Furnace/heat pump operation

[Catmik]

New to forum, new to Keystone but have had 2 Surveyor trailers over the last 16 years so not new to trailering.
This third unit we purchased used (Cougar half ton 29rlkwe) a month ago and have not taken it out for a trip yet.
When checking it out in the driveway playing with stuff and doing a few mods and plugged into shore power we noticed that when running the furnace, the ac/heat pump(?) comes on too. Regardless of the settings in Command it seems the roof unit runs when the furnace does. This in itself is not really a concern however if we bush camp or boondock which we will do a fair bit here in BC power consumption will be a problem. We realize that obviously ac will not work on battery power nor will the heat pump but wonder if we can turn off the ac unit somehow?
Also, how can we tell if we do in fact even have a heat pump. The air is not cold coming out nor is it necessarily warm.

Thanks in advance for any light members might be able to shed on these questions.

[Catmik]

Good grief gotta edit profile.

Cougar half ton 29rlkwe

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

Are you sure it has a heat pump? Sounds more like the AC fan is running. Set the FAN to auto and see what happens.

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by Catmik

When checking it out in the driveway playing with stuff and doing a few mods and plugged into shore power we noticed that when running the furnace, the ac/heat pump(?) comes on too. Regardless of the settings in Command it seems the roof unit runs when the furnace does.

I don't think you have a heat pump.
In any case, I understand what your are saying.
The rooftop AC fan runs when furnace runs.

If you don't want that fan to run when the furnace is running, just make sure the "Fan" setting on the InCommand display is set to "Off".
If is set to "auto" that roof top fan will run with the furnace.

[M&M2]

Heating
1. Select the Living Room AC (Heat Pump). Press the "Mode" button to switch to "Heat" mode.
2. Press the "Source" button to select between Gas and Electric.
3. Use the "Set" up and down arrows to set the desired temperature for the zone.
4. Press the "Fan" button to switch between Off, Low, High and Auto.
5. To run Heat Pump and Furnace, select Fan to Auto position.
5.1. Heat pump only operates when room temperature is within two degrees below set point.
5.2. When room temperature is more than two degrees below set point, both Furnace and Heat Pump operates
5.3. Heat Pump is not efficient below 40 degrees outside temperature.
6. To run Furnace only, select Fan to OFF position.

[Catmik]

No not sure. When it’s cold it blows lukewarm air though. Warmer than the ambient but not much. We have a home heat pump so not unfamiliar with them.
Would like to know for sure though.

[Catmik]

Thanks all I will try what was suggested in the next few days.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Catmik

No not sure. When it’s cold it blows lukewarm air though. Warmer than the ambient but not much. We have a home heat pump so not unfamiliar with them.
Would like to know for sure though.

I don't believe the 29RKLWE has ever been marketed with a heat pump. So, unless the previous owner installed one (a good possibility that he could have upgraded if he had a warranty issue and had to replace the A/C during his ownership time)...

The reason your system is "blowing lukewarm air" is because "heat rises" and the rooftop air conditioning system picks up the "moderately warmed air from the furnace and distributes it through the ceiling ducting system".... That is "by design" and the intent was to use the air conditioner ducting to help distribute the furnace output throughout the trailer faster than the small 12 volt furnace fan and the heat ducting system can move it. That helps "warm the trailer more evenly and faster" (at least that's what the designers say)

In reality, most people disable the A/C fan so it doesn't run with the furnace mostly because of the added noise as well as the inability to use it unless connected to shore power.

While we're "at it"... Your furnace is near the center of your trailer, so there won't be a drastic difference between front and rear heat flow, but you'll find that there is somewhere between "ZERO" and "MINIMAL" air flow at the ends of the furnace duct runs. What that likely means is that you'll soon discover that there's almost no airflow in the floor registers in front bedroom. We all "face that situation" at the ends of the furnace duct runs and there's not a lot you can do to "easily fix the condition"... I say "condition" rather than "problem" because with use, most people find that it's not as big a concern as they initially thought it would be..... YMMV

[Catmik]

Thanks John. I will investigate and advise what I discover.
Cheers,
Mike.

[Catmik]

Thanks for the help all. Turns out I just turned off the fan and the furnace worked great. No ac fan now. Controls are a wee bit confusing. Now got to upgrade the floor plan now to remove the front ac if possible as do not have one.