Compartment heat

[Btm]

I winterize my MH like most others, low point drain, blow lines and add antifreeze to the drains. For added prevention I like to put work lights in the wet bay and pump area. I only have one 110 V in a front compartment and run extension cords in and out of the compartment doors to the lights.

Now that I have located a single outlet that the converter plugs into would there be a problem using this outlet for the converter and a light ? I can change it to 2 outlets, run an extension cord thru both compartment side walls and not have to string them in and out of doors. I would use a TC-3 Thermo Cube before plugging in the light or some other type of heat source.

Btm

[NXR]

None at all that I can think of. In storage the converter is going to be delivering minimal power to the 12 VDC side so its AC current draw will be similarly reduced.

A 70 amp converter delivering 70 amps at 12 VDC will be pulling 7 amps at 120 VAC if it is 100% efficient, which it isn't but I doubt its worse than 90% efficient.

The Converter breaker probably is a 15 amp so you should have plenty of capacity for a couple of hundred watts of extra heat. Just be sure to check the Converter breaker size; I don't have access to mine because a dog is sleeping in front of the panel right now.

Even though you blew out the lines, it may be a good idea to pump antifreeze through the entire system including the toilet(s). I've read too many sad tales where people had a tiny amount of water remaining in their toilet flush valves and they found them cracked in the Spring. I have a Tecma macerating toilet in the middle bath and there's no way I would take a chance with something inside that thing freezing and breaking.

Ray

[Btm]

Thanks for your reply about voltage.

I do add antifreeze as you suggested-just didn't say it in my post. It is good advise although many do not add it.

What would be ideal is to have the light plugs getting power thru the inverter, so when traveling below freezing there would be a way to get heat in these compartments. If I could figure out how to find and connect to the Inverter 110 voltage I think I would run power to the compartments from it.


Btm

[Kimber45]

if its fully winterized correctly the extra lights and heat are not needed unless it makes you feel better.

[NXR]

By "travel" do you mean while driving or while away from home? If while driving I wouldn't worry about it unless it was way below freezing. Very little water will freeze if it has any mass in the three to four hours we travel each day.

Ray

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by Btm

Thanks for your reply about voltage.

I do add antifreeze as you suggested-just didn't say it in my post. It is good advise although many do not add it.

What would be ideal is to have the light plugs getting power thru the inverter, so when traveling below freezing there would be a way to get heat in these compartments. If I could figure out how to find and connect to the Inverter 110 voltage I think I would run power to the compartments from it.


Btm

You do need to add it so the pump is filled. Blowing out the lines does not clear water from the pump.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by IDguy

You do need to add it so the pump is filled. Blowing out the lines does not clear water from the pump.

Don't really have to add antifreeze if you blow things out correctly, run pump dry, then drain the pump filter housing. Never used antifreeze, even when living in CO. I hate rinsing it all out when I want to use the RV again.
But, lots of folks use antifreeze for extra insurance. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not an absolute necessity.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Don't really have to add antifreeze if you blow things out correctly, run pump dry, then drain the pump filter housing. Never used antifreeze, even when living in CO. I hate rinsing it all out when I want to use the RV again.
But, lots of folks use antifreeze for extra insurance. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not an absolute necessity.

Pump doesn’t necessarily run dry. If you try that be sure to open a valve.

Using the provided tee connection is easier than fussing with pump filter. Amount of antifreeze used is minimal and flushes easily.

I really like the hot water heater bypass location in my 30x3. Most of my previous RVs put them in not easily accessible locations. With this machine pump and valves accessible in one compartment.

But then they put plugs instead of valves on drains. Idiotic!