Community Forums

ctpres · 12-12-2011, 05:54 AM

Reading several threads on basement/wetbay heating and it got me thinking. Since most are heated by duct from main furnace:
1. If not close to freezing aren't we wasting heat/money heating basement?
2. With occasional dump mishaps, spills, leaks, rodent quarters, stored chemicals etc. insn't it possible for wetbay odors and insects to migrate into living area thru heater vents?
Solution - how about a damper on the wetbay vent - shut it off when not needed.
Have no idea where register is on ours - but I will at least look.
Any mfg.s listening?

"007" · 12-12-2011, 06:02 AM

Your plumbing and holding tanks if they have water in them you need that heat or your going to have a big fixing job ahead of you if you hit colder weather and forget the vent opening.
I have a switch on fan in feeder hose to tank area that you shut off during non freezing months in water bay.
What heat gets in area will keep it dry and smell free.

Gary RVRoamer · 12-12-2011, 06:28 AM

I like the Monaco idea - a small electric heater that has a thermostat located in the wet bay. Runs when needed.

I've been thinking of wiring an outlet in the wet bay so I can add a little electric heater for cold weather use. You can buy a plug-in thermostat that will convert any 120v device to come on when the temps drop below about 38 degrees.

blackf3504dr · 12-12-2011, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctpres

Reading several threads on basement/wetbay heating and it got me thinking. Since most are heated by duct from main furnace:
1. If not close to freezing aren't we wasting heat/money heating basement?
2. With occasional dump mishaps, spills, leaks, rodent quarters, stored chemicals etc. insn't it possible for wetbay odors and insects to migrate into living area thru heater vents?
Solution - how about a damper on the wetbay vent - shut it off when not needed.
Have no idea where register is on ours - but I will at least look.
Any mfg.s listening?

My thoughts exactly... We never camp where temps get to freezing or below long enough to be concerned about, not to mention the direct path for insects. I did just as you suggested and closed off the "register" supplying heat to the wet bay. After five years it hasn't caused a problem.

Freebird23 · 12-12-2011, 06:52 AM

We had a 96 Trek that had a gate at the back or the duct.You could open and close it with the awing rod. We camped with temps down to 0 with no problem.
The Neptune we now have has the bay heater.The good thing thing with it is heat in the bay area with out running the main heat.I do not use pink stuff ,because we use ours all winter.????????. On my bay heater when the switch is on the fan runs all the time,and the heat switches on and off by the stat,is this the yours work.
Bill

Cougarkid · 12-12-2011, 07:42 AM

My "wet bay" heat is a 2" flexible duct that runs across the tanks and exits into the pipe gallery. There is a tight mesh screen on the end of it. Bugs getting in are not a problem. I'm sure the wet bay vents in most rv's are small, not 4" like the main runs.

You should clean up any "occasional dump mishaps, spills, leaks" when they happen. You wouldn't leave a puddle/pile on your bathroom floor, would you? Smell will migrate up throught the floor, even without a pipe.
Stored chemicals etc. should be tightly capped.
As far as rodents/bugs, keep them out of the bay and they won't get in the coach.

A small, thermostat controlled electric space heater is great - unless you are boondocking or stopped for the night at a rest area. Without 110v electric you have no heat for the tanks. (Yes, the generator will run it, if you turn it on).

"Most" rv systems are set up to be self contained, IE: the system will run without thought of the operator.
Turn on the heat, set the temperature and forget about it. 12v system - batteries or shore power. You don't turn it on and off to regulate the temperature.
Turn on the a/c, set the temperaturre and forget about it. 110 volts only. You don't turn it on and off to regulate the temperature.
Turn on the water heater and forget about it. 12v/propane or 110v. You don't heat up water on the stove when you want to take a shower.

A shut-off valve is great, if that is what you want. Just be sure to remember it, especially when you go to sell your rig.

I guess the best of both worlds would an electric space heater for shore power, a dampered vent for non-shore power and a temperature controlled solenoid to control them automatically depending on the power source available.

bldrbob · 12-12-2011, 07:55 AM

My feeling is that the heat blowing into the storage compartment warms the floor.That is not a bad thing.The only time I had a problem is when I used an electric heater to supplement the heat. The furnace didn't come on and the lines froze.

Barbaraok · 12-12-2011, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bldrbob

My feeling is that the heat blowing into the storage compartment warms the floor.That is not a bad thing.The only time I had a problem is when I used an electric heater to supplement the heat. The furnace didn't come on and the lines froze.

I agree with you, heating the basements helps keep the whole coach a little warmer. Heat rises so you aren't losing the heat, it is going into helping keep the coach a little more comfortable.

Barb

336muffin · 12-12-2011, 10:32 AM

I use heat tape from a hardware store, it turns on only when needed. Very safe and economical, when traveling when temps are low just turn on the inverter and it works. I have seen several pipes froze at Lazy days Rallys in Jan and Feb. My hose froze last year and this is in Tampa, Fl.

C-PHartley · 12-12-2011, 08:47 PM

Anybody try a heat lamp for heating the basement? Like the kind they use to keep the french fries warm at Micky D's. I have never heard this tried before.

bluepill · 12-12-2011, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-PHartley

Anybody try a heat lamp for heating the basement? Like the kind they use to keep the french fries warm at Micky D's. I have never heard this tried before.

The one that I tried was 250 Watts - Bigger than needed. It's shell is very thin, and ended up breaking easily.
100 Watt "Rough Service" bulbs for mechanic's drop lights work much better in my experience.

Cougarkid · 12-13-2011, 07:42 AM

On our old rv (1989 GBMC Class A) I wrapped heat tape around the exposed water lines in the wet/dump bay. I mounted an exterior spot light base (green plastic one from wally world with plug) in the corner and put a standard flood light in it, aimed at the piping.

My sewer/water piping (hose and "sewer soultion") were encased inside a 3" PVC pipe wrapped with insulation that ran about 3' in mid-air to an exterior garage wall and thru. I sat a small, forced-air, thermostat controlled space heater in the bay pointing into the PVC pipe.

We went through last winter with several weeks straight of near-zero temps and a 20" snowfall. Pipes never froze, period. I relied on the coach heat (and basement duct) to keep the gray and black tanks warm, but there were no standing liquids in them.

Basement was empty, so I filled it with batts of unfaced fiberglass insulation. Yes I FILLED it. Pulled it out and bagged it for reuse in the spring. Vacuumed, too.

Plywood skirting around 3 sides to cut down on under-coach wind/cold.

Probably a little over-kill, but we are living full-time in the rv and I didn't want any issues. Skirting made quite a difference. Insulation gave us a warm floor.

This year a "new" coach. 1998 Overland Lorada 42' Class A DP.

Same parking location, but I ran the water/sewer lines differently. Took heat tape and ran it BETWEEN the 2 hoses and rip-tied them together. Wrapped the hoses with foam pipe insulation, rip-tied thrm on and duct tape to seal them up. Reworked the dump pipe with a 90 degree turn, a clear "clean-out" connector and a cap with a hose bib on it. "Sewer solution" hose screwed to it. Both hoses come in at the bottom of the bay door, but it won't close all the way.

Used 1" thick pink styrofoam to make a closure for the bay door. 2 triangular pieces that go from 0" to 3" thick, the height of the door. 1 piece across the bottom, 3" wide by the length of the door. Cut a slot for the pipes to go through. Duct tape the corners and a few pieces to hold it in place. Close the bay door and it is sealed up tight. Insulated and easily removed for disconnect.

Mike