Well, I was so impressed with what I saw on Drain Masters site that I went ahead and ordered their Waste Master kit to replace the Thetford fitting on our 2001 Limited and permanently adapt to the "Cam-Loc" system.
You can currently only order their products from the company's webpage, "Straight from the manufacturer" as they like to say. Which is good, because if you were to add any mark-up onto the cost of this system and it becomes a pretty hard sell!
I'll start by saying I'm by no means a "seasoned pro" when it comes to RV's, but also I'm no idiot. What I was looking for was a good quality, reliable, durable system to manage what is probably the least attractive part of RV-ing.
Here's what I got......
Made by Drain Master, it's their Waste Master Cam Loc Adapter kit P/N 5703
Sewer Hose Systems | Drain Master
Ordered on 06/25 Shipped on 06/26 and received on 07/02 via UPS shipping w/ tracking # & insurance.
In a nut shell, it is what you need to convert your existing system to their "cam-loc" system. (I'll let you do your own research on what "cam-loc" is and what & why you should look into it)
I am also going to cover my ass here and say do your own due diligence before starting this conversion. Using THIS particular kit involves cutting your factory supplied waste fitting off the Airstream and gluing a new one on. I'm not saying it will/will not fit on your particular model of Airstream or any other brand of trailer. I'm saying it fit on MINE! Do your homework before ordering and before cutting anything. Ok, so.....
The above pic is straight out of the box (more or less) and my first impression is 1. this thing is nice 2. why is it industrial green?
Regardless, I read through the supplied literature(which is really pretty basic) and the install is straight forward. The fitting in between the hose above is the one that will replace whatever type of fitting you have on your waste pipe. The inside diameter of the supplied fitting is 3.5" , meaning your waste pipe coming out of your Airstream needs to have the same outside diameter of 3.5". (these are standard ABS 3" pipe sizes) The supplied adapter fitting is a collared fitting & will fit over & around your waste pipe. (and it IS made of ABS also)
In a nut shell, you will need to verify all the pipe diameters are correct, make sure there will be room for the fitting levers to fully engage/disengage when it is in its final position, cut off the existing end fitting with a fine toothed hacksaw blade, clean up both ends, apply ABS glue, and wait for glue to set up ( 30 secs.) BAM!
Ok, that process actually took me about an hour. BUT, I was pretty nervous about cutting off the end. All in all, however , it really WAS that simple.
Before...Single waste pipe, Thetford fitting, black & grey dump valves...
After the cut, file the edges down to "smooth" it all out and clean with a good cleaner to remove all dirt or grease. The cut doesn't have to be perfectly vertical, but as close as you can manage is best!
Before gluing, dry fit and make sure you have enough room for the levers to move fully both ways. On my particular set-up I was able to install the fitting with the levers "level" to the ground. But it was close. If need be, one can turn the fitting slightly to be sure there is no interference with the levers.
Make sure you use an ABS specific glue. Put a rag below the fitting and be sure to use LOTS of it on both the fitting and the pipe. You dont want to miss any coverage inside the pipe and remember.... this stuff sets up fast and permanent! Hence, the importance of measuring & dry fitting everything beforehand. If you make a mistake here, you will be ordering a new fitting and most likely buying some new pipe & fittings to correct your mistake.
Basic tools only, nothing too fancy. Looking back, I should have just opted for a hand powered hacksaw as opposed to the dewalt. It was kind of tight quarters.
And here is my final product. We are semi-permanent where we are, that is why the 4" PVC "wrap" is around it (to protect it from the UV rays and the weed wacker guy.
I have literally ZERO experience with any other type of waste drain system, so maybe my review is a bit biased. The quality of the Waste master, to me seems well above average. the Cam-Loc fitting fastens easily and positively. There has been no leaking from either the fitting end or the swivel dump end.
The o-ring inside the fitting attached to the Airstream (the only o-ring) is easily replaceable and available from the manufacturer. (Order an extra, just in case ...) Also, there is a cap attached to a chain that attaches to the fitting on the Airstream, so when your not using the hose you can seal up the pipe for travel or storage.
The hose itself is clearly the heavy duty variety and will most likely last quite some time with proper care. ( I love it when manufacturers demonstrate their tough hoses by dragging them across gravel)
The "head" as I call it, (the end that makes the sewer connection) uses a soft rubber gasket (donut) to seal the sewer connection and works better than I figured it would. The ball valve shut off in the head is nice & tight and works smoothly. I foresee using the shutoff on days when the grounds crew are here mowing & trimming. Instead of flushing out the hose, just close the shutoff & remove from sewer connection ? Honestly I think the "business" end of the hose is a bit of overkill, but I'm hoping someday I'll see the need for the nicely constructed piece of engineering.
On a scale of 1-10, overall I would give it a 10
I'll "re-review" in 6 months or so and update if necessary.
It has given me peace of mind concerning the "unfortunate" necessity of the item itself. That alone helps justify the cost for me. It is an adaptable system with additional hose links available (5'-16' hose comes included) a variety of replacement parts, an adapter that converts the discharge fitting back to a standard Valterra type, among other small goodies available.
Just felt like putting in my 2 cents concerning this "new" and upcoming product. As you can see, I'm impressed with it!
For those interested.... $172.23 shipped to the door as of 06/26/2013
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