outside thermometer

[richfaa]

We have the 2013 3402 Big sky. our temperature control panel has
button to read "outside temp" It only works at night or when there is no sun. The reading on the outside temp is always 30/40/ degrees higher than the actual temperature. Right now it is raining, gloomy and no sun. Right now The outside temp reads 65 which is correct.

Has anyone had this problem and If so what did you do to correct it.

[BB_TX]

I don't have that on mine, but I am curious where the outside sensor is located.

I bought an indoor/outdoor thermometer. I have to hang the outside sensor on the back of the pin box to keep it out of the sun to get an accurate reading.

[bncinwv]

Rich,
When I checked with Dometic on the previous rig, I was told that there is another piece that you have to purchase to enable this. If the new models come with this already built in ( hope so, but have not verified), my understanding is that the sensor is in one of the rooftop air conditioners. Since ours has a black cover, I doubt it would be very accurate when the sun shines on it. It sounds like this is what you are experiencing, if the sensor modules are the same now. Just a thought.
Bingo

[richfaa]

just about every thermometer we have seen says to.....place in the shade or do not place in direct sunlight.

Hummmmmmmm...perhaps mine is defective and we do not know were the sensor is. I have never been on the roof and do not plan on going there.

[richfaa]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

Rich,
When I checked with Dometic on the previous rig, I was told that there is another piece that you have to purchase to enable this. If the new models come with this already built in ( hope so, but have not verified), my understanding is that the sensor is in one of the rooftop air conditioners. Since ours has a black cover, I doubt it would be very accurate when the sun shines on it. It sounds like this is what you are experiencing, if the sensor modules are the same now. Just a thought.
Bingo

Interesting... I see nothing in the literature that says we need another piece. Will give dometic a call/

[bigskyjimmy]

Mine has never worked on my 2012, not wired for it??? I have never seen a sensor on the roof, I am going to buy a wireless aftermarket weather station from Costco because I doubt the Dometic one would work very good anyway

[bncinwv]

The sensor is not visible, it is beneath the air conditioner cover from what I was told.
Bingo

[TLightning]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

...Has anyone had this problem and If so what did you do to correct it...

Here's what you need, tells you everything about the weather...$100 at Wally World:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Acu-Rite-P...ation/19346159

On edit: We have it on an 8' pole at home and attach it to the RV ladder on a shorter pole when on the road.

[richfaa]

we are supposed to have a thermometer that reads outside temp..Do we have one or not??? Today is gloomy and raining. The outside temp reading on the control panel reads exactly the same as a digital thermometer we have stuck on the side of the 5th wheel ..in the shade... My guess is that the sensor is not in the correct place and is therefore useless.

From the CCC manual......The outside temperature sensor is located in the roof top unit. When the rooftop unit is exposed to direct sunlight the upper limit of the CCC2 could be reached although the actual outdoor temperature is lower.

So it is working as designed as long as you park in the shade.... It is our fault it does not read normally.

[bncinwv]

Hey, at least they are advancing the technology to be functional (I think!). On our 3750FL we had the CCC thermostat that said outside temperature, but Keystone elected not to spend the additional $20 or so to make it functional. Sounds like they at least spent the extra $20 this time (again, I need to verify this on our rig as well). Can't blame Keystone for this one Rich, this is a Dometic design flaw!!
Bingo

[richfaa]

It is neither Dometic or keystones fault. The system is working as designed. We are not using it as designed. Were else would they put the A/C. The solution is simple...park in the shade as specified.

[h2ojocky]

I bought the wireless weather station from Costco and hang the sensor under the trailer, behind the entry steps. It is nice and shady there and out of the rain.

[richfaa]

We have no problem getting the real outside temperature with a sensor that we have outside in a shady place and the digital readout is inside. I thought that if we paid for a unit with the capabilities to read the outside temp it should do it. I am now convinced that the outside temp readout is useless so we will ignore it.

[Rondo]

I still like mine. Got it from a good friend and it has a lady on the screen of the readout. The warmer it gets the less clothes she has on!

[Overlord]

quote:Originally posted by TLightning



Here's what you need, tells you everything about the weather...$100 at Wally World:

Here's a much cheaper method, ...it's free!:

Step outside in just your underwear for a minute or two.

If you get goosebumps, ...go back inside and turn on the furnace.
If you start to sweat, ...go back inside and turn on the AC.
If the neighbor ladies see you, ...go back inside and wait for the Sheriff.

[kdeiss]

I have question does this out side temp sensor on the AC unit some how control the AC unit like controling fan speed etc? and not simply displaying the outside temp I am sure dometic knows you are not going to get an accurate temp on the roof !

[bncinwv]

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss

I have question does this out side temp sensor on the AC unit some how control the AC unit like controling fan speed etc? and not simply displaying the outside temp I am sure dometic knows you are not going to get an accurate temp on the roof !

From what I was told and understand, no, it is only a temperature probe that is installed on the unit itself. I am anxious to see if ours is actually functional?
Bingo

[DonandBonnie]

We were shopping for a new car a few years ago and were warm to getting one with one of those new fangled built in GPS units. The salesman actually talked us out of it, saying why spend $2500 for a built in unit when you can get a portable for a few hundred. He also mentioned that we would be locked into the technology built into the built in unit. Although we could do periodic updates, we would not be able to upgrade technology without purchasing an external unit. The reason for mentioning this in this post is that we evaluate options, such as the built in outside thermometer, in two ways. First, what is the cost of the built in unit vs. an external unit. Second, is the built in option something we will be satisfied with over the life of what its built into?

[richfaa]

Well we do not have a choice with the CCC display. It comes OEM with most later year Montana's and it is what it is.
The issue is it has a feature that does not work unless we use it in the shade only. It appears that the sensor is a temp sensor only and has no effect on the A/C. I am curious as to why it is included if Dometic knows it will not work all of the time. Now we all know that accurate temps are taken with the thermometer placed in the shade. I wonder how many of us have a thermometer placed in the direct sun.
However the Dometic manual does tell us that it may reach its temp limits if in direct sunlight. So no foul Dometic.

[bncinwv]

On the positive side though, if you ever have plans of tanning in a lounge chair on your roof, you will have an idea of how hot it will be up there!!
Bingo