Slide question

stearn · 08-13-2015, 07:08 PM

My slide would not retract when preparing to leave campground. The rear slide came in very slow! Then the living room slide would not come in. I added dextron to the reservoir and still no movement. I called a local rv service and the service mgr said to busy and would have two wks before he could send someone out. He did say I might have an air pocket. After calling two other places and hearing the same too busy! I started researching manually retracting and heading home. I don't know why just nerves I guess I tried to retract it again ! To my surprise it came in like it always did . It did spill out some fluid luckily I had left the bucket under the reservoir.
Now to my question , what could have happened to the oil ?? I have not seen any leaks. Did have to have a jack replaced last Sept
maybe they did not add or check fluid?? Opened and closed slides many times since then. Are there gears that could be going bad? The slides are still working fine after two weeks of vacation moving several times.
I have a 2006 Adventurer 38R with HWH jacks and slides. Sorry for being so long just wanted to explain whole picture.

jacwjames · 08-13-2015, 07:19 PM

Did you open and close any of the compartments under the slide. Each of these compartment doors probably have an inhibitor switch that senses if the door is open and won't let the slide move.

One of my basement doors is touch, I have to slam it hard so the switch goes completely in. The first time it happened we were in a panic, now we just go out an close the door harder.

stearn · 08-14-2015, 07:01 AM

I don't think mine is equipped with that type of sensor? When it acted up you could hear the pump, so seems like it was getting power .

Shellback1 · 08-14-2015, 07:19 AM

Sounds like low battery voltage. Assuming you were still plugged in at the CG while you made your calls you converter charged your batteries enough to run the slide. It takes a lot of current to move the slides or jacks. Do a load test on your batteries.

DancinCampers · 08-14-2015, 07:43 AM

If your unit is HWH, look for the inline Auto type fuses near the solenoids on the pump unit and make sure there is no corrosion in the fuse holder.

dc8cappie · 08-14-2015, 08:11 AM

Yes, a pump will cavitation if it hits an air pocket and since you had a part replaced they might not have gotten all the air out of the line. After setting for a while the air cavity migrated out of the pump and now full functioned normally. If this was what happened you'll probably never have this happen again. The system has probably purged it self.

Happy travels.

Switchflicke · 08-14-2015, 08:43 AM

Ours would do that occasionally. After some frustrating moments (read days) I discovered that one of the connectors to/from the computer was loose. I'm guessing that it would not open the CLOSE solenoid.

Glad you got yours going, and if it happens again, as well as all the other good advice above, maybe give the wires a wiggle at the computer box. Mine is under the 'hood' at the very front.

Good luck

stearn · 08-14-2015, 05:43 PM

I am thankful for all your suggestions. This weekend I will be checking all my electrical connections. I also wonder if my inverter would have quit charging the batteries, not sure how to check that. Thought I read somewhere that dimensions are not the greatest, for lasting.

wa8yxm · 08-14-2015, 05:52 PM

Failure to charge is possible.. SUGGESTION: There may be a "Manual" way to operate the pump.. SOME of those pump motors the shaft extends THROUGH the motor and can be operated by a high speed power drill .. Likely a quarter inch (They run faster) 120 volt drill...

KEY WORD in that paragraph is SOME so RTFM to find if yours is one.

Also find the manual retract method which will be in there somewhere.

I"ve had to use manual means a few times with my slides (non-hydraulic)

Shellback1 · 08-14-2015, 06:18 PM

If your house batteries are over 5 yrs, replace them.

stearn · 08-16-2015, 08:26 AM

I have had batteries checked, and they are good, they are going on 3 yrs. Two days ago I cleaned all connections in the battery box area . I took a reading of my eng, and house batteries. Eng 12.4 house 13.1 two days later with nothing on Eng 12.3 house 13.1. It is plugged in to 30 amps. When staying long term (1 month or more) I attach a trickle charger to the eng battery. Isn't 13.1 a low reading for the house batteries? Shouldn't the charging system keep them higher, and would that be enough power to operate the slides effectively? Someone told me high 13's to be fully charged. Never understood why the eng battery isn't maintained while plugged to external service. Knowing it's not maintained I understand it's low reading.
I might add that the slides and jacks are still working fine. I am just trying to prevent having that problem again.

Shellback1 · 08-16-2015, 08:47 AM

I bought one of these about 8 years ago and it works fine. When I am plugged in it charges my Ford battery. Easy hookup! Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer

stearn · 08-18-2015, 07:22 PM

just an update ,over the weekend I cleaned, many electrical connections. Took batteries to local NAPA store and they tested ok. Friday I checked the monitor and house batteries showed 13.1 volts. they were still 13.1 . I unplugged from external power then put jacks down opened and closed slides plus retracted jacks. The meter then showed 12.3 volts . I then plugged back to external power source (30amp) . Meter now reading 13.2. Sooo that tells me batteries are being maintained . I am satisfied that I had a low fluid issue. Thanks again for your suggestions!

stearn · 09-08-2015, 05:50 PM

Well here we go again ! When closing bedroom slide it was very jerky and slow coming in. Same problem I had while camped last month ) I then started the engine before closing living rm slide and it closed. I then reopened the bedroom slide and closed it and it seemed normal.
It seems like the house batteries are not being maintained?? Originally thought they were. I wonder if the charging part of the inverter is malfunctioning? If so instead of replacing the inverter could I just use a battery tender while stationary? I did check fluid level. I did check the read out of the batteries and the reading was 12.1 house and 12.3 engine.

Peter27C · 09-08-2015, 06:11 PM

I always run the engine while I am extending and retracting the slides.

Pete

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Rocky68D · 09-08-2015, 06:49 PM

When we took delivery of our Suncruiser 10 1/2 years ago, the tech who checked us out on operating the systems said to always run the engine when extending or retracting the slides or jacks.

We've done that every time and never had a problem.

Knocking on wood as I type this.

Skip426 · 09-08-2015, 07:05 PM

JMHO: If your charging rate was just 13.2 after the batteries had been under load and reading 12.3 volts , the convertor charger is not ramping up to full charge rate.
If I test my convertor/charger rate when first plugged in with the batteries at that state of charge, volts would be 14.2 >14.4 and take about 1 1/2 hours to come down to the 13.2 volt float charge rate.
I think more testing of the charger out-put in order.

CJ7365 · 09-08-2015, 07:15 PM

Simple solution, run your engine, while operating slides, in or out.

stearn · 10-15-2015, 03:47 PM

Ok! I had the system checked out and he found the connection at the battery needed tightened. I had put a knife switch to keep the eng battery from being drained while in storage. Well the connection where the knife slides in needed to be tighter, tech said cable was heating up thus loosing voltage. I was also told that running the engine would be a better option. Thus proper voltage to work the system. A few years ago I was asked why I needed to run the engine while getting ready to go. Our coach is pretty quiet but I was embarrassed to have a fellow RVer seemingly annoyed, since then I have been closing slides and jacks QUIETLY ! Now I know!

azpete · 10-17-2015, 09:57 AM

stearn, the engine battery is what runs the hwh pump. it does not use the house batteries unless someone changed the factory connections. this is for all hwh systems.
starting the engine supplies full power to the engine battery. the pump motor takes 105 amps to start moving. download a service manual from hwh website. it has good diagnostic info. please feel free to call me 602-549-3638. i do work for hwh and live in arizona.
thanks, paul maddox
i do not sell parts or solicit service on this forum.