tank pads 12v or 120v ?

[honda1]

are tank pads 12v or 120v , just wondering if going down road will heat off 12v batteries . tks ..

[wa8yxm]

honda1 wrote:
are tank pads 12v or 120v , just wondering if going down road will heat off 12v batteries . tks ..

The answer is YES

Meaning you can get them either way. 12 volt sucks a LOT of battery power though, odds are you won't be happy with them.

[time2roll]

Tom/Barb wrote:
I've known our coach from day 1, I helped the first owners buy it and pick it up. I know what has been done to it after that. So I do know that the tanks have never been worked on or anything added.
the heat pads were placed in the coach as built.

So did the buyer or Newmar choose 120vac over 12vdc?
Any thoughts on why that power was chosen?
Any issues?

[Tom_Barb]

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

IF you still have the Newmar. Newmar back then used the Furnace as a heat vehicle for the Water Bay/Tank compartment. They used a extra 12 volt fan connected to the furnace duct to blow hot air to the Water bay. I have never seen a Newmar(motorized and not a King or London Aire)(1993 to 2009) use any Heated Pads for the water tank system. Are you positive they were not added after market? If you think you have them, where is the wall switch to activate those heaters? Doug

This is true, normally the basement heater will take care of the tanks. but when you don't run the furness, you plug in and turn on the pads.

and no, they are not an after market, they came as an option when the coach was bought.

Yes we have a wall switch in the bathroom to turn them on or off. it has a red glow light when they are on. I check them now and then.
I've never used them, we are normally not on the road in extreme cold weather, and when it is really cold we are home and the tanks are empty and pink added, and the water system is blown out.

I find that odd. I double checked the standards and options for your year model and it did not list ANY optional tank heaters. Doug

Our coach was a custom build for the first owners, They could have asked for the heaters to be part of the build.

I understand that. BUT, you have fallen for one of the BIGGEST mistakes RV owners make. YOU did NOT buy the unit new. So, when you post items about your RV, you should NEVER assume that what YOU have was standard or came with the unit new. I, on the other hand, serviced(we sold) Newmar from 1993 until 2008, and we sold a boat load of MADP especially from 1999 until about 2005. So, when you posted that, I was very surprised as I KNEW Newmar did not install 120 or 12 volt heat Pads on MADP back then. That is why I looked up the original Standards/Options Sheet for your Year. Now, Back them , Newmar would option off the sheet items for order if it fell within installation parameters. But, It IS possible that your 120 system was added by the selling dealer as Newmar would not have added it. Off the sheet options by Newmar back then would NOT include parts that Newmar did NOT have in stock for installation on the production line. Doug

I've known our coach from day 1, I helped the first owners buy it and pick it up. I know what has been done to it after that. So I do know that the tanks have never been worked on or anything added.
the heat pads were placed in the coach as built.

[dougrainer]

Tom/Barb wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

IF you still have the Newmar. Newmar back then used the Furnace as a heat vehicle for the Water Bay/Tank compartment. They used a extra 12 volt fan connected to the furnace duct to blow hot air to the Water bay. I have never seen a Newmar(motorized and not a King or London Aire)(1993 to 2009) use any Heated Pads for the water tank system. Are you positive they were not added after market? If you think you have them, where is the wall switch to activate those heaters? Doug

This is true, normally the basement heater will take care of the tanks. but when you don't run the furness, you plug in and turn on the pads.

and no, they are not an after market, they came as an option when the coach was bought.

Yes we have a wall switch in the bathroom to turn them on or off. it has a red glow light when they are on. I check them now and then.
I've never used them, we are normally not on the road in extreme cold weather, and when it is really cold we are home and the tanks are empty and pink added, and the water system is blown out.

I find that odd. I double checked the standards and options for your year model and it did not list ANY optional tank heaters. Doug

Our coach was a custom build for the first owners, They could have asked for the heaters to be part of the build.

I understand that. BUT, you have fallen for one of the BIGGEST mistakes RV owners make. YOU did NOT buy the unit new. So, when you post items about your RV, you should NEVER assume that what YOU have was standard or came with the unit new. I, on the other hand, serviced(we sold) Newmar from 1993 until 2008, and we sold a boat load of MADP especially from 1999 until about 2005. So, when you posted that, I was very surprised as I KNEW Newmar did not install 120 or 12 volt heat Pads on MADP back then. That is why I looked up the original Standards/Options Sheet for your Year. Now, Back them , Newmar would option off the sheet items for order if it fell within installation parameters. But, It IS possible that your 120 system was added by the selling dealer as Newmar would not have added it. Off the sheet options by Newmar back then would NOT include parts that Newmar did NOT have in stock for installation on the production line. Doug

[Tom_Barb]

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

IF you still have the Newmar. Newmar back then used the Furnace as a heat vehicle for the Water Bay/Tank compartment. They used a extra 12 volt fan connected to the furnace duct to blow hot air to the Water bay. I have never seen a Newmar(motorized and not a King or London Aire)(1993 to 2009) use any Heated Pads for the water tank system. Are you positive they were not added after market? If you think you have them, where is the wall switch to activate those heaters? Doug

This is true, normally the basement heater will take care of the tanks. but when you don't run the furness, you plug in and turn on the pads.

and no, they are not an after market, they came as an option when the coach was bought.

Yes we have a wall switch in the bathroom to turn them on or off. it has a red glow light when they are on. I check them now and then.
I've never used them, we are normally not on the road in extreme cold weather, and when it is really cold we are home and the tanks are empty and pink added, and the water system is blown out.

I find that odd. I double checked the standards and options for your year model and it did not list ANY optional tank heaters. Doug

Our coach was a custom build for the first owners, They could have asked for the heaters to be part of the build.

