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Old 06-21-2015, 07:58 AM   #1
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Heat Strip Install

I have a 2014 Bounder 35K. This coach has a rear heat pump and the fireplace for electric heat. In my last coach with a Dometic A/C I was able to put a heat strip in the unit. It's been my experience that the first resource I run out of when occupying the coach is propane and refilling that means unhooking from the sire I'm in and a trip to a propane dealer. My past experience with the heat strip installed was very positive, I did not need to use the furnace unless the outside temp got below 40 degrees. My research has shown me that the Bounder in zone 1 has a Coleman Mach III Power Saver and the Coleman Chill Grill. The Coleman Heat kit p# 9233A4551 is available from several sources in the 50.00 range. I'm hoping all I will have to do is install the heat kit in the ceiling unit and reprogram the thermostat, anyone have any experience with this??
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Old 06-21-2015, 09:16 AM   #2
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A small portable electric heater will put out the same amount of heat.
And will be more quiet while doing it.
I have used one of these Broan heaters for years. Small in size and have a 1200 & 1500W settings. I have no problem running two of them on the 1200 setting on my 30 AMP service.

If you really want more heat down to 40º replace the roof AC for a heat Pump model
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Old 06-21-2015, 09:24 AM   #3
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I have 2 AC/heat pumps on our rig. I was able to locate the heat strip option for our heat pumps. They simply plug into the control board in the unit itself.
We always try to use the heat pumps when connected to electric. Will most likely install one.
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Old 06-21-2015, 10:02 AM   #4
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I have a supplemental heater already. What I don't like about them is they easily trip the circuit breaker of the circuit they are installed in, add clutter to what is already a cluttered environment and add a tripping or fire hazard if not used carefully. With the heat strip you set the coach thermostat and forget it. Also a heat strip is 50 bucks and a heart pump is 600.00. The coach has a heat pump already in zone 2.
mchero
I have limited experience with the heat pump installed in zone 2. What I do know about it is it will shut off at 32 degrees by design. When parked at home in the driveway I used the heat strip last winter to keep the inside of the coach from going below freezing I plan on doing the same this winter.


FWIW
If your occupying the coach and the temp drops below 32 degrees your only option is to use the furnace as it also heats the basement and keeps the plumbing and holding tanks from freezing. Also it is the only heat source that will keep the inside temps in the comfort zone.
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Old 06-21-2015, 08:08 PM   #5
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Quote:
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Triker
I have a supplemental heater already. What I don't like about them is they easily trip the circuit breaker of the circuit they are installed in, add clutter to what is already a cluttered environment and add a tripping or fire hazard if not used carefully. With the heat strip you set the coach thermostat and forget it. Also a heat strip is 50 bucks and a heart pump is 600.00. The coach has a heat pump already in zone 2.
mchero
I have limited experience with the heat pump installed in zone 2. What I do know about it is it will shut off at 32 degrees by design. When parked at home in the driveway I used the heat strip last winter to keep the inside of the coach from going below freezing I plan on doing the same this winter.


FWIW
If your occupying the coach and the temp drops below 32 degrees your only option is to use the furnace as it also heats the basement and keeps the plumbing and holding tanks from freezing. Also it is the only heat source that will keep the inside temps in the comfort zone.
Don't have to tell me about winter camping! LOL


Did you see that I'm in New Hampshire? Was heating the Discovery well before above freezing tems. Did test the heatpump & indeed it stopped putting out heat "around" 34 degrees. I tried to use the heat pumps when the temps where 40 or above.

I don't understand the "add clutter to what is already a cluttered environment" comment. The heat stips are an option. They are installed up inside the unit with two to 4 screws and plugs into a plug on the control board.
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Old 06-21-2015, 08:32 PM   #6
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I was referring to Trikers recommendation to use the Broan heaters not the heat strips.
The manual for the Coleman Heat Pump that is installed in my units says that the unit will lock out the heat pump at 32 Dg to prevent it freezing up. I took my prior coach down to Pensacola last Feb for the month. Temps ranged from the uppers 20's to mid 80's. The propane tank lasted the entire month using electric heat as much as possible.
This past April I upgraded from an FR3 30DS that I had installed a heat strip in to the 35K, 2 very different coaches.
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Old 06-21-2015, 10:57 PM   #7
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The places we will full time in will not have snow! LOL
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Old 06-23-2015, 05:57 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z3406 View Post
I was referring to Trikers recommendation to use the Broan heaters not the heat strips.
The manual for the Coleman Heat Pump that is installed in my units says that the unit will lock out the heat pump at 32 Dg to prevent it freezing up. I took my prior coach down to Pensacola last Feb for the month. Temps ranged from the uppers 20's to mid 80's. The propane tank lasted the entire month using electric heat as much as possible.
This past April I upgraded from an FR3 30DS that I had installed a heat strip in to the 35K, 2 very different coaches.
The Broan heaters in mine. One sits on the counter between the stove and sink. The other one in the bedroom beside the bed on a dresser top.

