Best dump hose length

We carry 3 10' sections.

We carry 3-10' sections, 1-20' section, and 1-3' section of 3" sewer hose. The short one is normally used with our portable waste tank, but we also use it when the other lengths come up just a little short. We have used 50' to reach the park connection a few times since we usually position the coach for the best view when there's a choice, rather than the convenience of the utilities locations. Years ago when we first started traveling in our motorhome, we carried just two 10' sections which was fine for most parks we went to then. Over time though, when we found ourselves needing additional length, we just scooted to the nearest Walmart or RV store and grabbed another 10' or so.

With our first and second camper, I always carried a total of 70 feet of hose. After several years, as hoses began to fail, I wasn't so quick to replace them. But I did always carry at least 50 feet of hose.

Here's my reason and how I came up with this number.

First, no two campsites are every the same. Unless you are getting the exact same campsite every time you go, you just never know what you are getting yourself into, especially if you travel across several states, and if you jump from private campgrounds to State Parks to National Parks. Some campsites don't even have a dump station at the site.

But here a good rule of thumb:

If your camper is 30 feet long from hitch to bumper, get 30 feet of hose as a bare minimum. If your camper is 25 feet long, get a minimum of 25 feet. Why?

Because NOT EVERY campsite is going to have the dump station within 10 feet of YOUR dump valve. It depends upon where the dump valve is located on your camper. If yours is exactly in the middle of the camper and the campground dump is right in the middle of the pad and exactly 1 foot over, your 10 foot hose might reach?

But if your dump valve is at the front of the camper, or forward of the tires, and the campground connection is near the back of the campsite, you're going to need at least the distance from the valve on your trailer to the rear of the trailer. Thus, the total length of your camper is a good length to have.

I had 2 twenty foot sections of hoses I used together on several occasions. My previous camper was 31 feet long and my current one is35 feet long. My 20 footers have long since died, so I now carry several 10 foot sections and can hook them together as needed.

Plus, I have 2 outlets and 3 tanks and 3 valves. If I hook a hose to each outlet, that's 2 ten footers right there, then add the distance to the Y to the sewer dump. As a result, I now carry 5 ten footers, a Y for connecting them, a clear section (my Flush King), and connections for inserting into the campground sewer, including a rubber donught (which I have used several times).

I also have a blue tote for those times when we do not have sewer hook-ups.

So, seeing is believing: This is actually quite common in Indiana:









Here again, take the length of your camper and use that number as the bare minimum length of hose you carry with you. But to be sure, especially if you travel to new places, it doesn't hurt to have a couple extra ten foot lengths.

Can we watch when you open those bad boys, Dutch? lol

Guess i've been lucky, so far , i have never needed more than one hose
now that i've said that,ive jinxed it, and my next 'new to me' CG will be messed up

Stickdog also brings up a VERY valid point too. If traveling from location to location (not seasonal camping), you never know how the utilities will be arranged for your campsite until you get there. Now granted, Reserve America is pretty good at giving descriptions of campsites in State Parks when you make your reservations for any of the states that use this reservation system. They post the distance from the campsite to water hook ups and if there is no water on site, it won't be there.

But sometimes, you still don't know where the water spigot will be located, if they are a shared spigot between 2 sites, or one for each site, or none at all. Electric outlets can also be placed in some very weird locations with respect to the camp site.

For this reason, I always carry 200 feet of garden hose. Four 50 foot sections that can be connected together. And yes, a few times I have used it all.

I also carry 2 twenty-five foot 30 amp electric cords, plus 2 fifty foot 30 amp hoses, and I also have a 35 foot 30 amp electric cord.

Mostly, a single 25 foot cord is adequate. But we have run into many campsites that 25 foot was just too short. The 50 footer seemed way to long, but was glad we had it.

At home, I use one of the 50 footers, unless I plug into a different outlet (at home), then I need 75 feet if the trailer is turned the opposite direction. At our previous house, I needed 125 feet of extension cord.

I think, the longest I used in any campground was 135 feet for electric, and the same spot, I needed 125 feet of hose to reach. That site did not have sewer hook-up.

So, depending upon how you camp, where you go, you just never know what your going to run into.

There is nothing more disappointing than reaching your destination and finding out you are only 1 foot short of being able to hook up to water or worse ... electric.

One one of our first campouts with our first travel trailer, we were within a foot of reach the water spigot. We made a mad dash to WalMart and bought another garden hose. It was right then and there I decided I'd never "come up short again." Maybe I'm a bit anal here, but we've never run into a problem carrying so much with us.

I was at a park recently that had the water sewer and electricity in totally random places. I just couldn't figure it out but the camp host cleared it up when I was chatting with him. It was an old manufactured home park. The homes were hauled off and it had been re-purposed as an RV campground. Not surprisingly, they didn't want to spend the money to move everything to the traditional locations. So, yes, extra hoses of all kinds can come in handy.

I have a Class B and never hook up to a connection at a campsite. Usually use the camp bathroom. I do a lot of boondocking. I do have a 12-15' slinky for dumping that has worked well. The one that came with the van was too short for one dumpsite so I bought a longer one and trimmed it to the length I wanted.

SidecarFlip wrote:
Long enough not to get you soiled when dumping....lol

Nomination for the best answer!!!

Seriously I carry multiple lengths and multiple "Types" (Well I used to multi-types now .. not so much

I have two very nice 15' hoses from Tetford one Is modified the other is not.. (The modified one is a "Smart HOse" they no longer make it, I lost the "Nozzle" end (The end that goes into the ground) so I called 'em to see if I could get a repalcement .. Sorry. no, but they sent me a Sentinel free I have yet to use it.. I modified the "Smart" to use the Sentinel nozzle)

The hoses are both 15'.. the Smart hose used cam-lock adapters to connect to the bayonet connector on your motor home... and to the nozzle.. the Sentinel is all bayonet so the hose can be your main dump hose or an extension hose.. I cut off the cam lock end on one end and put a bayonet on it. JOY is mine.

As I said I have two of those, 1 10' extension and a 20' extension.

(Extension hoses have male bayonet (Same as the motor home) on the remote end) I also have a macerator with a 50' Black hose.

But 15' seems to be my most used length.

WHen I was stuck in GA I used the el-cheapo hose that came with the RV for 3 years. .It was the exact length I needed and it lasted.. in GA sun, for all 4 years.. WHen I unhooked last March.. IT SHATTERED. But it was empty and dry so I just swept/raked it up and tossed it.