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Old 10-17-2018, 10:14 PM   #1
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Winter use ?

2019 Force TSHD. Do these rigs have any heaters for the wet bay area or protection from the elements if used in freezing weather? Is there any heat for the lower storage areas. I have looked but have not seen anything that sticks out to me.

Also any tips for using the rig in winter weather would be helpful also so please feel free to throw anything at me.
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Old 10-17-2018, 11:01 PM   #2
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2019 Force TSHD. Do these rigs have any heaters for the wet bay area or protection from the elements if used in freezing weather? Is there any heat for the lower storage areas. I have looked but have not seen anything that sticks out to me.

Also any tips for using the rig in winter weather would be helpful also so please feel free to throw anything at me.
This is all I could find for you. It listed "Enclosed and Furnace-Heated Holding Tanks" on their website. Click on more under Utilities.

Force HD Class C Motorhomes by Dynamax
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Old 10-17-2018, 11:54 PM   #3
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Some more knowledgeable people will be along after a while but I know my DX3 has a
"Tank Heater" switch but I don't know what it does and I've never used it. Living in East Texas, I may never have a need to use it because at home all my tanks are empty. I don't plan on going anywhere during the winter so I can't help you there either.
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:44 AM   #4
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Some more knowledgeable people will be along after a while but I know my DX3 has a
"Tank Heater" switch but I don't know what it does and I've never used it. Living in East Texas, I may never have a need to use it because at home all my tanks are empty. I don't plan on going anywhere during the winter so I can't help you there either.

Your "Tank Heater" switch turns on the 12v heat pads located under the tanks. Whenever the temperature drops below 45 degrees the thermostatic control on each pad will turn on the heating element when you turn on the switch. Never turn on the tank heaters when the tanks are empty. You should have received a pamphlet with your RV if you bought it with the tank heaters installed.
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Old 10-18-2018, 06:32 AM   #5
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Should be a duct from your furnace to the wet bay

I installed an outlet down there too to be able to run a space heater.

See if you can find my extreme temps post I went into detail about a week in Breck in February
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:28 AM   #6
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I do have the tank heaters but I did not find anything in the wet bay area. I will look again and the outlet idea is good. Once it reaches a freezing temp, I would guess it would be best to disconnect water supply and use the fresh water tanks on the rig?
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:30 AM   #7
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Where is the “tank heater” switch? I don’t recall having ever seen it.
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:51 AM   #8
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Let's be clear...we are talking about several different things here. People use the term "tank heaters" in various different ways when they actually mean different things.

So let's take a class....tank heaters 101. There are three ways that I know that we can heat the tank areas.

1. Electric heat pads. These are rectangular black rubber mats that stick to the bottom of the tank. These are 12V and thermostatically controlled. We use these, but they can be problematic. First...they are ONLY for the black and gray tank (in most cases). SO you turn these on and think "Great" I am set for winter. Wrong. Your fresh water tank and more importantly your water lines, which is arguably the most important thing to NOT freeze, is not protected in many cases. In fact, black and gray tanks can have non-toxic RV antifreeze poured into them if its that cold....you do it when you winterize anyway. Also, these are 12V....which means it will drain your batteries fairly quickly as "resistive heat" is very inefficient. There is also a voltage cutout...so if the batteries drain to a certain point....they turn off.

2. Fan Forced Air: THIS is the way we heat the Force and the Isata 5. This is taking a heat duct or hole in the bottom of the heat duct to blow into the cavity where the black and gray tanks reside. In this case, as long as the furnace is running (IE its cold and you want to stay warm) you are dumping heat into that utility area. That heats the tank area and the valves. Not just the tanks. The furnace works more efficiently than tank pads in that the 12V is just running a fan, not heating wires through resistance. This also forces you to have the furnace on, so in theory you are heating the coach which in turn should heat the water lines running in the cabinets.

2. Aquahot: Probably the best method (but also most expensive) which we have on the DX3 is the Aquahot. We were running a heat exchanger, referred to as a Cozy from the bedroom heating system and sending the warm air into the utility bay. While this works, it does not fully take advantage of the Aqua-hot's full capability. Based on feedback here, we now have a cozy dedicated to the utility bay with a separate thermostat. This way regardless of what you set coach temp at, there is a dedicated heat exchanger that feeds warm air to the utility bay.


So, to clarify....

Isata 3: heat pads due to tank locations.
Isata 4: heat from furnace
Isata 5:heat from furnace
Force HD: heat from furnace
DX3: Aqua-Hot
Dynaquest XL: Aqua-Hot

Having said all of this...even on a residential house, when it gets really cold, they say to turn the taps on to a drip and open base cabinet doors on outside walls so that you let air get to those spaces. That is a house, on a foundation. an RV is not which means air is also getting underneath.

So just be smart...and as some people that do a lot of winter camping have done, something as simple as a light bulb (incandescent of course if you can still find them) in that space can keep things from freezing.
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:58 AM   #9
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Great summary Brian. With winter coming I have a feeling it’s going to come in handy more than once

For easy reference here’s my write up on a DX3 based on real world exp. Bear in mind the aqua hot being the largest difference.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...es-167927.html
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:22 AM   #10
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With winter coming I have a feeling it’s going to come in handy more than once

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...es-167927.html
No way I can pass this up.
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:33 AM   #11
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You guys made winterization videos this year right?
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Old 10-18-2018, 09:45 AM   #12
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If you take a picture of the winterizing pdf...add some "Ken Burns" effects, it can certainly be made to look like a video.
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Old 10-18-2018, 10:09 AM   #13
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What's winter again? What does freezing mean exactly?