Did I say it was small? 6"X6"X6" not much clutter room used to hold them.
Never have tripped a breaker on their 1200W setting and working off different breakers.

I stay all winter(7 months) in far SE Florida where we may see less then a average of 1-2 nights of 32º or below. And most years there are 0 nights that it gets to 32º. Even then it will not last longer then a hour or so.

Average low for Feb. is 57º Hi 77º coldest month is usually Jan. with a low of 56º and hi 77º
In Jan. we do have a few nights that it gets down into the 40's when my Broan heaters will keep up. I only use the heat pump to help when I am up. As the fan noise is a lot more on it then both of the Broan's running

For the last 15 plus years(Full Time) I only have filled my 28 gal house LP tank once a year(Tuesday after Labor Day).
Then it has only taken between 5-11 gal for the fill.
I also fill my Generator 40 gal tank at the same time.

SNOW!! What is that?
On January 19, 1977, Old Man Winter paid an unwelcomed visit to residents of Miami, Florida (yes, Florida, not Ohio) and brought along a surprise gift -- snow!
For the first time in the history of the extreme south of Florida, snow danced through the air and dusted the ground briefly. A quarter century later, the scene has not been repeated.

The residents of northern Florida around Pensacola were the first to see snow fall on the Sunshine State, receiving 1-2 inches (2.5-5.0 cm) on January 18.
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Old 06-23-2015, 06:31 AM   #9
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Trike
As I said I do have a space heater already similar to the Broans. When I used it this past winter it would trip a circuit breaker when on the hi setting if anything else on the zone was turned on. That was a 30 amp coach not a 50 amp Bounder 35K that I currently own so results may vary. It looks like the installation in the Bounder is going to be a lot easier than my last install, In the FR3 (Dometic) I had to install the heat kit from the roof side and replace the control box and thermostat, The Bounder (Coleman) looks like the heat kit installs from the bottom side and the control box and thermostat do not get changed out. What I really liked on the last coach was the ability to set the heat using the coaches thermostat so the heat cycles off and on like to furnace or A/C would. The only place I was comfortable putting the space heater in the old coach was on the stove top. The requirement for 36" of clear space in front of the heater limited where I could put it.
BTW before residing in KY I lived in Boca Raton FL for 17 years I'm well aware of the climate change involved, I saw the 1977 snow fall while working at the K Mart in N Miami Beach. My winter plans for this year involve spending Feb in Jacksonville at one of the NAS campgrounds.
I will be doing the Heat Strip Install before the weather turns, possibly before I take the coach to Michigan next month. I have seen the heat kits a low as 44.00 so it certainly isn't cost prohibitive to do.
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Old 06-23-2015, 06:57 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z3406 View Post
I have a 2014 Bounder 35K. This coach has a rear heat pump and the fireplace for electric heat. In my last coach with a Dometic A/C I was able to put a heat strip in the unit. It's been my experience that the first resource I run out of when occupying the coach is propane and refilling that means unhooking from the sire I'm in and a trip to a propane dealer. My past experience with the heat strip installed was very positive, I did not need to use the furnace unless the outside temp got below 40 degrees. My research has shown me that the Bounder in zone 1 has a Coleman Mach III Power Saver and the Coleman Chill Grill. The Coleman Heat kit p# 9233A4551 is available from several sources in the 50.00 range. I'm hoping all I will have to do is install the heat kit in the ceiling unit and reprogram the thermostat, anyone have any experience with this??
All you should have to do is install and plug it in. The controller that the heat strip plugs into has just one set of switches to select both type, ac or ac/ heat pump and zone. No other settings. When that thermostat fist gets power it " looks" for the number and type of ac connected. That's it.
let us know how the install goes. I'm thinking about adding the heat strip option one one of my units, perhaps the rear unit. Can't forget the tanks in the basement. Forward furnace heats wet bay.
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Old 06-23-2015, 07:33 AM   #11
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I just ordered the heat strip itself total cost with shipping 52.87. The RV products digital thermostat in my coach has programming instructions I will need to do. At present Zone one does not show electric heat as a option the reprogramming should take care of that. My winterizing procedure last year was to drain all the tanks and hot water heater and blow out all the water lines in the coach and anti freeze in the drain traps. The waste tanks had heat pads so that wasn't critical. My intentions this year is to do the same but put anti freeze in holding tanks. I leave my coach plugged in all the time so I'll turn the heat strip on and set it to keep the inside of the coach from going below freezing.
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Old 06-23-2015, 07:36 AM   #12
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I'd like to see the programming info. if you could send a copy to me, thanks.
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Old 06-23-2015, 11:27 AM   #13
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A heat pump and/or electric heating strip are considered to be the same to the thermostat. I'll be adding the heat strip rather then continue using the store bought electric heaters for all the reasons stated by z3406.


The company does state that the heat strip is not a substitute for the furnace. Just what they call a "chill chaser".
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Old 06-23-2015, 01:09 PM   #14
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Indeed just something to "break the chill"

It's not the stat that determines if zone X is AC or AC/heat pumps, it's set at the controller at each ac unit.
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