Heat strip and furnace working at the same time

[Corcomi]

This morning I went to check up on Ollie and found that it didn’t have electricity. After checking everything I found that the electric gfi under the dinette had tripped.

 

So all is well on that end. But when I went to put on the furnace heat to warm the trailer both the furnace and electric strip turned on. I have the controller on furnace heat. Tried turning on and off but still get both to turn on. Any suggestions ?

[John E Davies]

Sounds like a thermostat problem, that is the only common point in the wiring of the two systems as far as I know. Can you just pull the circuit breaker for the AC for now?

 

If that doesn't do it, take the 'stat off the wall and disconnect the low voltage wires for the heat strip. Tape them so they can't short out. Refer to your manual for the diagram. I don't have this setup.... "Mouse" has a 1950s style mercury thermostat for the furnace and no heat strip. Crude, but 100% reliable.

 

Good luck.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[ScubaRx]

Your system is preforming normally, no need to unhook anything.  Change your fan off "auto" and it will work as expected.

[Mainiac]

As ScubaRX stated... I have had that happen to me. Don't know how it happened. But setting it to 'Auto' and we were back to normal.

[GeauxSouth]

This should be normal.  It has also been discussed before (do a search for Furnace/Heat Strip).

 

You didn't mention which a/c unit or thermostat that you have, but I think that they all work alike.  If "my" thermostat is set to "electric heat" and there is more than a 5 or 6 degree difference in the set temp and the room temp, then the gas and the electric heat will run.  After the room temp nears the set temp setting it will shut the gas furnace off and continue on electric heat until the set temp is reached.  This is because the electric heat is more of a maintainer.  The electric heat would take considerable time to heat the RV on its own.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Shirley

[Corcomi]

Thanks to all who posted. I did put it back to auto and it went back to normal operation ??