A different AC Fan and Furnace Question

[SRWNH]

I've seen people ask similar questions, but this is kind of the opposite of the normal AC fan question. I like the AC fan running when the propane furnace is running (I like the steady noise when sleeping). In previous RVs I've had thermostats where setting the fan to auto makes this possible. However, in our 2018 Chaparrel 360 IBL, with the standard thermostat and controller I can't run the AC fan while the furnace is running on gas heat. Does anyone have a fix? I'm pretty sure I cannot just replace only the thermostat. The workaround is to use ceramic heaters and the fireplace and running the AC fan in fan only mode.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by SRWNH

I've seen people ask similar questions, but this is kind of the opposite of the normal AC fan question. I like the AC fan running when the propane furnace is running (I like the steady noise when sleeping). In previous RVs I've had thermostats where setting the fan to auto makes this possible. However, in our 2018 Chaparrel 360 IBL, with the standard thermostat and controller I can't run the AC fan while the furnace is running on gas heat. Does anyone have a fix? I'm pretty sure I cannot just replace only the thermostat. The workaround is to use ceramic heaters and the fireplace and running the AC fan in fan only mode.

Set the Fan speed to HI or LO. Setting it to AU (Auto) keeps the A/C fan from running with the furnace.


Click on this ==> #4.

[SRWNH]

Thanks. I should have been clearer. What I'm trying to say is that I have cool, heat and off modes in this system. There is no stand alone fan mode like other thermostats that I have had and I don't seem to have the option to set the fan to auto when in heat mode. I can access an auto fan setting while in the cool mode, but it gets cleared when I switch to the heat mode to turn the furnace on. I also looked through the furnace control board manual and there is no dip switch that I can find that would enable it either. I guess the ultimate question is whether or not the control board and thermostat can or should be swapped out.

[Bama Rambler]

Can you tell us which brand and model thermostat you have?
It may also help if you could post a picture of it.

[5picker]

I've seen this accomplished using two thermostats.

My buddy did this by replacing the Coleman Mach analog thermostat with a digital one and then separated the furnace control wires and used the analog thermostat for the furnace only.

I would also believe (again for those units using Coleman A/C units) that a switch could be wired at the thermostat to run the A/C fan only.

I'm guessing a switch from the red 12v+ wire to either the green or grey fan wires would do the trick.

[SRWNH]

Attached is a photo of the thermostat, an RVComfort.ZC. Also attached is the listing of possible thermostat modes from the owner's manual. You can see that the fan can be energized without the AC running in cool mode. The heat mode is either nothing operational or gas heat energized, but nowhere can the fan be energized. Makes no sense to me why the fan cannot be used in heat mode for circulation.


edit: The fan CAN be energized when using the heat strip, and needs to be, but not when using gas.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by 5picker

I've seen this accomplished using two thermostats.

My buddy did this by replacing the Coleman Mach analog thermostat with a digital one and then separated the furnace control wires and used the analog thermostat for the furnace only.

I would also believe (again for those units using Coleman A/C units) that a switch could be wired at the thermostat to run the A/C fan only.

I'm guessing a switch from the red 12v+ wire to either the green or grey fan wires would do the trick.

5Picker has it right--has given you almost all the information you need. Find the manual or installation guide for the thermostat. As he showed, it will have a list of terminal numbers and/or wire colors and what they do.

What you need to do is

• Add a wall mount switch like this one next to the thermostat.
• Dismount the thermostat from the wall, so it's hanging by the wires
• Cut a piece of wire about 2 feet long
• Connect one end of the wire to the +12 terminal on the thermostat
• Connect the other end of the wire to the Fan High or Fan Low terminal on the thermostat
• Poke the end of the looped wire into the wall
• Make a hole, maybe 3/4" in diameter in the wall. You will mount the new switch over this hole
• Reach into the hole with a stiff hooked wire. Hook the looped wire and pull it out of the hole
• Cut the loop and connect each of the ends to a terminal on the switch
• Mount the switch to the wall

Larry

[T1545jh]

I also have a 360ibl. I understand your frustration with the fan issues as it is one of my biggest complaints with this model. My other 2 gripes would be the fact that the temp sensor for "zone 2" is in the hallway as well as the bedroom light switch. So, if your door is closed you can't turn the lights on or off and it's extremely hard to regulate the bedroom temperature. I have already relocated the light switch and temperature sensor into the bedroom. As far as the AC fan goes, my plan was to mount a white switch on the AC cover above the bed that will turn just the fan on. I have not looked at the wiring yet, but I'm sure it's possible to tie into the wires coming from the thermostat and "jumper" the fan on.

[Bama Rambler]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

5Picker has it right--has given you almost all the information you need. Find the manual or installation guide for the thermostat. As he showed, it will have a list of terminal numbers and/or wire colors and what they do.

