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Old 12-03-2017, 10:17 AM   #21
sonofcy
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The air conditioner not the thermostat. The heat strip is in the AC unit.

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Since I wasn't positive what a heat strip was I googled it and on Camping World the description says it is NOT for ducted units which ours is. That strip goes in the distribution box in the ceiling that I do not have.

The only other time I have heard the phrase 'heat strip' is in connection with a heat pump. It is a simple resistive heater that kicks in around 40F roughly. It is the AUX circuit/light.

I will go up on the roof and see if I can see anything and take pictures if I do. I am also going to try out my new inspection cam to see if I can determine a make/model of the HVAC controller the 'thermostat' talks to.
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Old 12-03-2017, 03:05 PM   #22
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Another thing to note about the 4 wire comm cable that looks like a conventional phone cable, it is not the same, but is special for the RV system. Our unit has the Dometic single thermostat that controls both AC units as well as the furnace. The comm cable goes from the thermostat to the rear AC, which is dip switch identified as unit 1. The unit 1 box also has a cable that goes to the furnace. Then from that control box under the unit, another comm cable goes to the front AC, which is dip switch identified as unit 2. Because there is only one thermostat in this system, there is a remote temperature sensor on the ceiling of the front bedroom, and the thermostat senses the temperature in the rest of the trailer. The thermostat and the control boxes are together called a CCC II system by Dometic. They got away from using a single thermostat due to problems operating these units and went to two thermostats. It sounds like the new systems are still using the same comm cables which are not the same as a residential AC system wiring.
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Old 12-03-2017, 03:12 PM   #23
sonofcy
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Another thing to note about the 4 wire comm cable that looks like a conventional phone cable, it is not the same, but is special for the RV system. Our unit has the Dometic single thermostat that controls both AC units as well as the furnace. The comm cable goes from the thermostat to the rear AC, which is dip switch identified as unit 1. The unit 1 box also has a cable that goes to the furnace. Then from that control box under the unit, another comm cable goes to the front AC, which is dip switch identified as unit 2. Because there is only one thermostat in this system, there is a remote temperature sensor on the ceiling of the front bedroom, and the thermostat senses the temperature in the rest of the trailer. The thermostat and the control boxes are together called a CCC II system by Dometic. They got away from using a single thermostat due to problems operating these units and went to two thermostats. It sounds like the new systems are still using the same comm cables which are not the same as a residential AC system wiring.
Ours is a 2 thermostat system each thermostat having 3 wires. Once I can get a schematic of the control box I expect to see 'conventional' HVAC wiring. The one difference may be 12V vs 24V but that is easily dealt with.
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Old 12-03-2017, 04:34 PM   #24
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Since I wasn't positive what a heat strip was I googled it and on Camping World the description says it is NOT for ducted units which ours is. That strip goes in the distribution box in the ceiling that I do not have.

The only other time I have heard the phrase 'heat strip' is in connection with a heat pump. It is a simple resistive heater that kicks in around 40F roughly. It is the AUX circuit/light.

I will go up on the roof and see if I can see anything and take pictures if I do. I am also going to try out my new inspection cam to see if I can determine a make/model of the HVAC controller the 'thermostat' talks to.
There is not a heat strip in a heat pump. Try google for heat pump reversing valve, this is what you should see if it has a heat pump. Basically makes the ac run in reverse. Cold air out, warm air in.
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Old 12-03-2017, 04:41 PM   #25
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There is not a heat strip in a heat pump. Try google for heat pump reversing valve, this is what you should see if it has a heat pump. Basically makes the ac run in reverse. Cold air out, warm air in.
I am not sure what you meant but to say that a heat pump does not have a heat strip disagrees with the following which is one of many google results

Because heat pumps work by pulling heat from the air outside your home, the colder (specifically, temperatures below 40 degrees) that air is, the more difficult it is for your heat pump to operate this way. So, in addition to this heating method, most heat pumps use strips of electric heating coils as an auxiliary heating source if the unit is not able to convert the outside air quickly or efficiently enough. Heat strips are wire elements in your unit that are heated by electricity, which in turn heat the air that flows over them.

Heating air using heat strips requires much more energy, but your heat pump relies on these strips to perform certain tasks, such as defrosting your unit. But, even though it’s unavoidable (and sometimes necessary) for your heat pump to use the heat strips occasionally, there are things you can do to prevent your heat pump from using them frequently.
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Old 12-03-2017, 06:41 PM   #26
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Heat pumps in RV’s are an RV A/C “running in reverse”. There isn’t a heat strip in them that I’m aware of. They do have a temp limit and in the applications I see them used in, if the set temp is more than 5 degrees from ambient, the furnace will also operate.
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Old 12-03-2017, 07:37 PM   #27
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Sonofcy only has 1 heat pump amd one regular AC unit. From above "2 units. Main is A/C and heat pump. The bedroom is just A/C although we were under the impression it was also a heat pump. It has its own LCD thermostat. It has fan, A/C and furnace but as far as I can tell the furnace setting does nothing."

If he has a heat strip, it would be in the regular AC unit. There are several threads on the factory not connecting the plug to the heat strip.

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Old 12-03-2017, 07:54 PM   #28
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Sonofcy only has 1 heat pump amd one regular AC unit. From above "2 units. Main is A/C and heat pump. The bedroom is just A/C although we were under the impression it was also a heat pump. It has its own LCD thermostat. It has fan, A/C and furnace but as far as I can tell the furnace setting does nothing."

