To AquaHot or not?

[CapnDean]

Here in South MS it seldom freezes.  However we are in for a hard freeze this Monday night.   My coach stays in the barn on my property and has 50 AMP all the time.

 

I plan to run the heat pump starting about mid day Sunday to get her up to temp on the inside.  I understand that should the temp drop low enough, the heat pump doesn't have any heat to pump.  The system calls then for the furnace to supplement and in my case with the AH in the OFF position, it wouldn't have any help.  My question>  Would it matter?

 

All I seek is for the Heat Pump to keep the interior warm enough to protect from freezing.   

outside temp should be mid 20's for 10 hours.

[96 EVO]

You have basically the same coach as me, and if I'm running heat pumps, it has never switched to AH on it's own. That is 'with' the AH boiler fluid up to temp!

Forget it if the AH heat sources are turned off. The thermostat has no way of turning any of the AH heating switches on.

[Guest Ray Davis]

The Aqua Hot is your main concern yet you have it off, why?     Turn the A/H elect on that should keep it from freezing.  Put an elect space heater inside the coach.

[Ivan K]

I just keep the AH on electric and inside thermostats at 40F. The basement heater did not even turn on, so far, as there is alway around 50 degrees by the tanks, just radiating heat from the AH. But I do have basement dialed at 45F just in case. We are in the twenties last few days here in N TX and expecting worse but the shop is in mid 30s overnight and will have to see what I need to turn on when we drop an other 20+ degrees, mainly to protect shop plumbing. Not too worried about the coach the way it is set.

[StephenW]

I agree with Ray Davis that the A/H should be left on to prevent freezing.  In my '01 Dynasty Manual it says the Heat Pump will shut off at 24deg. and not come back on till ambient temp. reaches 42deg. When between 24-42  H/P will enter a defrost cycle every 40 min.   I like to leave a elec. space heater in middle of coach and open cabinet doors especially under sinks to keep heat around piping.  I hope this helps

Appliances

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: The roof air conditioner will not operate in Heat Pump mode with ambient temperatures at or below 24o Fahrenheit.

If the heat pump mode is selected at or below 24° Fahrenheit, or if operating in Heat Pump mode and temperature drops to 24o Fahrenheit, the
air conditioner will stop Heat Pump operation and Aux Heat will be displayed. The furnace will be selected as the auxiliary heat source and will begin operation. The furnace will remain the primary heat source until ambient temperature rises above 42o Fahrenheit. When ambient temperature is between 24-42o Fahrenheit, a defrost cycle is initiated approximately every 40 minutes of compressor operation. The blower motor will stop for five minutes and Defrost will be displayed. After the defrost cycle the Heat Pump operation
will resume.

If the Aux Heat cycle is initiated and the motorhome is equipped with an Aqua-Hot, the Aqua-Hot will need to be turned ON by using the switches located in the galley. The living room and dinette heat exchanger blowers will automatically begin operation. Use the bedroom comfort control to select Zone One or Zone Two heat exchangers. The Aux Heat mode is automatically selected due to refrigerant characteristics in cold temperatures.

The roof air conditioner will operate only when the following needs have been met:

• 120 Volts AC from either shore power or the generator is supplied. • The battery cut-off switch is in the ON position and house batteries

are charged.

Thermostat Operation In Air Conditioner Mode:

The living room comfort control will operate the front roof air conditioner functions.

• Press the MODE button repeatedly until Cool is displayed.
• Set desired fan speed by pressing the FAN button.
• Set desired cooling temperature by pressing the UP or DOWN buttons.

The Bedroom comfort control will operate the rear roof air conditioner functions and the center roof air conditioner for all 43 foot models.

• Press the MODE button repeatedly until Cool is displayed.
• Pressing the FAN and MODE button simultaneously will alternate

between Zone One and Zone Two. Zone One will control the bedroom roof air conditioner and Zone Two will control the center roof air conditioner.

• Set desired fan speed by pressing the FAN button.
• Set desired cooling temperature by pressing the UP or DOWN buttons.

Operation

          

Comfort Control in air conditioner mode.

DYNASTY 4•102

 

[CapnDean]

Ok guys.  AH it is.  No heat pump.   

[Rich Cutler]

FYI  A little late.   Agree with others.  My Heat Pumps quit heating at around 40 degrees outside.

06 Windsor

[wamcneil]

13 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

You have basically the same coach as me, and if I'm running heat pumps, it has never switched to AH on it's own. 

Not sure if this entirely relevant to the conversation, but something I’ve seen only recently. 
Since upgrading to a new penguin II and CCC2, I’ve noticed that it switches itself from heat pump to AH right about freezing. The CCC2 still indicates AH, but it turns on the heat pump instead. Once ambient temp rises, the HP comes back on.
As far as I can tell, I don’t have any control of the behavior 

cheers

Walter 
 

[jfbolkovatz]

AH on electric not burner, 1500W space heater in kitchen/bath area tank heater set to 40deg. It has worked for me at 15-20 deg.- 4 days.

JoeB 03 Exec

[96 EVO]

1 hour ago, wamcneil said:

Not sure if this entirely relevant to the conversation, but something I’ve seen only recently. 
Since upgrading to a new penguin II and CCC2, I’ve noticed that it switches itself from heat pump to AH right about freezing. The CCC2 still indicates AH, but it turns on the heat pump instead. Once ambient temp rises, the HP comes back on.
As far as I can tell, I don’t have any control of the behavior 

cheers

Walter 
 

Just my experience playing with mine. Cold enough for the Duo-therm HP to go into defrost mode several times. Still wouldn't switch to 'furnace mode' on it's own.

This is with the standard 5 button thermostat.

[6Wheels]

If 50A is available, I would put a 1200W ceramic heater behind the driver set to 50 deg., with all the cabinets under sink and bath, as well as shower door open.

Second - there are tanks below, right?  Put a mini heater down there and set to low and adjust the temps to 45 deg.  I put it it my wet bay.

We've been doing this for 8 years with no issues down to 20 deg.  Add a third heater in the bath if it goes below 20.

[Denny Wagaman]

I have put 2 heaters in the basement, light in the water bay. AH on and 70 degree heat why not. If inside a garage and you can’t run AH use ceramic heaters but I run heavy extension cords to outside power outlets. 

[jfbolkovatz]

Denny,

Use the AH 1500W electric element for the basement storage bays 1 ceramic in the bath kitchen and bedroom keeps us above 40 degrees. 40 ft. 2 slide.

JoeB 03 Exec