Did you know you can add a heater element to the coleman AC unit?

[Long & Winding road]

Did you know you can add a heater element to the Coleman 15000 btu AC unit on your roof? I noticed this stick on the inside of my unit "Install heating element at this location". Plus you can see where you can plug it in. I look it up and the element is only $53 from a RV online store. See picture below that also shows my thermister probe (I hope I attached it correctly).

Has any one added this element? if so how well does it work? It would be nice to use in the Fall/Winter when its only 40 deg outside and you want just a little extra heat esp. if your plugged in at the CG already.

[Long & Winding road]

Lets try this attachment.

[16ACE27]

Back when the AC units were stand-alone (no thermostat and no ducting) it was common to add a heating element KIT to the RV AC. The KIT included a replacement fan switch with a position for heat.

If the thermostat is not wired to provide a heat signal to the AC how are you going to turn on this heating element?

[JamieGeek]

You can also add an electric element to the furnace--although this is more of an aftermarket mod. Its called Cheapheat and has been discussed on the forums here for a bit (I think that was mostly the DRV folks in on that discussion, however).

This guy might be the heat strip for the A/C--if you have a Coleman Mach unit.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

You can also add an electric element to the furnace--although this is more of an aftermarket mod. Its called Cheapheat and has been discussed on the forums here for a bit (I think that was mostly the DRV folks in on that discussion, however).

This guy might be the heat strip for the A/C--if you have a Coleman Mach unit.

$587 vs $35? I know which way I'd go...


And I believe that is the heating element for the "stand-alone" AC as evidenced by the included knob.

[JamieGeek]

There is also this one which doesn't have the knob...

Yeah wasn't looking at prices earlier....

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

There is also this one which doesn't have the knob...

Yeah wasn't looking at prices earlier....

Yeah that was the one I was looking at. I wonder how you control it? I dont see anything on my thermostat that would control it unless if you turn the AC "on" and turn the temp above what interior temp is and it automaticly kicks on? Very interesting.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Yeah that was the one I was looking at. I wonder how you control it? I dont see anything on my thermostat that would control it unless if you turn the AC "on" and turn the temp above what interior temp is and it automaticly kicks on? Very interesting.

You have to have the correct thermostat and possibly an add-on controller. These will require more active wires than what your current thermostat uses so you may have to repull your thermostat wiring as well.

[pjciii]

I'm added it to mine. It a very inexpensive upgrade. Remember though, it is a heat strip not a heater. It will take the chill off the coach. It really was plug n play. New nob like someone else said. It really like mine and the DW won't get out of bed on colder mornings until it get up and turn it on for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Patrick

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by pjciii

I'm added it to mine. It a very inexpensive upgrade. Remember though, it is a heat strip not a heater. It will take the chill off the coach. It really was plug n play. New nob like someone else said. It really like mine and the DW won't get out of bed on colder mornings until it get up and turn it on for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Patrick

Ok, great. Yeah I figured it would just take the chill out of the air. How do you control your heater? Thermostat or a knob on the ceiling unit?

[pjciii]

They send a new nob for the ceiling unit. My old one had 2 low fan, high fan, low cool and high cool. The new one has heat, low fan, high fan, low cool and high. It does work. There is a slot on your return air side. It just screws in and a small wiring harness that just plugs right in. Why that isn't standard is beyond me.
Patrick