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Old 11-19-2018, 01:30 PM   #1
Bigrig
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Can't stand it!

All the heat when it comes on, goes upstairs to the master suite. It get stuffy while we wait for the main cabin to warm.
Had it looked at at the dealer, findings are as follows: Turned on furnace and let it heat up for 10 min. Tested and measured heat output at registers, M/S at 143*, Bath at 97*, Entry at 109*, TV at 103*, couch at 96*: After 20 mins, temps are 150, 103, 114, 112, 105. This is normal per factory.

Looking for ideas to reverse this order and get the furnace to blow more in the main cabin. We like a cool bedroom and we would not mind if I could re-route ducts without any safety concerns.
 
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Old 11-19-2018, 02:46 PM   #2
jimcol
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Restrict or close off some of the registers upstairs. Place a small fan upstairs blowing towards the downstairs. If you don't use a fan we have found the fastest way to warm the downstairs is to close the door at the top of the stairs. Hot air is always going to migrate to the highest point of the rig. Closing the door really slows that migration.
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Old 11-19-2018, 03:00 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigrig View Post
All the heat when it comes on, goes upstairs to the master suite. It get stuffy while we wait for the main cabin to warm.
Had it looked at at the dealer, findings are as follows: Turned on furnace and let it heat up for 10 min. Tested and measured heat output at registers, M/S at 143*, Bath at 97*, Entry at 109*, TV at 103*, couch at 96*: After 20 mins, temps are 150, 103, 114, 112, 105. This is normal per factory.

Looking for ideas to reverse this order and get the furnace to blow more in the main cabin. We like a cool bedroom and we would not mind if I could re-route ducts without any safety concerns.
You can get closeable heater vent for the other rooms that will force more air the other way to heat up the resr of your Rig like jimcol said.
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Old 11-19-2018, 03:24 PM   #4
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I bought some of the thin sheet flexible magnet and cut it to size to fit my bedroom floor register. I can attach it to the floor register leaving however much I want uncovered to adjust air flow. An adjustable register is a more permanent solution.
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Old 11-19-2018, 04:34 PM   #5
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I did the adjustable registers in all the floor registers. close in the summer to prevent hot air coming in and dirt falling in.
Got them on Amazon.
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Old 11-19-2018, 05:42 PM   #6
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Several years ago, at a national rally, the Atwood folks said that the number of vents in our 2010 was a minimum and we should not restrict the air flow any further.
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Old 11-19-2018, 06:28 PM   #7
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we have closed the vent in the bed room and keep the bedroom door shut.
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Old 11-19-2018, 07:53 PM   #8
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I wonder if turning on the A/C units to fan only or heat pump would help circulate the air from the furnace?
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Old 11-19-2018, 07:54 PM   #9
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You can also do the reverse of what is done to prevent the A/C blower from running when the heat is on, and that is, turn on the fan to some other setting than AUTO when in A/C mode, so, when the heat is on, the A/C blower will circulate the air in the rig and equalize the temperatures. The A/C compressor will not run when the fan is running.
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Old 11-20-2018, 04:50 AM   #10
Mikendebbie
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AC fan

Rohrman - will this setting work ?
If you set the bedroom unit to run the fan only - on low for example - then set the living room unit to run the furnace (with any fan setting - low, high, or auto)...will this circulate the heated air as you describe? How much outside air will the bedroom unit bring in and mix into the circulation? Outside air = COLD air right?

For what it’s worth, we were in Houston last week when a cold front came through and dropped nighttime temps to 30*. I tried the heat pump for the first time and it worked to my surprise. First night I set it to 67* and had to get up and turn it down to 60* because it got stuffy, but we like to sleep cold. Bottom line - heat pump kept us comfortable. I have read that it does not work well in colder temps.
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Old 11-20-2018, 05:26 AM   #11
beeje
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We also replaced all the vents with ones that close. We use the furnace only to warm the unit up from really cold, then run 1 or 2 ceramic heaters where needed.

