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Thread: Electric Heat Strip?
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02-05-2019, 01:25 PM #11
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Wilco. I have the Coleman Mach air conditioner and I saw a controller on their website for heat strips in mine as well. I found a couple things on the internet that lead me to believe that my AC is pre-wired for the strip, but since my t-stat doesn't have the option, the signal wire may not be there on that end. If that's the case, it'll probably be a non-starter. I don't want to have to fish a wire up to the AC from the bedroom wall. It's just too much trouble for what I can otherwise do with a space heater.
At any rate, I'm going to take a closer look tonight to see what I can see and also get some part numbers written down. Then, I'll see what I can find out and will post back.
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02-05-2019, 06:57 PM #12
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So, I just came in from the RV and here's what I've found:
--GOOD: Under my ceiling kit (inside the plenum), I can see a sticker that says "mount optional heater coil here" from the factory. So, this is at least plausible.
--Expected: The heat strip/coil I think I need is part 9233A4551 and I've seen that for as low as $35 and as much as $65.
--BAD: My control board in the AC doesn't have the plug on the side to accept the heat strip's plug. From what I can google, this will require a new "9330C755 Heat-Ready Air Conditioner Cool Control Kit" Which runs between $50-$80 depending on where google lands you. Not a deal breaker, but we're straining reason.
--REALLY BAD: My thermostat (9430-3382, I think) doesn't have a wire terminal for a second form of heat, so I am pretty certain that I'll need a different thermostat. The airxcel site isn't great making it a little hard to tell what thermostat I'd need for this application. My best guess is 6536A3351. That's a $108 thermostat give or take. I've seen YT videos in the past where people have adapted home thermostats to RVs, but I'm not sure if that's feasible in this case. My big concern with this thermostat is that if it's designed for heat pump use, it will probably try to kick on the compressor when it turns on electric heat. That would defeat the purpose. Without seeing the instructions, it's hard to say if this can be made to work.
Adding it all up, we're close to $200 for what will probably be a 'just passable' space heater. The wife and I really liked the idea of having electric heat on a separate circuit from the general 110V outlets. Even so, the bigger appeal for me was having it integrated into the unit (out of sight) and thermostatically controlled. But, $200 for a DIY install (with possible warranty concerns) it's hard to justify. For a lot less I could do what the RV Geeks did and wire in an air-gapped 20A circuit that we could use for just a space heater.
All that said, I have sent an email to their customer service earlier this evening with my part numbers to ask exactly what I would need and when I get a response I'll post it here for posterity. You never know... I may still do it for funzies. It wouldn't be the first time I spent more than I should have for something otherwise simple and cheap.
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02-05-2019, 07:17 PM #13
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I didn't look at our model of AC unit.
For some Coleman units this is available.
ELECTRIC HEAT KIT FOR COLEMAN CEILING ASSEMBLY
Item 67306 | MFR# 9233A4551
This heater is an accessory that can be installed with most Coleman-Mach heat-ready ceiling assemblies to provide 5600 BTUH of electric heat.
The ceiling assembly 61365 comes with a heat/cool thermostat and a two pin heater wire receptacle to facilitate installation of this accessory.Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021
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02-05-2019, 09:13 PM #14
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2015 Chevy 1500 5.3L LT-Z71 Double Cab Standard Bed
Roadmaster Active Suspension Kit
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02-06-2019, 07:34 AM #15
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Is it possible to convert an A/C unit into a heat pump? that would make a lot more sense than adding a heat strip. probably more costly as well..
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02-06-2019, 07:43 AM #16
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Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021
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02-06-2019, 08:02 AM #17
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02-06-2019, 06:52 PM #18
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TLDR; I need the strip, control box, and thermostat to do this. Parts are below and were $145 at RVupgrades.com as I post this.
My AC is the 48254C869 according to my RV Build Sheet from Grand Design. (Which is quite handy. I'm glad they included that.)
He recommended the following parts:
Long version:
So, I had a very fruitful email exchange today with a guy named Mike, a Technical Assistance Coordinator at RV Products, a division of Airxcel, Inc. who responded to my request for support on the Coleman-Mach website... So, there's clearly a long chain of subsidiaries here. He gave me the parts listed above and answered a few questions I had. He was super-responsive and I could only have been happier if he'd sent me the parts for free.
I was concerned that the thermostat wouldn't work because it says that's a heat-pump unit in the instructions doc I found. He confirmed the thermostat is okay as the control box will sort out the heat pump signal allowing it to run the electric strip while the original furnace wire will run that. I also asked what was different from the control box part number I found versus the one he sent me. *He said one is a special order part and the other is a repair part. He figured the repair part would be easier to get. I'm not having a hard time finding either, but the number he sent seems to cost about twice as much everywhere I look. I'm not sure why. Finally, I asked if there would be any warranty issues I should be concerned about since my camper is brand new. He said I shouldn't have any problems since this is a factory option (AC factory, not Grand Design) and OEM parts.
I poked my head back into the camper again tonight because I didn't notice any extra wires at the thermostat when I looked last night and I would need one more wire to signal the heat strip. I did confirm that there is an unconnected wire in the wall at the thermostat --it was just clipped very short. Which is understandable since they (Grand Design) didn't use it. I also confirmed there's an unconnected wire in the AC plenum of the same gauge with the same insulation color. I didn't have a second person (or long enough leads) for a continuity test, but I think I'm safe to assume it's the same wire.
I've never shopped there before, but RVupgrades.com has all three parts in-stock for $144.31 with free standard shipping. I know it's a pricey little upgrade, but if it keeps me from tripping over a space heater and it lets me use the 110v outlets for the TV and other stuff while we have a little propane-free heat on the chilly north-Florida days, I think I'll take the plunge. Besides, I've dragged all y'all along this far --doesn't seem right to abandon you now.
I've ordered the parts so Lord willing, they should be here sometime next week. I probably won't get to this for a couple weekends, but I'll do my best to have it in by March or as we call it here, "Early Summer." I'll try to do a write-up or maybe a video then.
More to come...Last edited by TheGuy; 02-06-2019 at 06:55 PM.
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02-07-2019, 07:16 AM #19
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02-07-2019, 03:55 PM #20
Breakaway Switch Question
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