Any Class C *WITH* ducted heated holding tanks?

[Boondock_Saint]

Hi Folks!

Thanks in advance for your kindness and considerations. I've been lurking and shopping the past few months and trying to collect all mfr offerings with ducted heated water tanks. I can always add pads to a ducted area along with additional insulation, but I doubt I can add forced air heat without a lot of modification.

If you own a Class C and know that you have ducted holding compartments, please let me know the model and year so I can target in my searches. Especially ones that have the "winter package" option!

Much appreciated!

[Boondock_Saint]

Thanks for that! I've added it to the types I'm actively searching for.

[pianotuna]

I toured the factory in Manitoba when the Triple E line was still active. There were many nice touches--such as having Styrofoam strips put into the metal studs. Even though they no longer make that line fit and finish were excellent.

[Boondock_Saint]

Ooowe great advice folks, thanks so much for that!

I found a model for sale up in Langley, but I don't see very many recent models for sale anywhere. Would you equate these to the same build quality of the Bigfoot?

[garyhaupt]

If you can find a Triple E Regal with the winter package, they are hands down one of the best. Aluminum frame construction...no wood rot, enclosed-heated tanks, high R value insulation, Thermal windows, rear 'bus' heater with front control.

Gary Haupt

[memtb]

Boondock Saint wrote:
Hi Folks!

Thanks in advance for your kindness and considerations. I've been lurking and shopping the past few months and trying to collect all mfr offerings with ducted heated water tanks. I can always add pads to a ducted area along with additional insulation, but I doubt I can add forced air heat without a lot of modification.

If you own a Class C and know that you have ducted holding compartments, please let me know the model and year so I can target in my searches. Especially ones that have the "winter package" option!

Much appreciated!

Yep......our Bigfoot Class C does. It’s good to well below O F! That’s one of the primary reasons we went with the Bigfoot! memtb

[Lumpty]

I have a 2011 Sunseeker 2300, which sounds like the same floorplan with a different model designation as an earlier poster. RR corner queen with the water tank inside below the bed, gray and black tanks enclosed under the stepped up rear floor in the bed and bath areas. There are heat ducts running through from the furnace located right in front of the bed, under the refrigerator, including a perforated "leaky" one that passes through the back of the storage compartment where the water pump is and hot and cold PEX passes back into the house. All plumbing is on the inside, with the exception of the lines to the outside shower, which are tee'd off the bathroom sink lines at about the 3/4 point left rear. Even then, they only go "outside" right at the back of the fixture enclosure.

We've used the RV in low 20's weather overnight with no issues, just running the furnace. Most recently, that was just last month driving to Florida trying to get below the freeze line, having to give up at about MP140 I-95 SB when it was 11pm and still 150 to go to get above 32.

[Rolin]

We have a Winnebago Aspect 26A Motorhome.

The Black and Gray water tanks are enclosed with a duct from the furnace that feeds that area. It also has tank heater pads on each of the tanks. We also put RV antifreeze in those tanks.

The fresh water tank is under the corner bed.

My biggest concern is the fresh water lines on the outside walls. Real 4 season units have the fresh water lines more inside. That said, when camping in cold weather we leave drawers and cabinets open a crack allowing warm air easier access to the pipes.

At this time we have never had a water line freeze. Our coldest camp-out was 25F when in Alaska.

[pianotuna]

I've boondocked at -37 C (-34f). Talk to Photo Mike and Moving Sue both have done -40.

[DouglasC]

All of the tanks on our 2006 Jayco Greyhawk are under the main floor but enclosed in lower compartments. There is a duct from the furnace that feeds air into the compartments. I don't know how effective that is because we haven't done much camping in below freezing conditions. However, for 12 years we stored the MH next to our house (and didn't winterize it) and I do know that temps did fall into the low 20s a few times. With the furnace set at 45 degrees we never experienced any interior water line or tank freezing issues. So I assume that the heat supplied to the tanks is sufficient. I do know that no water lines run through the walls but are all routed internally, e.g. the shower head is mounted on an interior wall. (I always left cabinet doors open to allow circulation of warmer air around the water lines for the kitchen and bathroom sinks.)

[bobndot]

I have always tested my interior space by using thermometers and small water bottles placed in different areas.

My 2018 Sunseeker 2350 also has the FW tank under the rear corner bed which is heated by the interior cabin space but also houses a heat duct that passes through the area under the bed which adds warmth.
The water pump is accessible inside an exterior baggage compartment which has a dedicated heat duct running to it to directly heat the pump. That outside compartment could bake a cake.

My interior floor has 3 levels , the cab seating area is the lowest, then the next level up is the kitchen area then the rear bed and bath area is raised another 4". The raised rear area seems to be heated because the ductwork and furnace are on the passenger side and heat travels across the unit to the drivers side bathroom sink which is equally as warm as the main cabin. The bathroom sink lines run through that floor. I have digital thermometers under the bathroom sink as well as the kitchen sink and those areas are heated protecting those lines .
My Arctic Package uses heat pads on the black and gray tanks and in MH's they are usually 110v pads due to onboard generators. TT's use 12v pads more commonly.
The rear shower does NOT have the shower head mounted on an exterior wall. My rear corner shower has a heat duct but also has the shower head and lines running through the interior heated wall next the bed. Those lines are protected by interior heat not only because they run on an interior wall but because the bottom of that wall is a gap that's open to allow the under the bed heat to heat that wall protecting that plumbing.

We don't run our class c on snow covered roads as we used to run our TC so we wind things up before the snow falls. All this extends our late fall early spring season down to 20F so far but during the dead of winter we winterize and use the rv as a dry unit. We hand pour windshield washer fluid to flush the toilet and hand sanitizer during our winter dry road day trips.
P.S. Because we use our rv for day trips, we leave an almost full gallon of bottled water under the kitchen sink for tea and coffee making. That water which is left inside the unheated rv 24/7 will only freeze when outside dip below 20F or so. During a mild winter like this year it only froze once. When it does freeze, it has never cracked the bottle, been doing this leaving a water bottle inside for 40 years .

[Boondock_Saint]

Thanks for that info, much appreciated!

[DrewE]

My '98 Coachmen Santara 315QB has ducted heated holding tanks and the fresh water tank inside, under the bed, and the plumbing runs all within the "insulated" shell. I've used it in sub-freezing temperatures once or twice, without incident, though it can get a bit drafty inside if it's particularly cold out.

[Boondock_Saint]

Thank you for that! You just reminded me that I had heard about tanks being under the bed inside etc. I have more googling to do!

[pianotuna]

My 1987 Citation Supreme had duct heated waste tanks. The fresh water was within the heated area of the living quarters.

My current tanks are enclosed but not heated. I added a 120 volt outlet and use a small car warmer type heater. The heater is controlled by a manual thermostat. I use the inverter to power the heater when traveling.