Freshwater tank insulation?

[vannooch-HILO]

I was rolling around underneath the trailer today measuring up for tank and pipe heaters when I noticed that the freshwater tank seemed to be encased in a Styrofoam insulation with a plastic cover on it. Is this a stock tank? Did they all come insulated? It is approximately 24"x36"x8".

 

[PopRichie77]

I forget the year and model you have but the insulation is factory on our 2209. Some older models had the fresh water tank inside under the couch, when the couch was in the front of the trailer.

 

[vannooch-HILO]

Mine is a 93, it looks factory. My tank is definately under the floor.
There wouldn't be a heat pad under there would there? That's the reason for my question.
I could pop the cover off and install it under the foam. Also I was considering using reflect ix insulation over the heat pads on all three of the tanks, now I wouldn't be using it on the freshwater, but what do you all think about wrapping the tanks as well as the gray and black piping to the knife valves with reflectix?

 

[PopRichie77]

Wow, I thought that was only done on newer trailers. Maybe yours was changed. There is no heat pad that I know of and never saw an option for one. Which doesn't say there wasn't. Our 95 TowLite had the tank inside. Don't think HI-LO ever made 2 trailers exactly alike. I have no opinion about how to do it.

 

[vannooch-HILO]

Well I'll let you know how it goes then .
This one is pretty well loaded, it has every option but the heat strip and rear window rock cover, has cabinets over the couches instead of the bunk, which were both options. I was leaning towards the reflec tix because it is moisture resistant. basically it's two sheets of foil with bubble wrap sandwiched in between. Use either spray adhesive or clear silicone to stick it as well as some foil tape to seal the joints and I should have an R17 heated and insulated tanks!

 

[2181Funchaser]

tank insulation & heating pads

I installed tank heating pads & insulation on all (3) tanks in 2009. Also
wrapped external drain piping & internal supply piping with heat tracing.
Works great! Just wet camped along Lake Superior on New Years. 10F with
-11F windchill. We were warm, dishes, showers, & bathroom, no issues.

 

[Fireballsocal]

My 02 towlite has the insulated tank. Not sure when they started using insulation though.

 

[sam-HILO]

Beefing up tank insulation

I say go for it!!! It certainly won't hurt and it is not that expensive or hard to do. Gets mightly cold in Pa.

 

[vannooch-HILO]

I installed tank heating pads & insulation on all (3) tanks in 2009. Also
wrapped external drain piping & internal supply piping with heat tracing.
Works great! Just wet camped along Lake Superior on New Years. 10F with
-11F windchill. We were warm, dishes, showers, & bathroom, no issues.

This is my plan as well, what type of heat pads did you use? DC only? Any issues with fast battery drainage?

Did you do anything with the windows like add storm windows or anything like that?

 

[2181Funchaser]

Ultraheat (ebay), AC & AC/DC, plus thermoking heat tracing. Rigid foam on FW tank,
reflectix & blanket w/plastic face to cover Black & Gray tanks. Most windows w/3M film.
60 watt bulb in dinette space where pump/converter & hw heater are located. We had
power but have used Coleman 1850 pulse winter boondocking before, used 6 gal boat
tank plumbed to carb for extended run. Battery is Lifeline AGM, resistance heat would be hard on batt. Use a "D" cell batt bilge pump to run H2O into FW tank.

 

[vannooch-HILO]

Nice, the ultraheat were the ones that I was going to buy as well. Sounds like a great set up. I have as Coleman 1000, I'm not sure if it would do the trick or not.
I was considering going this weekend here in PA just to see how it would do without the water.

2181, What 3m film are you using?