Zone 1 thermostat issues

[Johninar]

2019 4369 DSDP I have noticed where we are staying the morning sun hits the front drivers side and causes the zone 1 thermostat reads very warm. The wood trim around the window valence is quite warm when the direct sun hits it. The thermostat will show 80 when a thermometer will show 73 or so. Anyone notice this? I find myself turning zone 1 off till the sun gets higher in the sky. I think it should have been somewhere that direct sunlight did not affect it. Zone 2 and 3 are on interior walls and read normally.

[BPoland]

I have found the the placement of the temp sensor on an outside wall will give very erratic results. Some have actually moved the sensor, or extended it. Our rear sensor is above the emergency egress window and below the TV. It’s a little alcove with little air circulation. For a while, I was using a small fan to circulate room temp air to the sensor. It worked, but then I had to put up with the noise from the fan. I decided to build a little fan that I mounted in front of the sensor. I used a computer case fan and just built a box foe it. Is has very little current draw and is almost silent. It works, but not a perfect solution. Sorry I don’t have a picture of it mounted.

[oregonhiker]

Originally Posted by Johninar

2019 4369 DSDP I have noticed where we are staying the morning sun hits the front drivers side and causes the zone 1 thermostat reads very warm. The wood trim around the window valence is quite warm when the direct sun hits it. The thermostat will show 80 when a thermometer will show 73 or so. Anyone notice this? I find myself turning zone 1 off till the sun gets higher in the sky. I think it should have been somewhere that direct sunlight did not affect it. Zone 2 and 3 are on interior walls and read normally.

We have had that same problem in the past. Our front sensor is in the passenger side window valance. We have had it seem to read improperly before to the extent I have taken it off and blew it off with air thinking that dust was an issue. I came to the same idea that it is just a bad placement for it, as you are right that the is sun shining into the window and heating the area up. We also now have magna shades on those side windows so I am interested to see if that will help.

[Winepress]

The problem is the heat radiation from the wall. It might help to remove the thermostat. Apply foam weather stripping in a few places to the back of the mounting plate. Re-install but leave a gap between the wall and the mounting plate. This will isolate the thermostat from the wall and allow some air to circulate between the wall and the thermostat. I don’t think this will completely solve the issue, but it may help.

[VideoFrog]

We have the same problem in our coach exactly as you have described. I do believe the zone 1 sensor is poorly placed. I'll be following this thread for more info.

[Johninar]

Originally Posted by Winepress

The problem is the heat radiation from the wall. It might help to remove the thermostat. Apply foam weather stripping in a few places to the back of the mounting plate. Re-install but leave a gap between the wall and the mounting plate. This will isolate the thermostat from the wall and allow some air to circulate between the wall and the thermostat. I don’t think this will completely solve the issue, but it may help.
Attachment 256324

I was thinking of doing something like that. Pulled the cover off and there is almost no slack wire. I may pull the valence off and get some slack. What I want to use is a small piece of foil backed foam insulation. 1/4" thick. I feel the foil would help reflect the heat.

[Winepress]

Correction.....I discovered that on the 4369 zone 1 thermostat sensor is not located at the thermostat. The location is under the overhead cabinets on the full wall slide. Isolating the thermostat itself is not going to make a difference.

[TDL]

Same problem on our 2015 VTDP 4369. Newmar is well aware of the problem. We mount a small fan on the driver cup holder and point it at the thermistor and leave it run all the time while parked (our thermistor is just above where the seat belt is mounted on the exterior wall). Overall the solution seams to work pretty well as the air under the steering wheel is more like the ambient temp. Very few options when these hot houses are in summer heat.

Tom

[BPoland]

Originally Posted by TDL

Same problem on our 2015 VTDP 4369. Newmar is well aware of the problem. We mount a small fan on the driver cup holder and point it at the thermistor and leave it run all the time while parked (our thermistor is just above where the seat belt is mounted on the exterior wall). Overall the solution seams to work pretty well as the air under the steering wheel is more like the ambient temp. Very few options when these hot houses are in summer heat.

Tom

We have that problem on our Bay Star. The bedroom sensor/thermistor is in the little alcove created by the TV on the top, the closet on each side and the egress window behind. I didn’t want to listen to a fan running all night, so I bought a 12V computer case fan. I had to build a little box for it, but it moves enough air (57 cfm) to the thermistor and it’s all but silent. My next one will be smaller.

[tnedator]

Wow, I've never noticed a front temp sensor in my 4369 and assumed it was in the thermostat. I'm going to have to look when I'm over at the RV in a couple days.