Heating Underbelly of Fifth Wheel

[rreynold51]

Is it worth putting a 60 wt light blub in the underbelly of my fiver to keep the holding tank area a little warmer? I have a sealed underbelly and I know there's a small ducting hose off the furnace that goes down there but there are times when its parked I don't turn on the gas/furance. I thought some one told me a single 60 wt blub in 20-30 deg weather would keep that area above the freezing mark. Any one try this? Any mods out there? After dark I could see where my holes are also! LOL

Just wonder what others have done for that 20-30 deg weather...thanks!

[rreynold51]

So two 60 watt bulbs...with a thermostat. That seems easy enough. The botton cover of cloroplast covers the bottom but there are openings between the areas. I believe I have two small hoses down there that run from the furnace to provide enough heat to keep things from freezing..which they never do if I have the furnace on. So far the nights are only going down to mid 20's here.. Once we are on the road we will have the furnace on at nights and it won't be a problem. Its only when its in the driveway we worry.

[RJsfishin]

I run a 60 watt bulb in the water pump/holding tank area, and another on the other side at the WH, both connected to a timer....off in the daytime.
Then inside the RV I run a 500 watt heater along w/ an indicator lite hanging in the window, both connected to a thermostat "CUBE" 35-45 deg.
Never a problem in 15 deg weather

[rjsurfer]

Doesn't the Coroplast underbelly liner lay up against the cross beams? I'm thinking that they do and sort of separate the underbelly into different sections making a single heat source ineffective?

I put a hundred watt light bulb in my front storage compartment by the way and it keeps that area and all the water pipes nice and toasty. I had one of those yellow temp control switches that turn on at 36 degrees or so but I never could get one that worked reliably. China junk. I just open up the hatch for the laundry chute and turn the light on manually.

Ron W.

[mlts22]

One idea I've been thinking, assuming that I can put the heater on a GFCI and I am convinced that the heater would not get wet, of putting a Vornado, or other high powered fan heater underneath, something that does a lot of warm air. Set it to 750 watts (with the temperature set to 50 degrees or as low it can go), and it would keep that area well warm enough to prevent freezing.

Downside is the electrical wattage spent on that, which isn't inexpensive, as it adds up... but may be cheaper than the propane or electric needed to run the rig's furnace.

[rreynold51]

Local temps get down to around mid 20's some nights..but up to 50's during the day. I think I have a remote sensor for a thermometer I can put down there to monitor what the temp gets too. The furnace running at 60 in the RV will keep it above freezing down there..but again prefer not to use furnace when we are just sitting at the house with water in the tanks.

[time2roll]

Have you measured the temperature in the bay? Might be warmer than you think.
Otherwise I recommend a regular heat pad for the tank.
www.ultraheat.com

[SDcampowneroper]

Another idea is to use an infrared heat lamp controlled by a thermostatic heat cube. That way, it only comes on when temps are near freezing, off at 45f You save power, infrared produces a lot more heat than incandescent. best of both..

[joebedford]

I don't think a heat source in the basement of your fiver will do anything for the tanks. My furnace ducts run underfloor and give some heat to the tanks.

[Artum_Snowbird]

I would purchase one of these rather than using a light bulb. You can wrap sensitive areas if you need to.

Electric pipe wrap

[rreynold51]

Yeah that's what I thinking about. I want to put some water in and check out everything but not leave the furnish on all night. We are prep'ing it to go out....I'm thinking like a shielded drop light or something like that..

Thanks, Rick

[SeaDog_BRR]

One year I did put 100W lamp with a heat shade in the basement to keep the holding tanks and potable water from freezing when i didn't winterize the MH. I can't tell you what temp the bays were but the tanks never froze. N6RGM