Empty your motorhome’s holding tanks quickly, easily, and without getting your hands dirty.
By Bill Hendrix, F761S
September 2004
Once in a great while, an innovation comes along that has a dramatic effect on consumers and the related industry. In the RV world, slideout rooms and high-tech convertor-chargers are examples of the more dramatic changes in recent years. These have increased consumer appeal, made the product more useful and usable, and added to sales volume, which in turn grows the industry. The Waste Master invention may well be the next step to giving our motorhomes even more appeal by eliminating the most unpleasant chore related to the RV lifestyle “” dumping the holding tanks.
While attending the Beaver Ambassador Club’s prerally in Las Cruces, New Mexico, prior to FMCA’s winter international convention this past March, I had the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with Doug Swarts, president of Phase Four Industries. Doug is the inventor of the Drain Master electric dump valve and the new, innovative Waste Master sanitary disposal system. Since this system is now standard equipment on Beaver motorhomes, Doug demonstrated how it operates “” but without making an actual dump, as the Waste Master was installed on a new coach.
The Waster Master system incorporates Phase Four Industries’ Drain Master electric waste valves “” one on each of the black water and gray water tanks “” and the company’s Sewer Master hose, made of heavy-duty, 20-mil polypropylene. The sewer hose remains connected to the motorhome at all times. The sewer hose nozzle is stowed in a dedicated storage compartment, isolating it from more sanitary components on the coach, such as the fresh water fill. Optional controls are available to monitor tank levels and to activate service utilities, such as the 50-amp cable, fresh water hose, cable TV, and phone connection. The system requires 17 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of compressed air at 50 psi and 12-volt-DC power for operation.
Opening the water bay compartment door on the driver’s side, just in front of the drive axle, reveals the Beaver’s water and waste management features. Below that door is the small Waste Master door, which reveals the business end of the system. By opening the door and pushing a remote-control button, the nozzle and its attached 3-inch hose will start to extend. This is accomplished by air slightly pressurizing the 3-inch hose, which causes it to slowly elongate. Take the nozzle and lead it away from the coach in the direction of the sanitary dump. Release the remote button, and the extension stops; the hose can extend up to 19 feet. Insert the nozzle discharge end into the dump opening, and a cone-shaped rubber collar makes an airtight seal. If the sanitary dump is more than 19 feet away from the coach, another hose can be attached to the nozzle for those rare circumstances.
Next, rotate the lever on the side of the nozzle to the upright position, which opens the nozzle. You are ready to empty the tanks. Locate the electric dump valve rocker switches. Depress the rocker marked “open” on the black water tank switch first. After dumping the black water, you have the opportunity to rinse the tank while the hose is connected. Close the black water tank valve before repeating the process for dumping the gray water tank.
After the gray water tank valve is closed, the dump is complete. Return the lever on the nozzle to the horizontal closed position. Lift the nozzle from the sanitary dump and press button number 2 on the remote-control fob; the hose starts to retract into the enclosure. This is done by evacuating the air in the 3-inch hose, causing it to contract “” just the opposite of the extension process. Replace the cap on the sanitary dump, and the task is complete. No muss, no fuss, no spills, and (for the most part) no objectionable odors.
The installation of the Waste Master system would be very difficult “” but not impossible “” for an aftermarket application. The dump valves must be relocated on the passenger side of the coach with the hose extending under the holding tank(s). (See the system schematic.) This would necessitate a complete reconfiguration of the water bay with different tanks and probably some loss in holding capacity.
Currently, several RV manufacturers are prototyping the Waste Master; popular demand will likely ensure this innovation being available, at least in the highline coaches initially. Then the trickle-down effect will occur just as it did for microwave ovens, air conditioners, awnings, and slideouts.
For more information, visit Phase Four Industries’ Web site at www.phasefourindustries.com, or call the company at (877) 787-8833.