FW and Holding Tank Heating?

FrankO · 12-21-2007, 11:46 AM

I have an Itasca Sunrise 35A (gaser) and would like to understand if and how the Fresh Water and Holding tanks can or are heated. I have read that many higher end MHs have heated basements -- most are DPs. Do Winnie/Itasca gasers provide a means to heat these tanks? I looked at the plumbing diagrams for my MH and it looks like they are shallow tanks built directly under the floors mid coach. No obvious sign that they are heated. Any thoughts or methods to share?
Thanks in advance for the info and have a great Holiday Season.
Frank O.

FrankO · 12-21-2007, 11:46 AM

I have an Itasca Sunrise 35A (gaser) and would like to understand if and how the Fresh Water and Holding tanks can or are heated. I have read that many higher end MHs have heated basements -- most are DPs. Do Winnie/Itasca gasers provide a means to heat these tanks? I looked at the plumbing diagrams for my MH and it looks like they are shallow tanks built directly under the floors mid coach. No obvious sign that they are heated. Any thoughts or methods to share?
Thanks in advance for the info and have a great Holiday Season.
Frank O.

AFChap · 12-21-2007, 01:59 PM

If you have the original info/sheets on your rig, it should be mentioned there. If not, Winnebago Owner Relations could tell you for sure at email [email protected]. You'll need to include the s/n of your coach for best answer.

I don't know if gas rigs are the same as my diesel, but on my diesel, the tanks are enclosed in the bottom of the coach as I think they also are on yours. That alone gives them some protection. Also, on my rig, there is a hose or two (about the size of a vacuum cleaner hose) off the LP furnace vents into that enclosed area where the tanks are. I discovered one of those open end hoses behind the metal panels in my water service bay a few months ago when I had the panels to replace a dump valve. Once I knew what/where it was, I was able to see it on one of the plumbing/wiring sheets I downloaded from the Winnebago web site.

FrankO · 12-21-2007, 04:03 PM

I have all the manuals but I see no reference to if or how the tanks can be heated They are, as you said, enclosed in the bottom of the unit under the bath area which puts them just in front of the rear axle.
Just would like to know this info if we want to take an early pring/late winter trip. Currently I have the unit winterized and covered.
Thanks -- Frank O.

Tom-NC · 12-21-2007, 04:14 PM

Frank, They are heated as I have an 04 Adventurer and it is heated.
The heat however comes from the propane heater and not the heat pump. The heat must come out of the floor vents. It also has a motoraide heater that has a switch on the dash to operate it(which works off engine) which will give you heat while running down the road.
In fact if you turn on your propane heater and the open your water utility compartmentyou will feel the heat.
Enjoy!

FrankO · 12-22-2007, 05:11 AM

Tom,
Thanks -- that is the info I was looking for. Having some assurance that if we do some travel before the warm weather arrives and run into some cold temps going down the road I will feel less worried about the water tanks.
Frank O.

NeilV · 12-22-2007, 06:00 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrankO:
I have an Itasca Sunrise 35A (gaser) and would like to understand if and how the Fresh Water and Holding tanks can or are heated. I have read that many higher end MHs have heated basements -- most are DPs. Do Winnie/Itasca gasers provide a means to heat these tanks? I looked at the plumbing diagrams for my MH and it looks like they are shallow tanks built directly under the floors mid coach. No obvious sign that they are heated. Any thoughts or methods to share?
Thanks in advance for the info and have a great Holiday Season.
Frank O. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Frank,

On my 35U there are two grills one in the wall in the hallway and one in the bedroom that vent into the tank area of the basement. These provide airflow from the coach into the tank area and some heat also. I will notice a cool airflow, in the summer when the AC is running, coming out at you when dumping your tanks due to these vents.

Clay L · 12-22-2007, 06:33 AM

Mine has round holes in the bottom of several of the heating ducts. You can see them by looking in the heat registers. When the furnace is blowing, some air goes into the compartment where the tanks are. As mentioned above there is also a wall register (in my hall) that allows the air going into the compartment to return to the inside of the motor home.

There are two other wall registers, one for the furnace return air and one that provides some ventilation for the converter.

Winnebago customer service told me that the motor home should be good down to about 20 degrees with the furnace set at 70 degrees. I have verified that on numerous occasions.

I added a GFI protected outlet in my service bay and use a small electric heater when it gets down in the freezing range.
That way I can turn the furnace down to 55 at night and still keep the tanks and pipes in the bay from freezing. I have made it through nights as cold as 2 degrees okay.

FrankO · 12-22-2007, 12:11 PM

All good info. I have a lot more confidence if I travel during some colder days.
Clay -- You said you were good to 2 degrees, did you have the water pump compartment heated? Mine is a bugger to get into as it is partitioned off from a storage bay. Did you place a space heater in there, a light or is that compartment also heated with a duct from inside?
Thanks for the info -- Frank

FrontRangeRVer · 12-22-2007, 06:59 PM

FrankO, I have the same unit as you, and although everyone says the tanks are heated, I still can't find out if they are or not. When the furnace is running, I don't see any temperature increase (with my remote temp sensors) in the holding tank area.

We take our chances in cold weather by having a metal trouble light with a 100 watt bulb in the holding tank area, and another one in the water pump area. The water pump area is CRITICAL as this are is not insulated at all, and your water pump filter will FREEZE in a heartbeat....I have the trouble lamp on a hole I drilled in the metal opening so the metal heats up.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Winnebago needs to improve their insulating R factors including roofs, sidewalls and especially the floor area, and install better heating mechanisms in their water tank areas and holding tank areas.....The way they are currently is under par, and Newmar and Fleetwood have them beat hands down in these areas.

Clay L · 12-23-2007, 05:36 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrankO:
All good info. I have a lot more confidence if I travel during some colder days.
Clay -- You said you were good to 2 degrees, did you have the water pump compartment heated? Mine is a bugger to get into as it is partitioned off from a storage bay. Did you place a space heater in there, a light or is that compartment also heated with a duct from inside?
Thanks for the info -- Frank </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My water pump is also in the area that gets some heat although it's on the far side of the big metal compartment from the furnace ducts and the electric heater.
The big metal compartment contains the two waste tanks, the fresh water tank and is open to the service bay and the area where the water pump is located.