Heat Pump Instructions

[budman229]

We have A 2017 LM Newport. According to the manual, the heat pump is supposed to kick in first (before the furnace) when in AUTO mode.
We used the RV for the first time last weekend. Every time the thermostat called for heat, the furnace would fire. The outside temp was in the 50's. Am I missing something? Thanks for any advice.

 

[danemayer]

If your thermostat is a Control Comfort II and looks like this, I think you want to cycle it to HP mode to turn the heat pump on.

 

[budman229]

This is ours.

 

[danemayer]

Looks the same. Try cycling the MODE to HP instead of FURN.

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Ya I don't think you can run both. It one or the other.

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[richheck]

As per the owners manual:

"“AUTO” - Auto Change Over Mode In the AUTO mode the system will automatically change the mode of operation fromcool to heat or from heat to cool. In order for this mode to operate, the zone beingprogrammed must contain either a heat pump, heat strip or furnace heating source.When in the AUTO mode, all pre programmed operations for the heat pump, heatstrip, and furnace will apply.
Auto Change Over Cooling: If the room temperature rises above the temperatureset-point by 2 degrees, the air conditioner will turn ON until the room temperaturereaches the temperature set-point at which time the air conditioner will cycle off.Auto Change Over Heating: If the room temperature goes below the temperatureset-point by 2 degrees, the available heat source will be cycled ON until the roomtemperature reaches the temperature set point at which time it will cycle OFF.
If more than one heat source is available on this zone, the priority for selecting theheat source will be heat pump (first), furnace (second), and heat strip (third). "

The last sentence states there is a set priority in selections of hearing sources.

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

As per the owners manual:

"“AUTO” - Auto Change Over Mode In the AUTO mode the system will automatically change the mode of operation fromcool to heat or from heat to cool. In order for this mode to operate, the zone beingprogrammed must contain either a heat pump, heat strip or furnace heating source.When in the AUTO mode, all pre programmed operations for the heat pump, heatstrip, and furnace will apply.
Auto Change Over Cooling: If the room temperature rises above the temperatureset-point by 2 degrees, the air conditioner will turn ON until the room temperaturereaches the temperature set-point at which time the air conditioner will cycle off.Auto Change Over Heating: If the room temperature goes below the temperatureset-point by 2 degrees, the available heat source will be cycled ON until the roomtemperature reaches the temperature set point at which time it will cycle OFF.
If more than one heat source is available on this zone, the priority for selecting theheat source will be heat pump (first), furnace (second), and heat strip (third). "

The last sentence states there is a set priority in selections of hearing sources.

I guess I learned something new. Rich
I never read the manual or instruction, I just keep pushing buttons until it does what I want it to.

 

[richheck]

The operation is also dependent upon the outside temperature:

Again as per the manual:

"Auxiliary Heat (Heat Pump Models Only) Auxiliary heat operation will be activated when the measured temperature of the out-door temperature sensor is less than 30o F. If the system is equipped with a furnace,the control will select FURN heating mode for the auxiliary heat source. Auxiliaryheat operation, once initiated, will have priority over a heat pump defrost cycle.Auxiliary heat operation will be de-activated and the heat pump operation will re-sume when the temperature of the outdoor temperature sensor is higher than 35o F. "

So, as I read this your propane furnace will take over automatically when the outside temps fall below a set threshold.

- - - Updated - - -

I guess I learned something new. Rich
I never read the manual or instruction, I just keep pushing buttons until it does what I want it to.

Jerrod, it's funny that you said that. Awhile back I had a friend with a new (SOB) coach and was having trouble with his A/C unit. Problem turned out to be he had pushed so many buttons it totally confused the thermostat and it just shut down. Had to unplug the wall unit from the cable plug to get it to reset.

Not totally sure if that is how a person is to eliminate the problem but it seemed to work that time.

