5thWheelForums.com

terry and jo · Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Posts: 76 Location: Oklahoma

My experience with heat pumps is pretty limited. I stayed with a relative once, back in the '80's, that heated their home with a heat pump. The house always seemed to be cool, although warmer than the outside temperature.

Our current house has a combination unit, both conventional gas heat and a heat pump. In the winter, we notice that the unit will blow cold air for a while, actually lowering the inside temperature by 3 or 4 degrees before it switches over and starts heating with gas.

With all that said, my question is this:

With the air conditioner units equipped with heat pumps in the fifth wheels, do they really warm the camper, or do they tend to be a bit cool?

We are considering a DRV Mobile Suites and after this current cold spell here in Central Oklahoma, I'm wondering whether I want to spend the extra for the heat pumps on both units.

Any help and advice that anyone can provide is greatly appreciated.

Terry

rdunk · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 436 Location: Texas

Terry, when we ordered our Suite, we had never RV'd before. I had read that the furnace did like the propane, and would "eat" it pretty fast. So, we opted for 2 upgraded 15k A/C's with heat pumps. That was nearly 5 years ago. The heat pumps worked so well, we hardly ever used the furnace. Yes, the heat pump forced air does get warm! You may know already, but if you have the heat pumps set to be on, then when the outside temp gets near freezing, the heat pumps will shut of automatically, and the furnace automatically comes on to maintain the set temperature. That is really a handy, and important, feature of the heating system. Likewise, when the outside temperature rises above freezing, the automatic opposite occurs, with the furnace shutting off and the heat pumps coming back on.

If we were ordering again today, we definitely would specify the A/C's, with heat pumps.

FWIW, while on the heating subject, we also found the "fireplace" to be a very important element in heating our Suites. As with the heat pumps, we would definitely choose the fireplace again also.

wannabe · Joined: 26 Sep 2005 Posts: 120

Robert & Carlene!
We are going to miss your surprise visits during our travels! I am glad you were able to sell your unit and pray for your health and happiness!
We had a late lunch today with Don and Wanda...we are praying for both of you!
We treasure your friendship and we are blessed you entered our lives!

Huck

golf_bears · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:02 am Post subject:

rdunk, is 100% correct in his response. We have one heat pump and we wouldn’t leave home without it.

Another reason you may want to consider the heat pumps is that most of the time when you are in a campground the electricity has already been paid for with your daily park fees. They really pay for themselves.

Motor31 · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 1730

We have a single heat pump and I wish that we had gotten both AC units equipped that way. It works great until the temps get down to about 40 degrees. At that point it rapidly loses ability to heat the trailer. Closer to freezing (32) it gets far weaker. It seems to be able to heat the trailer to almost 30 degrees above outside temperature so at 40 outside it struggles to make the trailer get to 70. Cycle times will also decrease and it will go into anti ice mode to clear the outside ice build up on the coils. The pump will run as of in AC mode and the fan will shut off as it heats the outside coils to get rid of accumulated ice.

If you are on a meter for electricity in the park it's economy will depend on temperature and the cost of propane locally. On a non metered space it is WAY cheaper than propane as long as it doesn't get down below 42 or so.

bstark · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:49 pm Post subject:

I learned while perusing another forum that some builders that have offered heat pumps as an option also offer the "heat strips" as a way to augment the heat pump down to lower temps and for that first minute of cold air at start up.

I wouldn't be without the heat pump and like Mike would have ordered two of them if doing it over. Our monthly rate here in our park in Florida includes the electric, needless to say the park isn't making any money off of us and we have only refilled one 40lb tank since Nov.

terry and jo · Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Posts: 76 Location: Oklahoma

Thanks, everyone. These are exactly the kind of answers that I have been looking for. However, in reading them, I now have follow-up questions related to the heat pumps.

Can you explain more about the "heat strip" in the heat pump?

Is it something that can be added after purchase?

How does it work to help in the lower temperatures?

Does it serve like a radiant in a heater and the heat pump blows air across it to get the heat out of it?

Sorry for all the questions, but when we order our unit in the future (not sure when - house not sold yet), I'd like to make sure I've done as much right as I can.

Thanks again. You all are always so helpful.

Terry

billr · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 631 Location: Ontario Canada

We have one heat pump and use it all the time when the temps allow. They do cut out at or near freezing. The furnace takes over then. Saves a ton of propane. They will not work after a determined outside temp, so when that happens, they don't assist the furnace.

There is NO heat strip. They work by reversing the operation of the AC providing heat. They have to cycle in rev for a bit of time before they provide heat, usually about 5 min then after that they come on and off as needed providing heat right away, as long as they haven't been off for a long time.

Get them if you can!

Bill

RodeWorthy · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 341 Location: Woodstock, Ontario

I have to add my endorsement for what other posters have said. We have two AC/heat pumps and the fireplace. They work very well and we do stay warm in moderately cold weather. Comments about flat rate or metered electricity are valid and that is a factor on what heat source we use.

Be advised the heat pumps do discharge their heat near the ceiling and heat tends to stay near the ceiling. There can be cool spots near the floor. The furnace discharges heat from the floor and actually heats the floor along the ducts. It heats the basement too. We use the ceiling fan while the heat pumps are active to help mix the air. There is no draft from the fan but it does help to spread the warm air around.

Heat pumps are way more efficient that heat strips. If you want heat strips you would be better off to buy an auxilliary electric heater and place it on the floor. We use no other heat source than the furnace, heat pumps and fireplace. I would do the same again.

Motor31 · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 1730

The heat strips others have mentioned are like small space heaters, just in a strip format. They are not a part of the heat pump or furnace equipment.

keithandpenne · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 276

The only thing I wish we had done different on our 05 36TK3 is to have gotten heat pumps.

As others have stated, when elect is included with your rate, use elect. When not, it may be a trade-off in cost but you do not have to remove and fill the propane tanks if you use elect.

The only down side to heat pumps is that the floor does not get warmed, even with using the ceiling fan to circulate. I do wish there was an option of elect strips that could be put in the furnace that could be used for that purpose even though resistive heating is 100% efficient, heat pumps are a little over 100% due to the mechanical gain. If someone knows of any, please post.

bstark · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:13 pm Post subject:

I believe it is my post that is adding to the confusion on the "heat strips" as an ADDITION to the "heat pumps" which would be used to aument the pump down to the lower temps where they lose efficiency and commence to freeze up and also for that first minute or so of start up where the heat pump merely blows cooler air around until the cooling unit creates the heat from it's evaporater coils.

I was reading a post over on the Ecapees by a fellow who had an older Royals International with this feature built in. It may be that this is no longer available in concert with the newer heat pumps or it must be ordered as a separate option and DRV and others simply wouldn't want the hassle of providing it with the thermostat programming necessary to have them both operating for a short span.

You can bet your bippy that if I were doing it today, I would ask somone who knows what they're talking about if it were indeed available as I think it would be a good addtion.