8289WS another trip

[PhoneDude 8289]

Just got back from a quick 10 day trip to So Texas. Went to Kemah, one of our favorites, Galveston and down to Padre Island. Close to 1000 mi round trip and enjoyed every mile. A bit cool while we were down there more so in the evening and at night. Only problem if you can call it that was the thermostat. Got way too cool before the heat came on and too hot before it shut down. Seems like about a 3* temp swing either way from setpoint. This will be corrected when I replace the analog stat with a digital, had to do that on my Cougar we had. So far we have about 2500 miles logged with our new Rockwood. We love 8289WS and were able to take care of the few minor problems that came up. We would buy another Forest River product again.

[tomjsas]

Great to hear how much you've enjoyed yours. Can't wait for the thaw up here to start camping again. Going to uncover the beast next month come snow or no snow!

[Jjsav]

I am glad to hear someone is enjoying their 5w. We still have another month and a 1/2 to our first trip. If this snow ever melts this year.

How is that Tundra doing? Good I hope.....

[WFD]

Presley01...we have the same trailer on order...been reading alot of posts about these thermostats having too wide of a swing....thinking I may want to change that thermostat as well once we get it. What are you thinking of installing? A home thermostat, or a RV specific digital thermostat. Very happy with our digital thermostat I replaced in the house...programmed it to have a 1 degree swing. Is it as simple to do in an RV?

Rick

[RodeoGeorge]

I changed to a digital before we ever used the furnace, so didn't experience that problem.

You might look inside the thermostat and see if there is a piece of nichrome wire with a slider making contact. That is what is called the anticipator, and controls the range for the shutoff. When the furnace is on, that wire heats up ever so slightly, but enough to affect the temperature sensed by the thermostat.

Here's a link to an explanation:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-thermostat2.htm

RodeoGeorge

[PhoneDude 8289]

Originally Posted by RodeoGeorge

I changed to a digital before we ever used the furnace, so didn't experience that problem.

You might look inside the thermostat and see if there is a piece of nichrome wire with a slider making contact. That is what is called the anticipator, and controls the range for the shutoff. When the furnace is on, that wire heats up ever so slightly, but enough to affect the temperature sensed by the thermostat.

Here's a link to an explanation:

HowStuffWorks "Thermostat Controls"

RodeoGeorge

I am aware of the anticipator, didn't make hardly any difference. Either too hot or too cold before the thermostat would respond

[PhoneDude 8289]

Originally Posted by WFD

Presley01...we have the same trailer on order...been reading alot of posts about these thermostats having too wide of a swing....thinking I may want to change that thermostat as well once we get it. What are you thinking of installing? A home thermostat, or a RV specific digital thermostat. Very happy with our digital thermostat I replaced in the house...programmed it to have a 1 degree swing. Is it as simple to do in an RV?

Rick

If you buy from Lowe's or Home Depo be sure to buy one that works on it's own batteries. Houses are 24v a/c RV's are 12v d/c. I think you can buy a digital from Coleman that would be a direct replacement for the analog, more $$$. I put a Hunter on my cougar years ago, $19.00 at Wal-Mart. Looking for one in black to match the other stat on that wall. Rockwood put a digital stat for the bedroom A/C (Black) and a analog stat for the living area heat & A/C, go figure. The panel for the slide, awning control and lights is black and on that same wall.

[jeepman71]

Ughh. I have cabin fever so bad and still another month to go. I guess I will have to live vicariously through you.

[RodeoGeorge]

Originally Posted by presley01

I am aware of the anticipator, didn't make hardly any difference. Either too hot or too cold before the thermostat would respond

That brings the second most probable cause of the situation to mind, and that is air flow/movement in and around the thermostat.

To determine if this is the cause of the wide cycle range, temporarily put a digital thermometer next to the thermostat, and note the swing in temperatures between Off and On. If it is only a few degrees, and yet the remainder of the RV gets much hotter and colder, it could be because the room temperatures are not getting to the thermostat (Thermostat in a dead air zone).

That's it for my ideas. But if it is a Dead Zone, a Digital will not solve the problem.

RodeoGeorge