Our aim here is to clearly present the facts about TankBlanket and an alternative product known generally as a Frostat, De-Frost Element or In-Tank probe.
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Frostat or De-Frost element
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It is important to winterise your campervan, motorhome, caravan, horsebox or indeed any support vehicle that has a freshwater system if you wish to use it throughout the autumn, winter and spring.
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| TankBlanket 121 & 90 |
To winterise you have to:
- Protect the fresh and waste water tanks.
- Protect external pipes.
- Keep the internal temperature above 6 °C.
The fresh and waste water tanks, exposed to typical UK winter conditions, can be protected with just TankBlanket or a number of Frostats (dependent upon the size of the tank). In addition you may wish to protect the fresh and waste water Tank with an insulating wrap, but in the case of TankBlanket, this is about making the heater pad more efficient, rather than additional frost protection.
For more detailed information on winterising your leisure vehicle please follow this link:
Further winterisation tips are available here:
We have structured this Blog around six criteria: capacity, power consumption, testing, cost and operation.
1.0 Capacity Facts
- A Frostat or De Frost element protects up to 45 Litres.
- A TankBlanket 90 protects up to 90 litres.
- A TankBlanket 121 protects up to 121 Litres.
You need two Frostat for each TankBlanket 90.
You need three Frostat for each TankBlanket 121.
For further information on the TankBlanket specification please follow this link:
2.0 Power Consumption Facts
- A Frostat is rated at 2.5A
- A TankBlanket 90 is rated at 4.0A
- A TankBlanket 121 is rated at 5.0A
To protect a 90 Litre tank Frostat will draw 5.0A
To protect a 90 Litre tank TankBlanket draws 4.0A
For more information concerning power rating please follow this link:
3.0 TankBlanket Testing
TankBlanket has been tested in both the USA and UK, to -24 °C and -15 °C respectively.
In both instances TankBlanket performed extremely well. Follow this link to see our pictorial blog from a cold chamber test:
Please follow this link to read a press article involving TankBlanket in the February 2014 issue of Caravan Industry and Park Operator:
ü TankBlanket winterisation is proven to work!
ü TankBlankets fitted 20yrs ago are still operating today!!
4.0 Cost Detail
Comparing current purchase costs TankBlanket is around 35% cheaper per Litre protected.
For simplicity the above excludes postage & packing, packing charges (De-Frost element/Frostat only) and the electrical circuit components which are similar for both products.
If you include fitting cost TankBlanket becomes even more attractive.
5.0 Installation
Both products can be installed at a Dealer or by yourself.
TankBlanket is less complicated to install due to being, just a simple ‘peel & stick’ of a single component rather than the complication of drilling several holes, assembling a number of components and sealing against water ingress.
The adhesive that attaches TankBlanket to the bottom of the tank becomes more aggressive with age and although it is designed for ten years service a number of TankBlankets have been in operation for over twenty years!
Frostat requires holes to be drilled in the tank
TankBlanket is simply ‘peel & stick’
Both TankBlanket and Frostat are activated by the temperature of the water in the tank.
- Frostat is switched on at 5 °C
- Frostat is switched off at 10 °C
- TankBlanket is switched on at 7 °C
- TankBlanket is switched off at 18 °C
Frostat will cycle on and off at a higher frequency than TankBlanket.
Testing in America has shown that it is better to protect tanks that are almost full as it takes longer for a larger mass of water to lose temperature.
For more information on an In-Tank probe or Frostat please visit:
That’s it - plain & simple!
Although, if you do have further questions or queries,
then please don’t hesitate to contact us!
TankBlanket: Winterisation that Works!
To find out more about The TankBlanket System please visit:
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