With availability of a new thermostat for less than $20, I am hesitate to suggest you to add a switch to the old one to let you shut off the furnace. I would DIY it, since I have a bag of switches laying around in my garage from my other projects.
I wonder if the digital one that runs on battery will work for our furnace? Some shows the current temperature, and the AA battery (or two) will last a year.
Furnace in 2000 Concourse
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
Steve aka SMan
2004 Premier V10
2004 Premier V10
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
So, I took her to work today and sure enough, the furnace turned on while I was driving. Definitely the reason why they pulled the fuse...turns on when it gets below 50*F. I need an off switch in case I need something on in the house as Blue suggested.
I read the reviews on the Suburban one in Amazon, and also looked in Ebay for the same one. Seems that the photo is misleading. Instead of temperature numbers, they come with hash marks. I like the OFF switch, but I want numbers.
The one Blue shows has the numbers and off switch, but I don't have "cool". (Remember, I'm OCD).
I actually am liking the color and looks of my stat. So Chin, I like the idea of adding an off/on switch for my existing stat. I suppose it acts just as an interrupter similar to how the "store" switch acts in the cab. Would you suggest a lighted one, what color light, should it be a toggle switch, regular wall switch, push button? What would Chin do? I like the idea of a battery powered digital one. I think I have an old one in my garage. It would make it look like a modern upgrade!
Or anyone else for that matter. I know Blue does electric. I'm aware many others are talented as well.
I read the reviews on the Suburban one in Amazon, and also looked in Ebay for the same one. Seems that the photo is misleading. Instead of temperature numbers, they come with hash marks. I like the OFF switch, but I want numbers.
The one Blue shows has the numbers and off switch, but I don't have "cool". (Remember, I'm OCD).
I actually am liking the color and looks of my stat. So Chin, I like the idea of adding an off/on switch for my existing stat. I suppose it acts just as an interrupter similar to how the "store" switch acts in the cab. Would you suggest a lighted one, what color light, should it be a toggle switch, regular wall switch, push button? What would Chin do? I like the idea of a battery powered digital one. I think I have an old one in my garage. It would make it look like a modern upgrade!
Or anyone else for that matter. I know Blue does electric. I'm aware many others are talented as well.
2000 Ford E-350 415CI/6.8L V-10 Triton Superduty 4X4 Chinook Concourse XL Club Lounge
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
I had thought about the switch idea, but didn't mention it because I know just enough about thermostats to know I don't know enough. For example, years ago in a cabin I had a "gravity" propane furnace that worked without electricity. But it had a thermostat! With wires! (Tiny ones.) So I asked a friend, how does that work? It has wires going to it but doesn't use electricity 
(This was before Google.)
Turns out it's "millivolts" and right now without googling I can't remember how they are generated (but not with typical electricity). If that's the case, then can you switch it? This is probably right up chin_k's alley. Or maybe modern thermostats do use regular electrical wires...?
PS:
Astro, one way to look at it is that numbers on the thermostat might be MORE annoying. Because my guess is that in the Chinook (or any typical RV) they are not going to be that accurate anyway. It's not like a house, where it's all nice and even. So you'll put it at 65º but the dining area will be 72º the kitchen 57º and the bathroom -12º (
). That is, until it shuts off and cools down before cycling again. Then it will be 58º/52º/glacial.
So maybe hash marks would be less annoying!? Too cold? Turn it up. Too warm? Turn it down.
Just a thought.
(This was before Google.)Turns out it's "millivolts" and right now without googling I can't remember how they are generated (but not with typical electricity). If that's the case, then can you switch it? This is probably right up chin_k's alley. Or maybe modern thermostats do use regular electrical wires...?
PS:
Astro, one way to look at it is that numbers on the thermostat might be MORE annoying. Because my guess is that in the Chinook (or any typical RV) they are not going to be that accurate anyway. It's not like a house, where it's all nice and even. So you'll put it at 65º but the dining area will be 72º the kitchen 57º and the bathroom -12º (
). That is, until it shuts off and cools down before cycling again. Then it will be 58º/52º/glacial.So maybe hash marks would be less annoying!? Too cold? Turn it up. Too warm? Turn it down.
Just a thought.
1999 Concourse
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
I agree with Blue that the temperature is not calibrated anyway, so just use the number as relative.
You can reuse your digital thermostat that you have laying around, or you can use the current one. Just keep in mind that the mercury thermostat is consider environmental hazard, so don't trash it in the garbage, and end up in landfill. You need to bring it to a place where they can recycle the mercury. The mercury is harmless inside the capsule, but when the glass got crashed in the landfill, it leaks out and bad for the environment.
Anyway, if you decide to use the mercury thermostat, here is how it works. The spiral thing you see in the middle is a bi-metal stripe that coils differently as temperature changes. It tilts the mercury capsule depends on the ambient temperature and the position of the lever that you control. When the temperature drops, and cause the coil to wound more than what the lever can compensate, it will tilt the capsule so that the mercury drop will short the two contact inside the glass. The shorted circuit causes the furnace to turn on. As the temperature gets warmer, the coil will tilt the mercury drop away from the contact and get the furnace to turn off.
To stop the furnace from turning on no matter how cold it gets, you just need to install a sliding switch that disconnect the circuit. You can do it anywhere along the path. I would use something like the following, a simple SPST sliding switch along the path of the red, black or yellow wire:
You can reuse your digital thermostat that you have laying around, or you can use the current one. Just keep in mind that the mercury thermostat is consider environmental hazard, so don't trash it in the garbage, and end up in landfill. You need to bring it to a place where they can recycle the mercury. The mercury is harmless inside the capsule, but when the glass got crashed in the landfill, it leaks out and bad for the environment.
