Heat tape vs rv specific heat patches?
I'd like to add some freeze protection to my three season RV to maybe get 3 and a half seasons out of it. I accept the cost of the large surface area heating pads for the gray and black tanks, but ...
Forum Discussion
we set up a '97 32' HR WFS TT for extreme cold weather. Wintered over in it in Whitecourt, Alberta in '00. -46f a couple of times, no problems.
I used thermostatic contact heat tapes on the water lines and the water pump the same as mobile homes use, and old waterbed heaters on the fresh and waste tanks. all power lines ran up to the inverter, so when on the road with the truck runnng the water system was heated. Of course when parked we turned the inverter off and moved the heat tape plugs to shore power.
Fresh water supply is easy with a heat taped insulated hose, if the camp can supply a freeze proof faucet. If not, then fill your fresh tank as needed from their faucet near or far.
When winter living in an rv it is best to 'batch dump' your waste water to prevent your waste hose becoming a 3" icicle, backing up into ,even flooding your rig in the night. Never leave a faucet trickling to keep your fresh water hose from freezing. It will freeze up your waste hose. Next most importantly is to keep from the waste trickle from freezing up the possibly shallow sewer pipes. Ask the camp operator if that is a concern. If not, then heat taping your waste hose and wrapping it with waterproof insulation will do fine.
Inside comfort and heatability is another matter. Lots of ideas abound about that as well.
I used thermostatic contact heat tapes on the water lines and the water pump the same as mobile homes use, and old waterbed heaters on the fresh and waste tanks. all power lines ran up to the inverter, so when on the road with the truck runnng the water system was heated. Of course when parked we turned the inverter off and moved the heat tape plugs to shore power.
Fresh water supply is easy with a heat taped insulated hose, if the camp can supply a freeze proof faucet. If not, then fill your fresh tank as needed from their faucet near or far.
When winter living in an rv it is best to 'batch dump' your waste water to prevent your waste hose becoming a 3" icicle, backing up into ,even flooding your rig in the night. Never leave a faucet trickling to keep your fresh water hose from freezing. It will freeze up your waste hose. Next most importantly is to keep from the waste trickle from freezing up the possibly shallow sewer pipes. Ask the camp operator if that is a concern. If not, then heat taping your waste hose and wrapping it with waterproof insulation will do fine.
Inside comfort and heatability is another matter. Lots of ideas abound about that as well.
