Adding tank heaters to a 2017 21SS Roo

[sdjeep]

Our 2017 Rockwood Roo 21SS didn't come with the optional tank heaters. How hard is it to add them? There is a blank spot for a switch at the panel that is even labeled tank heater. Is the trailer pre-wired for them?

[Chuck_S]

The heaters I have are adhesive and just glued to the bottom of the exposed tanks. Very uncommon option and I doubt there's any wiring pre-installed. If you have an integrated panel there may be a switch for them but your panel is your panel. Mine are on a separately wired and installed and lighted switch.

These draw well over an amp of 12v current and will drain your battery quickly unless power is coming via the truck or shore power.

-- Chuck

[kennibc]

I emailed Rockwood to ask about this very thing. I asked if it was possible to add them and they said it had to be done at the factory before purchase. I'm guessing it is substantial amount of work to get the wiring up to the control panel once everything is built.

I'm also thinking anything is possible but at what expense and is it worth doing at that point?

[SeaDog]

Unless you are going to be camping in really cold weather with constant power its my opinion that tank heaters are more of a sales gimmick then really needed. I've camped in some really cold weather and never used them without problems. I doubt the rig is pre-wired for them. The power panels are used on many different rigs and labeled such regardless of the equipment installed.

[NJKris]

Could always check back of switch panel to see if there are wires going to that switch. If there are, they may be part of a wiring harness that extends down through the floor and terminates somewhere? I really don't see it being that difficult to run new wires from the tank area beneath the trailer, then fishing them up through same wall other wires run through. I never bothered getting tank heaters, because it's really a waste unless the water lines are heat-taped as well, because that's what's going to freeze first.

[5picker]

Anything is possible and adding tank heaters is just another possibility.

Is it going to be a matter of installing a switch, connecting some wires and adhering the heaters to the tank?... likely not but can it be done?... sure!

[Chuck_S]

Are the tanks accessible from the bottom of the trailer? The heat pads just stick on the bottom and another section wraps around the drain where it exit the tank. 12v just takes a couple of wires snaked to the fuse box where there are a couple of blanks normally. Any On/Off switch will do but a lighted switch is better so you're alerted if it's running all the time. Mine in on the wall by the thermostat and that's on the same wall around the corner from the fuse box. The fuse is 30 (thirty) amps.

Easy peasy.

I doubt I've used the heaters more than half a dozen times in the past 15 seasons. So there is no reason to make the switch especially handy or spend hours integrating into one of those fancy switch panls. Their main purpose seems to be keeping the drains flowing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY2UPzz9x5Q

-- Chuck

[Hawkester]

We tend to start camping early and go late, in Wisconsin, so I asked the camping world when we bought our ROO what it would take to add tank heaters...the sales rep sent me to the service counter and he quoted me close to $3k for three heaters, upgraded converter, wire, and labor...we pulled our ROO home without heaters.
I am not sold on the idea that the converter needs to be replaced and I easily could do it myself but for now we will "rough it".

If we camp in cold weather we will do as we did in our PUP and use gallon jugs and if we use the sink we will add a little RV antifreeze down the pipes after each use.

[Chuck_S]

In Ohio we sometimes had snow and cold weather in early and late season camping. I'm sure I used the tank heaters then. Never any problems.

They run off a 30amp fuse in my ordinary WFCO power panel. Nothing special needed. Run one (1) wire from that fuse thru any switch and then to the pads. Other wire can simply be grounded to the trailer frame or you can run a pair of wires, it's as simple as running one. Put the switch anywhere you want, mine is right under the thermostat.

-- Chuck