Trying to understand my Winnebago Basement Heat

dougrainer wrote:
The above answer presumes you have RVP(Coleman) Heat Pumps. Here is a more detailed explanation. If you are out of LP, it will take a lot longer for the HP to heat the RV to temp. Doug

http://old.rvcomfort.com/rvp/pdf_documents/t_stat_electric_heat_function.pdf

Thank you for this information and link.

In our previous 2003 Adventurer, the heat pump would quit running for 2 conditions.

First-The Heat pump could not maintain the set temperature. If the coach is losing heat faster than the HP can produce, then the LP furnace is activated. In this case the tstat will indicate DIFF, that the 2nd stage heat stage is activated.

If this happens 3 times in a row, then the HP is locked out for 2 hours. Only the LP furnace will run during that time.

The tstat uses 20 min as a criteria. If the HP can't satisfy the set point for 20 min, the lp is turned on.

Second- The HP shuts off because the outdoor coil Thermister cuts-off due to low freon temp. This usually occurs due to ice build up on the coils. In this case the lp furnace is in a safe mode. It will come on at 45 deg and shut off at 60 deg.

Setting the mode to gas will let the lp furnace operate to the set temp.

In my experience, the heat pump can operate at low outside temps, below 32 deg F. A lot depends on the humidity, and how long it take ice to form on the outside coils.

These basement units do not have any defrost circuitry built in, as do home units.

The above answer presumes you have RVP(Coleman) Heat Pumps. Here is a more detailed explanation. If you are out of LP, it will take a lot longer for the HP to heat the RV to temp. Doug

http://old.rvcomfort.com/rvp/pdf_documents/t_stat_electric_heat_function.pdf

One clarification is that you don't have "electric heat" in the normal sense, that is, there are no electric heating elements in the unit. So, it will work when you run out of propane, but only if the outside temperature is high enough for the heat pump to pull heat out - about 35-40 degrees or higher. Below that, the heat pump's efficiency essentially drops to almost negligible
.

K Charles wrote:
If you set the temp for 5 degrees above the actual temp both heat sources will come on. After it gets to the set temp they both go off. The next time it calls for heat only the heat pump will work, unless it cools off to 4 degrees below the set poi.t, then the gas will come on to help the heat pump

thank you for this information.

If the coach is out of propane, will the electric heat work at all?

If you set the temp for 5 degrees above the actual temp both heat sources will come on. After it gets to the set temp they both go off. The next time it calls for heat only the heat pump will work, unless it cools off to 4 degrees below the set poi.t, then the gas will come on to help the heat pump