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Sd2exploring · 12-30-2017, 08:30 AM

This is our 1st winter with our 2017 Vista LX 35f. Can someone explain in simple terms how the heat works? Our living area thermostat has a gas heat and electric heat option. The bedroom only has an electric heat option? On electric heat is coming from ceiling and gas from floor. How do we heat the bedroom since there isn't a gas option on the thermostat? Owners manual is vague and generic. Thanks!

JBP · 12-30-2017, 08:38 AM

Generally speaking the gas heater the furnace heats the entire coach both the front and the back. It's not unusual to have a heat pump in one unit and not in the other. Your ducting in the ceiling covers the entire coach. There for one air conditioner or one heat pump would generally provide Heating and Cooling to the entire coach but it is limited.

JBP · 12-30-2017, 08:39 AM

Also remember that your heat pump only works down to the 40s anything cooler than that it becomes inefficient. In some coaches the furnace comes on first then the heat pump when it gets to temperature that you've set the heat pump attempts to maintain that temperature. That may not be the case with your coach.

mdvs · 12-30-2017, 09:10 AM

Don't forget that the gas furnace also supplies heat to the basement. If the outside temp is below freezing you want to use the gas furnace to keep the plumbing from freezing.

Jim.B1 · 12-30-2017, 01:16 PM

I have purchased a small indoor/ outdoor thermometer $20.00 and placed the remote sensor in our wet bay.
During cold weather travels, for us, that starts next week, and I can monitor the temperature both inside the coach and also around the water lines in the wet bay.
We will not use the heat pump option on our rear A//C unit (too cold), so during travel times we will run the propane furnace which will also push some heat into the basement.
At night, when boondocking, we will continue with the propane furnace, or possibly use the generator and a couple of small space heaters.
Unfortunately, the space heaters will "not" supply heat to the basement.
Once we reach warmer climates, we may use the heat pump, but still like the space heaters.

Forza Tom · 12-31-2017, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sd2exploring

This is our 1st winter with our 2017 Vista LX 35f. Can someone explain in simple terms how the heat works? Our living area thermostat has a gas heat and electric heat option. The bedroom only has an electric heat option? On electric heat is coming from ceiling and gas from floor. How do we heat the bedroom since there isn't a gas option on the thermostat? Owners manual is vague and generic. Thanks!

As others have said the gas heat will heat the entire coach including the basement.

From your description both of you units have heat pump option.

The thermostat that has both a gas and an electric option should manage both options on the unit it controls. When set to electric the thermostat will run the heat pump until the actual temp falls below the set point by 5* then it will automatically turn on the gas heat.

A small electric space heater will do a nice job at heating the living space. Just keep in mind your basement need heat when the temp goes below freezing.

jerichorick · 12-31-2017, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sd2exploring

This is our 1st winter with our 2017 Vista LX 35f. Can someone explain in simple terms how the heat works? Our living area thermostat has a gas heat and electric heat option. The bedroom only has an electric heat option? On electric heat is coming from ceiling and gas from floor. How do we heat the bedroom since there isn't a gas option on the thermostat? Owners manual is vague and generic. Thanks!

Do you know if you have the heat pump option? Here is some information from your brochure.

40,000 BTU low-profile furnace (35B, 35F)

2 high-efficiency air conditioners w/ChillGrille and Energy Management System
(35B, 35F)

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT
2 high-efficiency air conditioner heat pumps (35B,35F)

Hikerdogs · 12-31-2017, 12:37 PM

The thermostats used in your coach are somewhat universal in that they are used for many different applications. It appears you do have 2 heat pumps, but like most RV's there's only 1 gas furnace. Therefore you only have one "zone", which is controlled by the portion of the thermostat attached to the living area heat pump.

If you look closely I think you'll find heat outlets in the floor of the living area, bedroom, galley and bathroom. If you have remote heat sensors only the one in the living area (in addition to the wall mounted thermostat) will be monitoring the heat from the gas furnace.

In order to balance the heat you my have to slightly close one or more of the outlets. In our Adventurer we only crack the register in the bathroom. The room is so small by comparison it would be 90* in that area before it reached 70* in the living area.

As for the heat pumps, when they are put into the heat mode they essentially reverse the condenser and the evaporator. By doing so the heat that is normally expelled outside when in the cooling mode is now directed into the passenger area. Likewise the cool air that was directed into the passenger area when in the AC mode is now expelled outdoors.

Given that it's an air to air heat exchange there is very little heat to be gathered from the outside air when temperatures dip below 40*F. Most air to air heat pumps become too inefficient to provide warm air below 37*F to 40*F. If the outside temperature is too cool for the heat pumps to work efficiently they attempt to cycle 3 times then are locked out and the gas furnace takes over. Even if the temperatures are in the operable range the gas furnace will assist if the selected temperature is more than 4* above the indoor ambient temperature.