Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Alpine Coach Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-06-2010, 01:22 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
bcbowers's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Surprise, AZ
Posts: 836
Generator Slide Stuck

I stopped for fuel here in Lemmon, SD, extended the generator slide which stopped about 5 - 6 inches out. We tried resetting everything electrical that we could think of but the hydraulic pump simply doesn't run. We've verified that voltage exists on the large solenoids that control the pump everytime we press the Extend ot Retract button but the pump doesn't run. I assuming that the pump died.

Does anyone know of another reason why the pump might not run?

Does anyone know of any particular danger associated with driving coach with the generator slide slightly extended? The "Slide Extended" alarm will be a HUGE nuisance trying to get it home to Denver but I'll have to plug my ears!
__________________
Bob Bowers (Surprise, AZ)
2003 Alpine Coach 40' FDTS
2014 Jeep Cherokee Lattitude
bcbowers is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-06-2010, 01:42 PM   #2
Junior Member
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 7
Look in your owners manual it should have a procedure on how to put the slide in without the power.
__________________
Jerry
Alpine Apex
40FDQS
Jerry Burns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2010, 03:33 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Old Scout's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
Ref my 2003, assuning you cant figure out the electrical issue you can retract manually. I've never had to do it for the gen slide but you can release the pressure on the extend solenoid [easier to release both the extend and retract] at the pump, tighten/loosen the outside nut [nut driver came with instructions or a common socket will do] at the ends of the solenoids. Dont turn the inside screw head--just the nut, you only need to turn it about 4-5 turns max. Once you hear the fluid release thru the extend solenoid, there is a winch and strap hook under the gen slide to pull it back closed. Reset the solenoid nuts once complete. Worse case you can tape the button [driver's side near/above] fuel fill cap to shut off the buzzer.
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
Old Scout is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2010, 03:54 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
bcbowers's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Surprise, AZ
Posts: 836
We had tried to use our own hydraulic release procedure and found the wench arrangment under the slide but couldn't get it to release. We were undoubtedly not getting all the valves released.

We've decided that it's actually best to NOT bring the slide back because I might need to refuel in my trip to Denver. Leaving it slightly open will make sure I can refuel.

Old Scout, you're either a life saver or at least a mental sanity saver! I've taped the alarm button with duct tape so I won't have to put up with the alarm all the way home!

Thanks for the replies!
__________________
Bob Bowers (Surprise, AZ)
2003 Alpine Coach 40' FDTS
2014 Jeep Cherokee Lattitude
bcbowers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2010, 05:17 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Dave Fernandez's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Ontario, CA USA
Posts: 1,402
Hello Bob:

It could be a bad electric motor on the HWH pump. Try to but the Jacks down if they do not extend it could be the motor. This has happened to me twice on my 2001 with a Hydraulic Gen Slide. I have driven over 500 miles with the gen slide extended 5-6 inches with no problems. You could pull the dash and find and disconnect the buzzer or pull the plug on the warning light panel which will also stop the annoying buzzer.

Or you could cut/disconnect the wire going to the push button switch which activates the gen slide open alarm. You might try taping the push button closed or removing the push button switch to stop the buzzer.

When we were traveling and had this problem I did not want to close the Gen Slide because I knew I would still need fuel and having it open made that problem easier to deal with.
__________________
Dave Fernandez
2001, 38ft FDDS, 350 ISC, Tow 2018 RAM 1500
https://www.alpinesocal.com
Dave Fernandez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2010, 09:41 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
mythplaced's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1,357
Gotta go on record to say...

"What the HELL was WRV thinking, to put the fuel filler behind a slide?"

THis is one of the most ridiculous design flaws ever!

I'm glad they didn't put the toilet behind a smartdoor!
__________________
Michael (Home base Northern IL)
Alpine 40MDTS (gone but not forgotten)
Now Dynaquest 390XL
mythplaced is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 12:35 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Auburn, CA, Havasu, AZ & Mulege, BCS
Posts: 5,385
It could be the Pump Solenoid or the Master solenoid that are usually found attached to the pump motor. These are mechanical devices and will wear out. Working on an 05's HWH system last week I found an interesting thing- the motherboard is fed 12v by the chassis batteries, while the MS & PS & therefore the pump are run off the house batteries.

There is a #1 or so cable going to the MS, a jumper cable to the PS, then a #4 cable from the PS to the pump motor. To run the pump both solenoids need to be energized.
Goofing off as I've been known to do, I found that you can jump the 12v to the pump solenoid, put 12v to the appropriate slide (or jack) solenoid valve, and use a thumb-button type starter switch to run the pump and send a slide out or in (or a jack down; to bring the jack up you just need 12v to its solenoid valve and the springs will bring the jack up). This takes a quick test to see that the pump is indeed working, which you can do by putting 12v to the PS coil and hearing the pump run (don't need to open any solenoid valves as the pump has a bypass for such a condition).
In other words, hot wire the pump, + hot wire the needed solenoid valve & you've bypassed the whole electronic-genius/automation board.

