Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-05-2015, 05:29 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 22
Heat Pump or not?

Reviewing all options for upcoming factory order for 38RL. Will be full time but still working in northern AZ so will be in colder weather at times. Curious on usage experiences with Heat Pump option on the A/C units. Work at all below 40 degrees? Worth the investment for two? Noise level? Potential maintenance issues? Heat pump is just the reverse thermodynamics of the A/C cycle but you might loose efficiency.
Thanks

Dan and Julie - goodbye house, hello Redwood
CowboyDan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2015, 06:16 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 377
Quote:
Originally Posted by CowboyDan View Post
Reviewing all options for upcoming factory order for 38RL. Will be full time but still working in northern AZ so will be in colder weather at times. Curious on usage experiences with Heat Pump option on the A/C units. Work at all below 40 degrees? Worth the investment for two? Noise level? Potential maintenance issues? Heat pump is just the reverse thermodynamics of the A/C cycle but you might loose efficiency.
Thanks

Dan and Julie - goodbye house, hello Redwood
If I had the option I would get both front and rear. Worth every penny.
__________________
2013 Redwood 36RL. 2005 Dodge 3500 DRW 4X4. 6 speed manual transmission. South Bend dual disc clutch.
Tomkidder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2015, 07:04 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Shane Wood's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,032
Send a message via AIM to Shane Wood Send a message via MSN to Shane Wood Send a message via Yahoo to Shane Wood
I have both units with one and I never use the furnace mine work down to 32 before blowing cool air. No noisier than the air on. We have fulltime over a year and no issues yet
__________________
2015 36RL pushing a 2015 Denali
Shane Wood is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2015, 09:35 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
atom ant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,101
The cost is nominal and you would probably be sorry without them. Both the furnace and the AC/heat pumps are incredibly quiet on our Redwood, but to preserve LP I use the heat pumps when I can. The furnace is a quick way to heat the floor, but then back to heat pumps. Granted, they won't do you much good in your lower temps, but spring and fall they are awesome.
__________________
Brad & Dory - Lone Tree, CO
CURRENT - 2013 Itasca Meridian 42E/2013 Wrangler 4dr Sahara
SOLD - 2014 Redwood 36RL/2014 F350 DRW
atom ant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2015, 09:53 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
rob_fla's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,674
Since we bought of the lot instead of ordering, our unit only has one unit that is a Heat Pump.
We spend our winters in the Southeast and the one unit keeps us warm and toasty most of the time.
On rare cases it does get below 30 and we have to switch on the propane heat, need to keep the basement warm anyway and the heat pump will not do that.
We also have a couple of small space heaters we supplement the heat with on the cold days.
__________________
Robert & Sheryl
2014 Redwood 38FL
MoRyde 8K IS, Disc Brakes, MoRyde Pin Box
17.5 Goodyear G114's, RV Armor Roof
2018 RAM 3500 DRW, Curt Q24 Hitch

rob_fla is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2015, 10:14 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Rosey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 307
We're camping now in Virginia & this is the first time since we took delivery in May to use the heat pump(s). In early morning,when the temps. have been near freezing, I use the gas furnace & elec. fireplace to warm things up then switch over (if necessary) when temps. outside are in the 40's, especially on those rainy chilly days when you need to just take the "chill out of the air" inside. Really glad that we got this option.
__________________
Mike & Gayle
Our 3 fur children "Ting-Tang"&"Saylor"(Shih Tsu's) &"Kai" (Finnish Spitz)
2007 Silverado Classic 3500 LT C.C. Longbed Dually,
Duramax, Allison Tranny, 62 Gal. Titan Tank
2016 39MB 5.5 Onan, Residential Package, Goodyear G114's, Mor/ryde heavy duty Shackle/bushing upgrade.
Rosey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2015, 11:12 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 395
I can confirm that the Heat Pump is a good idea. I spent 4 weeks in Wyoming between October and November. I only had to buy gas for 1-30 lb tank. I wish I had two heat pumps. Mine worked into the low 30's. I pretty much only turned on the gas furnace to keep the basement warm on nights it got to the 20's. I kept the temperature set to 72-74.
__________________
Scott
2015 38GK, Titan Brakes, H 114 Tires, IS
2015 Denali Dually
bergeman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2015, 02:39 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 216
I have heat pumps on both my A/C's and would not order another coach without them. They are worth every penny and as others have said, they are good to approx. 38 degrees before the furnace kicks on and takes over. Between the two heat pumps and the fireplace heater, the coach stays at a comfy 74 degrees in cooler temps.
__________________
2014 Ram 3500HD Longhorn
2013 Redwood 36RL
Enroute is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2015, 02:59 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 767
We use the heat pumps down low 30's all the time one of the best things we have on the RW.
__________________
2020 Newmar Baystar
RWJSIM2003 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2015, 10:31 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
RCAircraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 412
Quote:
Originally Posted by CowboyDan View Post
Reviewing all options for upcoming factory order for 38RL. Will be full time but still working in northern AZ so will be in colder weather at times. Curious on usage experiences with Heat Pump option on the A/C units. Work at all below 40 degrees? Worth the investment for two? Noise level? Potential maintenance issues? Heat pump is just the reverse thermodynamics of the A/C cycle but you might loose efficiency.
Thanks

