Tank heaters

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   We are thinking about doing some camping this winter in the south west and occasionally, we'll encounter temperatures below freezing.  If we're occupying the trailer, I'm not so worried about the pipes freezing because we'll have enough ambient heat from cooking and the heater to keep stuff warm inside.  But what about the 3 tanks under the trailer?  Though it is unlikely that we'd have sustained cold long enough to freeze the contents, the outside pipes may get pretty cold for several hours or overnight.  
I have seen tank heaters that glue onto the bottom of the tanks and was thinking that this may keep things warm enough with the outside plumbing to prevent damaging ice formation.  Has anyone had experience with this?  Any suggestions?  Is it worth the bother installing tank heaters?

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lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Topic: Tank heaters Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 12:39pm
	We are thinking about doing some camping this winter in the south west and occasionally, we'll encounter temperatures below freezing. If we're occupying the trailer, I'm not so worried about the pipes freezing because we'll have enough ambient heat from cooking and the heater to keep stuff warm inside. But what about the 3 tanks under the trailer? Though it is unlikely that we'd have sustained cold long enough to freeze the contents, the outside pipes may get pretty cold for several hours or overnight. I have seen tank heaters that glue onto the bottom of the tanks and was thinking that this may keep things warm enough with the outside plumbing to prevent damaging ice formation. Has anyone had experience with this? Any suggestions? Is it worth the bother installing tank heaters?
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

fwunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676	Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 1:07pm
	The tanks are so exposed, I think it would take a lot of wattage to keep them from freezing unless you could skirt the pod all the way around. If you had something like this, it wouldn't take much keep the basement above freezing!
	2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 4:04pm
	My limited experience in freezing weather, extended period of time and at a improved campground - I used a heated water hose and anti-freeze in both the black and gray tanks. I also kept a drip, personally I don't think Pods are an all season camper, due to the exposed bottom. I survived and the only thing that froze was the campground water supply. Mobile homes with skirting have frozen pipe issues.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Old & out-to-play Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 24 Nov 2016 Location: AZ Online Status: Offline Posts: 88	Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 4:27pm
	We live in AZ by the river but storage our Pod at an elevation of 3200 feet above sea level. Temps can get to freezing or just below on some winter nights. Unless it's below freezing for a sustained period you should have no problems as days are mostly above freezing. Our pod is plumbed with Pex that will expend twice it's normal size before rupturing. Your hot water heater holds roughly 5 gallons of water. That's a lot mass to freeze solid before it can burst...not likely. Water in the tanks might freeze but again that's a lot of mass. Water expands as it freezes as long as there is an area to expand to you shouldn't have any problems. It's when water freezes and can't expand, like in P-traps or full containers that your problems generally arise.
	Old and in the way so now it's time to play

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 9:02am
	Thanks to all who replied. Here is the type of tank heater I was thinking of putting on: https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Holding-Automatic-Thermostat-Control/dp/B01MY4LGLW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503841505&sr=8-2&keywords=rv+tank+heater+pads My thought was that I could keep enough residual heat in the tank contents to keep the pipes and fittings that attach below the trailer from freezing up while we're on the road. Most of the areas where I'm thinking of going won't have a hard freeze as we do in northern NV. [But, when I lived in the Oakland CA hills (1200 ft) we had water pipes freeze from time to time during the winter.] I'm wondering whether the heat pad can put out enough heat to keep tank water from freezing. if it can, then it's not likely that the piping would freeze to the point of blocking the pipe with ice or breaking the fittings. The other issue is current draw. At 65 watts, and with 3 pads [one for each tank], it's likely to suck up battery power pretty fast, thus, I'd really need to be plugged into shore power to make it very functional. i haven't looked into how much power the Bargman plug delivers to the house batteries, but I suspect it isn't enough.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost