Wast tank heaters

[Cappy]

Hi
New to forum
After 40 years of no RVing I'm back in with a new 2016 Vegas 24.1 and a question
The control panel has both waste tank heater switches but don't appear to come on when activated
Dealer claims they are installed
What am I missing ?
Thanks in advance
Cappy

[RVCampingNut]

Originally Posted by Cappy

Hi
New to forum
After 40 years of no RVing I'm back in with a new 2016 Vegas 24.1 and a question
The control panel has both waste tank heater switches but don't appear to come on when activated
Dealer claims they are installed
What am I missing ?
Thanks in advance
Cappy

I don't have a Vegas, but I had waste tank heaters on my last RV, a coachmen. I had the cold weather package that had them installed. From what I was told, unless it hits I think 45-50 degrees, that won't come on. Not sure if it's the same deal as the ones installed on the Vegas or not but they probably work the same way. They are temperature sensitive as to not come on with higher temperatures.

[Cappy]

Thanks for your input
Supposedly there isn't anything but a pad and a switch to activate it No thermostat so I'm guessing the switches are either loose or bad but curious if anybody else had run into this
Appreciate you taking the time to respond
Happy trails
Cappy

[JamieGeek]

Well you don't know if the pads themselves have a thermal cutoff built into them. Are you checking by feeling them to see if they are warm? Even if there is no cutoff in them, if they only warm to just above freezing how would you know they are running on a 70 degree day (or even 60 degree day)?

Have you checked the voltage on the wires right at the pads? (Something that would be a bit challenging given the low ground clearance of the Axis/Vegas.)

[RVCampingNut]

Originally Posted by Cappy

Thanks for your input
Supposedly there isn't anything but a pad and a switch to activate it No thermostat so I'm guessing the switches are either loose or bad but curious if anybody else had run into this
Appreciate you taking the time to respond
Happy trails
Cappy

Mine did not have a separate thermostat, The thermal cutoff was built into the pad. My wiring went directly from the switch to the pad. It was designed that was so the pads don't overheat in higher temperatures.

[Cappy]

Jamie
Good point
The dealer states they are just "on or off" so I won't be sure until it gets cooler
(I'm in the middle of NC so won't really know for a while although it was 45 this AM )
As for checking the voltage on the pads themselves.....great suggestion but i'm physically unable
How about your rig ? Do you have pads and if so how do they function ?
Thanks
Cappy

[JamieGeek]

Yes ours came with pads. I think I've turned them on once or twice (in fact your posting here reminded me that I wanted to take a peek at them to make sure they are still there and haven't peeled off--that has happened to some people on the forums here).

I never checked if they were working, getting warm, etc. I could easily try here, in about two or three months it will probably be cold enough to see if they get warm (sigh).

[Cappy]

If you were to turn them on now would the lights on the panel light up ?

[JamieGeek]

My unit doesn't have any lights on the panel to indicate that they are on. The position of the switch is the only way to know if they are on or not (aside from crawling under the camper).

[Cappy]

Drat !!!!
Neither does mine
I guess these old eyes thought they saw lights or wished they saw them
You'd think there would be some kind of indicator rather then crawling under the rig to see if they are working
Oh well
Thanks for your trouble
Happy trails
Cappy

[Joe-FL]

Even with warming pads I would take an additional precaution if in weather below 20 degrees for an extended time. We had a black tank gate valve freeze shut a few years ago and it wasn't pretty. We were stuck in the cold another week after I finally got it unfroze and dumped. I began using RV pink antifreeze during flushes after that until we were in temps above 30.

[Cappy]

That sounds like a great idea
I will try to remember that this winter
Thanks
Happy trails
Cappy