Infact, we are leaving to camp this Wednesday-Sunday and the high temp on thanksgiving day is forecast to be 26 with a low of 17 with a wind chill of 10.
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Old 11-25-2018, 02:46 PM   #12
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We also use the closable vents but you might want to go in the basement and pull the panel between the storage area and the open area where your furnace, water heater and etc are at and take a look at the ducting for the main floor vents on the livingroom area. It may have come off part way or may have a tear in it. I found my ducting to be loose coming off the furnace so put hose claps on them to secure them. Let us know what you find if you follow what I've suggested.
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Old 11-25-2018, 02:55 PM   #13
glw1973
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I replaced all my registers with ones I can adjust or close. I can change the flow to every part of the rig, plus when the furnace is not in use, keeps stuff out of the duct work. Found the same size for replacement at Menard’s.
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Old 11-25-2018, 04:11 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikendebbie View Post
Rohrman - will this setting work ?
If you set the bedroom unit to run the fan only - on low for example - then set the living room unit to run the furnace (with any fan setting - low, high, or auto)...will this circulate the heated air as you describe? How much outside air will the bedroom unit bring in and mix into the circulation? Outside air = COLD air right?

For what it’s worth, we were in Houston last week when a cold front came through and dropped nighttime temps to 30*. I tried the heat pump for the first time and it worked to my surprise. First night I set it to 67* and had to get up and turn it down to 60* because it got stuffy, but we like to sleep cold. Bottom line - heat pump kept us comfortable. I have read that it does not work well in colder temps.
Not sure about using the bedroom A/C for this, but if the main A/C unit fan is not on AUTO when the thermostat is set for heat, usually the A/C fan will run but not the compressor. This should circulate the heated air in the rig through the A/C ducting to balance out the hot and cool areas. You should be able to select any fan speed that works except for the Auto mode.
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Old 11-25-2018, 04:38 PM   #15
scattershot
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Simpliest fix is to,pull a rug over the bedroom vent.
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Old 11-25-2018, 04:42 PM   #16
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I am battling a furnace issue now that dates back to manufacture of the unit. Output at the furnace is almost completely blocked off that feeds the 3 mains vents, living room, kitchen and bedroom due to the flex duct being crushed by the pet water pipes laid on it. Bathroom is blowing strong because it is a separate dedicated feed where the flex duct is not crushed. Did Montana give you any specs, ie. airflow volume, temperature, etc. ? Montana to.d me I had to have a dealer “evaluate” the issue before doing anything further even after I sent them pictures showing exactly the problem. Longer per lines would allow you to pull them up and suspend over the flex duct. So I get to take it to a dealer and pay the $135 an hour to “write it up” and them they submit to Montana for evaluation.
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Old 11-25-2018, 05:35 PM   #17
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If you have a electric fireplace, use it to take the edge off, if not close the master door and block off the vent.
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Old 11-25-2018, 05:38 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigrig View Post
All the heat when it comes on, goes upstairs to the master suite. It get stuffy while we wait for the main cabin to warm.

Looking for ideas to reverse this order and get the furnace to blow more in the main cabin. We like a cool bedroom and we would not mind if I could re-route ducts without any safety concerns.
We have the 3810, same as yours except the refrigerator. We had the same problem. What does heat do......it rises. Where is the bedroom.......UP a level. So, the heat goes up there. Here's what I did......first, went into the basement and routed the 2 inch flex duct to a diffuser on the wall. Yes, I'm heating the basement, but it's heated anyway, as it's part of the overall air return/system to the furnace. Second, I removed the 4 inch flex duct from the bedroom register and capped it off at the furnace (you can buy the metal plates from the dealer). Third, I got a close-able register for the bedroom and installed it. I removed the metal adapter in the basement that was attached to the floor. Now, if we want a bit of heat, I just open the register and let some of the basement heat into the bedroom. It's plenty enough for us. And, there is the 2 inch outlet in the bathroom as well. For those who think we're wasting heat, I disagree. The basement (on this model at least) is part of the general air return system for the furnace. It's an open area. the other option is to turn on just the fan on the bedroom AC (low speed) and let it pull some of the heat from the bedroom and shove it back into the living area. Both units serve a common duct. As a side note, I have installed a smoke detector in the basement as well. That area is where the furnace, hot water heater, converter, and a lot of wiring is, so I'd like a little advanced warning. Just the way I did things. Others will have different ideas!

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Old 11-26-2018, 08:24 AM   #19
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Have always put a folded towel over the bedroom vent and my jeans over that.....warm jeans in the morning!
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Old 11-26-2018, 10:41 AM   #20
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Our HC uses the basement as a return air plenum. The basement is poorly insulated, having only a plywood panel between the storage space and the generator space at the front. The generator space is open to the outside in several places. When the t-stat shuts off the furnace, cold air from the basement rushes into the living room via the RA register.
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