Dan and Julie - goodbye house, hello Redwood
Heat pumps are a great for saving propane down to about 40 F. The furnace is necessary when temps approach freezing to protect the tanks which are heated via the furnace. We have two heat pumps and they are great.
__________________
Bob and Carol - Lees Summit, MO,
2016 Silverado 3500 HD, High Country DRW diesel, 3.73 gear ratio, long bed, 25K Reese Elite removable hitch with 2013 Redwood 36RL with 17.5" H-rated tires and MOR/ryde heavy duty shackle links and bushings; 6.5 KW gen
RCAircraft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2015, 11:20 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
johnboytoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,055
+32 on heat pumps

And, IIRC, if you set the heat pumps to a temp and
they can't keep at that temp, your furnace will automatically start...

Have 3 heat pumps on Monaco now and use them almost exclusively...
__________________
Ours: '11 Monaco Diplomat 43DFT followed closely by '14 Jeep 4 dr Wrangler.
Hers: '13 Explorer Sport - AWD 365hp twin turbo scooter!
Previous: '13 Ford F350 CC Platinum and '13 38GK
johnboytoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2015, 01:09 AM   #12
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 83
We bought our Redwood on the lot and it only came with one heat pump. We picked it up the Monday before Thanksgiving and are still traveling in it. I can say with out a doubt the heat pump has been a pleasant surprise. It's worked very well into the 30s.

We've had lows at night down in the lower 20s while in northern Kentucky and when been pleased with how well the RW has handled those temps overall.
__________________


Thomas and Shana
R.I.P. Skip. We miss you old boy. Our travels will never be the same....

2015 Redwood 38RL
2013 Ford F-350 King Ranch 4WD DRW
thomas861 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2015, 01:21 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 370
Our RL wasn't factory ordered so it didn't have a heat pump. I just had a heat strip installed on one A/C unit, and I'm very pleased with it. On our way south we used it almost every night and I estimate that it saved us between 2 and 3 30 lb. cylinders of propane, the parks that we stay at include electricity as part of the daily rate.

It won't take long to pay off the cost of the installation, and it would have been even cheaper to have it installed as an option.
__________________
2013 Redwood 36RL, 2011 F-450, Sat Internet, Sat TV
almcc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2015, 01:35 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
mhs4771's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,807
Did have the Heat Pumps on our 36RL, but ordered them with this 39MB and glad we have them. Although we don't use them alot, glad we have them when we need them.
__________________
Michelle & Ann
2018 Chevy 3500HD Crew Cab High Country DRW, D/A, 2016 RW39MB, Dual ACs, Auto Level, Auto Sat Dish, Stack W/D, King Sleep #, 17.5" Sailuns w/Disc, MORryde IS & Pin, Comfort Ride Hitch, 5.5 Onan, Res Fridge & Induction Cook Top
mhs4771 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2015, 07:48 PM   #15
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 22
thanks all for great responses. Jury is is - - Heat Pumps are not optional for FT.

Dan & Jules
CowboyDan is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Redwood RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×