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10-01-2020, 07:47 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Beverly
Posts: 4
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Heat pump switching to gas by itself
My 2020 InCommand system is switching the heat pump to gas funace operation. I see the setting on the screen for Electric vs Gas and I have the electric choice on, but the system automatically switches to gas even though I haven't done anything to the settings.
Can anyone provide any insight? Thanks.
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10-01-2020, 08:25 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Canton
Posts: 289
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I'm curious on the "heat pump" electric option. Is there a heating element in your A/C unit?
My best estimate may be temps low enough the heat pump can't maintain, so it overrides to maintain selected temp.
__________________
Eddy
2019 GMC Sierra 2500HD 6.0L
2020 Cougar 32BHS
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10-01-2020, 08:27 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,714
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rwsjms
My 2020 InCommand system is switching the heat pump to gas funace operation. I see the setting on the screen for Electric vs Gas and I have the electric choice on, but the system automatically switches to gas even though I haven't done anything to the settings.
Can anyone provide any insight? Thanks.
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Have you confirmed that your trailer has a heat pump? Often times displays will show an option if you have that option or not.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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10-01-2020, 08:28 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 105
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ewbldavis
I'm curious on the "heat pump" electric option. Is there a heating element in your A/C unit?
My best estimate may be temps low enough the heat pump can't maintain, so it overrides to maintain selected temp.
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I believe that the system is programmed to work that way. The heat pump, which is basically the A/C working in reverse, becomes very inefficient at ambient temperatures below about 40-45*F. When the heat pump is unable to keep up with the demand for heat, the system automatically switches from heat pump mode to furnace mode.
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10-01-2020, 08:28 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Beverly
Posts: 4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ewbldavis
I'm curious on the "heat pump" electric option. Is there a heating element in your A/C unit?
My best estimate may be temps low enough the heat pump can't maintain, so it overrides to maintain selected temp.
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Heat pump comes with the rear a/c unit. Yes, that was my first thought but the temp wasn't that cold. I'm going to dig into the manuals and see if there is a reason it is switching automatically.
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10-01-2020, 08:32 AM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Beverly
Posts: 4
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Yes it does. It was working for a while and then just switched over to gas. Not sure if the system is set up that way or if there is a malfunction.
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10-01-2020, 10:27 AM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,235
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Does it turn off the heat pump? I have seen where it will run the heat pump and the furnace if the temp requested was more than 5 degrees above ambient.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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10-01-2020, 12:51 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rwsjms
Yes it does. It was working for a while and then just switched over to gas. Not sure if the system is set up that way or if there is a malfunction.
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In a much cooler state, I once had a residential heat pump that would automatically kick in electric heat strips if it sensed the heat pump was fighting a losing battle. I'm guessing yours is set up the same way.
__________________
2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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10-01-2020, 01:07 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 7
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The InCommand system has a few people fooled. Are you sure that you have the heat pump option installed on your a/c unit? I don't think I do, but when I set the InCommand to the heat function, I have to ensure that the "fan" button is set to auto, if it's set to "low" or "high," the A/c unit fan will stay on forever. The furnace will cycle on & off as needed to maintain the set temperature.
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10-01-2020, 01:12 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,714
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A lot of residential heat pumps have freeze sensors on the coils and other control parameters to call for supplemental heat (often electric induction coils). That said, I think a heat pump in a trailer is a waste. IMO a small heater (either ceramic or oil filled) will produce better results.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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10-01-2020, 01:20 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lfd311
The InCommand system has a few people fooled. Are you sure that you have the heat pump option installed on your a/c unit? I don't think I do, but when I set the InCommand to the heat function, I have to ensure that the "fan" button is set to auto, if it's set to "low" or "high," the A/c unit fan will stay on forever. The furnace will cycle on & off as needed to maintain the set temperature.
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Well, actually, one would expect that behavior. It's to distribute the heat evenly around the rig, if that's an issue.
Where the Spanish Inquisition comes in is that if you set the fan "Off" in furnace, it stays ON! Only in "Auto" will it go off. And it's not inCommand's fault, it's the way the Dometic gateway functions. inCommand actually documents this here (last line under Heating).
__________________
2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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10-01-2020, 01:37 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Clinton
Posts: 184
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We have the heat pump installed in the rear ac unit with our Alpine. The heat pump works excellent and in south Texas it really works well with electricity rates cheap and higher priced propane. When we were up north the heat pump performed very good until temperatures dropped into the thirties. I can't ever remember our unit switching to the propane heater when heat pump was in use. I had to switch it via the In command from electric heat to gas. As far as using the heat pump in warmer temps and cheaper electricity in rv parks it's a no brainer. Sure beats electric space heaters. That is until it gets really cold then its the propane furnace for sure.
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10-01-2020, 01:53 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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Didn't have InCommand, but did have 1 of the 2 acs a heat pump. If the tstat was set 3 to 5 degrees of the inside temp shown on the tstat the furnace & the hp would start, once the temp stabilized to set temp the hp would run til it could no longer keep at set temp then furnace would take over.
We really liked the hp, if ordering another 5th wheel both acs would be hps. We tried very hard not to be anywhere that the hp & the fireplace wouldn't be plenty of heat.
__________________
Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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10-01-2020, 02:35 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Home, Idaho
Posts: 2,977
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Not sure what year your RV is or what version of in command... Global or lower version....
I’d review this link......
https://in-command.net/wp-content/up...3-HVAC-QRG.pdf
My Alpine has Zone 1 with heat pump and if I set the mode to Auto the thermostat in conjunction with outside ambient air temp sensed by Zone 1 control module will decide whether to fire up the HP or the Furnace
__________________
2007 GMC Classic club cab 4x4 Duramax LBZ
2014 Alpine 3010 RE. 34 foot fifth wheel
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