What you need to do is

• Add a wall mount switch like this one next to the thermostat.
• Dismount the thermostat from the wall, so it's hanging by the wires
• Cut a piece of wire about 2 feet long
• Connect one end of the wire to the +12 terminal on the thermostat
• Connect the other end of the wire to the Fan High or Fan Low terminal on the thermostat
• Poke the end of the looped wire into the wall
• Make a hole, maybe 3/4" in diameter in the wall. You will mount the new switch over this hole
• Reach into the hole with a stiff hooked wire. Hook the looped wire and pull it out of the hole
• Cut the loop and connect each of the ends to a terminal on the switch
• Mount the switch to the wall

Larry

It's going to be a little different than this because this particular thermostat uses digital communication to the A/C and there are no wires for the fan. However, There are individual wires for the heat functions, so you could use a separate heat only thermostat for the furnace and then set the RVComfort.ZC thermostat to fan only. You need to go into the programming to figure out which heat source the furnace is wired as (heat 1 or heat 2).

[chaps2018]

WATCHING: Another happy 360IBL owner who's wife is interested any solutions.

[SRWNH]

T1545jh - Ah yes, same complaints here, but other than those I really love this camper! We at times sleep with the bedroom door open but also the bathroom door wide open, blocking off the hallway. Makes for a master suite and set up like this the thermostat kind of works better.

Thanks all for the input about a work around. A second thermostat for heat only might do the trick. It seems that it would have been easy for the manufacturer to program in the stock thermostat. Not sure I'm ready to do this mod quite yet, but its something to consider! Maybe I just need to bring a desk fan for noise!

[chaps2018]

Originally Posted by SRWNH

T1545jh - ...I really love this camper!...

We really like ours too. We just finished the 1 year mark on our 2018. We spent 80 nights in it and hauled it 7k miles.

Replace the tires as soon as possible. I balanced them as soon as we brought the rig home. We had two drivers side blowouts within 30min of each other at about 5500 miles. The tires were reimbursed under Lionshead warranty but the damage to the rig was not.

PS: I am meticulous on tire pressure and use TPMS
PSS: Etrailer has the rims for about $115. I bought two, one to replace the white spare and put the 2nd in spare carrier I mounted in the front of the rig.

[dward51]

Originally Posted by SRWNH

I've seen people ask similar questions, but this is kind of the opposite of the normal AC fan question. I like the AC fan running when the propane furnace is running (I like the steady noise when sleeping).

Let me toss out an alternative to the AC fan for sleep noise. Look at a device made by Marpac called the Dohm Sound Machine. We use the Dohm Classic model (about $45, but right now they are 20% off at the maker's site). It's small and uses moving air combined with the housing design to create an adjustable masking sound.

I first used one when I was working nights and weekends. When trying to sleep during the day, there was the inevitable neighbor lawn mower, cars and other sounds that kept me awake. The gentle "whoosh" sound totally masks that and even the sound of the wife watching TV through the wall in the other room.

We love it so much, we have 2 of them. That way I have one to take with me when I travel for work.

There are a number of videos on youtube and the device is very simple in it's operation. It's basically a running fan inside a housing designed with slots and holes in a pattern with adjustments to the exposed area to tweak the sound. Ours has 2 speeds, but low is plenty for us.

[SRWNH]

Update! By mistake I found out a solution to my fan issue. To keep the AC fan running in fan mode in the bedroom while the propane heat is on, I set the living area thermostat to gas heat and set the bedroom thermostat to electric heat. The gas furnace still heats the bedroom but the AC fan always stays on even when the gas furnace cycles off.

[Bama Rambler]

Thanks for letting is know how you found a workaround.

[T1545jh]

Originally Posted by SRWNH

Update! By mistake I found out a solution to my fan issue. To keep the AC fan running in fan mode in the bedroom while the propane heat is on, I set the living area thermostat to gas heat and set the bedroom thermostat to electric heat. The gas furnace still heats the bedroom but the AC fan always stays on even when the gas furnace cycles off.

Great find! I will try this in the spring when it comes out of winter storage. Thanks.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by SRWNH

Update! By mistake I found out a solution to my fan issue. To keep the AC fan running in fan mode in the bedroom while the propane heat is on, I set the living area thermostat to gas heat and set the bedroom thermostat to electric heat. The gas furnace still heats the bedroom but the AC fan always stays on even when the gas furnace cycles off.

Do you suppose that the bedroom AC is running strip heaters when you do that? (They are electric coils like those in a toaster, mounted in the AC.)

If you are on metered service, you will notice that they use a lot of electricity. And you may find that you can't run all your other high-wattage appliances (microwave, toaster, coffeemaker) at the same time when it is on.

[T1545jh]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Do you suppose that the bedroom AC is running strip heaters when you do that? (They are electric coils like those in a toaster, mounted in the AC.)

If you are on metered service, you will notice that they use a lot of electricity. And you may find that you can't run all your other high-wattage appliances (microwave, toaster, coffeemaker) at the same time when it is on.

I believe they are capable of running strip heaters but don’t have them installed from the factory. You have the option (elect heat) on the thermostat Incase they are ever added.