Sanitation hose ratings?

Hi All,

Has anyone researched the different qualities for sanitation hoses? I am replacing my holding tank on my E35/3 and there are a number of different 1 1/2" sanitation hose choices. I've found ones from Greenline (G380 is their top product - white butyl rubber and supposed to be odor resistant). Sealand makes a couple (Odorsafe plus is supposed to be their best). And Trident is carried by West marine (101 and 102 - both have 5 year warranty).
Have read Sean's excellent post on head replacement which will be very helpful. It's a crappy job so I want to get the best hose in terms of odor permeation so I'm not redoing it 5 yrs down the road.

Has anyone compared hoses? All I can find is what each manufacturer states in their advertising blurbs. Doesn't seem to be any comparisons between manufacturers.

Many thanks,
Steve Gabbott
E35/3 Silent Dancer
Vancouver BC

Another consideration is to get a hose that is not only as odor free as possible, but also relatively easy to work with. I've heard that some of the better ones are very stiff making it really hard to get them on the barb fittings and routing it through the bulkheads.

Frank

I have worked with both Odorsafe Plus from Sealand and the original Odorsafe. I have also worked with the Trident 102.

The original Odorsafe from Australia was great for odor permeation. Initially it is very hard to work with but with practice not bad. I re-plumbed the sanitation system on my Pearson 28 with the stuff. Softening the ends with boiling water made assembly 1000% easier and also enable a sure fit around the barbs when clamped down. Just do not expect to easily get it apart again.

The Sealand Odorsafe Plus is junk. It looks just like Odorsafe but is not even close. Still very hard to work with and very ineffective against odor permeation. Overpriced for what you get. No first hand experience but I know a couple of guys who tossed it after a season.

Trident 102, in my opinion, is the best you can get. I re-plumbed my Ericson 35-3 with this. It is easier to work with and has 2 distinct layers to prevent permeation. This hose is sleeved for extra protection which makes it a little big but only by about 1/4". It also is flexible enough to take apart again if necessary.

I have never heard of Greenline. I checked their website and am not impressed. Their sanitation hose is very thin. Also, they do not spec any of their hose for below WL use.

Once you replace all your hoses, use Odorlos treatment to keep everything odor free. It really works and is safe for the head components.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...=true&storeNum=11&subdeptNum=209&classNum=214

Shields #148 was what we used for the whole head plumbing rebuild.
No problems after a couple of seasons.

Loren

Ah yes, once again the not so sweet smell of marine heads. After getting rid of all that rank line, make sure you help keep it from ever getting rank again by using the right head treatment. I (and several others) will attest to the virtues of Odorloss. Here's a link:

http://www.odorlos.com/products_info/howitworks2.htm

I know some will think Glyn and I work for the company since we mention them all the time, but really, it's just that the stuff has worked well for us Of note, I work in Public Works, and bounced the product of the manager of one of our sewer treatment plants, and the product we use in the plants works on the same principal as Odorloss, and after reviewing some more information on Odorloss, he gave it a thumbs up as the right way to treat bad smelling critters versus covering them in perfume.

Thanks everyone

Thanks for all the comments regarding sanitation hose. Tim, I took your advice and have ordered the Trident 102. Saw a small bit in the store and looks easy to bend. Did you have any trouble getting the two hoses through the bottom of the bulkhead into the holding tank locker?

Cheers,
Steve

Steve, I only have one hose that goes directly from the toilet to the holding tank and it barely fit through the bulkhead. The hose to pump out the tank goes around the port side of the bulkhead into the vanity cabinet where it Tees with the deck pumpout.

Make sure you already have the newer holding tank without the L. That older tank is weak in that area and will eventually leak.

I used Shields Poly-X in 2008 and for 2009 Summer season, not one bit of odor up forward. At the time, I could only find it in 12 foot rolls which was enough for my E27. Quite pricey and a challenge to work with. I found that leaving the 12 foot roll out in the summer sun for an hour makes it real toasty and much easier to bend.

As for odor, I would recommend a good ventillation technique. When I purchased some custom tanks for my E27 from Raritan, they talked about using as large as possible of a vent line from my holding tank to the outside of the boat. More Oxygen in the tank means less anerobic bacteria which produce the aweful smell.

Stuart