How to know if a unit has heat pump

[janegowest]

I am looking at a used unit, whose manufacturer has gone out of biz. The brochure mentions the heat pump as an option, but can't tell if this particular unit has one or not.

Salesman says it says, "RV Comfort" on the thermostat and thinks that it is. Is there any way to examine the unit to tell?

And would a heat pump unit be better in hot and humid climates?

Thx for your help in advance!

[RVcrazy]

First of all, Cameo is a good brand...if in good condition. We use our heat pump most of the time. We switch to propane on nights when it is forecast to be below 45, even though some push it to 40. We don't like needing to mess with propane any more than we need to. Only the propane furnace will keep the warm air circulating in your water storage area. Our Hitchhiker furnace will automatically switch from heat pump to propane when the heat pump can't keep up if the propane is turned on (4 degree drop). I don't know if Cameo's works that way.

[janegowest]

jnharley wrote:
We have heat pumps on both our 15K btu a/c units. We ordered our 5th wheel with this option. The a/c functions separately from the heat pump. On our thermostat, it says cool, gas heat and elec heat. We put the thermostat on a/c in the hot weather and elec heat when the temps are above 35 degrees. We moved the gas furnace to its own thermostat so it would not activate when using the heat pumps. We are full timers and smart enough to know when we need to use the furnace instead of the heat pumps and disliked how the gas heat and heat pumps worked together. If we are in cold weather and not paying for electric, we use the heat pumps instead of propane. Some people do not like the sound from the unit (same noise as when using a/c) and prefer to use space heaters instead. However, our main unit is ducted and heats the entire unit with the heat pump instead of a small area with an electric heater. We like them very much and the heat pumps have absolutely no impact on your ability to use the a/c in hot weather.

Nice tips! Thank you!

[Dave2001]

janegowest wrote:
Are these considered OK? It's a Carriage Cameo, so I thought it would be a 4-season coach.....

Walls = 8
Ceiling = 16
Floor = 24

Our son had a Carriage Cameo and lived in it full time until they bought a new 5th wheel. They had a heat pump in their Cameo. It seemed to do fine in the Norfolk, VA area. AC was comparable to a standard AC unit. They hardly ever used the propane furnace. If they needed extra heat they would use a portable heater to supplement the heat pump. The Carriage Cameo is a good 4 season, full time camper.
As someone pointed out the heat from a heat pump comes out the ceiling vents. If you use the furnace, the heat comes out the floor vents. I believe that when using the furnace, the Cameo also sends some heat to the under belly to keep your tanks from freezing.
Although it is true the heat pump runs more as it gets colder, there are two reasons for this.
1. The heat loss in your camper is greater as the temperature drops. This is also true in your house.
2. The heat pump gets less heat out of the outside air as the temperature drops. Residential heat pumps are able to pull heat down to around zero degrees and still give you more heat than the energy it is consuming. #1 is the biggest factor in determining when to switch to a backup heat source. My residential heat pump can just keep ahead of the loss with the outside temperatures around 5 degrees. The reason I can do this is that I have foam insulation. Most campers usually switch to the furnace around 40 degrees.

[BarbaraOK]

A heat pump is much more efficient than either a propane furnace or an electric heater down to around 32 degrees . Below that they usually have an electric strip to heat like an electric heater, again more efficient than a propane furnace. If you fulltime and try to stay in temperate places for the winter, a heat pump is the way to go.

[missourijan]

My 2 cent post is don't get hung up on the heat pump. Ours came with the combo ac/heat pump and I would never have another one. It takes too dang long to heat up the area. We use the furnace first to warm it up then the fireplace. You can then use the heat pump to keep it warm, IMHO they are useless.

[jnharley]

We have heat pumps on both our 15K btu a/c units. We ordered our 5th wheel with this option. The a/c functions separately from the heat pump. On our thermostat, it says cool, gas heat and elec heat. We put the thermostat on a/c in the hot weather and elec heat when the temps are above 35 degrees. We moved the gas furnace to its own thermostat so it would not activate when using the heat pumps. We are full timers and smart enough to know when we need to use the furnace instead of the heat pumps and disliked how the gas heat and heat pumps worked together. If we are in cold weather and not paying for electric, we use the heat pumps instead of propane. Some people do not like the sound from the unit (same noise as when using a/c) and prefer to use space heaters instead. However, our main unit is ducted and heats the entire unit with the heat pump instead of a small area with an electric heater. We like them very much and the heat pumps have absolutely no impact on your ability to use the a/c in hot weather.

