Upgrade for Intellitec ECC

[js9315]

I have a 2003 Pace Arrow 36B with the 30A power and associated EMS system. The power management portion of the system works very well, the electronic climate control does not. I have the 2AC / 2 furnace control. When it is set for a temperature it will 'wander' 10 or more degrees from the setpoint instead of maintaining the +/- 2 degrees. I wrote to Intellitec and they claim all of the development was put into the energy management portion, the wandering of 10 degress is considered normal for the ECC.

I have read where others have installed digital thermostats, has anyone replaced the ECC with a digital thermostat??
How did you incorporate the remote temperature sensors??
Will the AC's still shed or is the EMS defeated and load management required to be accomplished manually??

TIA

[js9315]

I have a 2003 Pace Arrow 36B with the 30A power and associated EMS system. The power management portion of the system works very well, the electronic climate control does not. I have the 2AC / 2 furnace control. When it is set for a temperature it will 'wander' 10 or more degrees from the setpoint instead of maintaining the +/- 2 degrees. I wrote to Intellitec and they claim all of the development was put into the energy management portion, the wandering of 10 degress is considered normal for the ECC.

I have read where others have installed digital thermostats, has anyone replaced the ECC with a digital thermostat??
How did you incorporate the remote temperature sensors??
Will the AC's still shed or is the EMS defeated and load management required to be accomplished manually??

TIA

[holly]

we have a 36b also the climate control on ours work very well happy on ac or heat

[GerryB54]

I'm not sure what you have, my rig has two A/Cs, two furnaces, two A/C heat pumps, two remote thermostat/temp. readers and two zones.

Similar Thermostat Control also made by RVP.

Mine also heats/cools properly to temps. set, even connected to a 30 Amp shore power connection.

I do have a 50 Amp service in RV and at home base.

Are you suggesting the load shedding on your electrical connections at/under 30 Amps might be causing the problem? I also know someone who had your make/model/year and did not have your problem...not sure what could be making this happen...I don't buy Intellitec's response to you...did they also make the thermostat in your rig?

[Tincup]

I have the RVP thermostat mentioned by GerryB54, it was standard equip in my '05 Bounder. It keeps the 2 AC/Heat pumps within 2 degrees of the setting.

[js9315]

This is the ECC I have:

Intellitec ECC

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Are you suggesting the load shedding on your electrical connections at/under 30 Amps might be causing the problem? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, I do not believe that the EMS portion has anything to do with the poor accuracy of the ECC. But, if I replace the ECC module with anything other than the same type ECC I believe I will loose the load shedding capability of the EMS (at least shedding of the AC's). Here is the actual response from Intellitec:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> The system was designed primarily around energy management with the capabilities of operating as an HVAC unit, we did the best we could to meet the
requirements of a standard HVAC operating system while keeping the system's energy management qualities at best, and keeping the cost of the
system affordable, not all could be met. One of the major factors was the ongoing evolution of different coach models year after year and no one
seemed to have an interest in how it would effect the HVAC operation of the Electronic Climate Control system. Now, depending on your coach
model layout you will experience a temperature swing between 4 to 10 degrees and there are no adjustments or modifications to change it.
You can remove the ECC system and install a conventional digital thermostat, but you will lose the major function of the ECC which is
energy management.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

From the responses above, maybe I just have a faulty ECC module, guess I will replace it with a new unit and see if the accuracy gets any better.

[GerryB54]

I do remember seeing that ECC control in my friend's 2003 Pace Arrow, but he never mentioned the temperature issues you have.

Funny that Fleetwood in subsequent model years went with the Intellitec EMS system only and a different (manufacturer) climate control device...makes you wonder...

holly's post (assuming the same Intellitec equipment/setup as you) indicates there may be hope for you in replacing the ECC or the remote sensors...wish more Pace Arrow owners with same/similar models/years would have posted good results, I would feel better replacing the ECC in that case.

My Intellitec EMS sheds power to devices when running at anything under 50A service, and works very well...not sure if your EMS portion is the same...from their response to you it is not, the shed is handled in the ECC device...not a good option for you from what they posted back to you.

[js9315]

GerryB54 you got me thinking (scary thing...)- do you know the manufacturer of the climate control system Fleetwood is using now. Maybe I can replace my analog unit with the digital unit and still have the EMS work properly. It certainly would be worth a try...

[GerryB54]

The one in the link I posted above and here, RVP Thermostat, is "similar", most likely the replacement for the one in my RV, cannot speak for what's in other Fleetwood RVs or what they are using now.

[holly]

i have a new emc control you can try if you want call for more info ask for gerry 920 344 0018

[js9315]

Thanks for the offer, but to be clear what I will be replacing is the climate control (ECC), not the energy management control (EMC). The part I will need is the one with the two analog temperature sliders.

To be honest with you, they are not very expensive, rather than risk damaging yours in the mail I will probably just go ahead and order a new one. If it does not improve my situation, then I will have to dig into the electrical schematics harder and see what it will take to incorporate the RVP digital replacement.

Thank you very much for the offer.

[mxman132]

Did you ever replace your ecc and did it make any difference? I have a similar unit, only with two ac units and one heater. I have a different problem though. Sometimes, neither ac compressor will come on. And if I try to turn on both ac units, neither compressor will come on. The the lights on the ecc blink back and forth (shedding). Looking for ideas to try because the local dealer wants me to leave the unit for 6 weeks and I can't do that right now. Thanks

[Gary RVRoamer]

If neither a/c will come on and the EMS says "shedding", that suggests there is some other major amp load that is causing it to shed both a/cs. Running the microwave or a hair dryer, for example. With a 30A supply, you can't have much else running and still operate a/cs. Remember that your fridge and water heater can be sucking quite a few amps and the converter/charger is drawing same too. If your other loads reach around 10-15A total, there won't be enough amps available to start even one a/c compressor and shedding will begin as soon as one tries to start.

When this happens, try putting your fridge and water heater in LP mode and see if it helps. And leave the microwave off.

[mxman132]

Will try it this weekend. Thanks.