Not a problem out here...
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Old 10-18-2018, 10:36 AM   #14
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this is a timely subject!

Having to take our DX3 to Forman, ND in November returning just before Christmas. Have to traverse the Rockies going and coming back home.

Winter use will be interesting. The DX3 AquaHot system is just under the gray and black tanks and there is a passthrough to the wet bay. I think by leaving the AquaHot system running while driving that my wet bay and tanks will be OK.
My thoughts

make sure vehicle anti freeze for MH and TV is good. Cheap tester will let you know. minimum -34F. 50/50 mixture.
Tires should be "near new" opinion-- if tires are worn to 4/32 tread by October you need new tires before November.


Other bays:
electrical - residual heat from operating will most likely be OK
battery bay - charging and discharging will take care of this.
other bays on driver side are general storage. No heat so only store stuff that won't freeze here. mmmm Liquor cabinet

passenger side
front bay heavy clothes bay
second bay. has 110v ac outlet. add thermostatic heater set on lowest setting. Maybe good for bottled water in trays.
third bay patio furniture
forth bay is AquaHot
fifth bay cleaning equip, trailer hitch gear, tire chains.
last bay tool storage no fluids

One thing about winter travel. Out west you are required to have chains for the drive axle and trailer/toad from Nov. thru March. In Colorado I believe until May. Not that you ever want to use them. But if stopped they may ask if you have chains aboard (I have been asked that).
Another note on Colorado --- I believe that you have to have chains for all 4 of the drive axle tires. Most states just require the outside tires.

Winter Rving has some added issues to deal with but the rewards can be well worth it. Just be prepared!

Campfires in the snow with warm beverages is great!
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Old 10-18-2018, 10:43 AM   #15
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I ended up buying a set of dually chains and single cables. Gives me the option for anyhwere between just two rear wheels and all six. Hope I never have to use them....
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Old 10-18-2018, 10:54 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by bclemens View Post
Let's be clear...we are talking about several different things here. People use the term "tank heaters" in various different ways when they actually mean different things.

So let's take a class....tank heaters 101. There are three ways that I know that we can heat the tank areas.

1. Electric heat pads. These are rectangular black rubber mats that stick to the bottom of the tank. These are 12V and thermostatically controlled. We use these, but they can be problematic. First...they are ONLY for the black and gray tank (in most cases). SO you turn these on and think "Great" I am set for winter. Wrong. Your fresh water tank and more importantly your water lines, which is arguably the most important thing to NOT freeze, is not protected in many cases. In fact, black and gray tanks can have non-toxic RV antifreeze poured into them if its that cold....you do it when you winterize anyway. Also, these are 12V....which means it will drain your batteries fairly quickly as "resistive heat" is very inefficient. There is also a voltage cutout...so if the batteries drain to a certain point....they turn off.

2. Fan Forced Air: THIS is the way we heat the Force and the Isata 5. This is taking a heat duct or hole in the bottom of the heat duct to blow into the cavity where the black and gray tanks reside. In this case, as long as the furnace is running (IE its cold and you want to stay warm) you are dumping heat into that utility area. That heats the tank area and the valves. Not just the tanks. The furnace works more efficiently than tank pads in that the 12V is just running a fan, not heating wires through resistance. This also forces you to have the furnace on, so in theory you are heating the coach which in turn should heat the water lines running in the cabinets.

2. Aquahot: Probably the best method (but also most expensive) which we have on the DX3 is the Aquahot. We were running a heat exchanger, referred to as a Cozy from the bedroom heating system and sending the warm air into the utility bay. While this works, it does not fully take advantage of the Aqua-hot's full capability. Based on feedback here, we now have a cozy dedicated to the utility bay with a separate thermostat. This way regardless of what you set coach temp at, there is a dedicated heat exchanger that feeds warm air to the utility bay.


So, to clarify....

Isata 3: heat pads due to tank locations.
Isata 4: heat from furnace
Isata 5:heat from furnace
Force HD: heat from furnace
DX3: Aqua-Hot
Dynaquest XL: Aqua-Hot

Having said all of this...even on a residential house, when it gets really cold, they say to turn the taps on to a drip and open base cabinet doors on outside walls so that you let air get to those spaces. That is a house, on a foundation. an RV is not which means air is also getting underneath.

So just be smart...and as some people that do a lot of winter camping have done, something as simple as a light bulb (incandescent of course if you can still find them) in that space can keep things from freezing.
Ok...here is one of those posts.... I have an Isata 5 30FW. The PP touchpad on the wall has an on/off setting for tank heaters. What is that? Does my coach have both pads and furnace ducting to the wet bay?
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:02 PM   #17
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So let's take a class....tank heaters 101. There are three ways that I know that we can heat the tank areas.


.
Dang that made me laugh out loud for sure but in reality thats how we needed it explained... Thank ya sir.
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Old 10-18-2018, 02:45 PM   #18
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Ok...here is one of those posts.... I have an Isata 5 30FW. The PP touchpad on the wall has an on/off setting for tank heaters. What is that? Does my coach have both pads and furnace ducting to the wet bay?
I don't think so...might just be a left over icon from the 3 Series 24CB panel (I think they share parts). But I'll check.
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Old 10-18-2018, 03:27 PM   #19
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I don't think so...might just be a left over icon from the 3 Series 24CB panel (I think they share parts). But I'll check.
Thanks Brian. I'm very curious. The icon acts like it's working in that it changes from off to on, etc.
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Old 10-18-2018, 03:28 PM   #20
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I'm sure it will. That icon is just the relay to tell it to provide power to the wires that would be there in the harness. I am 98% sure they are just capped off....if they exist.
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