Arctic Package for 1913

[Larry R]

Just brought our 2014 Stealth 1913 home. Dealer was unable to answer how to operate the Arctic Package Equipment or what the rocker switch next to main breaker panel is for. It looks the same as the light switches but it doesn't operate any lights. Could this be what turns the heat blankets on the tanks? Forest River Has NON existant owners manuals . Just generic stuff for individual items. The Dealer I got mine from knew virtually nothing about the units nor did they have a parts dept. Too bad for them as I wanted to ad the onan gen. Now Camping World will get the business.
Thanks

[Jjs2000z]

Can you post a pic of where the switch is?

[Larry R]

The switch is in the front of the coach at the foot of the bed next to the breaker /fuse panel. I have been informed that it is for the warming blankets for the water/sewage tanks.

[F and E Damp]

We got that dumb-butt system on our Class A. There are resistance heating elements stuck on the outside of the black and grey tanks. They have non-adjustable thermostats that cut in at 49F and switch ff at 64F. On our rig there are four of them. they're 12V elements and each draws 7 amps.

Personally, I'm not the slightest bit interested in pulling 28 amps out of the house batteries to heat the sewage up to 64 degrees! I think it's one of the dumbest systems anywhere in the RV industry and I've disconnected mine.

[Larry R]

I don't plan on needing the poop defroster, but it is there if needed.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by F and E Damp

We got that dumb-butt system on our Class A. There are resistance heating elements stuck on the outside of the black and grey tanks. They have non-adjustable thermostats that cut in at 49F and switch ff at 64F. On our rig there are four of them. they're 12V elements and each draws 7 amps.

Personally, I'm not the slightest bit interested in pulling 28 amps out of the house batteries to heat the sewage up to 64 degrees! I think it's one of the dumbest systems anywhere in the RV industry and I've disconnected mine.

Better than a frozen tank, IMO. In cold weather, I doubt that the contents of the tank would be heated to 64 deg. Why disconnect it when you have a switch.

What other method can you suggest to keep the tanks unfrozen in cold weather?

[Jjs2000z]

People wrap the tanks. I don't understand why the tanks need to be 64 degrees either.

[garbonz]

You are only spossed to use the heaters BELOW 32 ambient. So the overall contents of the tanks will never reach 64 degrees, but the pad will turn off when the LOCAL area around the pad gets to 64 deg just as a precaution.

Honestly, 7 amp heaters are NOT very much heat in the overall scheme of things, but would prevent freezing of the tank contents down to about zero, depending on the insulation/sheathing around the tank.

The best way is to fully insulate the tanks and provide a furnace duct to the tank area, but I am guessing that the pads are less expensive.

There are similar pads of 110 volt varieties in use as block heaters, oil pan heaters, battery heaters etc.

I think they are a pretty good idea, but wouldn't even think about turning them on until the temp was around 20deg or so and I was hooked up to shore power.