RVComfort.zc Thermostat Lockup

tmzulim · 02-21-2015, 03:33 PM

I have the above thermostat in a 2014 Tour. The thermostat at apparently random times, will completely lockup. Systems won't work (no HVAC operation at all) and thermostat buttons won't function at all-they're totally dead. This gremlin happened on day one when I took delivery of the coach from Lazy Days in Feb '14; the thermostat was dead as I described when the Lazy Days service advisor tried to show me how the thermostat works during my new coach orientation. She noted the problem in the record. And reset it by turning off the house batteries. Over the next 12 months, the same gremlin has shown up at various times. Winn tech support also advised turning off house batteries for a "reset" of the thermostat. This works to reset it and get it functioning again, but it doesn't solve the problem. The issues with unexpectedly losing your HVAC are obvious.

I had the coach at Lazy Days last month (Jan '15) for its first annual service and brought up the thermostat issue. Winn wouldn't authorize replacing the thermostat. The purported "permanent fix" that the tech was directed by Winn to do was removing the thermostat from its mounting location and unplugging it from its wiring harness. A "total power-down and reset" as it was called. It reset it (same as turning off the house batteries) but it also hasn't solved the problem. It's happened twice again in the last month since leaving Lazy Days. I'm returning to Lazy Days again next week for some other issues and I'll again address this with them.

Im interested in knowing if anyone else is experiencing this same issue and what you've done with it. Thanks!

Clifftall · 02-21-2015, 03:37 PM

Here's a thread that may be relevant to your issue. In theses instances the thermostat was reading " 00 ". A choke filter was the fix. I posted a photo in that thread.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f54/rvcom...es-126229.html

tmzulim · 02-21-2015, 04:25 PM

Wow. Thanks for the prompt response. This site is awesome, particularly for a new RVer like me (a year ago I don't think I could have spelled RV if you spotted me the R; now I own one!). Although there are no fluorescent lights in my coach, there are a lot of other types and so forth. Who knows what may be interfering with the thermostat. This sounds like a fix worth trying. Here's a photo of my thermostat. Was the choke easy to install? Did you mount it behind the panel on which the thermostat is mounted? Thanks!

tmzulim · 02-21-2015, 04:28 PM

Do you know if the choke and plugs as identified are compatible with my thermostat? Thanks again

Clifftall · 02-21-2015, 04:35 PM

Your photo wasn't posted but the one I posted in that thread is a plug n play.

Clifftall · 02-21-2015, 04:39 PM

Post #7 in this thread shows how to add a photo in case you don't know how.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f62/forum...ics-49134.html

tmzulim · 02-21-2015, 04:47 PM

Hopefully they if comes thru here

tmzulim · 02-21-2015, 04:48 PM

The source for the choke was an eBay posting from a while back. Seller has no more sale postings on eBay for the choke. I've sent the seller a message. Are you aware of any other source for the choke? Thanks again!

Clifftall · 02-21-2015, 04:49 PM

Excellent

. That's a different thermostat. Maybe a call to RV Comfort will get you some answers.
I haven't spoke to them in a few years but they were very helpful back then.

Clifftall · 02-21-2015, 05:08 PM

Here's a lead.

http://www.pdxrv.com/catalog/c40_p3.html

tnteacherguy · 02-21-2015, 06:24 PM

That's ironic. Today, I went to turn on my a/c and had no zone2. I turned the switch to off for five minutes and it reappeared. First time in two years of ownership. I hope mine was a fluke but I hope someone out there has a real solution.

buzz_85 · 02-21-2015, 08:01 PM

I have an 2013 Itasca Meridian 34B with the exact same problem. Good luck dealing with Winnebago after your warranty period (I am fighting the urge to rant about that). I am on my second or third thermostat unit and the problem is not corrected. Winnebago has known of this problem since 2013 and can not or will not correct the problem. The only way to resolve (from what I can tell only temporarily) is to unplug from the wiring harness for several minutes and re plug (that is from Winnebago)...this will reset until you turn the system off again and then it may or if you are lucky may not happen again until you turn the system off again and then it starts all over. I have talked to Winnebago and they claim this never happens more than one time...my response is...well I will not say what I am thinking.

mjeffrey · 02-21-2015, 09:00 PM

We exchanged our bedroom ceiling fan with one with a remote. It created so much 'noise' on the 12 volt? side of the thermostat that whenever the ceiling fan was on, the thermostat was inoperable.

