AC/Furnace Thermostat Mod

[Hotrock59]

I'll try to get a couple of pics up before we leave today on a weekend camping trip, I hope you saw my post on the equipment necessary to complete tis mod, I highly recommend the electric strip addition to make this mod complete............

[habelson]

I've done this mod to the last 2 campers we've owned, just finished it on our brand new Satellite 16ks yesterday, took about 2 hours. I added the electric strip as well, why use gas at my expense? But wired the gas furnace in too for those really cold nights. The most difficult part of this mod is routing the t-stat wire, had to drill a 1/2" inch hole through the bulkhead at one end of rooftop unit and fish the wire through into the bathroom wall, not an easy task but worth the end results.

would you be willing to post pics of your mod? I just purchased a Satellite (my first RV) and I'd be interested in the same mod.

[Hotrock59]

I've done this mod to the last 2 campers we've owned, just finished it on our brand new Satellite 16ks yesterday, took about 2 hours. I added the electric strip as well, why use gas at my expense? But wired the gas furnace in too for those really cold nights. The most difficult part of this mod is routing the t-stat wire, had to drill a 1/2" inch hole through the bulkhead at one end of rooftop unit and fish the wire through into the bathroom wall, not an easy task but worth the end results.

[kuba122]

I just started this mod on my trailer, the other day. I went the route of factory controller for my Coleman Mach 3 (about 70.00) and a Coleman 12 VDC Thermostat (about 40.00) and I also installed an electric heat element (about 70.00) into the AC system .... I'm not a big fan of the gas furnace when I can get away without using it. I am using a thermostat meant to control a heat pump (mach 3 is not a heat pump) with gas heat/electric heat separately controlled.

My goals: clean install 1 control that looks and feels factory, 12vdc controls everything, therefore I don't need 110VAC to have heat (we do a fair amount of dry camping). I also want the overhead fan to operate when gas heat is on and we do have 110VDC, I also want control over the high/low fan which is provided on the thermostat, separately.

I'm not an AC mechanic, but am an electronics tech. I may need to add a solid state relay or two to get all of the functionality I desire. I ran all of the cable and got the gas heater working, yesterday. I am waiting on the Controller to arrive to finish up. When I get done, next week sometime .... I'll write up everything and maybe even provide some less expensive alternatives.

[uct]

This topic is really 2 different situations. One is where the ac and heat is controlled by one thermostat. That is my case and the mod was easy. Two the ac and heat have two different controls. Seems like that mod would be a whole lot more complex.

[jcarlilesiu]

I need to do this mod as well.

I can't understand why they would put the heater on a thermostat but not the AC.

[uct]

Read the ac digital thread

[uct]

Yes I used a honeywell 5 2 Stat. The only draw back is you will have to choose between high fan speed and low. I chose high. Controls the gas heat and a/c .

[yoyopops]

I am looking to also upgrade my thermostat in my 2012 autumn ridge but the current thermostat has controls for both the heat and the air. Does anyone know if I can just switch out the current thermostat with a digital without having to add the additional relay for the AC?

[JohnZig]

I did the same mod but a little differently.
Removed factory controls from existing j box in A/C unit.
Added a 24 volt transformer and two relays that fit snugly into that j box, wiring diagram for fan and compressor should be in your folder from the dealer or online. I went with high fan speed.
On our 21 FBS I was able to fish a wire across ceiling to the existing thermostat location, removed speaker to get the wire down the wall.
Replaced factory thermostat with a digital one that works great. You will have to remove a jumper on the new thermostat to split 12 volt heat from new 24 volt A/C relays. A little bit of extra work but we are happy with the result.
Not sure why Starcraft doesn't do this from the factory, I'll bet I don't have $50.00 in material.
We did try the Air Switch RV control before I did this mod but we were not happy with the temperature fluctuations.