Newb question

[hitchikerman]

O-k on the holding tank monitoring panel I have two switches one says pump the other says htr which I assume means heater but which heater, furnace, water heater, and how and when to use it...I looked in the manual which was not much help

[CincyGus]

Please post your trailer make and model or better yet, place it in your signature so we know what model trailer you have. That will help us in identifying and researching questions along with allowing people with your specific trailer brand or model to be able to help since their trailers will have similar or identical componets.

[hankpage]

That switch is for your water heater. Some are set up differently but on mine it turns the gas function of the heater on and off. The electric element is controlled by a switch on the water heater and the circuit breaker. Hank

[Jorme]

If your trailer is equipped with an arctic package that switch is for your holding tank heater. Look under your trailer on the bottom of the tank. If there is a black pad stuck to the bottom with 2 wires going to it, that's it.

[2011 keystone]

X2 what hankpage said

[geo]

Originally Posted by Jorme

If your trailer is equipped with an arctic package that switch is for your holding tank heater. Look under your trailer on the bottom of the tank. If there is a black pad stuck to the bottom with 2 wires going to it, that's it.

Jorme -

The "Arctic" package, also known as Glacier, Polar, etc., does not include holding tank heaters to my knowledge. It does have a 2.5" duct off the furnace that directs warm air on the dump valves and very little insulation. There is a thread on the Forum discussing this that I hope to add more too this week.

As far as I know, Keystone does not offer tank heaters as an option. But I am certainly open to be corrected as I am only sure about the Alpine model.

Ron

[Jorme]

My copper canyon has one.

[geo]

Originally Posted by Jorme

My copper canyon has one.

Jorme -

Did you buy your Copper Canyon new with the tank heaters as a Keystone option or a dealer option?

On the 2011 Keystone models, as far as I know, tank heaters were not an option. The "Arctic" packages on the Alpine is not what it implies. However, that said, my Alpine has tank heaters . . . now.

Ron

[Jorme]

Originally Posted by geo

Jorme -

Did you buy your Copper Canyon new with the tank heaters as a Keystone option or a dealer option?

On the 2011 Keystone models, as far as I know, tank heaters were not an option. The "Arctic" packages on the Alpine is not what it implies. However, that said, my Alpine has tank heaters . . . now.

Ron

I bought mine new in 2005. It was part of the Artic package from Keystone.

[geo]

Originally Posted by Jorme

I bought mine new in 2005. It was part of the Artic package from Keystone.

Jorme -

What can I say? Basically, "stick around long enough and things change". As of 2010, Keystone did not offer tank heaters on its Big Sky, Alpine, or Avalanche models. From questions posted by other members, I would guess that tank heaters were not an option on the other models.

I will say that you are one very fortunate individual! I know there are many of us here on the Forum that would like to camp in colder weather and have met with some frustrations or used a lot of RV antifreeze only temporarily (until the tank dump). I can personally say that installing tank heaters is not all that challenging but it is time consuming. One of the time consuming parts to it is what one "discovers" and decides to fix while inside (insert RV area here). And then there are those "secondary enhancements" one decides to add - such as basement insulation! Yes, I think any of us who have discussed this subject would tell you that you are one fortunate individual!

Ron

[Jorme]

Originally Posted by geo

Jorme -

What can I say? Basically, "stick around long enough and things change". As of 2010, Keystone did not offer tank heaters on its Big Sky, Alpine, or Avalanche models. From questions posted by other members, I would guess that tank heaters were not an option on the other models.

I will say that you are one very fortunate individual! I know there are many of us here on the Forum that would like to camp in colder weather and have met with some frustrations or used a lot of RV antifreeze only temporarily (until the tank dump). I can personally say that installing tank heaters is not all that challenging but it is time consuming. One of the time consuming parts to it is what one "discovers" and decides to fix while inside (insert RV area here). And then there are those "secondary enhancements" one decides to add - such as basement insulation! Yes, I think any of us who have discussed this subject would tell you that you are one fortunate individual!

Ron

I'll try and get some pictures of it......I had an issue with is 4-5 years ago. We were camping at the colorado river where is was 120 degrees and the sticky material on the pad actually melted off, the pad came off and the wires got wrapped up in the wheels.....

[Festus2]

Jorme:
Yes, consider yourself lucky if you do indeed have dedicated, electrically heated tanks - especially on a Keystone model of that year. As far as I know, electrical tank heaters were never an option for the Cougar line at least up to 2008. The Arctic Package was included but as we all have come to learn, that is an advertising gimmick which might lead some to believe that their tanks are being effectively heated.
Mine has the Arctic Package and there are no heaters for the holding tank that are electrically operated.
The Arctic Package tank heating system on our unit and most others comprises of a very small amount of warm air which may or may not actually flow over a portion of the tanks. It only works so long as the furnace is running, otherwise it does nothing.
Most folks with units that old would have had to modify the tank heating system and install their own - such as Geo has done and has posted all of his work - together with photos of his project.
But you do have me curious ---- are you sure the wires coming from the tanks aren't sensors and not part of the tank heating system?
Again, I am quite surprised to read that your Arctic Package on a 2005 RV came with electrically heated holding tanks. Wondering why mine and most others did not?

