Electric Furnace

[jeffschropp]

Hello all,

I have a question about my electric furnace. We are camping in Northern Michigan in our 2012 Melbourne coach. We are connected to land line for power and all is well, but wondering why my furnace won't run on electric? I have the RV Comfort HP controller set on "Gas Heat" and we are warm and toasty. But when I switch the controller to "Elec Heat", the furnace doesn't blow hot air.

Since we are plugged-in, I was hoping to save propane and run on campground electric for heat, but don't understand why it won't work?

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Jeff

[ctbailey]

Sometimes "electric heat" is referring to a heat strip that is installed inside the air conditioner. Those heat strips were optional, and I'm really surprised the wall thermostat would have an electric option.

[Camper_bob]

Or is it a heat-pump? If it's a heat-pump, from what I understand, they don't work at ambient temps less than 32.

Just a thought...

[FishAr]

I'm guessing you have an electric heat pump. Heat pumps do not blow warm air, I have one in my house.
I got this from the 2012 Melbourne owners manual:

Heat pump operation
Set the thermostat for either electric or gas
heat. On the electric setting, the Polar
Mach™ heat pump will become the primary
heat source as long as the interior
temperature of the RV has not dropped 5°
below the thermostat setpoint. If this occurs,
the thermostat will automatically activate your
gas furnace. The furnace will continue as the
heat source until the thermostat setpoint has
been satisfied. At that point, the heat pump
will again become the primary heat source

http://www.jayco.com/files/downloads...ilename_36.pdf

[Robbbyr]

My previous Class C and my current Seneca both had/have heat pump A/C units. Over the years I have found that they cease working as heat pumps closer to 38 - 40 degrees versus 32 degrees outside. If my unit was in the sun they sometimes kept going a couple degrees colder.

Anyone getting them to work at colder ambient temperatures is probably lucky!

[Robbbyr]

I forgot to add that if you indeed have the heat pump and if the right operating parameters are met (not too cold outside and not excessive difference between actual and set temps as described above) the heat created won't come out of your furnace, but out of your air conditioning ducts overhead! Your furnace blower will not run except on the gas heat setting.