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Old 04-06-2014, 02:20 PM   #1
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heat pump

First time out with out 2014 3010DS this weekend and everything went well until last night. I was using the heat pump all weekend, but woke at 2:30AM freezing. Could not get heat pump to come on. Not sure what temp was, but was forecast to be mid 20's. Switched on furnace and no problem. This am, warmed up pretty quick, when outside temp was in low 40's, tried the heat pump again, and it worked fine. I think I had temp set at 68 overnite. When I turned it on this morning, I turned it up to 75 and it came on. Did I have it set too low overnite, or does it not work when temp is below a certain level?
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Old 04-06-2014, 02:33 PM   #2
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If the air temp dropped below 40 F. the heat pump will not work.

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Heat pumps are an option on many motorhomes. All they really are is extra mods made to the existing air conditioners. In effect, the heat transfer is backwards and the heat from the "outside" is being pumped, or transferred, to the "inside". Heat pumps are not a very efficient method of heating. But, when it isn't all that cold out and you have shore power available, it can be a source of free heat. Heat pumps also work on a temperature differential and their basic inefficiency makes it even tighter than when cooling.
Heat pumps do not work in cold temperatures. Once it gets down to 40 degrees you'll be hard pressed to get the coach warmed up to much more than 60 degrees inside. As the temperature outside drops even further, so does your ability to heat the interior. Furthermore you can damage the compressor when running at low temps. The oil in the compressor is designed to lubricate it at high ambient temperatures, when it's hot outside. Accordingly, it must be a pretty thick lubricant to keep it from breaking down in the heat. That same heavy viscosity works against it when the temps go down and the oil gets very thick. Running in the heat pump mode at very cold temperatures is not only inefficient, but damaging to the compressor. For this reason heat pump manufacturers put low temperature cutoff switches on their systems. Typically these will prevent operation below 40 degrees.
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Old 04-06-2014, 02:42 PM   #3
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My heat pump (2014) cuts out around 32 degrees. I keep a little portable electric heater for nights below 32. We were 29 degrees last night and had the little electric going with the furnace as backup. I think the furnace came on twice set at 70.
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Old 04-06-2014, 04:17 PM   #4
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I've never had a heat pump on an rv before, and wondered about a limiting sensor. I was going to call dealer tomorrow. Thanks for the info.
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Old 04-06-2014, 04:32 PM   #5
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the sensor is built into the heat pump. mine turns on a heat strip to keep the air warm during low temp and when the unit goes into defrost mode. the ones installed now (some anyway) automatically switch to gas frunace when the temp is too low for the heat pump.
my heat pump is supposed to not work below 40. i believe it actually will go down to abt 35. mine has not been wired to turn the furnace on.

sounds like your sensors are working fine.
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