# Waste tank heater - how difficult?



## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

Hi,
Having spent 30 minutes under the mh today with a hair dryer (yes it was as much fun as you're thinking  ) made me think is it possible to retro fit a device like above? if so how would i get access to the tank - or is this a job left for the professionals?
We want to use the van a lot in the winter - but ther frozen waste tank seems to be a problem - suggestions wanted,
thanks


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

If you use it for more than a week I see a problem, but if it's only a few days at a time, does it actually get full, ours lasts about a week, but we don't use more water than needed, and we've yet to run out, it's lasted 4 days now even taking 2 showers a day.

Kev


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Out of interest I have just had a look at CAK tanks - who are an excellent firm to do business with.

Check their catalogue page 18 (it actually says page 18, 15 out of 17 - so you my have to go through the pdf to locate!)

http://www.caktanks.com/files/CAK_09_4-20_Water_Tanks.pdf

they do a retro fit heating element etc.

My thoughts are about ensuring a decent seal, but have a look and you could always ask them for advice. I found them VERY helpful.

Good luck,

Dave


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Waste tank*

Hi

I have waste tank heaters and they do not solve the problem, as whilst the water in the tank is liquid, the bit in the waste pipe/drain area is frozen solid. The best option is to leave the drain tap open and have a humble bucket in standby.

There is a member, but I have forgotten who, and he had a heating element around the waste outlet pipe - this would erradicate the problem.

Russell


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## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

Good point - it could be it's just irritated me after my time under the van !
If it was simple I'd probably still do it. I'm not all that impressed with the vans winterisation - so I'm in the process of improving things over the break. Currently snowed in - so looking for things to occupy before turning to drink :wink:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

What would you power it with, 12v or 230v, would it just need to thaw the tap or heat the whole tank, I once saw a length of copper tube, under car bonnet aeons ago it took water from the radiator somewhere to unblock a frozen something or other, sorry can't remeber what it was, but it was in the 60's/70's.

Kev.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> What would you power it with, 12v or 230v, would it just need to thaw the tap or heat the whole tank, I once saw a length of copper tube, under car bonnet aeons ago it took water from the radiator somewhere to unblock a frozen something or other, sorry can't remeber what it was, but it was in the 60's/70's.
> 
> Kev.


That was a device that heated the windscreen washer fluid and supposedly used hot water to wash the screen - sounds good BUT

the jets still froze up and by the time the "hot" water hit the windscreen it was cold anyway so they never caught on. :lol:

The CAK site says it uses 12v 2.8a to keep it above 5C and is controlled by a thermostat - but that would not solve the problem of the pipes!

You might find this thread useful too;

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-527716.html#527716

Dave


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tank heaters*

Hi

Tank heaters are fitted as standard to my van and as far as I am aware, these operate on 12v.

Russell


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Have you thought of a pond heater usually 150 watt 
try looking at this on e bay
Item number 180405248989

Dave p


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Penquin said:


> Kev_n_Liz said:
> 
> 
> > What would you power it with, 12v or 230v, would it just need to thaw the tap or heat the whole tank, I once saw a length of copper tube, under car bonnet aeons ago it took water from the radiator somewhere to unblock a frozen something or other, sorry can't remeber what it was, but it was in the 60's/70's.
> ...


Bang on Dave, well remembered, you must be older than I as I was a mere lad in the 60's :lol: :lol:.

Kev.


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Its the waste pipe that freezes. Get yourself some heater cable used in fish tanks and vivariums. Wrap around the pipe then hook up to a fused mains spur with switch. Photo shows cable around waste pipe. I then wrapped pipe insulation around the outside.

Trevor


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## Carper (Aug 15, 2007)

I guess you could fit an insulated tank as used on Hymers. The drain valve is fitted to the tank in a heated and covered recess. The heating is via a hose from the internal warm air heating.

Looking at that picture, i can see why people have problems with freezing. As an ex-pipe fitter, I couldn't think of a worse place to mount the valve. I would try and get it as close to the tank as possible.

Doug


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## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

The drain valve on mine does come straight out from the tank - it mostly seems to be the mechanism that freezes. I think the future solution will to be to always empy when I can & to put anti-freeze in the water. I'm currently mid way through lagging the internal pipes as they still seem to freeze too easily - and I guess the heater will be on more than it usually is.
Thanks for all the responses.


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

Carper said:


> I guess you could fit an insulated tank as used on Hymers. The drain valve is fitted to the tank in a heated and covered recess. The heating is via a hose from the internal warm air heating.
> 
> Looking at that picture, i can see why people have problems with freezing. As an ex-pipe fitter, I couldn't think of a worse place to mount the valve. I would try and get it as close to the tank as possible.
> 
> Doug


My old lunar had a slide valve mounted next to the tank, this then had a long handle to operate it

Alan H


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Waste tank*

Morning Trevor - thanks for the pic, I knew there was a pic on here somewhere.

My outlet pipe is very short. so I think it is residual water in the machanism, as suggested, that may cause the problems.

Russell


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

All these things are quite expensive for the short period that we need them.

So how about keeping a gallon of screen wash additive in the van and putting a bit down the waste after each use, and if you leave the waste tank valve open you should be OK.


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## DiscoDave (Aug 25, 2008)

this is something i've been looking in to. I have already got the immersion heater - i snapped it up from the classifieds on here in the summer, but i had never thought about the waste pipe as it exits. ours is quite long like the one pictured.

I have just found this.

Ebay link

which could be used to keep the exit pipe from freezing and also i'd imagine one length would be long enough to do a substantial portion of the bottom of the waste tank keeping that from freezing too. and as it is only 75W it could be run from an inverter quite easily should you be away from mains hook up.

unfortunately the seller of these ones is away at the moment but could be worth looking into a group buy so to speak!


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