Insulating exposed tanks

[Twistedlarch]

Hey all, I've done a search on this topic and returned no hits. So here it goes:

My kids are part of our local ski area's ski team, I would like to start taking my trailer up on the weekends instead of driving the 2 hour trip (one way) every Saturday & Sunday. The ski area has Power hookups but no water.

The average night time temps at the ski area hover in the teens and sometimes lower, average day time temps seem to hover in the mid 20's

My trailer has fully exposed tanks...33 gal.Fresh, 25 gal grey, and 25 gal black. I have purchased tank heaters for all three.

My plan is to apply the tank heaters then wrap the tanks in Reflectix, then enclose the tanks with R-5 foam board then seal with another layer of Reflectix. Overkill? Not enough?


Thanks
Brian

[Lynnmor]

wing_zealot wrote:
There's one in every crowd.

Sorry that you couldn’t understand the attached article.

[wing_zealot]

There's one in every crowd.

[Lynnmor]

ScottG wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:
Reflectix is the wrong product. If you read the manufacturers documentation it's best at reflecting, not insulating. It is only R-1

I would consider either dry camping or buy a more suitable RV.

If you must use what you have, build a box from foam board to encase the tanks.

This. Reflectix is for heat and wont do anything for cold.

There is no such thing as cold.

[ScottG]

beemerphile1 wrote:
Reflectix is the wrong product. If you read the manufacturers documentation it's best at reflecting, not insulating. It is only R-1

I would consider either dry camping or buy a more suitable RV.

If you must use what you have, build a box from foam board to encase the tanks.

This. Reflectix is for heat and wont do anything for cold.

[CFerguson]

For your stated use, have you thought of skirting your TT and keeping a small heat source (eg incandescent lightbulb) under the tanks? I'd still insulate regardless, and I prefer the spray-on foam fwiw.

[JIMNLIN]

My last 5er had two grey and one black tank exposed tanks. The dealer I bought the trailer from installed a tank heater and encapsulated each tank with expanding foam. No worries with frozen tanks even with the central heat turned down in zero outside temps and 40 mph winds for days on end.
This was in '99 and costs were 165 bucks per tank at a RV dealer.

[Huntindog]

Huntindog wrote:
My second TT was similar to yours. It could sustain some pretty cold temps IF, I ran the furnace nonstop. Even though it did not have an enclosed underbelly, the heat ducts ran right across the tops of the tanks under the floor. Enough heat radiated into them to make it work. I did have frozen dump valves from time to time.
I did not have hookups either. Just ran a Honda EU2000.

[Huntindog]

My second TT was similar to yours. It could sustain some pretty cold temps IF, I ran the furnace nonstop. Even though it did not have an enclosed underbelly, the heat ductd ran right across the tops of the tanks under the floor. Enough heat radiated into them to make it work. I did have frozen dump valves from time to time.
I did not have hookups either. Just ran a Honda EU2000.

[time2roll]

I have fully exposed tanks. I added UltraHeat brand tank heaters. (120v) Been fine down below zero. I have no added insulation. Might be over thinking it for just a weekend. Don't forget the drain pipes and valves. Worst case you will need to dump after it thaws a bit after you get off the hill.

[TurnThePage]

I did the heater pads, then insulated with foam board and expanding foam at the corners, then hung coroplast between the frame rails surrounding the whole thing. I also added a heat pad to the area where the black/grey tank drains merge, then wrapped it too. Probably overkill. I've never needed to use that last feature.

[beemerphile1]

Reflectix is the wrong product. If you read the manufacturers documentation it's best at reflecting, not insulating. It is only R-1

I would consider either dry camping or buy a more suitable RV.

If you must use what you have, build a box from foam board to encase the tanks.

[Twistedlarch]

garym114 wrote:
Sounds like the trailer is not all weather. This means all your water piping and water manifold is also exposed.
An all weather RV has the piping and tanks enclosed with a heater duct directing heated air to the enclosure.
Take a look to see.

The water pump is inside and there is only one exposed water pipe that travels across the bottom of the trailer for about 6 ft then disappears back inside. I figured I can use heat tape then enclose in pipe insulation.

[garym114]

Sounds like the trailer is not all weather. This means all your water piping and water manifold is also exposed.
An all weather RV has the piping and tanks enclosed with a heater duct directing heated air to the enclosure.
Take a look to see.

[ksbowman]

After the heating pads are installed have you considered have the tanks sprayed with insulation? The spray insulation is also great on sealing any openings.