Water compartment heater

[suzuki-steve]

Hey guys, looking for options and advise for heating the water compartment in my Winnebago Journey. I am from the Midwest and head west in January (subzero temps) In past years I have had trouble with my water compartment freezing. What is available and what are the recommendations for heaters? I have attach this photo of a Prevost I saw last year. It appears that it runs off water? Thanks in advance!

[iluvuk]

Originally Posted by suzuki-steve

Hey guys, looking for options and advise for heating the water compartment in my Winnebago Journey. I am from the Midwest and head west in January (subzero temps) In past years I have had trouble with my water compartment freezing. What is available and what are the recommendations for heaters? I have attach this photo of a Prevost I saw last year. It appears that it runs off water? Thanks in advance! Attachment 227539

Don't you have a heated basement compartment? If so run the furnace. If not, do you have an inverter so you could hook up a small electric heater?

[RandyLee]

I just use a electric heat thermostat that goes down to 30 degrees on the low end. You can use 110 volt bulbs or 12 volt with a standard house style screw in base available at most camping stores depending on your choice of power available in that compartment. I added some carpet to the bottom and thin Styrofoam to the sides of the compartment to help with heat loss. Remote thermometers are cheap so I use one of them to monitor the temp in the compartment. You can vary the amount of heat with different wattage bulbs or add another.

[suzuki-steve]

Thank you for the input, I know the 12v bulbs get hot also maybe Ill try leaving the light on in that compartment.
Thanks!

[suzuki-steve]

Not sure if its heated or not. Would there be an obvious visible duct or vent? Thanks!

[iluvuk]

Originally Posted by suzuki-steve

Not sure if its heated or not. Would there be an obvious visible duct or vent? Thanks!

I have experience in sub zero temps in my RV and it isn't always easy. I can tell you that the 12v bulb in your compartment will not be near enough heat to do the trick if you will be in anything below 25-30F deg for long. A 110v incandescent bulb might help but not good for driving down the road because the bouncing will probably break the bulb. I would use a small electric heater in the bay if it is not heated by your furnace. You can tell if it is heated by turning on the furnace. Letting it run for 10-15 min, make sure it is really cold outside, then go down and open the wet bay. If it is heated you will definitely feel the heat in there. Mine has no visible vent just in the back somewhere it has a furnace air outlet.

Driving in freezing conditions makes the bay even colder due to air/heat loss. Most modern RVs have heated basement bay for critical systems. However, each RV model is different. Isn't yours a large Diesel pusher? If so, I bet the bay is heated....but only if the furnace or heating system is turned on while you are driving down the road!

When parked, you can run an extension cord and a small portable electric heater into the wet bay to make sure nothing freezes, but that may or may not be necessary depending upon how cold it is outside, for how long, and how much you are running the furnace that heats the bay.

How cold of temperatures do you plan on seeing on this trip? My record so far is minus 16 deg F.

[winniman]

As stated, a wireless remote temperature monitor is your friend. We used a light bulb on nights that were only a little below freezing. We used a portable heater for colder nights. The temp monitor will let you know if you need to add more heat or not. Ours has a digital read out that we put on the wall so it could be read easily. You could always run the generator while you travel if you have to, or as stated, run it off your inverter. As long as the engine is running, the batteries should be fine. You probably only need it on low unless it is super cold. In that case, start the motor, and point the coach south. Cheers

[Crasher]

I'm pretty sure your water compartment has a heat source when the furnace is running, but it is not enough to prevent freezing in below zero weather driving 60 mph. I used to leave WI in -15* weather and had no problems, however, I sprayed the bottom of the wet bay tub with urethane and added a "Back Seat Heater". It was wired to the 12 volt house batteries and set @40*. I had a remote temp sensor in the bay and it never got below 38*, even @-15* and driving 60 mph. This is the only heater Holiday Rambler used in the mid 90's.

Here: https://www.amazon.com/RoadWorthy-Ba...ck+seat+heater

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by suzuki-steve

Not sure if its heated or not. Would there be an obvious visible duct or vent? Thanks!

Our MH(see sig) has a 2" grey flexible hose from the rear furnace into the wet bay which terminates directly above the water pump. When the rear furnace is running the heat emitted is easily felt with your hand. The waste bay however does not, only the tanks are heated.

[jacwjames]

I have a small thermostatically controlled 12V heater in my wet bay, it will come on/off when the emp gets cold. There is a switch above my passenger seat that I turn on and if the heater is running it will will light up (red) to make it noticable.



I lived in my RV in Northern Michigan starting in April 2011. We got 2' of snow and there was still snow on the ground well into May. Here's what I did

1. Prior to travel I took several cans of foam and closed up all the openings in the front and rear of the basement area. This helped while driving and parked.
2. I bought several remote thermometers so I could monitor both the wet bay and other basement compartments.
3. I found a temp control plug at Lowes that activates at 39F. https://www.lowes.com/pd/EasyHeat-Fr...roller/1060249 and plugged a small heater in it and pointed into my water heater and water pump compartment.
4. During really cold spells I kept slides in and shades pulled down.
5. I only had two 20 amp plugs to use so one was for the basement heater and the second was to run a heater in the living room. I wanted to conserve propane since it was not readily refillable.
6. I put insulation across the front window and kept the curtains drawn.
7. I did not leave water or sewer hooked up, showered in the campground facility to conserve water and tank capacity.

I survived, it definitely got cold at night, sometimes in the AM it would be in the low 30's in the coach when I woke up. I'd turn the furnace on to break the chill and then revert back to using the heater.

[lwmcguire]

I use a HD heat tape with a thermostat. Wrap and lay the tape in the critical areas without crossing the heat tape. Worked down to zero but haven't tested it yet in colder temps. the Basement does have two hydronic heaters but not in the UDC compartment. doesn't take much wattage so isn't much of a load on the inverter when traveling