Heat pump vs propane furnace usage

wagonmaster2 · 04-10-2009, 10:43 AM

This question is for those of you who have the basement air conditioner unit with heat pump. Considering the fact that using the heat pump is also wearing on the air conditioner, if outside temps permit using the heat pump do you use it or use the furnace? Its definitely much easier to buy propane than to have the basement unit worked on, and when the heat pump goes out we don't have any air conditioner either. I know its always tempting to use the heat pump especially when 50A is available in the campground.

How long and how much usage can we expect from this unit? At what age of the coach have most of you had to have this basement unit worked on?

This is my first basement unit and it has always bothered me that the heater and air conditioner are all one unit, if one goes out the other one won't work either. I've always had coaches with 2 roof airs so I always had a back-up if one crashed.

Thanks for any input on this.

Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

dirko · 04-10-2009, 11:53 AM

Hi Ho: The problem is that the range of temperatures when the heat pump can be used is not always available. The heat pump doesn't heat the storage compartments, so if freezing is a problem, the propane furnace must be used.

Having said that, I would always use the heat pump above 40 deg. F. Anything can wear out or break, including the propane furnace. I would simply look at having to service the heat pump as an opportunity to take the thing apart and fix it. Aren't motorhomes fun?

Dirk

CaptBill · 04-10-2009, 12:19 PM

Agree with Dirk, completely. We use the HP all the time, temps permitting. Atleast I know the reversing valve (the only real difference from an A/C), isn't stuck. Mine is an '02, and it's never been worked on. (I hope that didn't jinx me

I think that things keep working better when they are used, than when the sit, unused. Stop worrying about it, and enjoy your coach.

John-D · 04-10-2009, 02:41 PM

A good heat pump will know when to give up (Not all are good)

I'd use the heat pump. Frankly most Air Conditioners do not so much "Wear out" as Corrode out (Save for the blower, and with basement air it's often easy to replace)

Rockhouse · 04-10-2009, 04:08 PM

Me Too. I use the heat pump, and therefore some one elses electricity

, all I can.

RCtime · 04-10-2009, 05:04 PM

Heat pump for me when temps are 40 above. It seems to heat my coach faster than the propane furnace. I have a 2002 and I dont think that it is worn out by a long shot.l
Use it and enjoy, dont let the little things in life bog you down.

KIX · 04-10-2009, 08:25 PM

We too use the basement unit in all weather except below about 37*. I recently changed out the indoor blower wheel because of excess noise outside. While I had it apart I also changed the bearings out to sealed ones rather than the original ones that require lube annually (read the manual). The project was very easy and took about 4 hours from start to finish and about $80 in parts. Plus I was able to clean it thoroughly.

wagonmaster2 · 04-10-2009, 09:06 PM

Kix - How did you get to the inside blower? Do you have to drop and pull out the whole basement unit to get to it or is it reachable from inside the coach?

Wagonmaster2

KIX · 04-10-2009, 09:10 PM

Wagonmaster, The inside blower and the outside blower are both inside the unit. You have to eitherr drop the A/C or like in my case slide it out the side of the compartment. then remove about 30 screws and the top comes off exposing both blowers. Be sure to change out the bearings to sealed units while in there.

wagonmaster2 · 04-10-2009, 09:32 PM

Wow- They don't make anything easy to work on with these RVs do they? Not having a high-end coach I'm sure mine won't have a slide-out for the air conditioner so to drop something that size down the bottom sounds like a job for a shop. I have done all my other maintenance so far but that may be a little bit beyond my ability.
Thanks for the information Kix.

Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

Izzyblueye · 04-11-2009, 05:28 AM

Don't worry about wearing your heat pump out by using it. It was built to do the job. I have used mine constantly over 8 years and it is still as quiet as a hush. One of the best things they ever put in an RV.

robbstein · 04-11-2009, 07:59 AM

We've used our Heat Pump whenever possible over the years. The coach has 86,000 miles on it now, and has seen lots of hot and freezing weather. I let the unit decide when it wants to switch to propane - the automatic lockout on the unit when it can't get enough heat to work properly - generally around 37 degrees depending on humidity. Never had a problem with it. Except for heating the storage areas, the heat pump does a better job of distributing heat in the coach.

BugSlayer · 04-11-2009, 08:33 AM

We use the heat pump whenever possible during the day. Once we turn in for the night, the heat pump in our '05 Journey is so noisy that there is no way you can sleep through a cycle so I generally turn it off, set the furnace low and pile on the blankets.

hamguy · 04-11-2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIX

Wagonmaster, The inside blower and the outside blower are both inside the unit. You have to eitherr drop the A/C or like in my case slide it out the side of the compartment. then remove about 30 screws and the top comes off exposing both blowers. Be sure to change out the bearings to sealed units while in there.

Somewhere on this forum there is a step by step pictorial instruction guide on removing, repairing and replacing the RVP unit. So simple even a cave man can do it. BUT, since they altered the forum software, I have NO IDEA how to find it.

ADMINS...HELP.

dirko · 04-11-2009, 10:43 AM

Hi Ho Hamguy: Bill Elsenpeter (Duner) posted a great tutorial on basement a/c R and R and service last July. If you do a search on his username it will pop up. Just be sure you are on the WI Forum (not a thread). Let me know if you have problems finding it and I can send you the PDF.

Dirk

kd9877 · 04-11-2009, 12:26 PM

Duner was the one who added this to the forum. It has a picture by picture of what to do.

AFChap · 04-11-2009, 05:31 PM

We run the heat pump both day and night as long as temps allow, and have for the 6 yrs and 50k mikes we have owned the coach. The "rumble" underneath doesn't bother our sleep. In warm weather, we turn the fan to the "on" position to provide "white noise" during the night, but that doesn't work in the heat pump setting. In '05 we had to replace one blower motor, and in '06 the other. Other than those instances, it has worked great.

mygrayhound · 04-11-2009, 08:24 PM

wagonmaster2
I'm with BugSlayer. There is a fairly constant "hum" when the HP is on in my unit. Doesn't seem like anything is worn or wrong-just can't get used to the noticable sound when trying to sleep. Plus-that propane sure warms the place up nice!
Gene

wagonmaster2 · 04-11-2009, 10:17 PM

Thanks Guys for all the input. Makes me feel much better about using the HP. Our coach is 5 years old and we usually take a couple of 2 month vacations a year so looks like I can expect several more years of usage.
Found Duner's instructions for removal, definitely doesn't sound all that easy but is doable. That cave man would have to be pretty good with his hands and tools, I'll have to see if I can find him cause he's better at this stuff than I am.

Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

DeanLinAZ · 04-11-2009, 10:25 PM

We always use our HP for heating unless the outside temperature is below about 40F, then the furnace kicks in to help out. Not very often here in Arizona. Coach tim e is five years and 46,000 miles.

I think our HP blower is quieter than the furnace blower.