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Old 06-29-2019, 03:31 PM   #1
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Journey Heat Pump no heat - gas or elec

Coleman Mach 6535a-871 using TrueAir 3351 series thermostat. '02 Journey.

Several months ago I noticed that when I called for gas heat, the gas furnace would not come on. So I'd switch it to Electric heat and that would work. Then in March, the heat pump cried out for maintenance as it got so noisy the neighbors complained and in April, I pulled it out and lubed and replaced bearings, replaced all the caps, cleaned and tightened terminals. Sounds much better now and when cooling using #1 and #2 compressors it works fine.

Shortly after though, I discovered that the Elec heat isn't working now. I have inspected my work looking for disconnected wires and what not but don't find anything wrong with my previous work. Plus everything works when cooling.

Where I am parked now the mornings are in the 50F range and I'd like to get some heat from the heat pump to take off the chill.

Does anyone recognize the symptoms of this failure of first the gas furnace and then the electric heat and can point me in the right direction to start testing?

Thanks!
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Old 06-29-2019, 05:57 PM   #2
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I'd be suspicious of your thermostat. Had to replace mine of similar vintage a while back when it wouldn't kick on things. It's also the common element between the heat pump and the gas furnace. Have you checked the back of the t-stat to make sure the cable is seated? The contacts on the mode select bar at the bottom are famous for wearing out, you might try cleaning them. I don't have it handy but I think there are docs/threads floating around where you can try running a jumper wire between a couple wires at the t-stat cable to force the gas furnace to start, which would tell you if the problem is in the furnace or the t-stat. Just my thoughts...
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Old 06-29-2019, 06:39 PM   #3
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Ahh, yes, I had forgotten about that problematic switch. I'll clean it and see what happens tomorrow AM. It's 80F here now and don't want the heat to be on. I'll check my docs for that jumper trick...must be buried in the docs somewhere.

Thanks.
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Old 06-29-2019, 07:43 PM   #4
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JIm, isn't there a heater strip up in there. I have heard that they can fail,
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Old 06-29-2019, 07:57 PM   #5
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JIm, isn't there a heater strip up in there. I have heard that they can fail,
You're thinking of heat pumps in the ceiling I think. Look like a standard RV rooftop A/C. Mine is in a basement compartment so there's no heater strips. The A/C compressors are valved in such a way as they reverse everything so they pump out hot air, not cold air...when called for by the thermostat settings of course.
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Old 06-30-2019, 10:19 AM   #6
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I've been searching online for hours and in the service manuals looking for a test procedure that has the right nomenclature. What I read is that I'm suppose to jumper F to FY to test the heat pump feature on heat but then in the schematics there is NO FY terminal. There are two terminals both labeled F in several drawings I've seen and they're called the Freeze Switch...and to complicate matters, my connector only has one F. The other one is empty in the connector.

So, what I've found for testing in the official service manual isn't right for my Coleman. Anyone have a test guide that works? Like from a DIY'er?

Edit: I couldn't wait, so I took a guess. Plugged in the two connectors at the thermostat. Than jumpered +12 Volt to the Heat Pump pin 8 on the 9 terminal connector up at the thermostat. The heat pump turned on, and a couple minutes later, I had heat. Removed my jumper. Set the target temp at 80F and a couple minutes later, it reached that and shut off. Then I left it alone and since it's coolish out and I have the door open, a few minutes later, it turned back on by itself.

So whatever was preventing the heat pump from operating as a heater seemed to clear itself...at least so far. Tomorrow I'll test the propane furnace again...right now it just sits there and never turns on.
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Old 06-30-2019, 04:17 PM   #7
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Do you have this doc? Pg 19 figure 14 does show an "F" and "FY" pin. I know it's for a 6536 but hopefully will help.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 6536 Service.pdf (1.07 MB, 72 views)
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Old 06-30-2019, 05:07 PM   #8
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Have a similar doc for my 6535a-871 model, using a 6535-344[missing number here] True Air thermostat. Those model numbers and suffix are verified by labels on the parts themselves. My thermostat is missing a number on the label...it only shows 344 but it should show 3441 or 3442 at least. Those were the revision numbers I guess.

