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Cold Weather Operations
Dumb question time: Came across Northern New Mexico on I-40 this week. Stopped one night at a casino (Sky City – Good RV park – $18 per night with full hookups, security patrol and separated from the casino so no drunks).
Temperature hit 33 degrees overnight. Bus was plugged in, operating the bus air on heat mode. Middle of the night, got cold. Bus air was running, showed Cool on the pad and was blowing cold air. I remembered reading somewhere that the bus air is only good down to about 45 – 50 degrees because it’s a heat pump. Turned on the Webasto and figured that would warm up things. Eventually things got better.
My question is when it gets really cold, is the best procedure to turn off the bus air unit and to turn on the webasto? It does have separate ducts, so that’s my assumption. Also, how does all of this coordiate with the 110 volt heat system? The owners manual is not real clear on the vaguarities of these issues. I would have thought that having the 110 heat button turned on would have supplemented the Bus Air (something like a heating strip), but it didn’t. Most of my concern to date has been how to make sure the air conditioner was working so this is new.
Any clarification would be appreciated.
2001 Prevost Marathon.
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18 Replies
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No dumb questions here;
Roof air with reverse cycle heat will shut down at about 30 degrees. Built in design to protect you and the bus system.
We usually set the Webasto around 70 in the galley. Depending on how chilly it is using the bedroom unit not as often.
The quiet and economy of running the Webasto is my choice for a toastee bus.
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Charlie,
When you say bus air, I assume your talking about cruisairs or roof airs. The heat pump function will only work when temps don’t get much lower than around 40. Lower than that will need to be handled by your Webasto or electric kick heaters, not sure how your’s is setup. The heat pumps are fine, but the heat comes out the ceiling ducts and doesn’t do a very good job down by the floor were it’s cold. The Webasto is ducted down low near the floor and gives you toasty heat were you need it.
We usually refer to bus air when talking about Prevost OTR.
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Below 30 you will want to make sure you have heat in your plumbing bays, which probably means Webasto. You may also have electric bay heat. Webasto usually will automatically heat bays and electric may need to be turned on manually.
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Sorry, Cruise Air system on my bus.
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Bryan …..Brings up a good item to check, especially if you’re traveling in the lower temps..
There are two (2) electric heaters in Marathon water bay. One on drivers side water bay behind the lift up top hinged access panel.
Other on passenger side water heater bay towards right side. Both have temp setting controls for adjustments. This one on our bus I had to use a mirror to see the adjustment dial.
If someone was working in these areas might have change the adjustment
Don’t know where other convertors have placed these adjustment controls.
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Each conversion has systems to keep us and the bays warm. We have spent time overnight in temps ranging from minus 26 degrees F to 90 degrees F.
Depending on a variety of factors which include the expected outside temps as well as if the coach has shore or generator power, or is operating off inverters heating or cooling choices can vary.
If we are connected to shore power and temps are not going too low (45 or 50 for example) we just rely on toe space heat to keep the chill off. If they are going lower, but not lower than around 35 to 40, we will use the heat pumps. From experience we know which ones to use and typically run the two in the center of the coach.
If the temps are lower than 35 it is Webasto time. We have an electric bay heater, but never use it because the Webasto or the coach engine are providing the heat in the bay via a heat exchanger. If you have an Aquahot I suspect you would run it when we run our Webasto since they both accomplish the same thing.
Our Webasto draws a lot of current because it has so many heat exchangers through the coach and it has a big coolant circulating pump. When we do not have shore power available and it is cold out we just run the generator so I don’t have to wake up every time the generator auto-starts. The same thing applies if we are in the heat of summer and want to have some air conditioning in the night. I run the generator.
I don’t know if there is a right or wrong way to stay comfortable in our coaches. With the choices avalable for heat or cooling we just have to use whatever makes since to us.
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When the temps started to take a serious dip, I found it was easiest to use the CruiseAirs.
Set the thermostat to about 72 degrees, point the bus in a warm direction, and drive until the AC kicks on…..
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Mike,
I doubt your SMX controls will activate the Webasto, you should have thermostats for that function.
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Tom the SMX is the only controls I have for heat and AC, except for the water bay.
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My SMX controllers serve as thermostats for both the Cruiseair heat pumps and the Aquahot hydronic heat. Press “Heat” button once for Cruiseair and double click to control Aquahot. Need to turn on the burner separately. Thermostats for the bays are manual, down in the bays. My prior Prevost with Webasto had the same thermostats in the bays.
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OK, I stand corrected, out of 5 buses, never had the SMX controlling the Webasto..
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One thing we all have to recognize is that information we provide is often based on our knowledge with conversions we have owned. And because of that it is important for folks who ask questions to provide information (usually in the signature line) about the coach, such as model year, converter, and any other information that might be required to get accurate responses.
While most of us are driving Prevost conversions the signature line also should indicate if the coach is an H3 or XL or XLII as well as if it has any special features such as slides.
It may not at first seem important, but it is really the only way for folks who respond to narrow down the appropriate answer. Even if all the information is provided, there is still the chance someone with the same coach, converter and model year could have a completely different set up so everyone needs to be alert to the fact there are going to be differences.
I am familiar with another coach, same year as mine, exact same floor plan, and our two coaches have completely different inverters and what the inverters will provide power to.
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Does anyone know if Country Coach put electric heaters in wet bay areas? In Omaha, NE area and do not particularly want to run Webasto while here. Thermostat in bay area does not seem to be working. Has range of 0 to 50, works same at any temp. Found a heat only thermostat for a house that goes down to 35 which is the temp I read is a good default for the wet bay. Can I swap this out without any problems (other than my lack of knowledge)?
Thanks
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Jim,!
A couple other things you can do is turn on the water heater, that makes lot’s of heat for the bay. Also the ole light bulb trick, just hook up a 100 watt bulb or flood light and leave in the bay, keeps things fro freezing. Can’t answer your other question, don’t remember the bay heat setup for CC.
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Thanks, Tom.
I put a heater in the bay and left the hot water heaters on. Will keep a check on it to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. Had that happen in a previous motor home.
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