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Heat Pump Operation

Yahoo Message Number: 40413
I guess I don't understand heat pump operation or something is wrong. I am in Colorado boondocking and trying to heat the coach up after riding my ATV. When I got to the motorhome the outside temp was about 55, inside about 60. I turned the switch on the thermostat to heat, chose zone 1, set the mode button to electric heat, set the thermostat to 65. The gas heat came on and "gas" was flashing every second or so and the "electric heat" remained steady. The heat pump never came on. I am running low on propane and only want the heat pump to operate until I can get propane. A few nights ago I ran the heat pump with no problems.
Should the heat pump operate with the outside temperature that low or lower. I remember reading somewhere that heat pumps have trouble below 40. Could there be something wrong with my thermostat. On the thermostat I have an "off," "on," "mode," as well as arrows to set the temp. Is there a way to reset the thermostat?

Any help will be greatfully appreciated.

Judy

Currently at Taylor Park, CO where we had a few snow showers today

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40414
Judy,

On my heatpump, if the thermostat on the unit that you are NOT using happens to be set to gas, and you attempt to run the other unit on heatpump, IE electricity, the one set to electric will not operate. Make sure the second unit is either off, or set to heat pump also.

Ray

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40415
If your boondocking what are you doing for electricty? The heat pump is just the AC backwards.
Jim

Allure #31570

Quote from: Judy
I guess I don't understand heat pump operation or something is
wrong. I am in Colorado boondocking and trying to heat the coach up after riding my ATV. When I got to the motorhome the outside temp was about 55, inside about 60. I turned the switch on the thermostat to heat, chose zone 1, set the mode button to electric heat, set the thermostat to 65. The gas heat came on and "gas" was flashing every second or so and the "electric heat" remained steady. The heat pump never came on. I am running low on propane and only want the heat pump to operate until I can get propane. A few nights ago I ran the heat pump with no problems.

Quote
>

Should the heat pump operate with the outside temperature that low
or lower. I remember reading somewhere that heat pumps have trouble below 40. Could there be something wrong with my thermostat. On the thermostat I have an "off," "on," "mode," as well as arrows to set the temp. Is there a way to reset the thermostat?

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40417
Thanks for the quick replies. Yes, I am running the generator to supply electricity. The heat in zone 2 is set to "off." The heat in zone 1 is set for electric. I also forgot to mention I have a 2006 Inspire 51706. Any other ideas?

Judy

2006 Inspire 51706

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40418
After re-reading my first post, I need to mention that the propane heat in zone 1 comes on but not the heat pump even though I have zone 1 set to electric heat, zone 2 set off. The electric heat never comes on. Sure hope I am making myself clear.

Judy

2006 Inspire 51706

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40419
Have you checked the AC breakers?
Jim

Allure 31570

Quote from: Judy
After re-reading my first post, I need to mention that the propane
heat in zone 1 comes on but not the heat pump even though I have zone 1 set to electric heat, zone 2 set off. The electric heat never comes on. Sure hope I am making myself clear.

Quote
Judy

2006 Inspire 51706

I guess I don't understand heat pump operation or something is
wrong. I am in Colorado boondocking and trying to heat the coach up after riding my ATV. When I got to the motorhome the outside temp was about 55, inside about 60. I turned the switch on the thermostat to heat, chose zone 1, set the mode button to electric heat, set the thermostat to 65. The gas heat came on and "gas" was flashing every second or so and the "electric heat" remained steady. The heat pump never came on. I am running low on propane and only want the heat pump to operate until I can get propane. A few nights ago I ran the heat pump with no problems.

Quote
>

Should the heat pump operate with the outside temperature that
low or lower. I remember reading somewhere that heat pumps have trouble below 40. Could there be something wrong with my thermostat. On the thermostat I have an "off," "on," "mode," as well as arrows to set the temp. Is there a way to reset the thermostat?

Quote
>

Any help will be greatfully appreciated.
 Judy

Currently at Taylor Park, CO where we had a few snow showers

today

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40421
The heat pump should have no problem at ambient temp of 55F if it's operating normally. I would start by looking at the total load on the generator. If you were away from the coach for some time and then started the genset, there could be some significant charging loads (and other loads like the fridge which if set at auto will prioritize electric power) which may leave you short of enough power to run an AC unit. Check your smart power panel to see if it has de-energized any of the components. If all of that is OK, I would shut it all down for 5 minutes and then try again while manually controlling the loads. If it still doesn't work, try running the back unit with the front one off. If the back one works, your power has been proven to be OK, and the problem is probably in the #1 AC unit. If it won't run the back one either, then I would start looking at the power supply or the thermostat.

