Heat Pump re-visited

C&C R · 03-14-2008, 03:44 PM

Could someone pm us, e-mail us or explain here how the heat pump works. Plain English please.
When we try to use the heat pump, the furnace kicks on too. We've read about it until we are cross eyed and still can't stop the furnace from kicking on.
We're trying to cut down on our propane use as we slowly head back to NY. But, seems like the furnace wants to run no matter what.

C&C R · 03-14-2008, 03:44 PM

Could someone pm us, e-mail us or explain here how the heat pump works. Plain English please.
When we try to use the heat pump, the furnace kicks on too. We've read about it until we are cross eyed and still can't stop the furnace from kicking on.
We're trying to cut down on our propane use as we slowly head back to NY. But, seems like the furnace wants to run no matter what.

PORCHDOG · 03-14-2008, 03:52 PM

My manual says that the furnace comes on to augment the heat pump if the temperature is too low. Then as the temperature increases, only the heat pump runs. The heat pump alone cannot increase the temperature rapidly enough to suit most people.

movin-on · 03-14-2008, 03:59 PM

See if this helps

Here

Hikerdogs · 03-14-2008, 04:49 PM

The heat pump is only meant to work at temperatures of 36* and above. Even then if there's a big difference between the thermostat the set point and the ambient temperaturre in the coach the gas furnace will assist.

While the minimum operating outdoor temp is supposed to be 36* I know of several coaches that will that will lock out the heat pump and switch to gas at temperatures as high as 39*.

The article referenced by movin-on is excellent. It was in the Feb issue of the WIT Club News

theroc · 03-14-2008, 05:32 PM

I'm sitting here as I write this, "inching" up the thermostat so that I only use the electric heat since I'm plugged in for a free connection right now.

Remember, you can't set the thermostat more than 4 degrees above the current temperature or the propane furnace will kick in. So to use just the heat pump, I run up to the thermostat every few minutes inching it up a few degrees ...but never more than about 4 degrees or the furnace will kick in.

So let's say the thermostat is reading 66 degrees inside the coach and you want the temperature at 78. You'll initially will have to set the "set" temperature to 70 degrees, then before the inside temperature reaches 70 degrees, you'll have to jump up and set it to 74 degrees and then before it gets to 74, you'll have to jump up and set it to 78.

No more than 4 degrees at a time, though!

That link which movin-on provided describes that as it says:

If the inside temperature is 5 degrees or more below the thermostat set point, both the heat pump and the furnace will run initially to bring the interior temperature up to the set point as quickly as possible. (If the inside temperature is 4 degrees or less below the set point, then only the heat pump will run initially.)

James Norman · 03-14-2008, 07:17 PM

On my rig, if I am plugged in to electric and not using propane, I just shut off the propane using the switch on the "all-in-one" panel. Then I can set the thermostat to the desired temperature. Can be as much above the current temperature as desired and only the heatpump runs!

theroc · 03-14-2008, 07:45 PM

I don't see a "propane off" switch on my One Place. Where is yours? ...on the thermostat itself?

John_Canfield · 03-15-2008, 05:07 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hikerdogs:
The heat pump is only meant to work at temperatures of 36* and above. Even then if there's a big difference between the thermostat the set point and the ambient temperaturre in the coach the gas furnace will assist.

While the minimum operating outdoor temp is supposed to be 36* I know of several coaches that will that will lock out the heat pump and switch to gas at temperatures as high as 39*.

The article referenced by movin-on is excellent. It was in the Feb issue of the WIT Club News </div></BLOCKQUOTE>In my experience, I have found the heat pump will sometimes freeze up (as in not run) with ambient temperatures in the 30s and sometimes it will freeze up with temps in the 40s. I suspect the humidity is the determining factor - low humidity means a lower freeze point, higher humidity the converse. In any case, there is no absolute and repeatable temperature where it works and doesn't work.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by scirocco22:
I don't see a "propane off" switch on my One Place. Where is yours? ...on the thermostat itself? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Our switch is at the very top of our OnePlace - it is not part of the thermostat. The switch is quite large and should be easy to find.

I'm surprised you don't know where the switch is since you should be turning it off every time you get your propane tank filled

Ding-a-ling · 03-15-2008, 06:23 AM

Winnebago now has a Propane Off switch?

That's new to me! Must be something new - I'll have to investigate some newer models. I still have to turn the valve off at the tank.

