Thermostat on InCommand way off

[suny07]

Hello,

We just got our new Montana.
Unfortunately it came with the InCommand system which I never wanted but could not avoid this time.
Now we have the first issue with it.

The rear Temperature shows always way below the actual Temperatur.
Starting the Furnace or the AC has the effect that the Temperature changes accordingly, but never develops to the actual Temperature.
It also stays below the setting of the Furnace so that you will have a running furnace all night.

We changed the Temperature sensor already the day after the purchase with no effect.
With the dealer where we purchased it we tried a 3 or 4 hour troubleshooting with out any findings.

As we purchased 800mls away from home we finally had to head back home and now I am trying to deal with it with my local dealer’s service center.

Does anyone had a similar case where he could give some pointers and direction what to search for?

Thanks,
Mike

Picture for attention

[Kyle and Lisa]

Dometic sent us two new thermostats and they are no different in temp differential than the original ones they are 4-5 degrees off, we just compensate for the difference.

[ChuckS]

If the remote temp sensor is mounted such that it is setting inside the hole in the wall where the two wire lead comes thru you will get erroneous temps read from that Zone sensor.

Typically the sensor is then reading the temp Inside the wall instead of the ambient temp within the living space of the Zone area its mounted in..

I would look at that and if that sensor can be moved our of the wall some do that as well as seal the backside area of that wall.. This will allow the sensor to "Sense" the actual inside air temp instead of the air temp inside the wall.
** which would be colder during wintertime and hotter in summer time**

I would also take the time to download the Global connect PDFs for your version of In Command from https://in-command.net/in-command-w-global-connect/

** Look at the manual section in the above link and DL the ones for your version of Global Connect..

You will need some of the info sooner or later...

[Mikendebbie]

I would make a call...

[DutchmenSport]

I've had my Montana High Country for 5 years now and in all those 5 years there are no 2 places anywhere in my camper with the same temperature. I have 1 furnace, 41 foot long fifth wheel. The upper level is always hotter than the lower level, and mine is a front living model with no wall between upper and lower level. The thermostat is, pretty much, in the middle of the trailer on an inside wall (Dometic), no "In-Command" system on mine. And I'm pretty sure the temperature sensor is at my Dometic thermostat on the wall. I keep an inside - outside thermometer right next to the thermostat so I know what the true temperture is at that spot. And, the two temperatures are always different. The Dometic thermostat always has to be set higher than the actual temperature based on the separate thermometer right next to it. Add the electric fire place and a space heater or two and the temps throughout the camper are even more bizarre different. Let's not even go there with the air conditioner differences ... and those differences are right at the ceiling vents with 2 AC's, one in the front, one in the back. We've learned how to compensate, pretty much, at ever square inch inside the camper.

What causes the differences in temps throughout the camper? Drafts, windows, thin insulation, sun shining on one side of the camper and not the other, one half of the trailer under trees and the other end in the sun, windows, shades up or shades down, exhaust fans turned on in the bathroom or kitchen, all a number of factors.

"Kentucky windage" is what you have to use in your camper when it comes to heat and cooling:

Kentucky windage:
Summarizer
Kentucky windage is a shooting technique used by marksmen to compensate for bullet drop and wind drift.0 It involves applying a horizontal adjustment of the point of aim for wind without the use of any physical or mechanical adjustments on the weapon.2 The technique was first used by hunters in Kentucky and has since spread to other parts of the world. It involves estimating the amount of drop and drift, and adjusting the aim accordingly.0 In work-life, Kentucky windage is a correction made by adjusting where you aim rather than adjusting the rifle. It involves intentionally overestimating the amount of slack you bake into your work rhythm.1

[M&M]

I agree with ChuckS that a possible problem is the sensor is measuring the temperature in the wall. I worked on insulating behind both in ours and it definitely improved the accuracy. I recommend you start with that. How to do that can be a challenge if you can’t easily access behind them.

[rames14]

SUNY, have you contacted ASA? Mike recommended it earlier. They are very helpful. As for In-Command, everyone is different. We love ours. It allows me to control the RV anywhere I am at, provides a method for controlling and monitoring RV temps and in the winter I can change settings when the wife says it’s too cold from under the covers. Everyone has different wants and needs. Of course our sticks and bricks was built with home automation.

