Sewer hose will not retract

[gmillerok1]

The method Airstream uses has not changed since I bought my 2011 Interstate. One of the first things I did was cut off 3' off the end to keep it from bogging down. But the problem doesn't end there in the poorly designed waste system they use. First, the macerator really was designed to use a 1" I.D. hose (1.25" O.D.). The problem is that if they use that size hose, it won't be long enough to fit on the reel. So some brilliant guy at Airstream figured just make it .75" I.D. and problem solved! Right, except that the 1" I.D. to .75 I.D pvc adapter they use also reduces the flow the pump is designed to push. So what, you ask? Well, because of the increased pressue inside the pump housing it can blow it out (I had to replace one pump when the brass bolts sheared off under pressure). The next problem is that the macerator is located lower than the reel itself but higher than the 3" flex pipe it is attached to. That causes a great deal of liquid to sit in the hose that is never evacuated. But also, since the reel is higher as well, the liquid in the pump just sits there, rotting away. Because there is so much liquid in the waste system, it becomes very hard to winterize it, because all that water is mixed with anti-freeze. The pump housing will crack in extreme cold (pump # 2 replaced for that reason). From that point on, I modified the waste system by adding a T so I can drain all the fluid before winterizing.

You think Airstream would have figured this out by now and fixed these issues but I guess because it looks good to new buyers who don't know how the waste system works it doesn't matter to them.

A good example of good design is how Leisure Van's waste system works. First of all, a macerator is optional and can be easily removed if the macerator fails or if you just don't want to use it. They include a waste hose for a gravity system with all models as well as a place to store it. The macerator is at the lowest point in the system and no liquid remains in the hose upstream after you dump. This is not rocket science, but just common sense design. Unfortunately, it is long after the sale when these type of issues are discovered by new owners and usually long after any warranty expires.