Thermostat control help needed

[94-Newmar]

Originally Posted by NeilV

With that info on the stove and outside temps you may not have gotten the winter blend of propane where you last filled your tank. Summer blend is a different mix of gases and will not provide enough pressure to run things effectively when it gets around freezing or below outside.

Highly doubtful unless they filled up somewhere in Central America or Australia :-) Propane here in the US (perhaps Canada too) never contains more than about 3% Butane in the mix, as that is how it's been approved for transport and set up in the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets as HD-5) clearly showing a -44F boiling point. Besides, even though the boiling point of LPG is around -44F it will still flow just fine for anything we'd use in an RV since the consumption rate is so low. If you have a 500,000BTU draw then you would most likely start to have issues at -30 or so as the rate of "boil" decreases the closer we get to it's liquid temp below -40F. Just think.. if we were far enough up north in -50F weather, we could carry LPG around in a 5 gallon container as liquid!

[dsbike]

Originally Posted by 94-Newmar

Highly doubtful unless they filled up somewhere in Central America or Australia :-) Propane here in the US (perhaps Canada too) never contains more than about 3% Butane in the mix, as that is how it's been approved for transport and set up in the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets as HD-5) clearly showing a -44F boiling point. Besides, even though the boiling point of LPG is around -44F it will still flow just fine for anything we'd use in an RV since the consumption rate is so low. If you have a 500,000BTU draw then you would most likely start to have issues at -30 or so as the rate of "boil" decreases the closer we get to it's liquid temp below -40F. Just think.. if we were far enough up north in -50F weather, we could carry LPG around in a 5 gallon container as liquid!

I agree with you on paper about the flow rates & cold temps. However maybe you can explain this, Last week I go out and look at my 40lb bottle with a gauge and it shows empty, it's 28' outside & the bottle is in the shade. I return about 3 hours later, now it's 45' still in the shade, I am going to disconnect the bottle & have the CG owner refill it. It now shows full on the gauge, I lift it up and it weighs about 40-50lbs. No need to refill, I am still using that same bottle. Now I did not have any flow problems this time, but in the past I have experienced this same thing with the bottle reading empty & the furnace will not fire up, that time the bottle took 4.5 gallons, a 40lb bottle holds apprx 9.8 gallons. What causes this, besides temp?
Could it be that the OP has a cold tank & the regulated flow demand for stove, hot water & heater is too much at low temps?

[Old Scout]

Lot of good info here but unless we have another owner on the forum who knows you heating system, we are all kind of guessing. Here are some general observations: 1-heat pumps [if you have them] will cycle [defrost] regularly in mid to hi 30s degree weather, so they tend to struggle with blowing hot air on a consistent basis; below 30 degrees, they are completely locked out; 2-propane should work fine in mid to hi 20s weather but consumming 1/4 tank in a single night is not right; 3-if you dont have heat pumps, you probably have electric heat strips in the over head units that are usually somewhat limited in ability to heat an entire coach in cold weather--that is what the propane furnace is for; 4-unless you have something like a hydrohot boiler system, most of us with heat pumps and a single propane furnace use a combination of propane and small ceramic [electric] heaters to maintain comfortable temps in sub 30s weather, but even then, we turn down the t-stats to mid/low 60s at night and put on an extra blanket or two. Goal here is to keep minimum warmth in coach and basement to keep pipes/tanks from freezing, yet stay warm under the covers during the coldest part of the night/morning.

Not to muddy the water further but coaches with std 2 zones t-stat tends to ops as you describe. Zone 2 is slaved to zone 1....so propane furnace is controlled by zone one and the temp sensor in the front of the coach. Depending on heat ducts, heat is distributed thru-out the coach but only sensed and controlled by zone 1. Noramlly, once on propane heat, the rear zone has no impact on furnace function.

[Luckiest Dreamer]

My Journey has a different thermostat than you have. I have received excellent service from the factory and pleasant responses as well. I suggest that you call them for a detailed explanation of your system.

[carolinagirl]

Silly as it is, it seems the best is to turn Zone 2 OFF. Leave zone 1 on Gas.

As the day heats up, turn both units to electric. Only use Zone 2 in the day if it is warm enough to not lock out the heat pump, which in turn locks out the furnace!

Now that is how it works IF the thermostat is not bad. In my case, the LP portion of the thermostat is apparently bad as after it reaches temp, it shuts off and then just does not cut back on.

So off to the shop we go on January 8th when we return! Thanks for all the insight here! You guys rock!

[dsbike]

CarolinaGirl, glad you found out the correct procedures & hopefully a t-stat will fix the problem. I am guessing you contacted the dealer or Winnebago for this.