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Nicholsfamily05's avatar
Nicholsfamily05
Explorer
Feb 05, 2017

Heated tanks..winter use

Have a quesrion that I have searched around and can't find the answer too.

We have a 2017 Sierra 377Flik, front living room, it has heated tanks but I can't find out if it has heated pipes. When we ordered it we chose every option we could but just no info on the lines.
I've emailed the company but have not gotten a response and I've asked the dealership and they weren't to sure.
An internet search didn't pull to much together. Some trailers I have come across do have it but some of the others only have the tank pads.

I want to use it for the next two months during the week basically as my job has opened up a major OT spot for that period or longer and since I live an hour away after working 16 hrs and having an hour ride there and back doesn't leave much time for sleep. We store our RV at my fathers place that has power and full hookups. I installed them when we lived there.
I could stay in the house but I don't want to bother my father coming in at 11:30 and getting up early each day for weeks on end.

Thanks in advance for the help.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Feb 07, 2017
    I am actually less concerned about my waste tanks. Certainly have had my fresh water tank freeze and my fresh water lines. Last time I had to use both 12v and 120v of the combo pad to keep the fresh water flowing. Also built a circulating water system to prevent future freeze ups in the fresh water system. Nothing like going -10 with an open belly. I went with mostly 120v heaters as it would have been close to 60 amps at 12v to heat all four tanks. That amperage is not going through one switch.
  • bfast54's avatar
    bfast54
    Explorer
    Feb 07, 2017
    time2roll wrote:
    Single switch? If these are 12v heat pads I am thinking OEM put one on the fresh water only.



    100% of TANK HEATERS I have ever delt with .......Heat the WASTE TANKS......... keeps them from freezing so you can dump.:):W

    NEVER EVER heard of Heated Fresh water tanks...or Lines. (Sewage or other)
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Feb 07, 2017
    12v tank heaters take 10 to 12 amps at 12 volts. Switch is commonly rated 15 amps.

    Maybe they use a relay, high amp switch or these are 120 volt.

    I installed these pads: www.ultraheat.com
  • Nicholsfamily05's avatar
    Nicholsfamily05
    Explorer
    Feb 07, 2017
    I can't crawl under it. It's a sealed underbelly.
    The dealer today said I should have pads on all my tanks. That's what the switch is for in the control panel.
    He said as long as the furnace is on it will heat the area where my water lines are ran. Good idea in thinking but like I said I'd hate to just waste all that propane.
    Been looking at hearing elements with a fan to feed that area instead of using a constant supple of propane. Electric would be easier.
  • pnichols's avatar
    pnichols
    Explorer II
    Feb 07, 2017
    Can you crawl underneath to see the bottom of the grey water and black water tanks?

    You should be able to see the black electric heating pads on each tank if that is what is being used.

    We have a single switch for our heated tanks. It turns both black heating pads on - one on the bottom of both the grey water tank and the black water tank.
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Feb 06, 2017
    Nicholsfamily05 wrote:
    So after speaking to a different person at the dealership and exploring a bit the census is that they are feed off of the propane. Not what I wanted to find out as I don't want to burn through that much propane.
    Yes it is a single 12 volt switch but they stated i have them on all 4 of my tanks.

    Hm means I may have some work this spring / summer wrapping some pipe or putting in an electric blower with a heat element down there.


    The tank heaters would not be run off of propane, obviously aside from the actual water heater (for the hot water taps). If there's a separate switch for holding or fresh water tank heaters, they'd be electric heating pads of some sort.

    If the plumbing is in a heated basement area, that would typically be heated from the propane furnace.
  • Nicholsfamily05's avatar
    Nicholsfamily05
    Explorer
    Feb 06, 2017
    So after speaking to a different person at the dealership and exploring a bit the census is that they are feed off of the propane. Not what I wanted to find out as I don't want to burn through that much propane.
    Yes it is a single 12 volt switch but they stated i have them on all 4 of my tanks.

    Hm means I may have some work this spring / summer wrapping some pipe or putting in an electric blower with a heat element down there.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Feb 06, 2017
    Single switch? If these are 12v heat pads I am thinking OEM put one on the fresh water only.
  • Nicholsfamily05's avatar
    Nicholsfamily05
    Explorer
    Feb 06, 2017
    We are going down today to get her ready and I will check around and see about the bay opening.

    There is a switch that says tank heaters next to all the other switches but only one.

    That's why I was asking because the RV industry does some weird stuff and I wouldn't put it past them to just put the pads in and. It the heat tape.
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer
    Feb 06, 2017
    X2
    Check for a heater duct opening. It really just looks like an open hole on the side or top of sewage bay. :(

    Mine had a heater duct opening on the top of the sewage bay out of view. What they did was split the bedroom heat vent duct work and diverted half of it to the sewage bay....that is what they considered heated pipes/tanks. :R

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