We undid the ceiling fan change and all was well again.

We got a choke filter from RVAircel/Coleman but then the forward AC didn't like to come on consistently. So we removed the choke filter.

Bottom line, the thermostat is too sensitive to garbage signals on the power. That is why a power down would help.

Still see 00 on the thermostat occasionally, but currently no ongoing issues.

tmzulim · 03-30-2015, 06:32 AM

Update. Since installing the choke over a month ago, the problem has not reoccurred. So far, so good!

Clifftall · 03-30-2015, 07:09 AM

Thanks for the update. Glad it's working well.

spendingit · 04-11-2015, 10:27 AM

Our thermostat lost it's mind last night - Zone 3 disappeared - the thermostat couldn't even see it. We've had LOTS of rain here and the first thunderstorms of the year (Galveston Texas), but we never lost power and our power protection said all was well. We did change out 2 light fixtures for LED fixtures - but that was early in the day with the thermostat working happily.

So I searched for "missing zone" etc on the web and ended up here where I saw a lot of posts on similar problems in various forums here, and decided to try to fix it myself.

I didn't disconnect the house batteries (Winnebago posts) or buy a choke (yet) (various posts).

I set the control slide switch to "off", and removed the cover of the thermostat by gently prying on the left side of the cover, and then opened the fuse by pulling it from the right side of it's connection holder. Count to 15, put it back in. put the slide switch in "cool" et voila - all is well.

Put the cover back on and we're chillin' just fine.

glen42 · 04-12-2015, 06:51 PM

I have a 2015 adventurer. Thermostat has locked up twice, the first time I reset it by turning off the batteries, the second time this would not reset it, I had to disconnect the cable to the thermostat. It has not locked up since, but I believe what was locking it up was having the AC on when disconnecting or connecting from shore power. I now make sure the system is off before I connect/disconnect shore power and it no longer locks up.

CookieRV · 07-11-2015, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmzulim

I have the above thermostat in a 2014 Tour. The thermostat at apparently random times, will completely lockup. Systems won't work (no HVAC operation at all) and thermostat buttons won't function at all-they're totally dead. This gremlin happened on day one when I took delivery of the coach from Lazy Days in Feb '14; the thermostat was dead as I described when the Lazy Days service advisor tried to show me how the thermostat works during my new coach orientation. She noted the problem in the record. And reset it by turning off the house batteries. Over the next 12 months, the same gremlin has shown up at various times. Winn tech support also advised turning off house batteries for a "reset" of the thermostat. This works to reset it and get it functioning again, but it doesn't solve the problem. The issues with unexpectedly losing your HVAC are obvious.

I had the coach at Lazy Days last month (Jan '15) for its first annual service and brought up the thermostat issue. Winn wouldn't authorize replacing the thermostat. The purported "permanent fix" that the tech was directed by Winn to do was removing the thermostat from its mounting location and unplugging it from its wiring harness. A "total power-down and reset" as it was called. It reset it (same as turning off the house batteries) but it also hasn't solved the problem. It's happened twice again in the last month since leaving Lazy Days. I'm returning to Lazy Days again next week for some other issues and I'll again address this with them.

Im interested in knowing if anyone else is experiencing this same issue and what you've done with it. Thanks!

Thank you!!! This just happened to us, thanks to you we reset the House Batteries and it worked!!!

CookieRV · 07-11-2015, 12:50 PM

Yes! Reset the House Batteries and fixed the problem!

Jim2 · 07-11-2015, 02:03 PM

Resetting is a good temp fix, but as long as you continue using whatever device caused the RFI (radio frequency interference), the locked up condition will continue returning. For some its from a fluorescent light fixture ballast, for some its from a fan, for some its from a cell/PC charger. Many different types of electrical devices can cause RFI that triggers the thermostat circuit to lockup.
As you see above in this thread, many have luck adding a choke, for a more permanent fix.