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Old 10-01-2020, 07:47 AM   #1
rwsjms
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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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Old 10-01-2020, 08:25 AM   #2
ewbldavis
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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.
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Old 10-01-2020, 08:27 AM   #3
flybouy
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Originally Posted by rwsjms View Post
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.
Have you confirmed that your trailer has a heat pump? Often times displays will show an option if you have that option or not.
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Old 10-01-2020, 08:28 AM   #4
Tom N OH
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Originally Posted by ewbldavis View Post
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.
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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Old 10-01-2020, 08:28 AM   #5
rwsjms
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Originally Posted by ewbldavis View Post
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.

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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Old 10-01-2020, 08:32 AM   #6
rwsjms
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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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Old 10-01-2020, 10:27 AM   #7
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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.
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Old 10-01-2020, 12:51 PM   #8
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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.
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.
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Old 10-01-2020, 01:07 PM   #9
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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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Old 10-01-2020, 01:12 PM   #10
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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.
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Old 10-01-2020, 01:20 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by lfd311 View Post
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.
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).
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Old 10-01-2020, 01:37 PM   #12
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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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Old 10-01-2020, 01:53 PM   #13
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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.
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Old 10-01-2020, 02:35 PM   #14
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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
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