Adding a heat strip to a Ducted A/C Unit...

IN our '03 24V Itasca I added an electric toe kick heater and a programable thermostat. It was a rather easy install. We now have a '15 27Q Itasca and I had planed to do the same to it, But this one will not be so easy, so I don't know what we are going to do.
A portable electric space heater is always in the way, and no programable t-stat.

Dusty

Personally, I feel that heat strip in the A/C unit is a waste of money. Due to the volume of air pushed, the leaving air temperature is not very warm. You are much better off purchasing a small cube heater and plugging it in to a wall socket.

Ken

I have been in some parks where they charge extra if you have electric heat. having a unit on top of your RV making a bunch of fan noise is a dead giveaway.
bumpy

Mine is ducted as well. Installed two weeks after burning 40+ lbs of propane for heat, fridge, and hot water. Decided the $ of the strip/tstat/computer were worth the investment.

Bamaman1 wrote:
If you have an a/c unit that's ducted, you cannot put any electric coil into it.

Electric coils can be put in the units that have the knobs on the ceiling face plate, however.

Not true!! Mine is ducted and I have a factory element installed.

While it won't really heat the coach, it will warm it up if the outside temps are above 40*. Also, when using alternate heat, space heaters, I let it cycle to help distribute the heat throughout the coach. The element keeps it from moving cold air.

If you have an a/c unit that's ducted, you cannot put any electric coil into it.

Electric coils can be put in the units that have the knobs on the ceiling face plate, however.

I have an RVP/Coleman ducted unit with the heat strip. It's a factory or field-installed option.

If you have an a/c unit that's ducted, you cannot put any electric coil into it.

Electric coils can be put in the units that have the knobs on the ceiling face plate, however.

I like the heat strips, I am in Texas and like it cold at night but the strip will keep the nip out of the air at night in the colder months. I have added it to the last 2 trailers and it does require a new thermostat and control box..

I think the heat strips are a good idea, but the way it was implemented on my RVP/Coleman heat pump it's close to useless, because it can't be controlled manually. When heat is called for by the thermostat the heat strip is turned on by an outside thermostat in the 35 to 40 degree range. Otherwise the heat pump runs. You probably can't exercise it at home because of this, which leads to the major problem: You're out camping, it's cold enough to kick on the heat strip, and it stinks like heck because it hasn't been run for a while. This is not when you want to open windows, so you just shut it off. I modified mine so I could manually select the heat strip and I like it. It's not nearly as noisy as the air conditioner, and unlike the heat pump, it throws out heat immediately instead of 5+ minutes after you turn it on.

I wanted to install the "cheap heat" system but I didn't have enough room for the unit in the cabinet. It is probably the best electrical heating system out there.

http://www.rvcomfortsystems.com/