heated black and greyholding tanks

[jpckhc1969]

I live in New Jersey and purchased a used 1998 Gulf Stream . I will be staying in it starting this Tuesday. The holding tanks state that they are heated. With 30 amp electrical service will they not freeze. I will be living in it full time through the remaining winter months. Please let me know if the holding tanks will not freeze or should I leave the values open all the time. Every prior winter the motor home has not been used and has been winterized. It is winterized now

[Sudsy]

My 2005 has "Heated Tanks" too. The furnace has air tubes that run down to the basement compartments that hold the tanks. There are no heating elements or electrical heating. Look for small 1.5 inch tubes running into the compartments.


Oh yea. I NEVER leave my Black Tank valve open!!!


Sudsy

[jpckhc1969]

Thanks for your information.

[Restorium]

The part that will freeze first would be the dump valves. If you are expecting very low temps then you could pour some RV antifreeze into your system when it is empty and have it in the dump valves so you are not stuck with a full tank and no way to dump it.

[jpckhc1969]

Thanks.
I will be connected to the sewer and be living in the motor home so I will be dumping the tanks when they are full.

[Restorium]

When you get done dumping and close the valve, pour a gallon of RV antifreeze down the toilet. Then if you get a cold snap you could still empty and might not get stuck with not being able to use the toilet until it warms up outside.

[Frutza]

Make sure all ports are tight along with door seals, if your worried, get a remote reading thermometer, also you can put a light in the bay, remember the Easy bake oven? A drop light works good plug it right into the pedestal, incandescent bulb, not an led!

[Brad15]

A gallon of RV antifreeze is a must and I am sure you can find a small electric heater that will turn on when the temp falls below 34 degrees or so... like the previous response never leave the tanks open. Well at least the black. I always like to have at least 1/2 take of gray water so when I dumb the black take I have enough gray water to flush out all the poops.
Hope that helps
-Brad

[Sundancer268]

On my 95 Scenic Cruiser the Dump Valves are in the heated area and I have to open a hatch and insert the hose to attach it and dump the tanks. You do have to run the Propane Furnace to heat the basement bays.

[Restorium]

On my 95 Scenic Cruiser the Dump Valves are in the heated area and I have to open a hatch and insert the hose to attach it and dump the tanks. You do have to run the Propane Furnace to heat the basement bays.
Where I'm at today that area would definitely freeze.

[bmoj]

I have 2 bays with water in them. One is the black & gray with dump valves and the other is the fresh water with pump. Both bays have to be kept warm. They are heated with ducting from the furnace but they are not connected. That means if I put an electric heater in one it will not heat the other.



You don't say how cold it gets where you are. I live where it gets below freezing sometimes so I use light bulbs in the bays and they seem to work. The coldest it got was 27F at night but the day was above freezing. I left the light bulbs on all the time. If you are constantly below freezing for several days in a row this may require more drastic measures. Put a remote thermometer in the bay to see what is happening. Be prepared to add additional heating if needed. Additiona heating could be more light bulbs (inexpensive and low power draw) or electric heat.



Don't forget your water hose. You may want to heat trace it or remove it completely at night and hook it up in the morning. I will sometimes leave the hot water tank heater on at night just to play it safe. Or you can run it before lights out and turn it off to leave a full tank of hot water.


bmoj