 

[danemayer]

The thermostat has some capabilities that may not be implemented in our coaches. For example, it may support 4 zones, but you have no way to use zones 2,3,4. There have been some people who have attempted to use the programming, without success. I don't know if the AUTO mode is implemented, so if it is, you could be blazing a trail.

If you get it to work, let everyone know how you did it.

 

[budman229]

I guess I'm an idiot. The heat pump is on another thermostat (the one in the bedroom). But, for the AUTO mode to work, don't the
furnace and the heat pump need the be operated by the same thermostat? On our last RV, the heat pump worked as long as it could
keep up with the temp, then change over to furnace when it couldn't or the outside air temp. went below a certain set point.

 

[carl.swoyer]

In order to get multiple AC system and heater's​ to work automatically they must be wired to one thermostat with remote thermometers​. The thermostat can anticipate start up and avoid all the ac's starting at the same time.

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[danemayer]

I guess I'm an idiot. The heat pump is on another thermostat (the one in the bedroom). But, for the AUTO mode to work, don't the
furnace and the heat pump need the be operated by the same thermostat? On our last RV, the heat pump worked as long as it could
keep up with the temp, then change over to furnace when it couldn't or the outside air temp. went below a certain set point.

There are a fair number of complications for manufacturing to install and configure the equipment in a way that would take advantage of this thermostat feature. On some floor plans the furnace is controlled by the living room thermostat. On others by the bedroom thermostat. If you purchased 2 heat pumps, only one could be controlled without getting into a more complex zone installation. If the bedroom thermostat worked on AUTO but the living room thermostat didn't, you might not get much benefit except while sleeping.

If you just purchased one heat pump and one regular A/C unit, the heat pump would have to go in the area managed by the thermostat that controls the furnace, or the coach wiring paths would have to be modified.

I think the only way to make it all work together would be to go to a multi-zone configuration where one thermostat has multiple sensors around the coach. This would be harder and more expensive for Heartland, and I'm sure many people would find it difficult to operate.

From a manufacturing standpoint, having a single, simple configuration makes sense even though it doesn't take advantage of all available functions. More complexity slows down the line and adds to the possibility of getting something wrong.

I'd recommend turning on the furnace if you expect temps to go below 40 (F). If the heat pump and furnace are controlled by different thermostats, you could turn them both on and adjust the furnace thermostat a few degrees cooler than the heat pump thermostat. Then if temps drop below 40 and the heat pump isn't providing enough heat, the furnace will come on to fill in the gap.

 

[budman229]

That makes sense. Thanks!

There are a fair number of complications for manufacturing to install and configure the equipment in a way that would take advantage of this thermostat feature. On some floor plans the furnace is controlled by the living room thermostat. On others by the bedroom thermostat. If you purchased 2 heat pumps, only one could be controlled without getting into a more complex zone installation. If the bedroom thermostat worked on AUTO but the living room thermostat didn't, you might not get much benefit except while sleeping.

If you just purchased one heat pump and one regular A/C unit, the heat pump would have to go in the area managed by the thermostat that controls the furnace, or the coach wiring paths would have to be modified.

I think the only way to make it all work together would be to go to a multi-zone configuration where one thermostat has multiple sensors around the coach. This would be harder and more expensive for Heartland, and I'm sure many people would find it difficult to operate.

From a manufacturing standpoint, having a single, simple configuration makes sense even though it doesn't take advantage of all available functions. More complexity slows down the line and adds to the possibility of getting something wrong.

I'd recommend turning on the furnace if you expect temps to go below 40 (F). If the heat pump and furnace are controlled by different thermostats, you could turn them both on and adjust the furnace thermostat a few degrees cooler than the heat pump thermostat. Then if temps drop below 40 and the heat pump isn't providing enough heat, the furnace will come on to fill in the gap.

 

[carl.swoyer]

My original thermostat had the dehumidifier option. However they were replaced under warranty and the new thermostats​ no longer have the dehumidifier option's, and I was told that it is no longer available.

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