Community Forums

Waggin Wagon · 10-26-2012, 08:48 AM

Hi Everyone. I'm relatively new full timer. Bought a 2001 Dutch Star, love her. Last night my Comfort Control started acting strangely. When I pushed the Zone button, as I always do to brighten the LED screen, nothing happened. I switched it off then on again and all seemed well. I repeated myself later at bed time to turn down the heat and experienced the same thing with a new twist. The heat pump indicator would not appear for zone 2. I finally set it in the off position, reduced heat in zone 1 and went to bed. I woke later to find zone two (bedroom area) was heating according to zone one's setting. This morning I tried to increase heat temp for the day and opps..... Now NOTHING is working, not even the fan. The LED will light up IF I turn it off then on again. When I switch to another zone I have to turn off/on to see any data. All heat, pumps and furnace, data are absent. Having said all that I looked in my breaker box in the bedroom and one of the breakers looks to be off. I've pushed it back into position, it feels spongy, and it moves back into what I assume is the off position. I will include a picture. I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do next other than call Dometic. I have my fingers crossed the entire thing doesn't have to be replaced. Can anyone give me some info?

Thanks!

Julie

Skip426 · 10-26-2012, 09:23 AM

Did you move the breaker to the full "off " down before you tried to turn it on, up ??
That is the only way to re-set the breaker.

fortecuser20 · 10-26-2012, 09:26 AM

You have to turn braker all the way of and then back on.

Romeo · 10-26-2012, 09:53 AM

If you did push it all the off and back on and still it won't stay in the set position, you may need to replace the breaker, which is and easy unplug-replug operation.

OR... if it "snaps" off and "snaps on" and then quickly snaps back, you could have a short.

Waggin Wagon · 10-26-2012, 10:01 AM

Thanks everyone, I didn't know about fully turning off the breaker. I did as instructed and it turned back on. Sadly, the Comfort Control still isn't working. It won't display data for the heat pumps or the furnace. Do I need to call Dometic?

topdownman · 10-26-2012, 10:16 AM

There is a reset feature on the Comfort Control, although I don't remember what it is. It's like hold the top and bottom button down at the same time, then turn it off and on. It will reset the unit.

I had to do that several times in my HR.

Waggin Wagon · 10-26-2012, 10:40 AM

Just got off the phone with Dometic. Ran thru the reset procedure and it's throwing an error message. <deep sigh> They told me it could be the circuit board, the cable running to the "whatever's", etc. It's not something I can repair myself, takes a technician. I've called the repair shop recommended in my area and they're swamped with winterizations. Told me they'll have to order parts, etc. Bad thing is it's getting darned cold here on the river in Peoria. Thanks for everyone's help. You are a wonderful group of people.

topdownman · 10-26-2012, 11:58 AM

There are three pieces to that unit. The thermostat itself, the cable that connects them (which is like a phone wire) and the control board in the AC unit.

The pieces (except for the cable) are easy to replace. I retrofitted my older HR with new thermostats from Dometic and they came with detailed instructions. Ordered them over the phone and they arrived in a few days. They even make an adapter to use the existing cable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waggin Wagon

Just got off the phone with Dometic. Ran thru the reset procedure and it's throwing an error message. <deep sigh> They told me it could be the circuit board, the cable running to the "whatever's", etc. It's not something I can repair myself, takes a technician. I've called the repair shop recommended in my area and they're swamped with winterizations. Told me they'll have to order parts, etc. Bad thing is it's getting darned cold here on the river in Peoria. Thanks for everyone's help. You are a wonderful group of people.

clyon51 · 10-26-2012, 03:54 PM

As previously stated, your systems are connected via an RJ-11 (phone cord/jacks). Most problems like you are experiencing is due to loose or dirty connections. Get some spray contact cleaner. Remove the cable from the thermostat, clean the connections and reconnect. At this point, you can check again to see if everything is now showing on the tstat. If not, go to Z1 AC, remove the ceiling cover, which should expose the control board. You will have 1 RJ-11 for the furnace, one for the cable from the tstat and the 3rd which runs back to Z2. Clean all 3 of those. While there, check the 3 amp fuse. Then go to Z2 AC and do the same thing. When finished reset the tstat:

SYSTEM RESET
a. Turn the ON/OFF switch to “OFF” position.
b. Simultaneously depress and hold the MODE and ZONE
push-buttons while turning the ON/OFF switch to “ON”.
FF should appear in the LCD display until the MODE
and ZONE push-buttons are released.

This rescans the system looking for the devices. If one or more are not showing, it's a bad cable connection, blown fuse or bad control board. If you have mice problems, one could have chewed on a cable. That will cost $500 and don't ask me how I know

The above is for a 2 ACs and 1 furnace setup. If your heat pumps are elsewhere, then you will have extra cables and control boards on those units. For now I am assuming the heat pumps are incorporated in the ACs.

vraines · 10-28-2012, 08:13 AM

I have had similar problems with my thermostat and the reset mentioned above got it working again. I continued to need to reset several times later and was told by a service center to look for a bad fluorescent light ballast. Found one that was slow to start and replaced it. That solved the problem until another ballast started acting up. It was the EMI from the ballast that was affecting the electronics in the thermostat. I understand that newer thermostats have been modified to prevent EMI.