Hello I posted this over in the 5th wheel forum and got one good reply but led into some more questions lol figured its not 5th wheel specific more of a general question. Regarding the above pkg on my traler. It indicates heated tanks. There is no switch inside the trailer to turn these heat pads on... any thoughts on how to see if this is even installed on my trailer? Also where would one look to see where hot air is ducted to the under carriage?We bought the trailer new in 2013 and for the life of me cant remember what the salesman explained and I never even thought about it until chatting with a buddy about his heated tanks.Thanks to allDave

Not being familiar with your RV, do you have a sewage bay on it?My 'so-called' heated tanks is nothing more than they took the heating duct in the bedroom and split it. Half goes to the bedroom and the other half goes into the sewage bay. It comes out high on the one side of the wall of the bay. I.E. 'heated' tanks. :R

we have a switch in the kitchen area to turn on our tank heating pads. Normally if you have a heated bay, you don't have the pads.

My "heated underbelly" is minimal insulation and a 1 1/2" flexible tube hanging down the side right next to the furnace. Impressive..At least I can say it has heat.B.O.

Put a remote reading thermometer in the bay. Turn on the furnace. If the temperature rises then the bay is being heated via forced air.

As others have said, "heated tanks" quite often means merely that they are (minimally) enclosed and insulated and there's a small duct from the furnace into that space.So long as you use the furnace for heat (as opposed to, say, electric space heaters), this is generally sufficient to keep them from freezing in at least moderately cold weather use, and certainly far better than tanks hanging exposed to the elements. It might not be sufficient for 20 degrees below zero weather. Not many mass-market RVs are set up for bitterly cold weather from the factory.

Heated tanks/under belly? | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

K_Charles
Explorer
Sep 28, 2015
Our tanks have heating g pads with a switch in the kitchen on a panel with a bunch of other switches. If you have heating pads you should see a small pads around each dump valve.
DrewE
Explorer II
Sep 28, 2015
As others have said, "heated tanks" quite often means merely that they are (minimally) enclosed and insulated and there's a small duct from the furnace into that space.

So long as you use the furnace for heat (as opposed to, say, electric space heaters), this is generally sufficient to keep them from freezing in at least moderately cold weather use, and certainly far better than tanks hanging exposed to the elements. It might not be sufficient for 20 degrees below zero weather. Not many mass-market RVs are set up for bitterly cold weather from the factory.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Sep 28, 2015
Put a remote reading thermometer in the bay. Turn on the furnace. If the temperature rises then the bay is being heated via forced air.
B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Sep 28, 2015
My "heated underbelly" is minimal insulation and a 1 1/2" flexible tube hanging down the side right next to the furnace. Impressive..At least I can say it has heat.

B.O.
LynnandCarol
Explorer
Sep 28, 2015
we have a switch in the kitchen area to turn on our tank heating pads. Normally if you have a heated bay, you don't have the pads.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Sep 28, 2015
Not being familiar with your RV, do you have a sewage bay on it?

My 'so-called' heated tanks is nothing more than they took the heating duct in the bedroom and split it.

Half goes to the bedroom and the other half goes into the sewage bay. It comes out high on the one side of the wall of the bay. I.E. 'heated' tanks. :R

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Heated tanks/under belly?

16 Replies

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