Veebyes wrote:
Sure would like to know how those heated tanks work? Suspect that the manufacturers idea of heated tanks means that the furnace is in the same compartment as the tanks & a warmed hose runs from the furnace to the vents. Like that is going to yield any real heat to the tanks.
Better off putting a small electric heater in that basement area to keep things above freezing.
I have owned “heated” tanks on my last toy hauler. The “basement”, underside of the trailer, was wide open and the “heat” was 12V heating elements glued to the tanks. I never used the 12V heaters. Too much battery drain and I never wanted to heat the Great Outdoors. Instead I insulated the water tank after gluing on 110V heating cords and routing the plugs inside. During the usual morning and evening generator runs I had heat on the tank, fill pipe and intake pipe, all insulated. With 25-50 gl of water in the tank it takes a while, and well below freezing temperatures, to ice the tank. The pipes are another story, but I made it work.
Usual black and gray water tank usage never caused a problem for me. Weeklong camping in temperatures down to single digits night, barely up to freezing daytime. If needed a liberal dose of hot water, shower hose, should fix the problem. Think propane.
The new rig... Enclosed “basement” and advertised heated tank. Worked well in late October. Right, furnace ducts likely routed through the tank area. Works for me. Well below freezing and the only problem was the intermittent hot water heater operation. To be remedied with a Hott Rod 110V kit. Generator run = heat to the hot water heater. Supplements the propane.
The cold can be delt with. Mostly it just takes Fuel ;)
