Heat Pumps and Electric Heating - aux. heat keeps comming on heat pump
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nightowl66
10-18-08, 10:25 AM
I have a Arcoaire heat pump, the aux heat kicks on after it starts running for a minute. It ran fine all summer for air, but needs aux backup to heat house up degree or 2?
doug321
10-18-08, 09:03 PM
Maybe. How cold was it outside? Your aux heat strips may be set to come on below 40F.
Did you manually increase the temperature on the tstat? Many tstats will call the heat strips to bring up the temp faster if you manually increase the temp on the stat more than a degree or so.
Did you manually increase the temperature on the tstat? Many tstats will call the heat strips to bring up the temp faster if you manually increase the temp on the stat more than a degree or so.
Jay11J
10-19-08, 07:24 AM
I agree with Doug about the manual temp change on the t-stat.
What is the make and model of your thermostat?
What is the make and model of your thermostat?
nightowl66
10-19-08, 11:22 AM
Tstat is a Honeywell T8411R. The temp outside was mid 50's. tstat temp was 69, I set temp to 70, after running a few minutes the tstat temp dropped to 68 and aux. kicked on. Tstat temp rose to 70, aux kicked off and heat pump continued to run for another 20 min. Tstat temp stayed on 70 but it was up to 73 in bedroom.
I live in a tri level, heat pump is just for the upstairs bed and bathrooms. The tstat is in the hallway across from the return.
Problem in colder weather is heat from downstairs keeps the hallway upstairs warm and the heat pump doesnt run. If I turn it up it runs for a long time and gets too warm in the bed room. I have been tempted to move tstat to my bedroom .
I live in a tri level, heat pump is just for the upstairs bed and bathrooms. The tstat is in the hallway across from the return.
Problem in colder weather is heat from downstairs keeps the hallway upstairs warm and the heat pump doesnt run. If I turn it up it runs for a long time and gets too warm in the bed room. I have been tempted to move tstat to my bedroom .
doug321
10-19-08, 06:45 PM
I'd move the tstat. Ideally you want it near a return, but if there are no returns in the bedroom I'd locate it on an inside wall in the bedroom somewhere between the registers and your bedroom door. Someplace with good airflow. I'd favor the bedroom door as much as possible, but considering your hallway air is already causing you problems in your case it would probably help to move it into the room a couple of feet - again assuming good airflow at the proposed location.
The general rule of heat pump tstats is set them and forget them. No night setbacks, no manual setbacks. Heat pumps are good at efficiently maintaining temperature. They are not so good at increasing the temperature which is why the inefficient heat strips come on when the current temp and the set temp are more than a degree or so apart.
The general rule of heat pump tstats is set them and forget them. No night setbacks, no manual setbacks. Heat pumps are good at efficiently maintaining temperature. They are not so good at increasing the temperature which is why the inefficient heat strips come on when the current temp and the set temp are more than a degree or so apart.