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09-26-2020, 06:45 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Cashmere, Washington
Posts: 13
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Tank Heaters
We have a 2017 Coachman Leprechaun 319MB. It has tank heaters. Two questions.
1. Do all three tanks (Gray, black, and fresh) have heaters?
2. Do these tanks need to have water in them when you turn on the heaters to prevent heating elements burning out, or causing damage?
Thinking about leaving the heaters on during winter storage.
Thanks In Advance for your input.
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09-26-2020, 07:58 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,849
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I don't think that the FW tank has them.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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09-26-2020, 09:10 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1,673
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Why would you leave them in during winter storage?
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09-26-2020, 09:35 PM
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#4
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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All 3 of my tanks, FW, black and grey have heaters on them. My documentation for the heat pads say to have water in the tanks before using. The heat pads are 12vdc so they use battery power when you are not connected to shore or generator power.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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09-28-2020, 10:29 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Cashmere, Washington
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TowPro
Why would you leave them in during winter storage?
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This is our first winter of owning a RV. Not sure if we might not want to do a full winterization in case we get the urge to hit the road.
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09-28-2020, 10:34 AM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Cashmere, Washington
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
All 3 of my tanks, FW, black and grey have heaters on them. My documentation for the heat pads say to have water in the tanks before using. The heat pads are 12vdc so they use battery power when you are not connected to shore or generator power.
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Thank you. Is yours a leprechaun 319MB also?
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09-28-2020, 10:55 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Richmond VA
Posts: 4,563
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Easy to see the heat pads on my trailer. Just the two waste tanks and the outlet from them. My fresh water tank is inside the trailer.
Ever see damage to an ice tray when the water inside it freezes in your home freezer? Me neither. That's what happens if the tanks freeze in cold weather. Plenty of expansion room. No expansion room, however, in your plumbing or water heater and a tank heater won't help there.
-- Chuck
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2006 Roo 23SS behind a 2017 Ford Expedition
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09-28-2020, 04:12 PM
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#8
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cashmerenewbe
Thank you. Is yours a leprechaun 319MB also?
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No, I have the bumper pull 2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite listed in my signature.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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09-28-2020, 04:38 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Alberta - East of the Rockies, West of the Rest
Posts: 1,785
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cashmerenewbe
We have a 2017 Coachman Leprechaun 319MB. It has tank heaters. Two questions.
1. Do all three tanks (Gray, black, and fresh) have heaters?
2. Do these tanks need to have water in them when you turn on the heaters to prevent heating elements burning out, or causing damage?
Thinking about leaving the heaters on during winter storage.
Thanks In Advance for your input.
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I can't answer your 1st. question but to #2, nothing will happen when one tank is empty. We have 1 switch that turns the heat pads on on all tanks but we leave the FW tank empty during the winter months, as it's not possible to keep the tank from freezing up in 30 - 40 below temperature, and use an aux. tank in the heated front storage bay instead.
Why would you turn the heat pads on anyway if you're storing the trailer?
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2018 RAM 5500 Laramie CC
Sold: Riverstone Legacy 38RE, 960 Watt Solar, 6x6 Volt AGM Battery Bank, Freedom SW 3012 Inv/Charger
Ordered: 2021....
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10-16-2020, 12:05 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Clarksville Va.
Posts: 10,422
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
All 3 of my tanks, FW, black and grey have heaters on them. My documentation for the heat pads say to have water in the tanks before using. The heat pads are 12vdc so they use battery power when you are not connected to shore or generator power.
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This is very true, you need to have some water in them, I think they come on at 40 degrees and shut off at 65 degrees, how they measure that temp is beyond me but they are thermostatly controlled.
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Coachmen M/H
Concord
2018 / 300 DSC
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10-16-2020, 12:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 801
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If you are going to leave them on during storage in winter, you better have a way to charge the batteries. If not you will lose the power.
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2017 Leprechaun 311 FS
Jeep Patriot and Cherokee as toad.
Enjoying retirement.
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10-16-2020, 12:32 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: N. Illinois
Posts: 2,371
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If the tanks are empty there is plenty of room for water to expand. Not a concern. Water lines is a different story. Either drain down an blow out or put the AF in. If you blow out make sure you blow out flush valve well. A little speck of water doesn't grow in size very much and quite frankly shouldn't be a problem
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2016 Flagstaff 27VRL Emerald
14K Equalizer
2020 Silverado 2500HD CC 4X4 6.6L gas 3.73
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10-26-2020, 08:14 AM
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#13
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Stupid Lucky
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ohio
Posts: 90
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Joining this thread with a related question. Going to blow out my water lines, including ice maker, and store in an unheated building in Ohio until we leave for Florida in early January. Considering not putting antifreeze in the water lines but will put some in gray and black water tanks. Will likely have a thermostatically controlled outlet in basement so I can plug in a little heater or heat generating light just in case any residual water is in the lines. Was wondering if the tank heater pads create any ambient heat in the basement. My thought is likely not enough to make a difference. On a side note, if temperature is below freezing on day we leave will likely put in antifreeze for the travel day as it is a simple thing to do and do not want to deal with any frozen lines. Likely not needed with lines blown out but does give me peace of mind. Thoughts?
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10-26-2020, 08:48 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Dayton Ohio
Posts: 3,599
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It takes about an hour and less than a gallon of antifreeze to set ours up. We often go to Texas over Christmas. So I do it twice a year.
I remove the anode rod from the water heater. Drain all lines. Hook the compressor to the water line. Blow it out. All valves plus the washing machine.
A little Antifreeze water in the drains. A little antifreeze thru the water pump.
The storage tanks take care of themselves.
Easy hour.
Or, three gallons of antifreeze pumped thru the system. Also easy. Less time!
We are in Dayton.
This is no big deal.
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