A thermostat in an RV allows you to control the heating/cooling, fan, and furnace from a single panel without any complex maneuvers. Although the air conditioning unit requires less power, wiring can be hazardous if not done correctly.
To enjoy your outdoor adventures hassle-free, you ought to know everything about the thermostat wiring of your RV. From color codes to extensions, to compatibility and different combinations, we have talked extensively about the Coleman Thermostat RV wiring color codes and setup.
Keep reading to know more about Coleman RV thermostat wiring color code in detail and how you can master the art of wiring on your motorhome.
Coleman RV Wiring Basics
Before we jump into all the complex types of connections and combinations, it is crucial to take a look at the basics of Coleman RV thermostat wiring color codes.
Thermostats can be of different types, namely digital, analog, heat-cool, and cool-only options.
The Coleman RV analog thermostat with a heat-cool option comes with 6 different wires, i.e., blue, green, grey, yellow, white, and red. These wires control the AC compressor, 12V outlet, high and low fan speed, furnace, and ground.
The cool-only thermostat comes with 5 wires, missing the white one that controls the heating option. Lastly, the digital thermostat also comes with standard color codes for 12V DC or 24V AC current.
Which Wire Goes Where on the Thermostat Panel?
The blue wire is connected to the C Terminal and the Red one connects to the label market “RH”. The green wire connects to the G terminal and the Brown wire to the W.
The white wire connects to the W2 Aux the yellow wire to the Y Terminal, and the orange wire to the Y2 terminal.
There could be a few exceptions based on the manufacturer and this one in particular for Coleman RV. Please get in touch with your RV manufacturer to know the intricate details of wiring the thermostat panel.
Coleman RV Thermostat Wiring Color Code
There are several varieties of Coleman thermostats available based on their regulatory mechanisms, power input, voltage supply, and heat and cool options. But the main categories are digital and analog, which are further divided into 2 options; Heat-Cool & Cool-Only.
Digital systems are further divided into 12V DC and 24V DC or AC options.
Digital Display
The digital display and temperature control on the Coleman RV come with a 5-9 wire thermostat. Each wire is color-coded differently for all the functions.
Single Stage 12V DC Thermostat
There are 7 wires for a single-stage 12 V DC digital thermostat with heat-cool function;
| Color | Color Code | Function | |
| 1 | Green | GH | Fan – High Speed |
| 2 | Yellow | Y | AC Compressor |
| 3 | Red | R | Positive Terminal (+12V DC) |
| 4 | White/Black | WhB | Heat Pump |
| 5 | Gray | GL | Fan – Low Speed |
| 6 | Blue | B | Negative Terminal (-12V DC) |
| 7 | White | WF | Furnace |
There are some models with a 9-wire thermostat as well. The additional Wires (usually in green/white color), monitor the temperature inside the cabin using different sensors onboard.
1-Stage 24V
The digital thermostat with 24v DC or AC input has both heat-cool options. It also features a fan with Auto-On mode but without a speed control function.
This setup requires a total of 5 wires; 1 for compressor, fan, heat, cold and hot input each. The color scheme follows the same standard as mentioned in the earlier section.
2-Stage 12V DC
This setup provides the control of the air conditioning setup and furnace in 2 steps. The high stage setting is for extremes of weather and the second step setting is for mild weather conditions.
The Coleman 2-stage thermostat deploys 2 different connectors for controlling heat & cooling functions and also comes equipped with an auto-On function for the fan with speed control.
The first connector has 9 wires while the second connector has 3-4 wires. This system has the following color codes;
First Connector
| Color | Color Code | Function | |
| 1 | Gray | G | Second Terminal for Freeze |
| 2 | Yellow | Y | AC Compressor Terminal 1 |
| 3 | Red | R | 12V DC power |
| 4 | White/Black | WhB | Electric heater control |
| 5 | Gray | G | High Setting for AC |
| 6 | Black | B | Negative Terminal (-12V DC) |
| 7 | Purple | P | Indoor fan low speed |
| 8 | Blue | B | Negative terminal |
| 9 | Orange | O | AC Compressor Terminal 2 |
Second Connector
| Color | Color Code | Function | |
| 1 | Red/White | RWh | +12V DC |
| 2 | Blue/White | BWh | -12V DC |
| 3 | White | Wh | A heat pump for RV (low) |
| 4 | Orange/White | OWh | A heat pump for RV (high) |
Analog
There are also analog Coleman thermostats with heat-cool control and cool-only settings. They have sliding switches that indicate temperature settings on an analog scale. These thermostats run on a 12V DC supply but 24V systems are also available.
Analog Thermostat with Heat & Cool (12V DC Power)
This system has single-stage temperature settings with fan speed control and follows this color coding system;
| Color | Function | |
| 1 | Green | Fan high-speed control |
| 2 | Gray | Fan low-speed control |
| 3 | White | Heating element control |
| 4 | Yellow | AC compressor for cool settings |
| 5 | Red | Positive Terminal (+12V DC) |
| 6 | Blue | Negative Terminal (-12V DC) |
Analog Thermostat with Cool Only Option (12V DC power)
This is quite similar to the one mentioned above but it only has the cool option and lacks the heating coil. It also has the same color-code scheme, except for the missing white wire for the heating function.
Analog Thermostat 24 Volt
This thermostat system requires 24V power and has both heating and cooling functions with Auto-On mode but no speed control. It uses the following color code;
| Color | Color Code | Function | |
| 1 | Red/White | RH | 24V input for heat control |
| 2 | Red | R | Cool settings |
| 3 | Green | G | Fan output for Auto-On |
| 4 | Yellow | Y | AC compressor output |
| 5 | White | W | Heat output |
FAQs
What happens if you get the wiring wrong on the Coleman RV thermostat?
One hazard of a poor installation is electric shock or even burnout. All of these components, including the thermostat itself, the thermostat wire, the air conditioner, or the heater, could be harmed beyond repair.
Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by travel. I inherited this passion from my parents. Since my college years and to this day, I have had a passion for traveling in a motorhome. I am here to share my experiences with you.
