Thermostat Location Problem?? - Montana Owners Club

bncinwv · 08-23-2011, 04:31 PM

When we were at the beach last week, I noticed that the air conditioner was running continuously due to the thermostat reading a high indoor temperature from somewhere. Are the thermostat readings obtained inside the rig somewhere or as part of the air conditioner unit itself? I had a secondary thermometer in the rig and it would read 78 degrees, yet the thermostat read 90 degrees for the interior temperature which obviously was not correct. The thermostat would start to read correctly as the evening (darkness) set in so I am wondering if the thermostat is faulty or if it was obtaining a sun-influenced temperature reading from somewhere? Zone 2 would read correctly, it was just Zone 1 with the out of whack temperature readings. Any thoughts or similar experiences?? Oh, and the outdoor temperature at these times was in the 90 degree range. I will say that when we returned to the rig from being out and about, the dual ac's worked wonders as the rig was definitely cold!!!
Bingo

moutard2 · 08-23-2011, 05:17 PM

I've noticed the same variance between Zone 1 indicated and Zone 1 actual (using another thermometer). I dunno why the actual is lower than Zone 1 indicates so we just fiddle until we're comfy. Zone 2 however does appear accurate when I check it with another thermometer and goes on and off accordingly. I wonder if all the heat from the living room and kitchen are rising to the level of the thermostat and causing readings that don't really reflect the ambient temperature in the rest of the room(s) in Zone 1. Ozz needs to get a 3750FL so that we can get an educated answer to the issue!

HOOK · 08-24-2011, 01:12 AM

I didn't notice you're t'stat when I was in your Monty, Bingo, but I camped next to a lady at Lake Marion who Owned an Alpine (another Keystone, very Monty like). She asked me to check her t'stat as it was doing similar to yours. I thought it was malfunctioning and suggested she return to dealer. On our next visit to same CG she was there. She said that they had replaced the t'stat and things were working well. Her t'stat was about 6 or 7 ins. long by about 2 1/2 ins. high with a round digital screen. Ours is about 3 ins. tall by 2ins.wide, with a tall rectangular digital screen. I have since seen both types in Montys. I guess it depends on what day it was built. Good luck! Larry

nosticks · 08-24-2011, 02:20 AM

Since replacing the original thermostat with the Hunter modification, it too reads in the 80's while another very accurate indoor/outdoor digital sitting on the dining table would read about 76-78, which is what the interior felt like. I moved the indoor/outdoor over to sit on top of the Hunter and it consistently read about 6-8 degrees lower than the Hunter. So the Hunter is the problem.

That said, the location of the thermostat is a poor one to begin with and even the original one is directly influenced by the fireplace. In my unit, the fireplace is located about a foot to the side and under the thermostat. It makes for some interesting temperature fluctuations in the winter. Montana corrected this in the 2011 version of the Mountaineer 324RLQ by moving the thermostat to the hallway outside the bathroom. One of my projects is to move the thermostat to a better location and replace the defective Hunter while doing so.

bncinwv · 08-24-2011, 02:31 AM

Our thermostat is the Dometic Comfort Control Center II thermostat with the round digital screen. Sounds like it will go on the dealer list for warranty replacement before our year is up.
Bingo

racerjoe · 08-24-2011, 02:43 AM

Is there a big enough hole behind the thermostat to whwere it is getting heat from the wall cavity? I saw when I removed our old remote controlled system a few years ago that the hole was the size of a 50cent piece. awlful big for a wire to go thru

Sheepdog · 08-24-2011, 03:07 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by lsessoms

I didn't notice you're t'stat when I was in your Monty, Bingo, but I camped next to a lady at Lake Marion who Owned an Alpine (another Keystone, very Monty like). She asked me to check her t'stat as it was doing similar to yours. I thought it was malfunctioning and suggested she return to dealer. On our next visit to same CG she was there. She said that they had replaced the t'stat and things were working well. Her t'stat was about 6 or 7 ins. long by about 2 1/2 ins. high with a round digital screen. Ours is about 3 ins. tall by 2ins.wide, with a tall rectangular digital screen. I have since seen both types in Montys. I guess it depends on what day it was built. Good luck! Larry

Larry,
Keep noticing in your signature that you're "reitred"
Is that like you're a tar retred!or just re-tired? Sorry for the thread hijack (whoops that sounds too hostile). Sorry for altering the course of this threads theme.

Ozz · 08-24-2011, 03:10 AM

Thermostats with remote readers are generally 'spot on' as they use thermistors, if it is the remote reader giving a problem, find it and try and relocate it. It is probably reading 'contact' temperature, rather than air temperature. The return air is what it should be sensing. Racerjoe is right on, if it is reading the temperature there, I always stuff plastic bubble wrap in the cavity when I change out a thermostat.

bncinwv · 08-24-2011, 03:23 AM

I think Racerjoe and Ozz may be on to something. The thermostat location is on an exterior wall cavity adjacent to the front door. This cavity is what they used to allow for the satellite coax feeds into the rig. The satellite installer may have "pushed" some insulation away from behind the thermostat possibly when feeding the coax?? I will be taking a look see behind the thermostat, but it sounds like it is sensing the wall temperature being influenced by the outside temperature. Thanks to all for the investigation ideas.
Bingo

coyoterick · 08-24-2011, 05:39 AM

In my 3400RL the thermostat shares the same cavity as the water heater. I removed the thermostat and plugged the oversize hole behind it with fiberglass insulation, that helped quite a bit!

HOOK · 08-24-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Sheepdog

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by lsessoms

I didn't notice you're t'stat when I was in your Monty, Bingo, but I camped next to a lady at Lake Marion who Owned an Alpine (another Keystone, very Monty like). She asked me to check her t'stat as it was doing similar to yours. I thought it was malfunctioning and suggested she return to dealer. On our next visit to same CG she was there. She said that they had replaced the t'stat and things were working well. Her t'stat was about 6 or 7 ins. long by about 2 1/2 ins. high with a round digital screen. Ours is about 3 ins. tall by 2ins.wide, with a tall rectangular digital screen. I have since seen both types in Montys. I guess it depends on what day it was built. Good luck! Larry

Larry,
Keep noticing in your signature that you're "reitred"
Is that like you're a tar retred!or just re-tired? Sorry for the thread hijack (whoops that sounds too hostile). Sorry for altering the course of this threads theme.

Wrecker drivers are not required to spell correctly. tee hee I would like to know how to get that corrected and my user name changed. Open for suggestions. Larry

HOOK · 08-24-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

Our thermostat is the Dometic Comfort Control Center II thermostat with the round digital screen. Sounds like it will go on the dealer list for warranty replacement before our year is up.
Bingo

The Alpine lady's t'stat was on left interior wall of stairwell next to bathroom. Was also inside a cabinet door with all other control switches which I found questionable. I can only assume that since the zone sensors are on the ceiling in the front and rear of the coach, that the t'stat doesn't need ambient air. Maybe Ozz will address the issue.

bncinwv · 08-24-2011, 01:52 PM

Zone sensor for zone 2 is just inside the bedroom on the wall next to the door and bed. Have no clue where zone 1 is and assume that it is the thermostat itself??
Bingo

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