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Camper346's avatar
Camper346
Explorer
Dec 10, 2014

Thermostat/Electric Heat

I have a Coleman Digital Thermostat in my RV. The exact one I have can be seen here Thermostat.

When I turn the thermostat to electric heat I can hear the air conditioner coming on. However, the regular propane furnace comes on as well? Am I doing something wrong or is that suppose to happen?
  • cjd10 wrote:
    Try setting your fan selection to "auto" instead of high or low. Ours runs the overhead unit and the propane heater at the same time if not set to auto.


    DOMETIC(Zone control type tstat) ONLY has this type system. Your system the FAN only is running on the roof top air, not the compressor. Doug
  • Try setting your fan selection to "auto" instead of high or low. Ours runs the overhead unit and the propane heater at the same time if not set to auto.
  • Kiwi_too wrote:
    Also, if it is below 40 degreed F, the HP is worthless. There is no heat for it to exchange. If you turn on the HP under 40f, you are working the HP needlessly.


    The HP will NOT come on under 36 to 40 degrees as it has an ambient sensor, to prevent running a HP in too cold of weather. Doug
  • Kiwi_too wrote:
    if it is below 40 degrees There is no heat for it to exchange.
    Actually there is available heat all the way down to - (minus) 459 degrees.
    But we knew what you meant :-)
  • Electric Heat on your unit is the roof top Heat Pump. RVP Heat Pumps have a 5 degree separation between Furnace and HP. IF the set temp is more than 5 degrees above the interior temp(you set at 75 and the RV is at 60), then both the HP and Furnace come on. Once the RV gets to 70/71 degrees, the furnace will stop and the HP will continue the rest of the Heat cycle and then the HP only will then come on when the temp calls for reheat. RVP believes that trying to raise the interior temp more than 5 degrees with just the HP will take too long and utilize's the furnace to get the temp up quicker. Doug
  • Also, if it is below 40 degreed F, the HP is worthless. There is no heat for it to exchange. If you turn on the HP under 40f, you are working the HP needlessly.
  • If you are trying to start the heat pump cycle with out starting the furnace, you need to set the thermostat to 4 or 5 degrees above the room temp. More that that will cause the furnace to come on. Then when the heat pump cycles off, raise the temp on the thermostat again. Do this until the desired temp is achieved.