This is just an update on my recent trip to Brunswick, GA and how my heating systems functioned during the two coldest days/nights.
We had two days where the daytime high only reached 43 and two nights when the outside temps got down to 27 degrees at daybreak. While mild temps in comparsion to many places across the USA I know, but these are not typical temps for the southeast (Georgia/Florida line).
How my Heat Pump worked:
The first nite I knew it was going below freezing, I went to bed with the heat set for Electric Heat (Heat Pump) and had a 1500 watt Heater running in the LR/Kitchen area. It seemed that once the outside temps reached about 38 the Furnace began to work as the secondary heat and then eventually seemed to become the primary system.
The next day by late morning when the outsides temps reach 40, I thought the heat pump would start working again, but it didn't. The Furnace seemed to be the primary heat source, firing up on calls for heat. I did some research and came up with this operation chart (see below) that seemed to explain what was going on - it appeared that there is a 'three strike and your out' rule on the Heat Pump. The 'strikes' is a secondary stage heat (Furnace) counter. When in electric heat (Heat Pump), each time the temperature differiential (set temp to actual room temp) reaches 5 degrees and the Furnace (2nd Stage heat) comes on the counter is incremented by one. The next time heat is called for the Heat Pump comes on and if it again can not keep up and the temperture differential reaches 5 degrees the Furnace (second stage heat) comes on again to satisfy the set temperture, the counter increments again. Once the second stage heat counter hits 3, the Heat Pump is locked out and the Furnace becomes the Primary Heat for an hour and 45 minutes. During the first night, with the heat set to electric heat (Heat Pump) and the outside temperatures below 38, my heat pump could not keep up and called for the Furnace. By morning this senerio (call for second stage heat) had happened at least 3 times and at that point, even though the outside temperture was up to 40 degrees the Heat Pump was in lock-out mode. My heat pump works well with outside temps at 40 or above. To get out of the Lock Out, since the outsides temps were above 40, I killed the 12 volts to the coach (master switch on dash) for a few minutes to reset the AC/Heat Pump's logic board and the second stage counter.
On the second night while watching some TV the outside temp dropped below 38 by 10:00pm the Heat Pump came on. It never felt like the temperture in the coach was getting colder as the heat pump was running, but I realized that the HP had been running for quite a while and then all of a sudden the furnace fired up and with in minutes the set temperture was satisfied and both systems shut down. I do not believe the inside temperature dropped 5 degrees below the set temp to cause the Furnace to fire up. It seemed like the furnace came on becuase the Heat Pump had been running too long without satisfing the thermostat, like there was also a 'run-time' setting that would cause the second stage heat to come on. Like I said, once the Furnace came on it only ran a few minutes before both systems shut down, not long enough to bring the temperture up 5 degrees. Before going to bed on the second night, knowing it was going to be even colder, I switch to the Furnace (LP) heat and ran the space heater.
The cold weather did cause some low voltage problems at the Campground because of the increased demand from the many people using electric space heaters. My voltage had dropped to 110 volts on the two coldest mornings. In the afternoons when it warmed up the line voltage was 120 vac.
While colder than I liked for camping, we had a great weekend with our Local Winnebago Chapter - the Du-Bol Winnies.
Stay warm!
Safe Travels!
-Russ