Anyway, if you decide to use the mercury thermostat, here is how it works. The spiral thing you see in the middle is a bi-metal stripe that coils differently as temperature changes. It tilts the mercury capsule depends on the ambient temperature and the position of the lever that you control. When the temperature drops, and cause the coil to wound more than what the lever can compensate, it will tilt the capsule so that the mercury drop will short the two contact inside the glass. The shorted circuit causes the furnace to turn on. As the temperature gets warmer, the coil will tilt the mercury drop away from the contact and get the furnace to turn off.
To stop the furnace from turning on no matter how cold it gets, you just need to install a sliding switch that disconnect the circuit. You can do it anywhere along the path. I would use something like the following, a simple SPST sliding switch along the path of the red, black or yellow wire:
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
Yes, I figured that the temp numbers are not accurate, but I like to at least be in the neighborhood. Hash marks wouldn't even tell me that unless I had a thermostat close at hand.
That switch pictured has three terminals. Chin, you said put it in the path of any of those wires (which are very skinny phone wires). I thought a two terminal switch with the red and black (white at the furnace) wires attached to each terminal would do the trick. Too bad Radio Shack isn't around anymore.
I'll figure it out. In the meantime I'll be "storing" the battery.
That switch pictured has three terminals. Chin, you said put it in the path of any of those wires (which are very skinny phone wires). I thought a two terminal switch with the red and black (white at the furnace) wires attached to each terminal would do the trick. Too bad Radio Shack isn't around anymore.
I'll figure it out. In the meantime I'll be "storing" the battery.
2000 Ford E-350 415CI/6.8L V-10 Triton Superduty 4X4 Chinook Concourse XL Club Lounge
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
Astro, for the switch, you just need to use the middle tap, and one of the side taps/terminals. One way to do this is to put the switch anywhere along the path of the circuit. For example, if your existing path is this:
black->red->mercury->yellow->red, then you can add the switch this way:
black->red->mercury->yellow->middle_tap->side_tap->red.
There are a dozen way to do this, and as long as you put the switch in the path, it will work.
black->red->mercury->yellow->red, then you can add the switch this way:
black->red->mercury->yellow->middle_tap->side_tap->red.
There are a dozen way to do this, and as long as you put the switch in the path, it will work.
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
Not sure if I follow, so let me ask.
It had only two wires, black and red. The black eventually connects to the white one at the furnace. From what I’ve researched, red is power, white (black phone wire) is heat, yellow is cool, and green is fan.
The PO cut the yellow and green off, so I’m only using the red power and black heat. You can see in the photo.
So I’m assuming I can put that switch in line with only ONE of the wires, is that correct?
So it would be red wire coming out from cabinet, curvit and attach to switch center tap, then continuing the rest of the red wire from switch side tap, to the thermostat terminal. The black wire is left I disturbed on its stat terminal. Is that ok?
Right now, the red and black wires are attached to two opposite terminals in the thermostat. I hope I’m not making this too confusing.
I may just get the hash mark Suburban one after all and deal with it!
It had only two wires, black and red. The black eventually connects to the white one at the furnace. From what I’ve researched, red is power, white (black phone wire) is heat, yellow is cool, and green is fan.
The PO cut the yellow and green off, so I’m only using the red power and black heat. You can see in the photo.
So I’m assuming I can put that switch in line with only ONE of the wires, is that correct?
So it would be red wire coming out from cabinet, curvit and attach to switch center tap, then continuing the rest of the red wire from switch side tap, to the thermostat terminal. The black wire is left I disturbed on its stat terminal. Is that ok?
Right now, the red and black wires are attached to two opposite terminals in the thermostat. I hope I’m not making this too confusing.
I may just get the hash mark Suburban one after all and deal with it!
- Attachments
-
2000 Ford E-350 415CI/6.8L V-10 Triton Superduty 4X4 Chinook Concourse XL Club Lounge
Re: Furnace in 2000 Concourse
I vote hash mark Suburban. After all, you now know that this one was also meant for "cool," but the wires were cut. You can't un-know that
I will say one good thing for either of these as compared to the original 4-button. At least in my campervan, where I used the furnace a lot, I just reached up from my pillow (half asleep) and shoved the lever over. Glorious heat and a nice toasty van by the time I really woke up and emerged for the day. Something tells me the four-button remote would not have worked by feel, in the dark, half asleep. Score points for simple lever!
Which brings up location. When I put a furnace back in (for just the purpose mentioned above), that thermostat is going to be at the other end of the couch, because I usually sleep with my head at that end, due to the perky factor of the Chinook (if head at forward end of couch it'd be lower most of the time). I also think it would get less furnace heat blown right on it there (side benefit).
Just something to think about since you are working with it.
I will say one good thing for either of these as compared to the original 4-button. At least in my campervan, where I used the furnace a lot, I just reached up from my pillow (half asleep) and shoved the lever over. Glorious heat and a nice toasty van by the time I really woke up and emerged for the day. Something tells me the four-button remote would not have worked by feel, in the dark, half asleep. Score points for simple lever!
Which brings up location. When I put a furnace back in (for just the purpose mentioned above), that thermostat is going to be at the other end of the couch, because I usually sleep with my head at that end, due to the perky factor of the Chinook (if head at forward end of couch it'd be lower most of the time). I also think it would get less furnace heat blown right on it there (side benefit).
Just something to think about since you are working with it.
1999 Concourse