[dougrainer]

Tom/Barb wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

IF you still have the Newmar. Newmar back then used the Furnace as a heat vehicle for the Water Bay/Tank compartment. They used a extra 12 volt fan connected to the furnace duct to blow hot air to the Water bay. I have never seen a Newmar(motorized and not a King or London Aire)(1993 to 2009) use any Heated Pads for the water tank system. Are you positive they were not added after market? If you think you have them, where is the wall switch to activate those heaters? Doug

This is true, normally the basement heater will take care of the tanks. but when you don't run the furness, you plug in and turn on the pads.

and no, they are not an after market, they came as an option when the coach was bought.

Yes we have a wall switch in the bathroom to turn them on or off. it has a red glow light when they are on. I check them now and then.
I've never used them, we are normally not on the road in extreme cold weather, and when it is really cold we are home and the tanks are empty and pink added, and the water system is blown out.

I find that odd. I double checked the standards and options for your year model and it did not list ANY optional tank heaters. Doug

[TurnThePage]

time2roll wrote:
I went with 120v pads for the waste tanks and 12v/120v combo for the fresh water. You will be plugged in or running a generator near continuous in these conditions.

12v tank heaters range from 4 to 12 amps depending on tank size. I was looking at close to 50 amp load on my 55 amp converter. Seemed like a bit much and we all know a converter can quit. While the pads would cycle on the thermostat in mild conditions the potential seemed a bit much.

I did get the 12/120 combo for the fresh water to prevent freeze up during transit. The empty or half full waste tanks I was not as concerned about if they started to freeze. I did find once the 120v was not enough for the fresh water to keep water flowing and needed both elements heating. My tanks are exposed.

http://www.annodindustries.com/shop/shop/heaters-and-warmers/rv-and-marine/rv-tank-heaters.html

I on the other hand did the 12v/120v combo on my fresh water and just 12v on the holding tanks, I also added a 12v on the grey water drain right near the valve.

[Tom_Barb]

dougrainer wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

IF you still have the Newmar. Newmar back then used the Furnace as a heat vehicle for the Water Bay/Tank compartment. They used a extra 12 volt fan connected to the furnace duct to blow hot air to the Water bay. I have never seen a Newmar(motorized and not a King or London Aire)(1993 to 2009) use any Heated Pads for the water tank system. Are you positive they were not added after market? If you think you have them, where is the wall switch to activate those heaters? Doug

This is true, normally the basement heater will take care of the tanks. but when you don't run the furness, you plug in and turn on the pads.

and no, they are not an after market, they came as an option when the coach was bought.

Yes we have a wall switch in the bathroom to turn them on or off. it has a red glow light when they are on. I check them now and then.
I've never used them, we are normally not on the road in extreme cold weather, and when it is really cold we are home and the tanks are empty and pink added, and the water system is blown out.

[dougrainer]

Tom/Barb wrote:
our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

IF you still have the Newmar. Newmar back then used the Furnace as a heat vehicle for the Water Bay/Tank compartment. They used a extra 12 volt fan connected to the furnace duct to blow hot air to the Water bay. I have never seen a Newmar(motorized and not a King or London Aire)(1993 to 2009) use any Heated Pads for the water tank system. Are you positive they were not added after market? If you think you have them, where is the wall switch to activate those heaters? Doug

[time2roll]

I went with 120v pads for the waste tanks and 12v/120v combo for the fresh water. You will be plugged in or running a generator near continuous in these conditions.

12v tank heaters range from 4 to 12 amps depending on tank size. I was looking at close to 50 amp load on my 55 amp converter. Seemed like a bit much and we all know a converter can quit. While the pads would cycle on the thermostat in mild conditions the potential seemed a bit much. Not going to get that 12v power from my truck into the trailer anyway. Would be a significant 12v load on a MH alternator.

I did get the 12/120 combo for the fresh water to prevent freeze up during transit. The empty or half full waste tanks I was not as concerned about if they started to freeze. I did find once the 120v was not enough for the fresh water to keep water flowing and needed both elements heating. My tanks are exposed.

http://www.annodindustries.com/shop/shop/heaters-and-warmers/rv-and-marine/rv-tank-heaters.html

[Tom_Barb]

our's are 120 volt. they will not work without shore power or the gen-set running.

[pnichols]

Use 12V tank pads - they can be used anywhere and anytime you have power - whether the power be from your battery(ies) or from your RV's 12V converter while you're on hookups.

I've never understood why 120V tank pads should ever be installed instead of 12V pads ... assuming of course that an RV designed to be used on hookups also has some way to keep it's battery(ies) charged while on those hookups.

In other words, 12V tank heating pads are more versatile than 120V heating pads.

As far as 12V tank heating pads' power consumption when drycamping is concerned, in my opinion one has no business drycamping in temperatures low enough to need tank heating pads UNLESS they have a robust battery system and a robust way of keeping their battery(ies) topped up. We especially like our tanks and furnace working when it's cold outside - on hookups or not. 🙂

[dougrainer]

Factory installed Heat pads will be 12 volt. Doug

[brulaz]

honda1 wrote:
factory tank pads , i have 2 6v gc2 batteries & progressive 60 amp converter ,..

More than one, prolly 12V pads. So potentially >3A current draw.

When plugged into shorepower, no problem. Your progressive converter will handle it.

When travelling, it's a toss-up. Depends upon whether there are other 12V loads, and how well your tow vehicle's alternator is at providing current to the RV. When necessary, I run my single pad heater all the time when towing, but I know that my tow vehicle's charging system can provide the amps.

When Boondocking, don't use them. Your 2 GC2s will be quickly depleted, unless you have some other source of energy like a generator or lots of solar.