39 replies to this topic

[M1010 Mike]

I had the same problem with my Honeywell digital thermostat not working properly below 40 deg. Fan would come on but wouldn't ignite the burner. I called Honywell and they told me they are not designed to work below 40 deg. I have gone back to my mech style and I now have heat when it is in the 20's and 30's. Nice.

Humm.... interesting. I can't remember how cold it was when we tried it. I don't think it was below 40 but I'll have to check into that idea.

[riz]

I tried the digital route too, but most of my camping is done in the winter with temps around 10 degrees to -10F. The digital didn't work at those temps so I went back to to original equipment. I wish someone would make a digital thermostat that worked when you really need it... When it's cold!

[captainphx]

Just got back from a week long trip in the Sand Hills/White Pockets area. It got as cold as 17 degrees. Had a chance to try out the new thermostat extensively. I thought it worked great. We never set it below 50. Used up only one tank of LP. One thing I don't like, is the location of the thermostat. It it right next to the hot water tank and thus reads higher than what the actual temp is inside the camper. We have a secondary thermometer on the opposite side of the camper, near the window and it always reads about 10 degrees cooler.

One other issue that is beginning to bug me, is the seemingly continuous outside airflow coming into the camper from under and around the frig. I'd like to seal around it. Does anyone know any reason why not to do that?

[pods8]

I tried the digital route too, but most of my camping is done in the winter with temps around 10 degrees to -10F. The digital didn't work at those temps so I went back to to original equipment. I wish someone would make a digital thermostat that worked when you really need it... When it's cold!

The thermostat I added to mine reads "Lo" when it gets down in the 30s or so (I can't recall the exact temp) and when it does that it won't fire up the furnace. You need to warm it up first. In the past I've popped it off and tucked it in my shirt to warm it up then stuck it back on and it would fire things up. That was hacky and I'm getting ready to sell my Hawk now that my build is coming along so I finally got off my butt and just put a bypass switch around it. Now if it reads "Lo", just hit the bypass switch to fire up the furnace till it warms up enough for the thermostat to take over.

[captainphx]

The thermostat I added to mine reads "Lo" when it gets down in the 30s or so (I can't recall the exact temp) and when it does that it won't fire up the furnace. You need to warm it up first. In the past I've popped it off and tucked it in my shirt to warm it up then stuck it back on and it would fire things up. That was hacky and I'm getting ready to sell my Hawk now that my build is coming along so I finally got off my butt and just put a bypass switch around it. Now if it reads "Lo", just hit the bypass switch to fire up the furnace till it warms up enough for the thermostat to take over.

Sounds like a great "fix" for that problem.

[LT Traveler]

The thermostat I added to mine reads "Lo" when it gets down in the 30s or so (I can't recall the exact temp) and when it does that it won't fire up the furnace. You need to warm it up first. In the past I've popped it off and tucked it in my shirt to warm it up then stuck it back on and it would fire things up. That was hacky and I'm getting ready to sell my Hawk now that my build is coming along so I finally got off my butt and just put a bypass switch around it. Now if it reads "Lo", just hit the bypass switch to fire up the furnace till it warms up enough for the thermostat to take over.

Pods8, what do you mean by "bypass switch" my thermostat does the exact same thing yours does and having to take it off and wear it in your pocket for a few minutes is hokey. I like the sounds of your mod but don't understand it. Thanks.

[pods8]

Pods8, what do you mean by "bypass switch" my thermostat does the exact same thing yours does and having to take it off and wear it in your pocket for a few minutes is hokey. I like the sounds of your mod but don't understand it. Thanks.

All the thermostat is doing is closing a switch and making a connection for the two wires that are connected to it. I added a manual switch as well in parallel to the thermostat (from each of the two wires going to the thermostat there is now a branch at the end of the wire, one leg to the thermostat and one to the switch). Either of them closing will fire up the furnace.

Stepping back: Your furnace has 3 wires. Positive, negative, and thermostat. The first two should be obvious how they are wired up. The thermostat input just needs a positive connection applied to it to fire up the furnace, so there is a positive wire that goes from the power source through a thermostat and then to this furnace connection. The thermostat is just a switch that makes/breaks this connection to turn the furnace on/off.

[Edgewood]

Would it be OK to replace the thermostat with a on/off switch?

[pods8]

Would it be OK to replace the thermostat with a on/off switch?

The furnace shouldn't care. I have no idea if there are codes it violates. Functionally it seems less than ideal though to solely use an on/off switch from a convenience factor.

[JHa6av8r]

One other issue that is beginning to bug me, is the seemingly continuous outside airflow coming into the camper from under and around the frig. I'd like to seal around it. Does anyone know any reason why not to do that?

What kind of fridge do you have, 2-way or 3-way? We have a 2-way and it is not open at all to the outside.