[suny07]

Originally Posted by rames14

SUNY, have you contacted ASA? Mike recommended it earlier. They are very helpful. As for In-Command, everyone is different. We love ours. It allows me to control the RV anywhere I am at, provides a method for controlling and monitoring RV temps and in the winter I can change settings when the wife says it’s too cold from under the covers. Everyone has different wants and needs. Of course our sticks and bricks was built with home automation.

Not yet. Tried to find mobile services who can handle Incommand and ended up seeing a dealer on Saturday.
I try to give them a call this week.

Thanks, Mike

[Bourbon County]

You didn't mention what brand AC you have. There are a couple on the market; I'm thinking Coleman and Furrion that have a temp sensor mounted in the return air side of the unit that is actually used for control. The wall mount or remote thermostat have a sensor that are basically just for display purposes, not control of the unit. It's quite possible that your InCommand system isn't really in command of this.

Another inherent problem with thermostats in RVs is the location. Ideally, it should be mounted on an interior wall out of line of sight from a window or exterior door to prevent outdoor drafts and any solar gain from the sun shining through a window. It should also be in an area of air movement, like near a return. If you look around, there are very limited if any places in an RV that are ideal. The age old standard is to mount the stat at 5' above floor level; your nose is the most temperature sensitive part of your body.

I'm doubtful you will ever get an accurate solution for this, but I would absolutely wear that dealer out as long as you're under warranty.

[suny07]

Originally Posted by Bourbon County

You didn't mention what brand AC you have. There are a couple on the market; I'm thinking Coleman and Furrion that have a temp sensor mounted in the return air side of the unit that is actually used for control. The wall mount or remote thermostat have a sensor that are basically just for display purposes, not control of the unit. It's quite possible that your InCommand system isn't really in command of this.

Another inherent problem with thermostats in RVs is the location. Ideally, it should be mounted on an interior wall out of line of sight from a window or exterior door to prevent outdoor drafts and any solar gain from the sun shining through a window. It should also be in an area of air movement, like near a return. If you look around, there are very limited if any places in an RV that are ideal. The age old standard is to mount the stat at 5' above floor level; your nose is the most temperature sensitive part of your body.

I'm doubtful you will ever get an accurate solution for this, but I would absolutely wear that dealer out as long as you're under warranty.

AC brand is Coleman, Sensor are next to the pantry.

The issue is not the "typical 2-few degrees differences. We had that in our old camper and changed the thermostat/controler location and eventually got the micro air thermostat installed.

The sensor gives a reading of e.g. 45 when it should be 70. Then starting AC or Furnace it will eventually climb to let's say its set to 72 for furnace. Then after switching of furnace the reading drops in under 1 minute back down to 54 or so.

It seems to be very rare as I can google only a few cases which mostly also seem to be older.

Thanks,
Mike

[ChuckS]

If you have a multimeter and basic skill sets simply remove the two prong plug on that Zone Gateway up under the roof AC unit and measure the resistance reading across the removed plug that goes to the remote temp sensor.. You will read a resistance that when compared to a chart gives you an expected temp reading versus the resistance read...

Remote Temp sensors for the overhead AC units Do In Fact control the on/off operation of the AC units... thats why they are there..

If the ohm reading is way off compared to the actual temp in the area where the remote temp sensor is at then the sensor is out of tolerance

[InspectorCurt]

For starters, get w/ folks at ASA,they can walk you through alot on phone.Make sure system has latest software update.Ours didn't even read a temp,had to disconnect both 240(2x120) and 12v,system reset itself.We have same model,don't set anything in front of sensor or let sun from door shine on it..Hope this helps

[suny07]

Hi,

Update and soluion


We called and showed up at multiple dealerships in Atlanta and tried other Mobile Services but no one wanted to deal with the issue.
Very confirming about the state of RV dealerships where I lost faith a long tim ago.


I went back and forth with Keystone and ASA/In-Command and Coleman Mach.
Finally Keystone referenced to www.rvtechandinspect.com from Blairsville, GA as authorized warranty mobile service who I called immediately.

Two days later I could score an appointment and hurray they could figure it out.

They found that the room sensor wires were attached to the freeze sense spades and the freeze sense wires were attached to the room sensor spades.

They corrected the wiring and it now blows hot air on the electric function and the temperatures on the In-Command control panel no longer fluctuate incorrectly.

We were actually thinking of returning the unit but now it’s the wonderful RV we wanted it to be