing the switch on the rewind motor allows you to feed the hose in so that it lays smoothly from one side to the other and back again. Then as others have said, leaving about 18 inches at the end allows you to get the valve assembly in without kinking the hose.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by 73shark

I found that by pulsing the switch on the rewind motor allows you to feed the hose in so that it lays smoothly from one side to the other and back again.

I've also found that using your free hand to keep moderate tension on the hose will slow the take-up speed and allow you to reel up the hose more evenly, especially if you move your hand slightly to the right, and then slightly back to the left once you've reached the right side of the reel. I still use the "pulsing" method described by 73shark, but maintaining just the right amount of tension on the hose lets me retract the hose in just two or three long pulses, instead of the over half-a-dozen short pulses I used at first.

As with anything else on an Interstate, properly retracting the discharge hose is a skill that improves with practice.

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

I've also found that using your free hand to keep moderate tension on the hose will slow the take-up speed and allow you to reel up the hose more evenly, especially if you move your hand slightly to the right, and then slightly back to the left once you've reached the right side of the reel. I still use the "pulsing" method described by 73shark, but maintaining just the right amount of tension on the hose lets me retract the hose in just two or three long pulses, instead of the over half-a-dozen short pulses I used at first.

As with anything else on an Interstate, properly retracting the discharge hose is a skill that improves with practice.

I use this method too - using a thick gardening glove so the hose can slip through my hand as it rewinds.

[robair]

Hello Everyonne

About a year ago we bought a use Interstate Sprinter 2009 with 1,000 miles on it we paid $ 69,000 for it, we bought it on RV trader from a private seller and paid cash for it and without seeing the unit in person, The unit was like new except for a smal scrath the prior owners are retired and very nice couple and lived in a beautifull home with a close garage for the Van, so that was good We drove from Las Vegas to east Wiscconsin to get it add $2000 for the trip.We had another sprinter before from Great West van and we loved it but had to sell it as we needed some cash to pay our lawyer for a court case after we settle the case we looked for another sprinter and here we are
First I think that Airstream should stick with Travel Trailers.
The design on the Intrestate do not make sense what so ever
First they put the thermostat where we have to sit on the bed to be able to red it.
They incased the house battery under the bed, the only way to get to it is to remove the electric bed,only dealers can do that it is a 3 hour job.
They put the breakers and fuses pannel under the bed, so we are just the two of us so we never us ethe couch,and leave as a bed, so in order to get to the fuses and breakers we have to crawl under the bed close to 4 feet to get to it or take all the bed down open the couch.
And the bigest thing the Macerator pump system.we have redone all of it twice, we never put paper and 99% of the time never us it for #2 so it always just liquid.
Now we are on a trip in Colorado and you guess it ,the electric valve for the black water did not work and 4 second later the pump motor stoped and now nothing work.
So we are here in Grand Junction Sunday night and will have to lose 3 days of our trip for that problem.
For all of you who might think that I am the problem, I was a contractor built hundred of house and work with wood plunbing, very good with my hand.
Now we are going to sell it or trade it in the next week or so for a new unit with a gravity system. and never buy anthing made buy Airstream again.
I always thought that Airstream was over rated and now I Know for sure.
Airstream you have lost a custumer, we owned at least 14 different RV, From New Monaco Dynesty to travel trailers.
So we are going back and we will buying a new Great West Van,
Thank you evryone to have taking the time to read this, if it does not get deleted
Robair

[Boxster1971]

Good luck on getting a GWV - they just went bankrupt after their move to Alabama.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Good luck on getting a GWV - they just went bankrupt after their move to Alabama.

So maybe Great West should have stayed in the great west?

Ignore robair. His bellyaching leads me to believe that his first post will also be his last and he won't bother coming back to the AirForums to read any discussion his one-and-only post causes, so why discuss it at all?

[robair]

Hello everyone. I am glad to see my post was not deleted.
We arrived home last night after travelling 500 miles with a full bladder.
Like I mentioned before Airstream should stick to Travel trailers.
First I would like to mentioned that we have owned RV since 1972 , 8 different one. so by no mean we are new to this.
The 2009 Airstream SPrinter that have a Thor tag on it has a very very bad design Period. we need to use a flashlight to change setting on the Thermostat, it is next to the TV on the wall facing the back window, the only way to look at it is to go on the bed, we are just the two of us so the bed is always made up, Look like Airstream designers put everything they did not know what to do with Under the Bed. The Airstream Expert on here please tell us how to check or change you house battery on the 2009,the only way is the take the electric bed apart Period, the same with the breaker box and Fuses it is stuck way in the back and if you have to check or change a fuse, it either crawl 3 feet under the bed or undo the bed, no room under the bed to store anything. The Micro way is so low that you have to go on your knees to operate it. All the side windows stick out about 3/4 of an inch. The thing I like about it is the paint job, I keep it waxed and look like new still. Our Generator quit working on the trip back, we only use it when we stop t o eat for an hour or so when it is hot we have a cat. it has less then 200 hours on it, but to work on this all sprinter are the same.
Anyway we are going to see if we can put a gravity system on it witch I doubt very much, if not a new one.
I will check on Great Van we picked up our at the factory in Winnipeg. I think I still have the number..
I will be checking this blog often and see what happened
Robair

[Boxster1971]

robinair - you can add a gravity dump option. Someone on this group has done it. I'll see if I can find the post for you later.

Also you might want to check our another forum that is focused on B-van RVs. Here is link:
http://www.classbforum.com/forums/

There is some discussion there about GVWs closing.
http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...ered-3624.html


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Ron_CA]

Originally Posted by robair

Our Generator quit working on the trip back, we only use it when we stop t o eat for an hour or so when it is hot we have a cat. it has less then 200 hours on it, but to work on this all sprinter are the same.
Robair

Have you checked / changed the oil on your generator lately. If the oil level gets too low it will not run.

[gmillerok1]

Here's the link. It's not that hard to do. Took a couple of hours, and two parts.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...-92862-39.html

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by gmillerok1

Here's the link. It's not that hard to do. Took a couple of hours, and two parts.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...-92862-39.html

The link above kept taking me to the POR-15 discussion. Try this one for gmiller's Gravity dump mod.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1640693


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[gmillerok1]

Thanks. Guess I cut the wrong link.

[kfrere]

Interesting update. I called AS customer service to discuss my kinking hose problem, and their solution. The gentleman with whom I spoke told me that they didn't even know this was a problem. That surprised me given how many people have responded to my initial inquiry with the same problem. He told me that he will look into it and get back to me.

I don't have the expertise to cut off a section of the hose. I mean, I can certainly cut it off - I just don't know how to reattach the nozzle. And, if I cut a section every time this happens don't I eventually run out of hose?

I'll update you guys if I get a response. Thanks for all of the suggestions!