Arctic pac?

[nvallerga]

On my 2019 Sunseeker, I have a arctic pac switch on my panel. Does that mean that I have that system?, and when does it work? Does it have to get down to a certain temperature?

[5picker]

Typically that would mean you have some heating pads on your holding tanks. (fresh, grey, black) If you turn on the switch, the tanks will be heated through the heating pads once the temperature drops below 40º.

Keep in mind the pads utilize 12v for their power source. If you are not plugged into shore power, your battery(ies) will drain rather quickly)

A Sunseeker "may' have an additional heating source for the wet bay or the compartment where the pump/water filter is located. I am not sure.

[SeaDog]

word of caution make sure you have liquid in the tanks prior to turning your artic pac. My heating pads come on at 34* and turn off at 40* different Mfg have diff temp setting but all want liquid in the tanks.

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by nvallerga

On my 2019 Sunseeker, I have a arctic pac switch on my panel. Does that mean that I have that system?, and when does it work? Does it have to get down to a certain temperature?

If you have the Arctic Pac switch, and even if the switch lights when you turn it on, the only sure way you know if you have the Arctic Pac option is to look at the underside of the black and grey waste tanks and see if there are heating pads present. (Depending on the wiring, the switch can light up whether there is a load on the output or not). On my 2020 Sunseeker, I have the Arctic Pac option, and I can see the pads on the driver side, under side of the tanks, in the waste dump compartment.

If you have the build sheet for your particular motorhome, it may list the options added at the factory.

[NXR]

FWIW, what the "Arctic Package" is NOT on our 2020 Georgetown GT5 34H5 motorhome:

- Better windows

- Better insulation in the walls and ceiling and floor

- Full insulation for the wet bay, the basement compartment where the water filter and other water lines are located.

- Heated floors. Seriously, those floors can get really cold and rugs or carpet runners help a lot, especially on the dinette floor.

What the "Arctic Package" IS (HINT: a marketing term):

- Thermostatically-controlled tank heating pads on the bottom of the tanks. When "Tank Heater" is turned on, those pads get power. They begin to warm when the temp as sensed by the pad drops to about 45 degrees F and they turn off when the temp raises into the mid-60's F.

- Non-thermostatically controlled heating "sleeves" on the gray tank dump and the black tank dump piping at the dump valves. They help keep the fluid sitting at the dump valves from freezing. Ours are about 7 watts and also turned on by "Tank Heater".

- Foil insulation inside some water-containing basement compartments, such as the one where the fresh tank and water pump are located.

- Plastic panels immediately behind the compartment doors that contain water, with marine plates that can be unscrewed to reach into those compartments. The compartment with the water pump and fresh tank have this as does the compartment where the water heater winterization valves are located.

- Heat from the propane furnace supposedly is somehow dumped into the water-containing basement compartments according to the FR salesperson but I don't think ours has this. Note that this part requires that you use the propane furnace. Heat from the fireplace or space heaters cannot get into the water-containing basement compartments.

We've stayed in ours in the low 20's F and been very cozy with no drafts. But the bed pillows against the outside wall can get cold. So can the walls on either side of the bed.

We do have the optional dual pane windows, though. The only condensation we've ever had is on the inside of the windshield.


We also put a small, 250-watt electric heater in the wet bay, powered by a Thermo Cube. The Thermo Cube turns that heater on when the temperature in the wet bay drops to 35 degrees F and turns the heater off when the temperature rises to 45 degrees F.

Our heaters are Therma Heat. Manual attached. I can see the manufacturer's name on the dump valve "sleeve" heaters.

Ray

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by NXR

FWIW, what the "Arctic Package" is NOT on our 2020 Georgetown GT5 34H5 motorhome:

- Better windows

- Better insulation in the walls and ceiling and floor

- Full insulation for the wet bay, the basement compartment where the water filter and other water lines are located.

- Heated floors. Seriously, those floors can get really cold and rugs or carpet runners help a lot, especially on the dinette floor.

What the "Arctic Package" IS (HINT: a marketing term):

- Thermostatically-controlled tank heating pads on the bottom of the tanks. When "Tank Heater" is turned on, those pads get power. They begin to warm when the temp as sensed by the pad drops to about 45 degrees F and they turn off when the temp raises into the mid-60's F.

- Non-thermostatically controlled heating "sleeves" on the gray tank dump and the black tank dump piping at the dump valves. They help keep the fluid sitting at the dump valves from freezing. Ours are about 7 watts and also turned on by "Tank Heater".

- Foil insulation inside some water-containing basement compartments, such as the one where the fresh tank and water pump are located.

- Plastic panels immediately behind the compartment doors that contain water, with marine plates that can be unscrewed to reach into those compartments. The compartment with the water pump and fresh tank have this as does the compartment where the water heater winterization valves are located.

- Heat from the propane furnace supposedly is somehow dumped into the water-containing basement compartments according to the FR salesperson but I don't think ours has this. Note that this part requires that you use the propane furnace. Heat from the fireplace or space heaters cannot get into the water-containing basement compartments.

We've stayed in ours in the low 20's F and been very cozy with no drafts. But the bed pillows against the outside wall can get cold. So can the walls on either side of the bed.

We do have the optional dual pane windows, though. The only condensation we've ever had is on the inside of the windshield.


We also put a small, 250-watt electric heater in the wet bay, powered by a Thermo Cube. The Thermo Cube turns that heater on when the temperature in the wet bay drops to 35 degrees F and turns the heater off when the temperature rises to 45 degrees F.

Our heaters are Therma Heat. Manual attached. I can see the manufacturer's name on the dump valve "sleeve" heaters.

Ray

The Arctic Pac feature list apparently varies between brands. The OP’s Sunseeker Arctic Pac, if they have it, would likely consist only of two heating pads, one on each waste tank, and a labeled switch to activate them. On my Sunseeker, that is all I got with the package. The basement furnace duct hose is standard equipment on current models with enclosed basement plumbing.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by BehindBars

The basement furnace duct hose is standard equipment on current models with enclosed basement plumbing.

We were told ours has it as well but I'd seen it at the factory and took a lot of pictures. I also knew where the ducts ran and could not figure out where the heat would be ducted from.

So I took my outdoor weather sensor and placed it in the two water-containing compartments and ran the furnace when it was 38 F outside. Neither compartment gained a single degree in temperature.

Trust but verify.

Ray

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by NXR

We were told ours has it as well but I'd seen it at the factory and took a lot of pictures. I also knew where the ducts ran and could not figure out where the heat would be ducted from.

So I took my outdoor weather sensor and placed it in the two water-containing compartments and ran the furnace when it was 38 F outside. Neither compartment gained a single degree in temperature.

Trust but verify.

Ray

On my Sunseeker, the furnace duct is visible in the basement water compartment. I admit I haven’t done a temperature test to verify that Forest River factory workers correctly connected the other end of the duct to the furnace, or that the duct isn’t badly kinked or blocked along the way.