Penguin Heat Pump / Thermostat Problems

[Bob Thompson]

1997 Excella 25 with Duo-Therm Penguin 630215 Heat Pump and Duo-Therm Comfort Control Center.

In preparation for my upcoming trip I decided to check out my A/C because it's going to have to work overtime on this trip. When I did my test run, condensate started dripping from the interior at the unit so I took down the interior shroud and discovered the condensate was coming from cracks in the drain pan. Obviously, the condensate drain hose was clogged, this backed up the water and the water was taking the available route thru the cracks. Long story short, I lifted the A/C unit, replaced the drain pan, unclogged the condensate hose, re-installed the A/C unit, hooked the wires up but now, the Comfort Control Center doesn't get any power. I am getting 110v to the unit, but somehow, the 12 volt which drives the Comfort Control Center is not working.

All the wires with the exception of the telephone "control" wires were marked with different colored markers so they matched back up perfectly, when the A/C unit was re-installed. I forgot to mark the telephone lines for re-hookup, so, I thought, black matches black. so plugged the two black telephone lines together, not realizing until later that they were both coming from the A/C controller board. I'm just about sure that I should have hooked up one of the black telephone lines to the silver telephone line (which I later determined) leads to the Confort Control Center. Anyway, no power to the Comfort Control Center.....Help!!

[lewster]

Bob,

There should be 2 wires in the ceiling that provide the 12VDC to the upper relay board of the A/C unit (usually red and black). The board in turn sends the 12VDC thru the 'phone cable' (actually a data cable, as a true phone wire will not work) down to the Comfort Control Center (CCC).

If you are not getting anything at the CCC, either you have no 12VDC at the upper unit, the cable itself is bad or the 'phone cable' connections are bad. There are 2 plug-in unions where you can connect the phone plug to the unit. Either one will work, and you should try both of them.

Be sure that you check for 12VDC at the unit on the wires mentioned. You also might have a bad fuse somewhere in the 12VDC panel (or wherever you put it) that is preventing the 12VDC from reaching that relay board.

Happy hunting!

Originally Posted by Bob Thompson

1997 Excella 25 with Duo-Therm Penguin 630215 Heat Pump and Duo-Therm Comfort Control Center.

In preparation for my upcoming trip I decided to check out my A/C because it's going to have to work overtime on this trip. When I did my test run, condensate started dripping from the interior at the unit so I took down the interior shroud and discovered the condensate was coming from cracks in the drain pan. Obviously, the condensate drain hose was clogged, this backed up the water and the water was taking the available route thru the cracks. Long story short, I lifted the A/C unit, replaced the drain pan, unclogged the condensate hose, re-installed the A/C unit, hooked the wires up but now, the Comfort Control Center doesn't get any power. I am getting 110v to the unit, but somehow, the 12 volt which drives the Comfort Control Center is not working.

All the wires with the exception of the telephone "control" wires were marked with different colored markers so they matched back up perfectly, when the A/C unit was re-installed. I forgot to mark the telephone lines for re-hookup, so, I thought, black matches black. so plugged the two black telephone lines together, not realizing until later that they were both coming from the A/C controller board. I'm just about sure that I should have hooked up one of the black telephone lines to the silver telephone line (which I later determined) leads to the Confort Control Center. Anyway, no power to the Comfort Control Center.....Help!!

[Bob Thompson]

Will check to see if 12VDC is getting to the connectors, then to see if 12VDC is getting to the upper relay board first thing in the AM. It's possible one of the "hot wires" shorted, while I was doing the other work and that blew a fuse or a breaker. Thanks Lew.

[TinShack]

Don't know if you have a manual for it or not, but here is a link to a newer unit manual. Information on the control cable is on page 10...
http://www.dometic.com/1f24ead8-6316...87ce6bad.fodoc

[Bob Thompson]

Ok, I've determined the red wire has 12vDC to the top of the pigtail at the relay board in the A/C unit. I checked the two phone lines that exit the relay board and come out under the unit and none of the 4 positions on each had power, so I'm thinking it must be the relays are not working. Any thoughts?

[Bob Thompson]

On another website, I was told the relay board would have to be replaced for the unit to ever work again, so I decided I'd better get busy and find another relay board. I took my note pad up on the roof to write down the model number. As I was searching the board for a model number, I discovered a 3 amp automotive type fuse in the upper left hand corner of the relay board. I couldn't tell if it was blown or not, even using a jewelers loop, so I just replaced it with a new one. All is right with the world again!!! Works perfectly. Just a fuse on the relay board.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by Bob Thompson

On another website, I was told the relay board would have to be replaced for the unit to ever work again, so I decided I'd better get busy and find another relay board. I took my note pad up on the roof to write down the model number. As I was searching the board for a model number, I discovered a 3 amp automotive type fuse in the upper left hand corner of the relay board. I couldn't tell if it was blown or not, even using a jewelers loop, so I just replaced it with a new one. All is right with the world again!!! Works perfectly. Just a fuse on the relay board.

That is the fuse on the 12VDC supply line hat feeds the power to the CCC. Glad you found it and it all works now.

Unfortunately, most 'RV Techs' today are simply parts changers and have no diagnostic skills at all. It is rare that a bad relay board will prevent 12VDc from powering the CCC!