Can Heat Strips Be added to roof top Ac's

Van · October 28, 2010, 08:07:01 AM

Just wondering if this is feasible? Tanks!

luvrbus · October 28, 2010, 08:15:54 AM

They work Van with the fan on low it will start cold but they will warm up 5600 btu and around 15 amps cost 60 bucks each, next time you are over check the shop there should be some out there with the covers

good luck

Van · October 28, 2010, 09:16:14 AM

Sweet! Thanks clifford!

Fredward · October 28, 2010, 10:31:02 AM

I added heat strips to my roof airs. Our experience with them has been marginal. They draw a lot of current and unless the interior is already in the 60's it takes a long time to heat up. Also the hot air is up by the ceiling, not down at the floor where the cold air is.

Instead I use two little thermostatically controlled heaters from the hardware store. You can set the temp and fan speed and they cycle on and off automatically and the heat is down at the floor not up by my head. Also I can run both of them no problem. Running the heat strips in the A/C units uses up pretty much everything a 30amp circuit will deliver.

I can't remember what kind of AC's I have. Dometic I think.

Fred

TomC · October 28, 2010, 02:49:05 PM

I have 3 13,500btu/hr Colemans all with heat strips. They work well-the trick is to close the vents to slow down the air, then they heat up pretty fast. All three running will make a sauna inside (and be pulling nearly 5,000 watts). Good Luck, TomC

mikelutestanski · October 28, 2010, 03:11:50 PM

hello: One point IF they as installed as directed the fan will run on high only. The wattage is not as large as stated I believe but have not checked.
THe heaters are marginal if the temperature is very low by that I mean 60 or so. They will heat up the room but it takes a long time and the cold air that is initially blowing around will feel cold.
I bought one for each of my 13500 ac units and installed them myself.
I have not changed the fan speed over to low but I believe it is a somple wire change and is possible. I do wonder why the manufacturer wanted it set up to run on high ??
A friend has had good luck using a dimmer switch to control the fan heating and cooling to get the fan noise lower in his winnie . No problems so far.
FWIW
Regards and happy bussin mike

Lin · October 28, 2010, 04:47:37 PM

Heaters are very high liability items. I would guess that the manufacturer wants it to run on high so the the air flow will keep the unit cooler and reduce the possibility of melting or fires.

FloridaCliff · October 28, 2010, 04:54:46 PM

Also,

They will not work on any of the ducted models that I have seen.

Only on the direct vent.

Cliff

jmblake · October 28, 2010, 06:46:25 PM

I have them in mine and we love them. I have 2 15,000 dometic that are ducted and they will roast you out, We were out about 3 weeks ago and it was down in the low 40s and the wife had it up to 75 and the still cycled on & off. I would have them again in a minute for all the more they cost, I think it was $60.00 for each unit. Jason

FloridaCliff · October 28, 2010, 06:50:38 PM

Quote from: jmblake on October 28, 2010, 06:46:25 PM
I have them in mine and we love them. I have 2 15,000 dometic that are ducted and they will roast you out, We were out about 3 weeks ago and it was down in the low 40s and the wife had it up to 75 and the still cycled on & off. I would have them again in a minute for all the more they cost, I think it was $60.00 for each unit. Jason

I stand corrected! Thanks for the info Jason

I have Carriers and they told me it was one or the other. I may recheck this option on mine....

Cliff

Fredward · October 28, 2010, 07:04:37 PM

Oh yah and by the way, mine do not cycle on and off. As was mentioned earlier, the fan runs on high and the heat never shuts off. Must be a cheap AC unit. I guess I never tried Tom's recommendation to close some of the vents.

I still vote for a couple of small thermostatically controlled units sitting on the floor. Much quieter and in the cold climate, its nice to put the heat where the cold is: The Floor.
Fred

Van · October 28, 2010, 09:14:13 PM

Thanks for every ones thoughts on this, as I do rely on others experience's. All worth looking into here, right now we only have the Gen on board but hopefully will have an inverter to add to the growing arsenal and a six pac for the house to run all this. I definitely agree that it takes a lot to heat an already cold coach. I'll be off to the box store tomorrow and see what is available ( in electric heaters). thanks all!

Dreamscape · October 29, 2010, 04:12:17 AM

Hey Van,

We have two heatstrips in older Dometic's. Haven't used them as the fans are noisy to say the least. I do know the heat they put out is insignificant to using real heaters. We have a tower heater that was bought at Sam's Club, cost about 50 bucks if I remember correctly. It works great and the fan is fairly quiet, moves the air around enough in our coach to keep us warm. Last winter it was real cold and snowy here 7 different times, it kept us toasty warm. We also have an 18,000 BTU wall heater that we use when the other can't keep up. You are correct to use a heater to keep the bus warm on a continual basis, instead of trying to heat up an icebox.

jmblake · October 29, 2010, 04:29:26 AM

We also use to use the cube heaters in our TT but with the kids and animals we were worried they would get knocked over. this way there is nothing to worry about and nothing to find a place for while going down the road. Jason

Van · October 29, 2010, 06:03:16 AM

Here's another question, are there wall mounted elec units like the blue flame/ceramic propane heaters that some have?

Paul you know we absolutely love that snowy photo of Dreamscape, it puts us in the holiday spirit!