C&C R · 03-15-2008, 06:39 AM

I got it to work fine this morning. Thanks.
We don't have a propane off switch on this panel.

theroc · 03-15-2008, 07:50 AM

C&C R, yeah, just remember those two things:

1. heat pump won't work below 35-40 degrees

2. set temp no more than 4 degrees at a time above the room temp.

Yeah, I just turn the valve off at the tank too. The "propane off switch" must just be on the higher-end models as the 07 Journeys and Meridians evidently don't have them ...or I sure haven't found it yet.

tomsm · 03-15-2008, 09:24 AM

Maybe this comes under the category of "more trouble than it's worth", but since this comes up so often, maybe some of you would be interested in this...

I got tired of slowly bumping up the thermostat to avoid kicking in the LP heater on a moderately cool morning, so I put a switch in the line that calls the gas furnace. On the back of the thermostat there are 2 wiring harnesses. The one with nine wires controls the AC and heatpump. The one with three wires controls the LP furnace. If you put a switch in the white wire of the three wire group (Pin 3 - furnace control), you can disable the LP furnace without turning off the LP.

The simplest SPST DC switch will work. I used RadioShack part # 275-730 ($2.99), but most any switch would work. I also added a switch in the power line to the outside radio, since they have been known to suddenly come to life in the middle of the night. I like being able to disable things that I don't want to work unless I "approve" it...

theroc · 03-15-2008, 09:48 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by tomsm:
Maybe this comes under the category of "more trouble than it's worth", but since this comes up so often, maybe some of you would be interested in this...

I got tired of slowly bumping up the thermostat to avoid kicking in the LP heater on a moderately cool morning, so I put a switch in the line that calls the gas furnace. On the back of the thermostat there are 2 wiring harnesses. The one with nine wires controls the AC and heatpump. The one with three wires controls the LP furnace. If you put a switch in the white wire of the three wire group (Pin 3 - furnace control), you can disable the LP furnace without turning off the LP.

The simplest SPST DC switch will work. I used RadioShack part # 275-730 ($2.99), but most any switch would work. I also added a switch in the power line to the outside radio, since they have been known to suddenly come to life in the middle of the night. I like being able to disable things that I don't want to work unless I "approve" it...

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmmm, interesting. I thought about doing that but I'm not really good with putting things back together once pulling them apart.

Where did you mount the switch? Is there room on the One Place control panel?

What radio is coming on in the middle of the night? The bedroom one?

Tom N · 03-15-2008, 10:20 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ding-a-ling:
Winnebago now has a Propane Off switch?

That's new to me! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Only in models with a LP tank that is not easily accessible. My buddies old '05 Horizon 40AD had the remote switch.

-Tom

tomsm · 03-15-2008, 10:44 AM

'rocco - I already had an AGS panel mounted just below the One Place, so I put my switch beside it. My switch required a 1" hole, but you could use a much smaller switch and find room on the One Place.

I don't have a bedroom radio, although I have read of that one coming on - it's the one in the outside entertainment center that concerned me. It never happened to me, but I read of it happening to several people a few years ago on this forum. It may have just been the radios they were using at the time, since I haven't heard of it recently. But since I already had the drill and wiring tools out....ounce of prevention type thing.

theroc · 03-15-2008, 11:03 AM

Thanks for the info, Tom. When I get the time, I may try to fool with it. Like I say, I'm really good at taking things apart but have trouble putting them back together! Anything that sounds simple, always seems to turn out to be a big headache to me.

Thanks!

James Norman · 03-15-2008, 08:06 PM

scirocco22 is right about a switch used for propane tanks located in difficult places. Mine is behind the slide out. In my previous rig I had a manual valve on the tank in a basement compartment. If I still had a manual valve I would turn it off when connected to power. That way I can turn the thermostat down at night then turn it up in the am as far as necessary without edging it up by four degrees.

Izzyblueye · 03-16-2008, 04:33 AM

JAMES NORMAN: Wouldn't turning off your tank valve manually, cause your igniter to constantly try to light your furnace when the thermostat calls for it? I tried that approach and that is what happened to me.

James Norman · 03-17-2008, 08:21 AM

HOMER: I think you're partially right. The furnace will try to light but when no propane is detected it shuts off. I my current case, the temp may be down to 58 or so and I set the thermostat to 70. The furnace only attempts to light once. After 70 is reached the heat pump shuts down. When the temp drops the heat pump restarts but because the temp in within the 4 degree range the propane furnace does not attempt to restart. I know sometimes different rig can vary greatly and yours may not work the same as mine.