cargo heater rv3000 replacement

[Toddoo]

I own a 2011 Monaco diplomat 43dft, came with the cargo rv3000 for heating the undercarriage, I have read the multiple threads and online about the discontinued model for cargo heat. I need the opinion from someone that knows more about these small heaters to make sure my solution will not result in the incineration of my rv. I purchased a back seat heater that was the exact fit and size of my cargo rv3000, I cut the electrical connector off the cargo rv3000 and plugged it in turned the thermostat dial up to high and flipped the switch inside and it took off and seems to be working fine. The question I have is why from all the threads I have read, why is no one else using this same set up?? Has anyone else used this set up and let me know if it worked well for them and if I need to be concerned about anything. Thanks todd

[dougrainer]

2011, that means when the 35 degree wall tstat closes the 2nd light by the wall switch comes ON. You should have 2 lites. The On/Off switch will light up when turned ON and the light next to it will come on when the temp drops below 35 degrees and the tank bay wall tstat closes to turn the heater ON. IF the wall tstat is bad or unplugged you will not get the heater to turn on. We test the wall tstat by holding a can of PC compressed air upside down to freeze the tstat to verify it does close when cold. Doug

[woodfoot]

The thermal fuse is available at Radio Shack part number 271-1321 for less than $2 00

[-Gramps-]

The cargo heater that came with your coach has a thermal fuse inside the heater. This fuse is known to break from bouncing down the road. I took mine apart, removed the fuse and soldered the wire back on. The temperature of the unit couldn't get high enough to make that fuse pop in the first place. Now the heater blows WARM air like it is supposed to when the snap fuse activates it.

[draboo]

Toddo, this is how ours works. There are two lights along side the switch on the control panel. One says "POWER" and one is labeled "ACTIVE". For the heater to work, both these lights have to be on. If only the POWER light is on, and not the active, the outside temperature is not cold enough to activate the system. If both lights are on, and you cannot get the heater to work, then there is a problem somewhere.

[jhilley]

It probably goes through a thermostat set to 35F and that is why it isn't going on, if the temperature is above that.

[bullydogs1]

it was a 110v unit..so you had to plug it in somewhere..check the circuit breaker you have it plugged into...the heat draw on that thing could have tripped it..mine does work but has not come on in two years...when we camped going west to Asheville it did drop to the high twenties one night but we have heated hose...I had sensor in that compartment and it stated 45 degrees so it did not come on...but the furnace ducting I did do a leg from bathroom and fished a duct to tanks as well..the water tank is in a separate compartment is somewhat insulated...also the pipes from the tank run thru the cargo bay...I have extra small space heaters I could have plugged in but had no need...I have learned that despite all the legal mumbo jumbo..that the coach was built well insulated.

[Toddoo]

My bad, 12volt. And then it should be something like 1100btu

[jhilley]

Toddoo wrote:
Sorry for caps on prior post. Did it from my phone and didn't notice, I bought it online from Amazon for $98. The 110v unit.

Plugged it in and worked great. Went out the next day and will not come back on? About to put the white flag up on this project

I don't see a 110 volt version on Amazon, only 12 volt.

[draboo]

jhilley wrote:
Where did you purchase the Back Seat Heater?

It was in the rig when we purchased it.

[Toddoo]

Sorry for caps on prior post. Did it from my phone and didn't notice, I bought it online from Amazon for $98. The 110v unit.

Plugged it in and worked great. Went out the next day and will not come back on? About to put the white flag up on this project

[jhilley]

Where did you purchase the Back Seat Heater?

[draboo]

I have an O2 Holiday Rambler Neptune which has one of these "Back Seat Heaters" in the wet bay.

If you look at the plug in connection to the heater, on each side there are two larger wires that connect with each other. The middle connection has two wires running on the supply side, and one lighter white wire running from the heater side up into the heater. These middle wires are connected to the thermostat. I accidently pulled the two center wires from the supply side out and the light on my control panel would not come on, with temps down to 15F. I connected it up again last night and it works fine. I got to see the 12V "Backseat Heater" actually work. There is a thermostat on the heater I set to come on at around 30F. I also plugged around the hoses going thru the floor of the wet compartment with towels to prevent cold air from coming in from the floor. We are full timing and have about 120 feet of water hose, which froze up on us a few nights ago. It is now 100% insulated and hasnt froze since.

[ScottG]

Todoo - please turn off the caps lock. It makes your post difficult to read and is considered yelling.
Thanks.

[Toddoo]

PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE GIVEN SOME MORE BACK GROUND INFO ON COACH, I DO NOT HAVE THE COLD WEATHER PACKAGE THAT INCLUDED SOME OF THE EXTRA INSULATION AND THE HEATING OPTION ON THE BLACK/GRAY TANKS (I CALLED MONACO AND ASKED) I AM SECOND OWNER OF THIS RV AND NOTICED THAT IN EXTREMEMLY COLD WEATHER THE HEATER IN THE BAY WOULD NOT COME ON, SO I HIRED A RV REPAIRMAN (I LIVE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY) AND HE SAID THAT THE CARGO HEAT RV3000 WAS BROKEN AND YOU COULD NOT REPAIR, JUST REPLACE, WHEN MONACO SAID ALMOST $400 WITH TAX AND SHIPPING, I STARTED LOOKING FOR OTHER OPTIONS, AS I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ONLINE, AND NOBODY HAS MENTIONED THE BACK SEAT HEATER THAT IS THE EXACT SAME SIZE AND APPEARS TO BE THE SAME THING, SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS INSTALLED ONE OF THESE IN PLACE OF A BROKEN CARGO HEAT AND DO THEY KNOW HOW THEY HAVE PERFORMED AND IS THERE ANY CONCERNS I SHOULD BE AWARE OF. THANKS