Artic pack on Forest River 5th wheel

[Billieg]

I have a panel that has 2 switches on the wall that say Artic Pack. I never got an owners manual so I have no idea what these 2 switches do. I suspect they warm the holding tanks but how and why 2 switches?

Anyone know?
Thanks

[jawildman]

One for fresh water, one for dirty is my guess. Or one for the front set of tanks, one for the back set (mine are split).

[powerboatr]

on my 06 cedar creek fiver it had one switch for all four tanks and valves.

maybe your floorplan has the tanks to far apart and they ran two sets.

[Billieg]

I have 2 gray tanks and the black as well as fresh so? What heats them? Propane, 12v or 120v? Why the 2 switches? Anyone have a manual?

[frankdamp]

Our '02 GT325 has the Arctic Pack system. IMO it's a total waste of time. The documentation we got with our rig describes the system in some detail.

There are 12 VDC heating pads on the grey and black tanks (not on the potable water tank). They have integral thermostats that, when power is on, turn the elements on when the tempertaure drops below 40F and keeps them on until the tank contents have reached 65F. Each element draws about 7 amps from the house 12 VDC system.

First of all, why do you need to heat the tanks up to 65 degrees? As long as the contents are kept above freezing, that would be enough. Since water freezes at progressively lower temperatures the more contaminants are in it, why would you even need to turn the elements on at 40F?

The only tank the comes even close to needing the system is the potable water, and it isn't installed there!

IMHO, a total waste of time and money! Just a cheap installation that looks good enough on paper to convince people to buy it. I dread to think what 7 amps at 12 Volts would do to an empty polythene tank!

[powerboatr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billieg I have 2 gray tanks and the black as well as fresh so? What heats them? Propane, 12v or 120v? Why the 2 switches? Anyone have a manual?

mine were made by ultra heat
they had one pad on each tank plus a wrap thing at the two dump valves

if i remember correctly 65F isnt going to melt a poly tank or distort it

in fact the only part of my creek that wasn't insulated very well was one lower corner on the main slide , a folded up sock fixed that little breeze

the under belly tanks were pretty well insulated...i had to remove the panels once to add a flusher on the galley tank and i felt like the pink panther afterwards
we spent two winters in north bama on top of a mountain and we had weeks of below freezing weather....no issues at all, snow and freezing rain we were still comfy

[Billieg]

Thanks for that information. My fresh water tank is inside so I guess there is no need to heat it. Maybe the 2 switches are for the black and then the 2 grays? I'm thinking of moving further north here in Fl. where it does freeze a few times in the winter and want to be sure.

[frankdamp]

Also, as an English language nit-picker, I'd like to point out to FR's label maker that the correct word is "Arctic", as is shown in the vendor literature.

"Artic" is short for "articulated lorry" which is the British term for an 18-wheeler.

[powerboatr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp Also, as an English language nit-picker, I'd like to point out to FR's label maker that the correct word is "Arctic", as is shown in the vendor literature. "Artic" is short for "articulated lorry" which is the British term for an 18-wheeler.

good thing we are in the land of tea and crumpets

[dogman131]

Have you tried contacting Forest River? Maybe they can answer your question over the phone and you can request an owners manual for your 5er.