Community Forums

Bob (WA0MQE) · 01-07-2014, 05:31 AM

I've been reading some of the posts regarding the Heater in the Water Bay. Although there is mention, to some degree about the remote water tank heating pads, there's not to much detail about the wiring, fuses, how to get to and check whether the heating pads are working or not.

So, rather then tag onto some of these threads that have a whole bunch of posts on them I thought I'd start a thread on just the heating pads.

So my question is: I have the remote heating pads and I understand how their wired into the water bay/heating pad circuit, but I don't believe my water tank heating pads are working. When I turn on the Water Bay Heat switch inside the moho, if it's cold enough the water bay heater does come on and blows hot air. But, when checking the tank heaters, I do have voltage to them when I pull the connector in the water tank compartment. But since the elements are buried under the water tank I can't get to them to determine if their warm, or whether there's a break in the wire/s going to them.

So how does one, with the exception of pulling the water tank (which certainly would be difficult), check this part of the puzzle.

Here's hoping someone has run into this type of problem and has invented this wheel already.

nodine · 01-07-2014, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob (WA0MQE)

I've been reading some of the posts regarding the Heater in the Water Bay. Although there is mention, to some degree about the remote water tank heating pads, there's not to much detail about the wiring, fuses, how to get to and check whether the heating pads are working or not.

So, rather then tag onto some of these threads that have a whole bunch of posts on them I thought I'd start a thread on just the heating pads.

So my question is: I have the remote heating pads and I understand how their wired into the water bay/heating pad circuit, but I don't believe my water tank heating pads are working. When I turn on the Water Bay Heat switch inside the moho, if it's cold enough the water bay heater does come on and blows hot air. But, when checking the tank heaters, I do have voltage to them when I pull the connector in the water tank compartment. But since the elements are buried under the water tank I can't get to them to determine if their warm, or whether there's a break in the wire/s going to them.

So how does one, with the exception of pulling the water tank (which certainly would be difficult), check this part of the puzzle.

Here's hoping someone has run into this type of problem and has invented this wheel already.

Bob,

The heating pads put out very little heat and I doubt that you will be able to detect the heat since they are under the tanks. Those tanks are a very good heat sink and will absorb the heat as fast as the pads put it out. My guess is the only reasonable thing to do would be to pull off the 12 volt supply connectors to each pad and use an ohm meter to test the continuity of each pad. Each pad draws about 9 amps so the DC resistance will be around 1.3 ohms. You may measure a slightly higher resistance because of meter lead and connection resistance. Point is there should be continuity. Resistive heating elements usually fail open.

By the way, nice name

.

P.S. Bob I sure hope you are on the Gulf now!

Bob

Bob (WA0MQE) · 01-09-2014, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the input. I'll give that a try, check the resistance. And, yes we are on the Gulf down near Rockport, Texas. Thank goodness.

Long Island Mac · 01-12-2014, 09:12 AM

I called the Monaco help line about the heating pads. Give them your coach vin # and they can give you all sorts of info. On mine I have heating pads on the black and grey, but not on the fresh water tank??? The water bay stayed warm even at 5 degrees outside DC last week. Poor design put the water filter on the opposite side on the bay. The 12 volt bay heater, did nothing for the opposite side of the bay. I put a small (could only fit a small one) 120v heater near the filter, but did not stop the filter from freezing and cracking. Good ole' Walmart had a replacement (Camco). Something to add "to fix" list when back on LI>

Gorlininc · 01-13-2014, 07:03 AM

Usually if heat is needed to keep other bays from freezing other than the water bay, heat is vented in from the furnace when it is on. It couldn't hurt to get a heater at Walmart. But I'm guessing it's heated through the furnace.

Bob (WA0MQE) · 01-18-2014, 10:17 AM

Apparently it depends on the Coach Model, etc. I've checked mine thoroughly and the furnances do not vent into the basement at all. I really don't understand why they didn't do this. At manufacturing it would have been an easy task. In my coaches particular case it could only be done by the rear furnace though, the front furnace is in the kitchen slide. I'm thinking of maybe doing some work on the rear furnance vents and see if I can't get one to route into the basement.

The other alternative I'm looking at is installing a third propane powered furnace. (I've thought about electric, but that doesn't work to well while boondocking.) If I do it'll be a smaller one, there are some available that I've seen on the internet. If I can find the right one and find a place to mount it this I think will be my ideal solution. Once I get one in the basement I could then use fans, and vent tubes to route heat to where ever its needed.

nodine · 01-19-2014, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob (WA0MQE)

Apparently it depends on the Coach Model, etc. I've checked mine thoroughly and the furnances do not vent into the basement at all. I really don't understand why they didn't do this. At manufacturing it would have been an easy task. In my coaches particular case it could only be done by the rear furnace though, the front furnace is in the kitchen slide. I'm thinking of maybe doing some work on the rear furnance vents and see if I can't get one to route into the basement.

The other alternative I'm looking at is installing a third propane powered furnace. (I've thought about electric, but that doesn't work to well while boondocking.) If I do it'll be a smaller one, there are some available that I've seen on the internet. If I can find the right one and find a place to mount it this I think will be my ideal solution. Once I get one in the basement I could then use fans, and vent tubes to route heat to where ever its needed.

Bob,

We have the same coach and I was also surprised that Monaco did not provide a duct from the furnace under the frig down to the tank compartment. I think your best option for installing a duct is under the vanity in the hall. It is next to the furnace under the frig and directly over the tank area. If you remove the false bottom in the vanity cabinet you will see the water lines coming up from the tank area. On mine Monaco did not do a complete job of spraying in the black foam and I can see down into the tank compartment. Also, that side of the furnace has a knock out for a vent hose just like the one on the other side that vents to the dinette area.

You also should install a wireless remote thermometer in the tank compartment that you can monitor from inside the coach. I have one and yesterday we were driving back from Florida (stupid on our part) in freezing temperatures. I did not have the generator on to run our electric heaters we installed in the tank compartment so we turned on the system heat. I moved the temp monitor up where I could read it from the driver's seat and monitored how the 12 VDC system heat was working. It did a great job and I was surprised. I know that for dry camping that is not a good way to heat the tank compartment.

Good luck on your project,

Bob