R Owen, 05 Inspire 51442

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40422
Its not the heat pump, its the thermostat operating as designed. (If you have an RVP multiple zone unit.) Here is the quote from the manual. Don't ask me how I know :)

"If the system has both gas heat, (LP furnace or hydronic heat) and electric heat,(electric strip heat or heatpump) appliances installed in the same zone, then the system will automatically switch from Heat Electric to Gas Heat if the electric heat can not satisfy the desired setpoint temperature. Because of the nature of the electric heating systems, they tend to be less effective the lower the outside temperature. Therefore, at low temperatures, your electric strip heat or heatpump may not be able to satisfy the setpoint. The system switches from Heat Elec to Gas Heat when the actual zone room temperature is five degrees or more below the desired setpoint temperature. If this happens three times in a row, the electric heat is locked out for two hours and the gas heat is the primary heat source. When this happens, the LCD will continue to display Elec but the word Gas will flash on the LCD to alert the user that the electric heat source is locked out."

Al

2006 Allure #31440

Quote from: ROwen

> The heat pump should have no problem at ambient temp of 55F if it's
operating normally. I would start by looking at the total load on the generator. If you were away from the coach for some time and then started the genset, there could be some significant charging loads (and other loads like the fridge which if set at auto will prioritize electric power) which may leave you short of enough power to run an AC unit. Check your smart power panel to see if it has de-energized any of the components. If all of that is OK, I would shut it all down for 5 minutes and then try again while manually controlling the loads. If it still doesn't work, try running the back unit with the front one off. If the back one works, your power has been proven to be OK, and the problem is probably in the #1 AC unit. If it won't run the back one either, then I would start looking at the power supply or the thermostat.

Quote
>

R Owen, 05 Inspire 51442

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40423
Thank you Al, this is what I was looking for. I couldn't find the answer in my manual. As it happens, I did try to re-set the electric heat some time later (must have been at least two hours) and, by jove, it worked. So here is another question: If the thermostat reads the current temperature inside the coach of 60 degrees and I set the electric heat pump to 63, the heat pump should come on and not need "help" from the gas furnace?

Judy, just trying to learn how things work! 2006 Inspire 51706

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40424
Yes, just adjust the temperature up to 4 degrees above ambient, wait until it heats up, and adjust the temp another 4 degreees higher until you are comfortable.
Al

2006 Allure #31440

Quote from: Judy
Thank you Al, this is what I was looking for. I couldn't find the

answer in

Quote
my manual. As it happens, I did try to re-set the electric heat

some time

Quote
later (must have been at least two hours) and, by jove, it worked.

So here

Quote
is another question: If the thermostat reads the current
temperature inside

Quote
the coach of 60 degrees and I set the electric heat pump to 63, the

heat

Quote
pump should come on and not need "help" from the gas furnace? >

Judy, just trying to learn how things work! > 2006 Inspire 51706

> Its not the heat pump, its the thermostat operating as designed.

(If

Quote
you have an RVP multiple zone unit.) Here is the quote from the > > manual. Don't ask me how I know :) > >

> "If the system has both gas heat, (LP furnace or hydronic heat)

and

Quote
electric heat,(electric strip heat or heatpump) appliances

installed

Quote
in the same zone, then the system will automatically switch from

Heat

Quote
Electric to Gas Heat if the electric heat can not satisfy the

desired

Quote
setpoint temperature. Because of the nature of the electric

heating

Quote
systems, they tend to be less effective the lower the outside > > temperature. Therefore, at low temperatures, your electric strip

heat

Quote
or heatpump may not be able to satisfy the setpoint. The system > > switches from Heat Elec to Gas Heat when the actual zone room > > temperature is five degrees or more below the desired setpoint > > temperature. If this happens three times in a row, the electric

heat

Quote
is locked out for two hours and the gas heat is the primary heat > > source. When this happens, the LCD will continue to display Elec

but

Quote
the word Gas will flash on the LCD to alert the user that the > > electric heat source is locked out." > >
> Al

> 2006 Allure #31440
>
>
>
>

[quote author=ROwen"
>]
>>

>> The heat pump should have no problem at ambient temp of 55F if

it's

Quote
operating normally. I would start by looking at the total load on

the

Quote
generator. If you were away from the coach for some time and then > > started the genset, there could be some significant charging loads > > (and other loads like the fridge which if set at auto will

prioritize

Quote
electric power) which may leave you short of enough power to run

an

Quote
AC unit. Check your smart power panel to see if it has de-

energized

Quote
any of the components. If all of that is OK, I would shut it all

down

Quote
for 5 minutes and then try again while manually controlling the > > loads. If it still doesn't work, try running the back unit with

the

Quote
front one off. If the back one works, your power has been proven

to

Quote
be OK, and the problem is probably in the #1 AC unit. If it won't

run

Quote
the back one either, then I would start looking at the power

supply

Quote
or the thermostat.
>>

>> R Owen, 05 Inspire 51442
>>
>>

>>
 

Re: Heat Pump Operation

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40438
Judy... Gordo here.

Your heat pump set up might go for "gas" first to bring the interior up to 2* from the set point. Then the heat pump will take over. To counter act this issue. Set your heat pump to 2* from the true interior temp. In other words... If the inside is 65* set heat pump to 67* and once it reaches this point bump it up a few more till you hit you comfort range. I know this is the way mine works. So trick the unit...

Gordo

99 Allure 30344