I have a 3 ton Coleman heat and air pump and when I turn the air condition on the heat strip comes on at the same time

This link explains

https://www.howtolookatahouse.com/Blog/Entries/2020/5/what-size-in-tons-is-my-coleman-or-coleman-evcon-heat-pump-or-air-conditioner.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=Coleman+evcon+ah16-0+specs

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3 Ton Heat Pump Split System ' eBay

www.ebay.com/bhp/3-ton-heat-pump-split-system
eBayGoodman 3 Ton 14 SEER Heat Pump Split System GSZ140361 with Installation Kit.10k Heat Strip,Thermostat,Wiring, Disconnect Box,Pad. $1,912.00; Buy It ...

A heat pump on the optimal heating day (about 50 degrees ambient) will only deliver approximately 85 degree air as compared to 125 degree air from a fossil fueled furnace. The colder the outdoor air is the less heat there is available to be transferred to the living space. At 30 degrees, the heat transfer capability is getting close to negligible meaning the run cycles will be approaching continuous and eventually as the heat pump along cannot maintain setpoint, the outdoor stat or stats will bring on auxilliary heat in the air handler.

If your ambient temp is below the 'balance point' of the heat pump, the house temp will drop a little lower and most times energize the heat strips through the outdoor t-stat. Your outdoor stat could be set too low for the heat pump to carry the structure all the way down to the balance point so when you turn it off and back on, the lower indoor temp automatically brings on the heat pump plus a heat strip or two, thus the warmer air. Second stage on the stat satisfies due to the heat strip, drops them out of the circuit and the heat pump is left running on first stage heat delivering the perceived cold air.

Your outdoor stat could also be not functioning correctly and not allowing the heaters to come on until the system is turned back on reestablishing the two stage call for heat.

Tons of possibilities and not enough room to list....

If you look on the install manual. It says it will work for a heat pump without backup heat. No heat strips.........If you do not have strips the guide says as follows

"PLACE A JUMPER (PIECE OF WIRE) BETWEEN Y AND W IF YOU ARE USING A HEAT PUMP WITHOUT AUXILIARY/BACKUP HEAT." if this dosnt work check the fuse in the air handler you may have blown it if you did not turn the unit off before installing.

You can use the existing air handler for a heat pump condenser unit up to 3 tons. The line set, evap coil are fine for a heat pump.
The electric heat strip issue can be another problem, you can put several different size strips in depending on what may be needed where you live, the power requirements will differ with each heat strip, for example a 5KW (5000 watt) heat strip requires a 2 pole 30 amp circuit for heat strip and air handler combination.

Do you have electric heat strips for auxillary or backup heat? When the heatpump goes into defrost, the electric heat strips or whatever your source of auxillary heat is, should come on to keep you from feeling the cold air. When the heat pump is in defrost it is essentially operating in the A/C mode, that is why you will feel cold air if the auxillary heat isn't working. You need find out why the auxillary heat isn't coming on if it isn't. It could be do to a bad seqencer or a burnt out element.

Hello,George TIPS?I assume you are looking at the elements as they run.A 4 ton drive can keep active heat strips from glowing.What is your heat rise split.Meaning in/supply out/return temps?W1&W2 sequencer time delays can be up to 3 minutes.Take a AMP reading on 1 heat element supply wire with a volt meter.You can jump W1&W2 at the board for testing.

If it is a heat pump, the compressor will be running both in cool mode and in normal heat mode.

Confirm the current indoor temperature. Turn the thermostat up one degree at a time until it comes on. This will typically be 1 to 4 degrees increase. As soon as it comes on stop increasing the temp.

If the compressor is running, it is a heat pump.

Check the temperature coming our of the vents at that time. You should have 30 to 60 degrees increase from the air temp going into the unit and the conditioned air temp coming out.

Then turn the T-stat up another 10 degrees. If the temp coming out of the vents increases by 20 degrees or more. the strips are on.

The strips operate in three situations.
1) the system is set to emergency heat
2) The heat pump cannot keep up with the demand for heat. (because its too cold outside, the desired temp setting is greater than 4 to 8 degrees above the room temp, or the HP is malfunctioning.)
3) The HP is in defrost mode

You could also take the panels off the unit and look for a reversing valve, but unless you know what you are looking for you will not recognise it.

Is this a central heat? From the size i assume it is.
You say air conditioning on part of your question then use heat pump on another part. So it is important for us both be on the same page.
With all due respect some people think they have a heat pump and it is just AC and electric heat also but is not a heat pump.
. If you have the outdoor AC unit running with your thermostat set for heat and the air coming off the out door unit is cold, or you see it "steam up outdoors" off the out door unit at times (we call this mode defrost).

If you actually have a Heat pump system some times it is wired to have the strips come on at the same time the heat pump comes on especially if you experience a lot of weather below 40' occasionally and have an emergency heat setting on your thermostat you most likely have a heat pump.

If you have a heat pump for sure now the heaters can come on with the outdoor section if
1 they are wired to do so or
2 the thermostat has 2 stage heating and the second stage is telling the elements to come on, or
3 the outdoor thermostat (if so equipped) is telling the elements to come on.
Any 1 or combination of these 3 items can cause the elements to come on wit the out door unit.

Heat pumps in cold climates suffer a number of limitations stemming from the fact that they are designed for air-conditioning applications. As climates become cooler and heating becomes more of the primary HVAC function, one may find that conventional heat pumps lose capacity and do not satisfy the load of the conditioned space. In colder temperatures, a conventional system’s need to defrost can further detract from heating performance. The use of resistance heat or fossil fuels to supplement or replace the vapor cycle. The additional use of supplemental heat to temper cold air blowing into the space during defrosts. As it gets colder outside, the delivery air temperatures inside begin to fall when no supplemental heat is being used. Supply air temperatures that are warmer than the return temperatures add heat to a space, but discomfort occurs when these supply temperatures drop below skin temperature. The air movement can feel cool or even cold. While the heat pump may be operating exactly as intended,the consumer will desire a more comfortable environment.