Slide out's

ewaldo · 05-27-2013, 06:27 PM

Why the run the engine when extended or re-tracting the slide out's?

chief02 · 05-27-2013, 06:30 PM

for full voltage or stay plugged into shore power.

FIRE UP · 05-27-2013, 06:46 PM

ewaldo,
While some coaches maybe have poor wiring or connections from which ever batteries run the hydraulic pump for the slide/jack system, some run it just fine without the engine running. Some, as in a buddies '02 Fleetwood Discovery, are mandated to have the engine running or, the slide will not go in or out. It's wired that way.

Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon with the 330 CAT is setup to run the slides in or out, without the engine and, I do it that way 100% of the time because I can also set up the Auto leveling with the key in the ACC position.

But, to answer your question, yes, you will get better voltage to the hydraulic pump if the engine is running. Our coach is also setup with charging to the chassis batteries so, even when I shut down the engine, level the coach and run out both slides, when I plug into shore power, all that limited use of the batteries is put right back into it. So, it's no big deal. I doubt seriously you'll run your batteries down, whichever ones powers up your system, in the time it takes to run a slide out or two.
Scott

1ciderdog · 05-28-2013, 09:29 AM

I think on my RV the chassis batteries operate the slide/jacks hydraulic motor and that motor puts a heavy drain on the batteries. I had slide work done at the factory in Forest City and the tech suggested the engine be running when extending or retracting slides and when lowering jacks.
Bob

garykk · 05-28-2013, 10:12 AM

On ours the slide won't operate if the voltage is below a certain limit....I get a flashing red light.
Chassis batteries operates our slides.

doit2010 · 05-28-2013, 02:09 PM

I might have missed it, BUT if you’re on shore power is it then OK to NOT have the motor engine running, is shore power doing the same as the engine running?

1ciderdog · 05-28-2013, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doit2010

I might have missed it, BUT if you’re on shore power is it then OK to NOT have the motor engine running, is shore power doing the same as the engine running?

On mine the shore power does not charge the chassis batteries and it is my chassis batteries that operate the HWH slide/jack system so I try to run the engine when moving slides or lowering jacks. If chassis batteries were receiving a charge from shore power then that would be OK (in my opinion)

doorguy · 06-04-2013, 09:03 AM

If you install a Trick-L-Start, one would not need to run the engine when engaging the slides, jacks, etc. The Trik-L-Start will keep the coach batteries charged when using shore power.

doorguy · 06-04-2013, 09:21 AM

I respectfully retract all my comments I just posted in post #8. Too much caffiene coupled with the fact that I can type faster than I can think is not a good combination, obviously. Sorry.

RVluvin · 06-04-2013, 09:43 AM

My motor home has some sort of safety feature that will not allow the slides to operate if the engine is running. Now the leveling jack which are on the same hydraulic system are a different story, If the engine is not running, I get a low voltage warning, and will not operate the leveling jacks.

rream · 06-04-2013, 12:29 PM

Must not be a Winnebago both that I have owned recommended it

bertman · 06-06-2013, 08:17 PM

Had trouble with my slide motors when I didn't have engine running. Doesn't matter if shore power is on or not. Most slide motors run off the chassis batteries. These motors are like car starter motors. Draw lots of amps. And on super slides, two motors are running at the same time. Once I started having the coach motor running, on fast idle, have never had a problem.