Author Topic: Freezing weather  (Read 1325 times)

Adam Hicklin

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Freezing weather
« on: November 21, 2022, 02:26:24 AM »
Greetings all. For the first time we will be in freezing weather in the Beaver. And, it’s freezing south of the 10!  Anyway, I have a 120v switch in the bay marked “heat tape”. What does that do, and where is the heat tape?  Secondly, there is a thin wire taped to the ice maker line on the back side of the fridge (Dometic) and wrapped around the water valve. It appears to be some sort of heat wire. It’s wired in to the fridge wiring harness. Any idea how this works?  Lastly, in the bank of switches next to the pilot seat there is one marked “coach heat”. What does that switch do?  Any other cold weather tips would be helpful.

Thanks for your help

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Freezing weather
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2022, 02:59:30 AM »
Adam,
The heat tape is probably located in the tank bays to keep the tanks from freezing. It should be controlled by a snap-stat set for 40-45F so once power is applied it will take care of itself. The wire on the back of the reefer sounds like a thermal wire but I'm not sure. If it is, it should be hooked to a thermostat device. When ON, the Coach Heat switch allows the hydronic heater to heat the coach interior while driving without have hydronic heater on by using engine heat instead of the boiler.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Joel Ashley

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Re: Freezing weather
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2022, 10:36:09 AM »
Though the icemaker water solenoid works off 120 volt AC, the heat tape protecting it is 12 volt battery powered, so it works even when the rig isn’t plugged in to keep the water-laden valve from freezing.  Our tape comes on automatically around 40 degrees F.  Right behind the vented access door, the valve the solenoid controls is exposed to freezing.  I failed to drain the “stored” coach’s icemaker valve one winter here at home, and for a while had the battery mains shut off;  the next spring when hooked up and turned on, water went everywhere behind the fridge cabinet due to a cracked valve.  It was relatively easy to replace, but still a lesson.

You might try using an IR thermogun like used to check highway tires, or perhaps even an IR forehead temperature sensor, to verify that heat tape is working below 40F.  Ditto for your bays.

On our model warmed engine coolant is pumped through the hydronic heat unit so as to save using its diesel burner so much.  I don’t think there’s a “Coach Heat” switch, as it’s apparently automatically circulated through the HydroHot exchanger when the engine runs.  But as Steve notes, some models can have such a switch, convenient to the driver for taking advantage of warm engine coolant on the road when the dash heater can’t cut it, and the living area thermostats are on.  There’s also commonly a preheat switch to use when breaking camp to warm the engine on very cold mornings/days.  Switched on 20 minutes or so before starting up, a pump in the hydronic unit circulates warmed engine coolant back to the cold engine block, essentially Coach Heat in reverse.

Joel
« Last Edit: November 21, 2022, 11:50:15 AM by Joel Ashley »
Joel and Lee Rae Ashley
Clackamas, Oregon
36.9 ft. 2006 Monterey Ventura IV, aka"Monty Rae"
C9 400HP Cat

Dan Johnson

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Re: Freezing weather
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2022, 01:32:20 PM »
On my 2002 I have two heat tapes attached to the hot and cold water pipes on the slide. With the slide on you can look up to see the two pipes.
2002 Beaver Marquis Emerald
Cat C-12
Nebraska