SCS Basement Air problem and solution

[David and Teresa]

I have just had my basement SCS air fixed and the solution may be important to someone.

The dual compressor unit was giving us trouble recently, not blowing as cold as the single front unit and the fan wouldn't turn off. I called my house ac service company and persuaded them to service my coach. The tech traced the problem back to a faulty thermostat. I told him I would order one and call him back for the install.

Victory Climate (who has the remaining SCS inventory) sold the final 3 thermostats to Newell last year. I called Newell and the thermostats they have don't match my coach. I was told a Newell owner was able to make them work with a lot of effort but Newell didn't know how they did it. Newell knew of no other solution or replacement thermostat. Being 12 volts instead of the common 24 volts for home units seems to be the problem.

I then called PGS Controls (the thermostat manufacturer for SCS). They didn't have any units but the engineer looked at the original specs for the thermostat and suggested that a battery supplied house thermostat should work.

I called my home ac service company, told them, and their engineering department said it would work.

So, we purchased a Honeywell FocusPRO TH5000, a battery operated, 2 stage thermostat (uses 2 AA batteries).

We installed it and it works perfectly with one change. The old system had a 2 stage fan and this fix can only have 1 stage fan, which, because we're in Florida, we chose high.

Also, before my tech came for the final time, I made access to the basement ac on both sides by cutting out large access holes (covered by new aluminum panels with 4 screws). When he checked out the compressors, one had a burnt wire.

So problem solved, ac as cold as I've ever had, and way cheaper than a coach service center.

David