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Climate & Comfort

Air Conditioning

Twyla has a single Dometic AC unit (one zone, not the two-zone setup shown partway through this video, the Dometic portion at the start is the relevant part). It runs on the electronic thermostat inside and needs 30-amp shore power to run. It also has a heat pump mode, which is a more efficient way to take the chill off on cool mornings than switching straight to the furnace.

On the control panel, the first button press just wakes the backlight, and the second press actually turns the unit on. Use the mode button to cycle through: AC, Auto (switches between AC and heat pump on its own), heat pump, fan only, and off. Use the fan button to cycle fan speed: low, medium, high, and auto. There's a short delay after powering on, an hourglass icon shows while the compressor is starting up.

Before switching off at the panel, set the fan back to Auto so it doesn't blast on the next time someone powers the unit on.

Fan

Great for ventilation when you don't need full AC. It has its own thermostat and an automatic rain sensor. It will close itself if it starts raining, so you don't need to worry about leaving it open by accident.

Furnace

Gas furnace for cold nights, controlled from the same thermostat as the AC. Propane needs to be turned on for this to work.

Awning

Twyla has a Zip Dee awning, and this video walks through the exact model. A few things worth calling out:

  • Let anyone inside know before you extend or retract it. The entry door swings open during the process and can catch the awning material.
  • The center strap is spring-loaded and wants to snap back up. Keep hold of it the whole way down.
  • When seating the rafter arm, it has to land at the end of the roller wheel, not partway up the bar. Seating it in the wrong spot can bend the bars or damage the awning.
  • The support legs have four height holes. By the entry door, use the highest hole so the awning doesn't rub the door.
  • There's an LED strip built into the underside, worth knowing about for evening setup.

Photo suggestion: a picture of the thermostat panel, with a quick note on which mode is which, saves a lot of "how do I turn on heat" messages.