I have a similar drawing that shows the F and FY pins but in my case, THERE IS NO WIRE GOING TO THE FY PIN 1.

So I don't perform the test shorting F to FY as it wouldn't do anything anyway.

They clearly mean some other test in my system's case.

What I jumpered was the +12 volt from the 3 pin connector to pin 8 (elec heat) on the 9 pin connector. Both connectors are right behind the thermostat in the hallway. That caused the heat pump heating to finally start working again. And it kept working even after I removed the jumper. I don't know what it jogged, but it fixed it...or so it seems.
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Old 07-07-2019, 05:12 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek View Post
I've been searching online for hours and in the service manuals looking for a test procedure that has the right nomenclature. What I read is that I'm suppose to jumper F to FY to test the heat pump feature on heat but then in the schematics there is NO FY terminal. There are two terminals both labeled F in several drawings I've seen and they're called the Freeze Switch...and to complicate matters, my connector only has one F. The other one is empty in the connector.

So, what I've found for testing in the official service manual isn't right for my Coleman. Anyone have a test guide that works? Like from a DIY'er?

Edit: I couldn't wait, so I took a guess. Plugged in the two connectors at the thermostat. Than jumpered +12 Volt to the Heat Pump pin 8 on the 9 terminal connector up at the thermostat. The heat pump turned on, and a couple minutes later, I had heat. Removed my jumper. Set the target temp at 80F and a couple minutes later, it reached that and shut off. Then I left it alone and since it's coolish out and I have the door open, a few minutes later, it turned back on by itself.

So whatever was preventing the heat pump from operating as a heater seemed to clear itself...at least so far. Tomorrow I'll test the propane furnace again...right now it just sits there and never turns on.

I sounds like you cleared a problematic relay by exercising the heat system. I had similar issues on my sailboat with two similar systems. In my coach another heat issue I had was that stage two was out of Freon and would not heat so the pump worked valiantly all night to extract heat from 45°F air on half of the system capacity.
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Old 07-07-2019, 05:25 PM   #10
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I sounds like you cleared a problematic relay by exercising the heat system. I had similar issues on my sailboat with two similar systems. In my coach another heat issue I had was that stage two was out of Freon and would not heat so the pump worked valiantly all night to extract heat from 45°F air on half of the system capacity.
I guess. Have no idea actually. It's been working fine ever since I took a chance and shorted those two wires in the connector. I use it every morning here at 6500 feet to take the chill off the RV after i get up. Sounds great, works great. I'll take it.

PS: it's sort of summer being July and all and I've not bothered to work on the propane furnace yet. All I know is that jumping the two pins in the 3 pin connector up at the thermostat doesn't fire it up and no noises or air movement from the registers. Pretty sure it never even tried to fire. As far as my poor hearing can tell.

In my Journey, that furnace is really sealed into the cubby hole it lives in. Sealed with black caulking of some kind. Won't be fun peeling it out of there.
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Old 07-07-2019, 05:27 PM   #11
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Gas heat & thermostat

The standard equipment "thermostat" is a special Winnebago system. There is a Cool-off-- gas heat- electric heat position on my thermostat. Over the winter I popped open the thermostat cover and promptly broke the slide selector switch. This is an impossible complicated mechanism that has so many little tiny gold plated slide actuated bars that if you break it opening the cover you might as well buy a new one. I bought a new one and after the $400 labor+ install I was humbled.


There is a whole story about trying to get that switch back together. If someone pries it out of me be expected to receive a 4 page dissertation on tiny, entsie, bitty gold plated parts that are as light as air. DO NOT BREAK THIS SLIDE SWITCH!
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