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Marathon “Freedom hose” questions
Hi Guys,Does anyone know how the sewer hose system on a marathon works? There is a button that says hose in and out. I know it has to do with air basically filling the hose (to push it out) and then sucking the air out to pull it back in. When I got the bus it didn’t work right – it sorta worked.
I replaced the knife valve and now that seal is tight. And I can hear the air solenoid working as I would expect. But no air action. How does the tank fill up? And is it a pressure tank? Or a vacuum tank?
Can an anyone help me out? I will call marathon too but figured I’d check with the community – since we’re paying dues and all…..
walt
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9 Replies
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Walt –
Had the same problem when June and I left Carlisle Sun Fest this Spring. I would push the sewer button in and out, and would hear a lot of noise, but the sewer hose would just lay there and laugh at me. Thought I had a hole in the sewer hose.
In the first picture you are looking at a black hose going into a quick disconnect to a venturi which puts air in or out of the sewer hose from the holding tank. Do not disconnect this black hose (this is in your water bay) because it is tied directly into the pressure tank of the sewer system. Marathon aux air needs to be zero. You will have to disconnect the clear braided hose from the brass venturi to clean it. Make sure all the holes are unplugged. If you have moisture there, you are getting moisture from your Marathon aux tank. I installed a Speedi Aire air dryer going from the compressor to the Marathon aux tank in the compartment under the driver’s seat. The Marathon aux air system is now completely dry. This venturi will plug up if you have moisture in your Marathon aux system. That’s why you have a ball valve in the floor of your water bay to drain water from the sewer pressure tank.
In the next picture, you are looking at the same black hose going into the solenoid valve coming from the sewer pressure tank. If you have moisture in your system, this will corrode also and is typically the heart of the problem. This is also located in your water bay – not easy to get to it. Ours is behind the water pump.
Here is a picture of the solenoid valve. We replaced that and cleaned out the venturi valve (costs about $90 for the valve). Now if you stand in front of the hose, it will knock you out when it comes out. Goes in and out with no problems! Make sure you get the air flowing in the correct direction if you replace the valve.
As Jon and Tom always say, you can never have your air too dry as condensation causes most of our problems.
Hopes this helps!
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Walt…I’m not a technical guy but there are a couple things you can check. I’m not sure what your vintage has in switches but my 2006 has a Extend/Retract Power button that needs to be ON for the shore cord and sewer hose to work. The buttons go right in order, Drop Door, Extend/Retract Power, Shore Cord, Sewer Hose.
Also, make sure the end cap is on the sewer hose otherwise there is no pressure to work the Marathon magic.
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Ok. With the help of Donald and more taking things apart and following hoses I’m all set!I had already replaced the knife valve and when I undid the air hose going to the reversing valve there was a hose full of water. I cleaned that all up and also connected a different hose and blew air out of the tank to get water out of the tank.
Then in I took apart that vacuum device. The little holes were plugged up good. I had to use the smallest drill bit I had and drilled them all out. I put it all back together and oh my god that hose shot out!!!!!
It blew a hole in it! Luckily the hole was 3 inches from the end so I was able to just cut it off and reattach. I then made up a regulator to cut the air down and put that into the setup. Much better. Now it comes out slower. Enough that it won’t break itself.
I did did know about the on/off buttons – this time that wasn’t it though. It was the plugged up vacuum device.
Thanks all!
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the next time you speak to Marathon, ask them about a retrofit. The earlier models had the valve too low in the water bay. The fix from what Leon told me was to relocate the valve higher so that water cannot get trapped. It was relocated in later model year coaches.
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Donald –
Where is this ball valve to drain the water in the water bay air tank? Do you get to it from under the bus? Or is it inside the water bay?
Tom,
The valve that gets relocated… are we talking about the solenoid that operates the air? Or the Vacum Device? On mine the vacum device is at the top now.
Thanks all!
Walt
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I believe it’s the device that needs to be placed higher. Sounds like yours has already been relocated.
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Walt –
Here is a picture of the drain – in our coach, it is in what we call the water bay with the water pump, filters, etc.
Our venturi valve is up high – see picture below. You can see where the braided hose and the black hose meet at the top of the picture. Where is yours placed? A picture is worth 1,000 words. As I said previously, our tanks are dry now. No moisture coming out at all.
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Our water bay (the curbside one with the pump) is quite a bit different. The Venturin Vacum device is up on top of the black tank. But I don’t see any wort of drain ball valve. The air tank is way in there behind the accumulator tank. Really, without takeing a lot of stuff apart, there is no access to it.
I have one of those camera gooseneck things… I will have to stick it in there and hunt around to see if there is something back there I could reach in to drain. You can’t see it.
I’ve noticed that about our busses – seems like even when you see one from the same year and same convertor they can be wildly different. I also remeber working on something with Leon one day and he said sometimes the guys on the floor will build the bus a bit different than the plans. That some of the guys built one way and others another. This might explain it.
Thanks all for the info!
WAlt
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Walt –
There has to be a drain ball valve to drain that tank. Check with Oregon for the design specs.
Donald
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