Another dumb question - heat pump VS gas heater

[BBogey]

OK, so we looked in the manual for the answer, but like many things, we are not finding it.

We ordered our coach with the heat pump - it was my understanding that it works off electricity, and the regular furnace setting works off propane. I believe there are other things that make the heat pump different, but the electric VS propane is our big question.

ALSO, can you just be plugged into 110 (not a 30 amp service) and run the heat pump?

As always, thanks!!!!

Bogey

[lugoismad]

heat pump is basically running your AC in reverse. Outside gets cold, inside gets hot. So yes. I would say you could run it off the same electric you can run your AC.

[Skyliner]

A heat pump is basically an air-conditioner that runs in reverse. It extracts heat from the outside and blows it inside while an air conditioner extracts heat form the inside and blows it outside.

The colder the outside temperature, the less efficient the heat pump is. At very cold temperatures you are better off using propane in an RV to get the interior up to a comfortable temperature.

A 30 amp service is 110 volts (actually 120 volts ac). To determine if you can run it on a 20 amp line at your home, you'd have to know how much current the heat pump uses.

[Timtation]

Heat pump break-even temperature is about 40F.

[BooBoo23]

When the outside temp is below 40 degrees you will need another heat source, electric fireplace, electric oil heater (great constant heat, just hard to store when not in use). A heat pump will pull the same amps as a AC so it would be best to be on 30A service. I don't have a heat pump and just use the furnace to heat the RV fast and then switch it off and maintain the temp with an electric heater. You can use the furnace (propane) without being on 110V service providing you have ample battery since the fan will be running. The best advice is don't go where it is cold, HA.

[KJcachers]

and the heat pump is a lot noisier than the propane furnace! it's fine for taking the chill off when first arriving at a campground in the spring or fall but we will use a small ceramic space heater or the propane furnace when it's bed time!

[SeaDog]

A heat pump is a AC unit with a reversing valve, the very best a heat pump can do is rase the ambient air temp 20* without emergency heat strips. A propane furnace will rase the ambient air 40 to 80*. because it is an AC unit you need ah family heavy circuit to run it or you run the risk of ruining your compressor or blowing circuits.

[Boso]

You will need 30 amp service or it will blow breaker after the wires heat up,also works very well unless its real cold outside. Real cold to me is mid thirtys or lower.Maybe a bit warmer 38 degrees or so

[conceptumator]

If you set your unit on Heat fir the heat pump (ours is the front unit; rear is AC only), the heat pump will warm until outside temp hits 32F. At that point, it will automatically switch over to the gas furnace. Best thing about the heat pump is you can warm things up when it's not too cold and not use up all your LP. Also, when we're in a season or location where you may need heat in the morning and cool in the afternoon (like a Texas!), we set the heat pump to auto mode and all us well for the pooch staying in the coach when we're gone.

[BBogey]

Thanks for all the replies. We've got it figured when and when not to use it, and it sounds like I can't just plug it into the regular old outset on the side of the house to run heat pump - need 30 amp hook up for that... bummer.


Thanks!

[conceptumator]

I wouldn't be o sure you can't do that. You can run the A/C (one unit) on the single 20A circuit. A heat pump doesn't have any electric coils for heating, so it doesn't draw any more amps than the AC side. Just don't plan on using the microwave at the same time. Also, be sure you have a good heavy cord for it. I ran our old RV's AC in our drive on the 110V outlet for three years without any issues.

[Retired JSO]

A heat pump draws the same amps in heat or cool. I ran mine on a 20 amp circuit with a #10 extension cord. There are no heat strips in a heat pump. An a/c with heat strips is only 1400 watts on heat.

[wvufan1958]

Yea I've been running my furnace and letting exhaust fan take out the fumes...since its new . To burn off that oil ...new smell. Winter is coming what a bummer. Time to head to the mountains...🏂⛷🎿. Good travels everyone...


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[Kirk S]

Before I installed our 30 amp rv receptacle I plugged our rig into the 20 amp gfci receptacle on our porch using an adapter cord. Curious how many amps the ac/heat pump actually used, I inserted a Kill-a-watt unit between the rv & porch plug. Before turning anything on, the rv was pulling 4.5 amps, probably the fridge and converter. After turning on the AC I was drawing 16.7 amps and heat pump, which I expected to be the same, was a few tenths of an amp higher.

[jrwalkerpa1]

Originally Posted by BBogey

Thanks for all the replies. We've got it figured when and when not to use it, and it sounds like I can't just plug it into the regular old outset on the side of the house to run heat pump - need 30 amp hook up for that... bummer.


Thanks!

You can run the heat pump on a 20 amp circuit just fine as long as you don't try to run anything else in the RV except a few lights. And, make sure nothing else in the house, garage etc is on that 20 amp,circuit.

Just get a good quality dog bone type adapter that will make the transition from your 30 amp power cord to the 20 amp outlet. And, of course, make sure it's really a 20 amp outlet, not a 15.

[BBogey]

Thanks!