Basement heat in 2008 Dutch Star 4035

[RoySher]

We have been lurking for quite some time, but now have a question. This is our first motorhome which we purchased in June. We have to be at Newmar on Jan. 19 for warranty work and are leaving from Alberta, Canada where it is very cold. Does anyone know how we would tell if our basement is heated or not? We cannot find any ducting or switch as the cd suggests. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Should have mentioned that we have the propane forced air furnace.

[RoySher]

We have been lurking for quite some time, but now have a question. This is our first motorhome which we purchased in June. We have to be at Newmar on Jan. 19 for warranty work and are leaving from Alberta, Canada where it is very cold. Does anyone know how we would tell if our basement is heated or not? We cannot find any ducting or switch as the cd suggests. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Should have mentioned that we have the propane forced air furnace.

[h moffitt]

I had exactly the same question about our 2007 KSDP and also could not find a duct. I called Newmar and asked. I was assured that there was a heat duct there that operated from the thermostat in the coach. I now know that is correct as nothing has frozen when night time temps have gone as low as 20 F and I never winterize the coach. Just set the temp for 50 F and it is always ready to go.

[GaryKD]

Hi RoySher,
Welcome to iRV2. If your utility bay is heated by the propane furnace, there needs to be a duct in the bay. I looked at the specs for a 09 DSDP and could not find it mentioned (standard or optional). If you have this, the duct will be up behind the utility bay. It is not easy to see. I have to get on my knees and look up about 30 degrees to see the duct. Mine is back and next to the rear mounted holding tank. There will also be a switch to turn on the basement blower. My switch is located in the utility bay, upper left corner. It is next to the water pump switch.

If you don't find these items, call Newmar and ask tech support. I hope Newmar will continue to put this feature in their coaches.

[Fillitup]

First thing I would do is get one of the wireless remote thermostats from Radio Shack or somewhere and use it in the bay area to monitor the temps. Even when at home and the DS is stored across the street, I can keep check on the temps.

Our DSDP has a duct that goes through the rear panel of the main storage area into the water bay area. It is aluminum and looks like a dryer vent hose. It had a light gray colored hard plastic protector as it enters the wall to protect it from getting squashed by something in the main storage area.

The small round duct has a small fan blower. There is a switch in the water compartment to turn it on. On our unit it is next to the water pump switch on the panel. This lets it come on when the main furnace house heater fan energizes. When it is in the 30s or so we do not use the switch in the "on" position. We turn the basement heater fan switch on when the temps get down to the 20s.

["007"]

Welcome RoySher to the Newmar forum and irv2.
Gary & Fillitup are correct in the discription of heat into the bays of your coach. My tinfoil duct from furnace is located in fresh water tank bay on drivers side. If you look up and into foil duct you will see a 12v fan inside of duct. The fan will cycle off and on with furnace when it goes on. The switch is also in water bay next to water fill divert valve. Have camped in winter weather and bays are kept warm as not to freeze. In your water bay keep the hose access and sewer holes closed and add a piece of insulation if its going to be real cold to give tanks added warmth.
Enjoy the forums and do post often.

[Route 66]

On my '07 DSDP, the duct is there, although it's hard to see.

However, there is no switch anymore, and I suspect no blower either.

As noted above, this duct is connected to the propane furnace, and has no connection to the heat pumps.

[Spikester]

My wet bay flexible duct comes directly off the main floor heat ducting and dumps into the top of the wet bay (water and CHT tanks). When the furnace runs it dumps a small amount of air flow into the wet bay area keeping my tanks, dump and fill plumbing, water pump and etc. nice an toasty. I have no fan or switch that I know of, I can see the heat duct entering into the wet bay area, looks like 2" or 3" going down between the CHT tanks, but really hard to see. Because the "wet" bay and the main storage bays are next to each other, and not sealed internally from each other, air migrates to the storage bays and warms them up also.

As others have mentioned validate your heating capability by placing a thermometer in your tank area and see if it effected by furnace operation.

During the winter months, when parked at home, I place a 800W ceramic heater in the area where the water pump and valves are located, set on low, keeps the tank area around 40 degrees, that way I do not have to run the furnace. Live in an area that is very prone to power losses so I use the motorhome when the power goes out, therefore have fresh water in tanks most of the time.

Spike

[MikeandClaudia]

OK--
I am with you so far. I have a switch, it is marked "fan switch", it is a black rocker-type switch, you can either press it at the top or at the bottom, but nothing says which is on and which is off.

Any ideas??

[GaryKD]

Hi Mike,
To be sure you know which is on and off:
1. start the furnace
2. see if there is any heat coming from the duct
3. move the switch to the opposite setting and see if anything changes

[Fillitup]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MikeandClaudia:
OK--
I am with you so far. I have a switch, it is marked "fan switch", it is a black rocker-type switch, you can either press it at the top or at the bottom, but nothing says which is on and which is off.

Any ideas?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

On mine - I think I push in at the top. Remember it is a slave motor to the FURNACE heat motor - not heat pumps. It will run when the furnace comes on and the furnace fan runs.

[RoySher]

Thanks everyone for your help. We were finally able to locate the heat duct up between the tanks. There is no switch--just the duct. Thanks again, you are all a great wealth of information.