[stickdog]

janegowest wrote:
Are these considered OK? It's a Carriage Cameo, so I thought it would be a 4-season coach.....

Walls = 8
Ceiling = 16
Floor = 24

Equivalent to 1960's insulation but par for a RV.

As for the heat pump even in the warm humid south there are chilly nights where a little heat in nice. So if your in deep south Florida you may never need it but if your in north Florida you will most likely put it to use.
We have one in our 5th wheel and use it as needed. As others have stated below 40 degrees it may not produce much heat, but if your not paying a separate electric bill at the park you in you might as well use it till it stops providing heat before relying on the propane furnace which you will be paying for.

[janegowest]

Are these considered OK? It's a Carriage Cameo, so I thought it would be a 4-season coach.....

Walls = 8
Ceiling = 16
Floor = 24

[jorbill2or]

A 15000 BTU a/c is just that , that it's a heat pump is a plus in that it can "reverse" and heat the inside. It's neither better or worse as a ac. BTW , Heat pumps do not have heat strips .. Totally different animal.
If your concerned about being comfortable in very hot weather. Look to insulation values to be of more help. If the units are all 15 the that's where I'd be more concerned.

[GoPackGo]

As long as both A/C units have the same number of BTUs, I don't believe there would be any difference. But I am not an expert on heat pumps (but did have one when I had a house in Florida).

[janegowest]

So, in terms of the A/C, which would be more efficient in hot/humid conditions? A regular 15,000BTU a/C or the heat pump?

[GoPackGo]

Jane - It has nothing to do with A/C, except that the system reverses to make heat when you need it. The question you should ask is 'Is it better then a furnace ?"

I think Dave answered your question.

Keep in mind that if the unit is plumbed into the ductwork, when you switch to the heat pump, you will get heat coming out of the ceiling ducts - not ideal because heat rises. That is why I like my furnace - it has separate ducts in the floor.

I think the main advantage to a heat pump is contained in Avan's answer. You can use park electricity instead of your own propane. But that only works if you are not paying for electricity separately. And remember that a heat pump starts getting very inefficient when the temps drop below about 32 degrees. The thing will run and run but generate very little heat.

Think of a heat pump as the reverse of an A/C unit. A heat pump pulls heat from the outside air and pushes the heat into your camper. So when the outside air gets colder, there is less and less heat that it can pull (efficiently) from that air. And unfortunately for you, that's exactly when you will want more heat.

[janegowest]

Thanks, Dave. Is it any better than a regular camper A/C?

[Dave2001]

For cooling heat pumps function like a normal AC unit except there are some efficiency differences between them. In mild weather a heat pump has a reversing valve that allows it to take heat from the outside air and blow it inside the camper. In this mode camper heat pumps usually work down to about 40 degrees. Then the furnace takes over at temperatures below that. AC units sometimes have electrical heat strip units in them making them useful in mild conditions for heat. This arrangement is not a heat pump. Also in a household heat pump system they generally have what is called emergency heat which can be an electric heat strip or a gas furnace. Generally household heat pumps will provide heat down into the 20s or lower.
Camper heat pumps are much like the household units but not as sophisticated.

[avan]

Heat pumps have zero to do with air condition air other than there is a heat strip (think "like a toaster" heat strip) which uses the AC fan to blow the limited heat it produces into the rig. As said, it is not terribly effective in real cold weather because of the limited amps. Its advantage is if you have a chill in the air and are in an RV park using non metered electricity. Then you can use the heat pump to warm the rig up using the park's electricity rather than your own propane via you more efficient (in terms of dealing with colder temps) furnace. Where I live we never have cold temps, just cold chills once in awhile, and my condo does not have a furnace, just a heat pump. When traveling and in an electricity furnished cg, I can't remember the last time I've used my propane furnace - just the heat pump and, if needed, I might pull out the electric blanket. When bookdocking, I'll use the heat pump if the genny is running otherwise the furnace.