Heat Pump operation

[Rogerfish]

With winter finally arriving, I am trying to get acquainted with my heating system in my 2015 RW. I see in other posts that the heat pump doesn't work when the temp gets down around 40 and below. Well, my outside temp just dropped to 27 and my heat pump was still cycling on and off putting out heat and kept the unit at a toasty 72 inside. At that point, I figured I needed to manually switch to propane to protect my plumbing. Are the new heat pumps different from the ones folks are talking about in other posts?

[RWJSIM2003]

ours will work down to 35 degrees after that it is not that effective and runs a lot. I turn it on during the day and at night we use the propane if the temps are going to lower than 35. We also use two elec heaters that keeps the furnace from running most of the time

[rob_fla]

These heat pumps work the same as a Stick and Brick Heat Pump, it is the A/C cycle running in reverse.
As the outside temp gets colder, there is less temperature transfer and you will notice the air temperature coming out is not as hot and the unit looses efficiency till finally there is no temperature transfer outside so no heat inside.

[spindrift]

Am I incorrect? I thought the gas furnace would automatically begin operation once the heat pump couldn't satisfy t-stat setting.

[atom ant]

That is correct, providing you are using the thermostat with the furnace on it. I was using my 2nd heat pump only and when it got to 30 degrees outside it shook, rattled, and started blowing cold air with no furnace backup.

[Tomkidder]

Okay so I tested my heat pump at 13* I turned all the propane off and the heat pump was still running it was able to keep the unit temp inside at 43*. The heat pump ran constantly and was very inefficient. The propane unit was able to sense that there was no heat and that unit shut down. Now if the heat pump will shut down, if the furnace is supplying heat, automatically. Once this occurs the propane heat will continue to heat until the outside temp reaches 36* and then switches back to heat pump automatically. (If you keep your thermostat set to heat pump)

[Titan Guy]

My feet get cold only running the heat pump!

[atom ant]

Ya, I have to start with the furnace sometimes because the floor is cold

[travelin' texans]

Wish there was a way to adjust temp differential between heat pump & furnace, it gets too cold before furnace kicks in.

[Shane Wood]

You all are staying where it's way to cold. All I run is the 2 heat pumps and my floor stays warm. Mind you our coldest night was 37 degrees so far