Maybe I should get back to assembling the kit for the hot wiring job.
__________________
Baja-tested '08 2-slide 36'
Alpine: The Ultimate DIY'er Project
EngineerMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 07:50 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sonora, CA
Posts: 141
I hot wired the pump as per Engineer Mike above and the motor didn't run. Pulling the motor off and taking it apart I found the the GROUND side of the brushes had a bad GROUND (the GROUND to the motor case). Cleaned it up, put it back together, and it's been fine for over a year. The tricky part is getting the armature back in with the spring loaded brushes.
__________________
2001 Alpine Coach 36'
2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Towed
GMDavidson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 09:22 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Old Scout's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
Bad ground issues with the pump motor seems to be a theme with the circa 2003 pumps. On our 2003, the grounding bracket that holds the brushes in place had, at some point, arced and welded the bracket to the motor casing, causing the brushes to be misaligned. I stopped at HWH and had the motor replaced. The new pump seems to be a bit stronger and has run well the past two years.
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
Old Scout is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 11:01 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
JohnLori's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Sisters, OR
Posts: 203
Quote:
Originally Posted by EngineerMike View Post
put 12v to the appropriate slide (or jack) solenoid valve,
So, just to verify, will putting voltage to pins 5, 8, 9, or 10 of connector CN3 do the trick and release the jacks without having to release pressure manually on the solenoid valves? That would be a lot easier than reaching behind and trying to find the t handles or nuts on the solenoids.

I already have a simple jumper wire for putting slides in and out by supplying 12V to pin 1 and 12 of CN3 simultaneously (to activate the master relay and the pump relay) and then using the inside slide switches normally. This, thanks to Wayne R's instructions, allowed us to use the slides even though we had a bad circuit board on our last trip.

Some might be interested in looking at Wayne's emergency control box--message #12 in the "no hydraulics working" thread, which is just a few lines below this thread on the main Alpine Coach forum page.
__________________
John and Lori
2005 Alpine Coach 40FDQS
JohnLori is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 12:26 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Auburn, CA, Havasu, AZ & Mulege, BCS
Posts: 5,385
I can't vouch for the pin#'s yet (Wayne can and hopefully will), but yes- if the solenoid valves are working then putting voltage to the correct pin opens the valve or by disconnecting the two-pin connector & putting voltage/ground to the solenoid side connector. On 06 & earlier models it is probably easiest to identify the Deutsch connector that has voltage out to solenoids, unplug same and use a #14 or so bare copper wire stub into the socket of the respective pin, then put 12v to that, and to rig a remote starter switch setup to activate the pump if needed (no pump needed for jack retraction). One thing about operating the solenoid valve(s) vs. turning t-handles or 1/4" hex nuts- its less ambiguous as to number of turns, etc.
__________________
Baja-tested '08 2-slide 36'
Alpine: The Ultimate DIY'er Project
EngineerMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 01:05 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Camarillo, CA
Posts: 466
It happened to me in Colorado while on my way to Bryce Cyn and Lake Tahoe. Had HWH send me a pump to the Tahoe campground and it was there by the time I arrived. Replaced it and when I got home took the old one apart...same story...bad ground. It was getting the ground through a rivit to the casing so I cleaned it up and replaced it with a screw and nut. Now I have a spare motor. Oh yeah, my slide was open about 6 inches but I pulled it in to about a 2-3 inch opening...just barely enough room to squeeeeez a pump nozzle through after removing the cap with my finger tips. Drove a long way with it partially extended though...colorado through southern Utah, across Nev to Tahoe.
__________________
Steve
'19 Renegade Verona VSB
'05 Jeep Liberty
SteveS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2010, 01:40 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
JohnLori's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Sisters, OR
Posts: 203
Just a clarification: Wayne's schematic, which I mentioned previously, shows pin numbers looking at the front of the connector, whereas the HWH schematic shows pin numbers looking at the rear of the connector. Obviously, the order is the same, but if you're plugging wires into the sockets to supply 12V to the solenoids, you will be doing it from the front of the connector. So from the front, socket 1 is in the lower right, #6 top right, etc.
__________________
John and Lori
2005 Alpine Coach 40FDQS
JohnLori is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2010, 08:02 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
bcbowers's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Surprise, AZ
Posts: 836
This is VERY interesting since I've discovered that after driving the MH I can get the slide to move slightly while hearing a short "wrump" sound from the pump. The slide moves back slightly as a result. I'm afraid to do any more because I won't be able to refuel it if necessary. It's really tight right now.

Where is this circuit board located that you guys are talking about? On the right side of the dash area where the relays and such are located?
__________________
Bob Bowers (Surprise, AZ)
2003 Alpine Coach 40' FDTS
2014 Jeep Cherokee Lattitude
bcbowers is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bed stuck open Hansville Monaco Owner's Forum 6 04-23-2010 05:24 AM
Stuck waste gate VERNL Country Coach Owners Forum 6 02-01-2010 03:02 AM
1996 Ford F53/460 Fuel Gauge Stuck On FULL tomnorman457 Ford Motorhome Chassis Forum 13 01-25-2010 07:16 AM
Stuck in Death Valley?? bruceh Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum 24 12-04-2007 08:30 AM
HWH levelor stuck down, can't move rosegramma Alpine Coach Owner's Forum 4 09-30-2006 06:37 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:48 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.