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12-06-2004, 10:22 PM

"ducted heat to the holding tank compartments for winter use?"

Some of the truck conversion companies don't even enclose the holding tanks or the dump valves. So ducting heat is not even a consideration. Some will put heating pads on the tanks. But if these are the 120v type you need to be hooked to shore power for them to work. One company had the valves in a compartment but the tank running side to side across the chassis was not enclosed.

The other thing, and this is also true of a lot of the regular RV manufacturers, is insulation. I just looked at a brand new model motorhome from one of the larger RV manufacturers that has "enclosed and heated" tanks. Below the dump valves is this nice moulded plastic/fiberglass catch pan with the round fitting for the dump hoses. Probably one foot by 2 to 3 feet. At the most 1/8" thick. I doubt that in cold weather you could begin to keep that compartment warm unless you ran the furnace almost non stop. I saw the same problem on another brand on a $300,000 diesel pusher.

Auxiliary rear heater. If you are going to use a comversion in cold weather make sure you get a auxiliary heater in the back of the unit getting heat from the engine coolant. Otherwise the only way to keep the back of the unit warm while traveling is to run the propane furnace while driving.

Some of the problems that I have seen are from the fact that truck conversions developed from the racing market. Most forms of auto racing take place in warm weather. So the untis are built with warm weather in mind.

12-06-2004, 10:22 PM	#10
Guest Posts: n/a	"ducted heat to the holding tank compartments for winter use?" Some of the truck conversion companies don't even enclose the holding tanks or the dump valves. So ducting heat is not even a consideration. Some will put heating pads on the tanks. But if these are the 120v type you need to be hooked to shore power for them to work. One company had the valves in a compartment but the tank running side to side across the chassis was not enclosed. The other thing, and this is also true of a lot of the regular RV manufacturers, is insulation. I just looked at a brand new model motorhome from one of the larger RV manufacturers that has "enclosed and heated" tanks. Below the dump valves is this nice moulded plastic/fiberglass catch pan with the round fitting for the dump hoses. Probably one foot by 2 to 3 feet. At the most 1/8" thick. I doubt that in cold weather you could begin to keep that compartment warm unless you ran the furnace almost non stop. I saw the same problem on another brand on a $300,000 diesel pusher. Auxiliary rear heater. If you are going to use a comversion in cold weather make sure you get a auxiliary heater in the back of the unit getting heat from the engine coolant. Otherwise the only way to keep the back of the unit warm while traveling is to run the propane furnace while driving. Some of the problems that I have seen are from the fact that truck conversions developed from the racing market. Most forms of auto racing take place in warm weather. So the untis are built with warm weather in mind.