Community Forums

Zac808 · 09-07-2015, 03:49 PM

My TT did not come with a polar package or any insulation on the bottom of the RV.

1) What temp should I worry about freezing the tanks/lines? I assume around 30F and below because at 32 it would take a while. But then again it may speed up with a wind chill.

2) Has anyone insulated their belly on their own? Im thinking of running a couple metal straps across the belly and attaching the same type of belly liner that most rvs come with now days.

BFlinn181 · 09-07-2015, 05:31 PM

You'll not only have to insulate the space underneath, but also check where the water and sewer lines run. If any parts are in un insulated compartments or running in walls, they could be an issue. Besides adding insulation, you might add some heating pads or the like under your tanks if they are in unheated spaces.

TDI-Minnie · 09-07-2015, 06:28 PM

Do you mean while camping or in storage?

elkski · 09-07-2015, 06:40 PM

Unlike Copper lines or PVC most RV's have flexible line that can handle freezing and not crack. Fittings, shower heads, faucets, pumps, water heaters can be damaged. I'm saying it may be ok for some lines to freeze and actually have a toilet not flow if the tubing is frozen at 30 but it may take many hours for critical things to freeze. Especially if you have warm sunny days and the heater on at night.. opening cabinet doors under facets at night and things can really help. I have camped for a week at about 26 at night and 50 during the day... I just used a pan of water from the sink to flush the toilet until about 10 am when everything thawed out again. not ideal but until you inspect where the lines are exposed at you dont know.

frankdamp · 09-07-2015, 08:32 PM

Our Class A had the "Artic Pak". Georgetown's poor spelling was the indicator that the system was a real turkey.

It only heated the grey and black tanks, using small (maybe 7" x 3") elements stuck to the bottom of the tanks - 2 on each). They drew 7 amps each from the house DC system.

They system had no sensors to ensure there was fluid in the tanks. The non-adjustable thermostats switched on at 40F and stayed on until the contents got to 64F.

I couldn't see wasting 28 amps from the house DC system to heat sewage to 64 F, or risking melting a hole in the tanks if the system was inadvertently switched on when they were empty.

IMO, this is the dumbest accessory system being foisted off onto the RV community. It needs many additional safeguards to make it worth the trouble.

Zac808 · 09-07-2015, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDI-Minnie

Do you mean while camping or in storage?

For camping.

lgarcia · 09-08-2015, 05:21 AM

If at a campground with electric and it unexpectedly got cold, you could skirt the exposed area from ground to frame with plastic sheeting or trash bags and put some milk house heaters or even drop lights under there.

If wintering over and wanting to have a more permanent cover for the exposed area, you could use mobile home skirting, hay bales, or RV skirting that attaches to the frame.

But, this depends on duration of cold weather. We live and camp where it can stay below freezing for weeks. The TT gets winterized by mid November and stays that way until mid April. I run low wattage electric heaters inside.

Any camping is done with water containers and we use portable toilets. It is worth having it winterized for peace of mind.

tuffr2 · 09-08-2015, 06:30 AM

Hay bales / straw may draw in mice and other critters. Critters would think the hay/straw will make a nice warm home.

I had my 3 season trailer in 19 degree weather for a short time. The key is a short time. This was in northern Florida when the sun came out the temp rose to 55 degrees. I did not do anything to my trailer and stayed in North Florida all winter with out a problem. A few times the temp dropped to 25 degrees but just for a few hours.

If you are staying where the night's get cold but days are in the 50's and 60's you can leave the water drip to keep it from freezing at night.

Just so you know most polar packs are really not that good. Many trailers require the gas furnace to run continually. My 5th wheel with the all season package is not insulated very well at all.

garbonz · 09-08-2015, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

Our Class A had the "Artic Pak". Georgetown's poor spelling was the indicator that the system was a real turkey.

It only heated the grey and black tanks, using small (maybe 7" x 3") elements stuck to the bottom of the tanks - 2 on each). They drew 7 amps each from the house DC system.

They system had no sensors to ensure there was fluid in the tanks. The non-adjustable thermostats switched on at 40F and stayed on until the contents got to 64F.

I couldn't see wasting 28 amps from the house DC system to heat sewage to 64 F, or risking melting a hole in the tanks if the system was inadvertently switched on when they were empty.

IMO, this is the dumbest accessory system being foisted off onto the RV community. It needs many additional safeguards to make it worth the trouble.

If the system turns off at 64 degF and the senso is on the pad, how praytell is it going to melt the tank. Not sure of the physics on your contention, nor have I ever heard of this happening to anyone. I think it is a pretty good system if you are hooked up to shore power and your converter has enough capacity to handle the load.

Lets be reasonable here. Are there any instances where these pads have melted an RV tank? I'd like the hear the circomstances of that.

wthesing · 09-08-2015, 07:39 AM

FWIW,
If you are considering enclosing the underbelly, do yourself s favor and forget the Coroplast material that is commonly used. Instead use FOAM PVC SHEETING. It is much more durable for impact resistance, can be attached with sheet metal screws, is available in different thicknesses/colors, withstands wide temp ranges, and can be cut with a sabre saw, router, etc. It is more expensive, and I guess that is why the mfgrs don't use it. It will be one of my 1st mods on my new rig after I get it.

Regards,

Bill

frankdamp · 09-08-2015, 08:24 AM

Garbonz:

The tanks in my rig were polyethylene. I would not have been surprised if the localized heat load with 84 watts over 30 square inches had been enough to damage the tank. Since we never camped in freezing weather, and never left fluids in the rig when it was parked at home, maybe I was being a bit paranoid.

I left a wiring diagram in the rig when it was sold on consignment, so that whoever bought it would know. I also put a "Disconnected" label next to the switch.

rbleau6885 · 09-08-2015, 08:29 AM

we lived in a 98 hornet 38ft aluminum sided park model (which I still own)for 3 years in a row all I did was skirt the bottom with blue insulation board put insulation plastic on the windows and insulation pads in the roof vents. We used a 120pound propane tank with 2 30s and a energy efficient electric heater to help it out. Kept my 48gallon fresh water tank full which is under a front bunk bed and that was it I kept it about 70 inside and we got down in the negatives a lot of nights never had a water line freeze and my tanks for exposed with no heating pads under the trailer and never did they freeze

Rich,24
2014 wildwood 27rlss
2005 Chevy 2500HD crew cab

BFlinn181 · 09-08-2015, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garbonz

If the system turns off at 64 degF and the senso is on the pad, how praytell is it going to melt the tank. Not sure of the physics on your contention, nor have I ever heard of this happening to anyone. I think it is a pretty good system if you are hooked up to shore power and your converter has enough capacity to handle the load.

Lets be reasonable here. Are there any instances where these pads have melted an RV tank? I'd like the hear the circomstances of that.

There you go, injecting science into a perfectly good rant.

- - - - retired science educator

chaps2018 · 09-08-2015, 12:07 PM

I have a sealed underbelly and it's insulated, we get down below freezing occasionally with no probs. My unit uses furnace air to keep tanks from freezing, One thing I didn't anticipate when it got down to 17° my gray valve froze. We happen to be leaving that day and I wanted to drain. it was a job for the wife's blow dryer!