[Jorme]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Jorme:
Yes, consider yourself lucky if you do indeed have dedicated, electrically heated tanks - especially on a Keystone model of that year. As far as I know, electrical tank heaters were never an option for the Cougar line at least up to 2008. The Arctic Package was included but as we all have come to learn, that is an advertising gimmick which might lead some to believe that their tanks are being effectively heated.
Mine has the Arctic Package and there are no heaters for the holding tank that are electrically operated.
The Arctic Package tank heating system on our unit and most others comprises of a very small amount of warm air which may or may not actually flow over a portion of the tanks. It only works so long as the furnace is running, otherwise it does nothing.
Most folks with units that old would have had to modify the tank heating system and install their own - such as Geo has done and has posted all of his work - together with photos of his project.
But you do have me curious ---- are you sure the wires coming from the tanks aren't sensors and not part of the tank heating system?
Again, I am quite surprised to read that your Arctic Package on a 2005 RV came with electrically heated holding tanks. Wondering why mine and most others did not?

The wires went to a 12x24 pad that was glued to the bottom of the tank (like I said, I know cause the glue melted and the pad got wrapped up in my wheels)....and from what I can rememeber, and I'll double check tonight, the switch on my wall says Tank Heater.

[Jorme]

ok......so ya'll got me questioning myself. So, my wife has been so kind as to go outside in the cold So Cal weather (45 degrees) and crawl under to take some pictures. COMING SOON!

[Jorme]

I promised the pics....and here they are. Evidently I never reattached the heating pad to the underside of the tank. But it is still tucked up in the frame where I left it.



And here is the switch on the wall in my trailer.

[Festus2]

Jorme:
I'm convinced! The proof is in the pics! Thanks to your wife for crawling under the RV and taking the photos. You not only have tank heaters but a wife that will crawl under your RV! Such a deal!

[geo]

Originally Posted by Jorme

I promised the pics....and here they are. Evidently I never reattached the heating pad to the underside of the tank. But it is still tucked up in the frame where I left it.



And here is the switch on the wall in my trailer.

Jorme -

I see from the HTML listing that the pictures are in Photobucket, so I'll go look. But I don't see any indication of this when I read the post. Hmmm. Interesting.

I just want you to know, I was primarily surprised and incredulous when you stated you had Keystone-installed tank heaters. This has been a lengthly subject of discussion in the past, especially during the winter of 2010-11. If you poke around the Forum, I think you will realize why Festus2 and I were just so . . . amazed! I hope you didn't take any offense, but from all the discussion on this subject . . . amazing!

Ron

[Jorme]

Originally Posted by geo

Jorme -

I see from the HTML listing that the pictures are in Photobucket, so I'll go look. But I don't see any indication of this when I read the post. Hmmm. Interesting.

I just want you to know, I was primarily surprised and incredulous when you stated you had Keystone-installed tank heaters. This has been a lengthly subject of discussion in the past, especially during the winter of 2010-11. If you poke around the Forum, I think you will realize why Festus2 and I were just so . . . amazed! I hope you didn't take any offense, but from all the discussion on this subject . . . amazing!

Ron

Not at all......I get proven wrong all the time (mostly by my wife)

[Jorme]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Jorme:
I'm convinced! The proof is in the pics! Thanks to your wife for crawling under the RV and taking the photos. You not only have tank heaters but a wife that will crawl under your RV! Such a deal!

Yep....I think I'll keep her around!

[geo]

Originally Posted by geo

Jorme -

I see from the HTML listing that the pictures are in Photobucket, so I'll go look. But I don't see any indication of this when I read the post. Hmmm. Interesting.

I just want you to know, I was primarily surprised and incredulous when you stated you had Keystone-installed tank heaters. This has been a lengthly subject of discussion in the past, especially during the winter of 2010-11. If you poke around the Forum, I think you will realize why Festus2 and I were just so . . . amazed! I hope you didn't take any offense, but from all the discussion on this subject . . . amazing!

Ron

Jorme -

It was the "Web censorship" Websense here at work that kept me from seeing the photos. And yes, they are there until my "10 minute quota" is expired.

UltraHeat is definitely the tank heater! UltraHeat is what I am putting on my Alpine. I've made two posts about the process - one on installing the heaters on the front tanks and one on installing the controls. I will probably make a third post about the Fresh Water tank and Gray2 next week when I finish installation next weekend (hopefully!). One of our members, Wolfwalker, is also a distributor for UltraHeat.

I see from your pictures - and please give your wife a huge "Thank you" for her efforts and pictures - that you had a 12 volt pad. I need to tell you that it looks like some of your tank fill indicator wires are enwrapped by the damaged tank heating pad. You might want to untangle those and free them up if they are still good. This model is no longer available available as I would guess it has been replaced by a later model. I'm curious, though, what tank was this heater applied to? And are there other heaters on the other tanks? Usually, from what I have read and been told when asking questions, each tank heater has its own separate switch. The primary reason for this is that the tank heater should not be "On" when the tank is less than a quarter full.

If you would like to see the installation or the controls for my tank heaters, scan back to the Modifications subject area of the Forum during January and you will find two posts of mine. Hopefully next week will bring another.

And, Jorme, thank you for your input on this. Now I am REALLY curious why Keystone doesn't offer this as an Option.

Ron