Heat Pump Operation

coglesby

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2024
Messages
339
Location
TX and NM
I have a 2021 Solitude 377mbs which has a heat pump in the main living area. I have the black digital thermostats.

1. does the unit have heat strips that come on when the temperature is too low?

2. if not, does the thermostat call for the furnace heat if the temperature is too low?

Thanks
 
I have a 2021 Solitude 377mbs which has a heat pump in the main living area. I have the black digital thermostats.

1. does the unit have heat strips that come on when the temperature is too low?

2. if not, does the thermostat call for the furnace heat if the temperature is too low?

Thanks

If it is in fact a true "Heat Pump" model then no, there are no heat strips in the unit. It will operate very closely to how a heat pump unit for a residential home operates. A heat pump basically reverses the flow of the refrigerant so that it can absorb heat out of the outside air and transfer that to the inside. Most of the RV heat pumps are setup so that if the heat pump cannot keep up with the heating demands in the trailer, the furnace will come on. That differential point is normally 5 degrees. RV heat pumps, unlike heat pumps in a house, will usually not operate when the outside air temperatures get down into the lower 40s. When that happens, and the heat pump cannot keep up with the thermostat demands for heat, the furnace will then take over, as long as you have the propane on and having a working furnace.
 
Last edited:
If it is in fact a true "Heat Pump" model then no, there are no heat strips in the unit. It will operate very closely to how a heat pump unit for a residential home operates. A heat pump basically reverses the flow of the refrigerant so that it can absorb heat out of the outside air and transfer that to the inside. Most of the RV heat pumps are setup so that if the heat pump cannot keep up with the heating demands in the trailer, the furnace will come on. That differential point is normally 5 degrees. RV heat pumps, unlike heat pumps in a house, will usually not operate when the outside air temperatures get down into the lower 40s. When that happens, and the heat pump cannot keep up with the thermostat demands for heat, the furnace will then take over, as long as you have the propane on and having a working furnace.

Thanks, I just knew that my house heat pump uses heat strips as backup. Didn’t figure the rv unit did, but wasn’t absolutely sure and couldn’t tell from what I could read in the thermostat manual.
 
Thanks, I just knew that my house heat pump uses heat strips as backup. Didn’t figure the rv unit did, but wasn’t absolutely sure and couldn’t tell from what I could read in the thermostat manual.

You're welcome. My house is also Electric heat strips for backup....10Kw worth in fact. We live rural and do not have natural gas out here otherwise I could have gone with that for backup. I also don't have a large propane tank, so heat strips is/was the only choice for this location.
 

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