If he has a heat strip, it would be in the regular AC unit. There are several threads on the factory not connecting the plug to the heat strip.

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I hope it is obvious since it is the rainy season and I don't really like being on the roof. Does the A/C cover come off easily? If I get it off what am I looking for in terms of a disconnected heat strip?
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Old 12-03-2017, 07:58 PM   #29
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Replace thermostat with a NEST ?

The cover should be held on by 4 Phillips head screws. You’ll have to lift the back off first.
Model and serial number will be in plain sight and a quick call to manufacturer should verify if a heat strip was option/installed.
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Old 12-03-2017, 08:01 PM   #30
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The cover should be held on by 4 Phillips head screws. You’ll have to lift the back off first.
Model and serial number will be in plain sight and a quick call to manufacturer should verify if a heat strip was option/installed.
Great. I hear the temp is going up to 9C in a couple of days so will check it out then.
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Old 12-03-2017, 08:11 PM   #31
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I hope it is obvious since it is the rainy season and I don't really like being on the roof. Does the A/C cover come off easily? If I get it off what am I looking for in terms of a disconnected heat strip?
It should be an inside job, no worry about rain unless you have a leaky roof. :-)

Here's a video that illustrates the project. Hope it helps. Sorry, no sound.
https://youtu.be/02iIVGDk_CE

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Old 12-03-2017, 08:26 PM   #32
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It should be an inside job, no worry about rain unless you have a leaky roof. :-)

Here's a video that illustrates the project. Hope it helps. Sorry, no sound.
https://youtu.be/02iIVGDk_CE

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Not that kind of A/C, it's an outside job. Curved roof and water plus 75 years old and 14+ feet off ground is definitely worrisome.
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Old 12-03-2017, 08:41 PM   #33
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I haven’t had to replace a roof unit with the “whisper quiet” configuration, so I’m not positive how it’s held down, but I’m willing to bet the heat strip would be on the “interior” and the plug for it would be there too.
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Old 12-03-2017, 08:41 PM   #34
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Not that kind of A/C, it's an outside job. Curved roof and water plus 75 years old and 14+ feet off ground is definitely worrisome.
Uncle, I give up. Good luck.

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Old 12-03-2017, 08:49 PM   #35
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I haven’t had to replace a roof unit with the “whisper quiet” configuration, so I’m not positive how it’s held down, but I’m willing to bet the heat strip would be on the “interior” and the plug for it would be there too.
I don't know where else it would be but in the A/C unit's interior, it would short out otherwise.
It just dawned on me, I can pull the cover on the LR heat pump and see how it is put together then compare that to the MBR unit. It may not be a heat pump but could have a heat strip thus explaining the Furnace setting on the MBR thermostat. I am lookingh for doc'n to see what that says.
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Old 12-04-2017, 04:57 AM   #36
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If you have a ducted ac unit the heating element in in front of the ac coil. Take the top off the unit and remove the black foam case and you should see it.

A heat pump in the rv is setup where the aux is the furnace. Once below 40 degrees or so the heatpump isnt efficent and cuts off and switches to the furnace.

In a house the aux could be heat strips or a gas furnace.




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Old 12-04-2017, 06:27 AM   #37
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I haven’t had to replace a roof unit with the “whisper quiet” configuration, so I’m not positive how it’s held down, but I’m willing to bet the heat strip would be on the “interior” and the plug for it would be there too.
They are screwed down with 4 lag bolt, from the top. Actually easier to remove than the old style with interior (clamp style) register. Conversations I have had with my dealer and with Keystone who both have stated there is NO heat strip. Here is a service manual for a dometic ac/heatpump. http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/acservice.pdf Check out page 23 and it should explain it. Your model may vary, but principle is the same.
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Old 12-04-2017, 08:37 AM   #38
sonofcy
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If you have a ducted ac unit the heating element in in front of the ac coil. Take the top off the unit and remove the black foam case and you should see it.

A heat pump in the rv is setup where the aux is the furnace. Once below 40 degrees or so the heatpump isnt efficent and cuts off and switches to the furnace.

In a house the aux could be heat strips or a gas furnace.




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It's been below 40 a lot here and at the moment it's 35 and the heat pump is working just fine. I thought when the heat pump wasn't efficient at low temps that a heat strip augmented it. In any case, well below 40 and heating is only heat pump at the moment.
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Old 12-04-2017, 08:40 AM   #39
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It's been below 40 a lot here and at the moment it's 35 and the heat pump is working just fine. I thought when the heat pump wasn't efficient at low temps that a heat strip augmented it. In any case, well below 40 and heating is only heat pump at the moment.


If youll notice that the inside fan will stop. Thats the defrost. Then once it gets out of defrost it will resume.

Im not sure of the tempature at which it stops. But was thinking ours was in the 30s.


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Old 12-04-2017, 08:45 AM   #40
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They are screwed down with 4 lag bolt, from the top. Actually easier to remove than the old style with interior (clamp style) register. Conversations I have had with my dealer and with Keystone who both have stated there is NO heat strip. Here is a service manual for a dometic ac/heatpump. http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/acservice.pdf Check out page 23 and it should explain it. Your model may vary, but principle is the same.
Very strange, they say NO heat strip and prove it with a manual that has on page 30 the description of the heat strip and the instructions to diagnose it.

I also notice a reference to the 24V transformer which does mean that it may be possible to hook up the nest via conventional wiring.

Thanks for the info.
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