heat pump and furnace

oldbird · 10-20-2016, 10:17 AM

I know a heat pump will only work efficiency down to a certain temp but whatever that temp is will the furnace take over automatically? Its been getting cooler and my heat pump has been doing a good job. This morning it was 22° out and my furnace was running. I checked the control and it said 'heat pump'. Is this right?

Eagle-eye · 10-20-2016, 06:51 PM

We have a 2008 and we have to manually switch from the heat pump to the furnace when it gets too cold. I usually shut the heat pump off when the outside temperature gets into the upper 30's.

oldbird · 10-20-2016, 08:11 PM

That's what I'm wondering about Eagle-eye, the furnace was running but yet the controller still said heat pump. Weird!

On a side note, mine didn't come with a fireplace but yet everything is there for one. Does anybody know why to buy one?

**wingnut60** · 10-20-2016, 10:31 PM

I believe a lot of RVs use a Dimplex electric fireplace--

http://www.dimplex.com/en/electric_fireplaces

These are not much more than a space heater, but people seem to like them for the appearance. They are limited by electrical service to about 1500 watts, same as most space heaters.
Be sure of what else is on the circuit that feeds the new fireplace, limitations as to amps available will soon let you know if you overload a circuit.

I prefer the storage available that a fireplace would take up; but then I have to take out/put up the space heaters when needed.

Joe

Eagle-eye · 10-20-2016, 10:37 PM

Glen I was looking information on the fireplace but couldn't find anything. Fireplace doesn't seem to have a name on it that I could find.

While looking through the paperwork that I have I found information on the heat pump and in reading through it I found that it says that when the outside temperature drops below 30 degrees the furnace will come on. I guess that I've never tried to run the heat pump when it was that cold outside.

oldbird · 10-20-2016, 11:38 PM

Thanks Joe, I'm like you, I like the storage but getting tired of space heaters. Thanks for that link, I'll check it out. There is a 15 amp breaker in the panel just for the fireplace so I'm thinking that the plug under there is just for a fireplace.

Thanks for that info Eagle-eye! When I think about it that's a pretty good system. I've been running a couple space heaters with the heat pump set so if its gets to cold it will kick on. Last night it got real cold so the furnace kicked in. Cool, I mean hot