Is My HWH Going Out????

[NorCal C&H]

Back on 6/2/09 I reported a problem with trying to EXTEND the bedroom closet slide. I would get a click or clunk (depending on where you are from) and no movement. Then after a few minutes, with no repairs made, it suddenly worked again.

The coach has been sitting in our garage since then. Today I tried to RETRACT the main slide, after extending it esterday with no problem, and got the same click / clunk. I had my wife work the switch while I peered and pondered the hydraulics bay. When she energized the switch three red lights came on in the control module and the pump made the sound. When she tried it the 3rd or 4th time the motor started and the room retracted !!!!

Tomorrow I will check the electrical connections and unless someone in the forum has some ideas I think I will make an appointment at HWH..

Harold

[Dale777]

Harold,

There have been lots of posts about the type of problem you mention. Start with the electrical connector behind the panel inside the coach with the HWH controls; make sure this connection is not loose or being loosened when you open/close the drawer that contains the HWH controls. If no problem there, then use a Volt meter, as your wife presses the extend/retract switch, to check for voltage at the hydraulic pump in the small bay behind the passenger side front tire. The pump should have about 12 volts when the extend/retract switch is pressed. This area is a tight fit, so you might want to remove the panel in the basement that also leads to this HWH compartment to give you more room to work. If no voltage at the pump, then check for voltage at the solenoids in the hydraulic compartment. There are two solenoids - one for short duration duty and one for continuous duty. It is also possible that the circuit board in that area is bad. You can check this yourself by looking at the "HWH 625 Fuses & LEDs Quick Ref Guide.pdf" on the Alpine Coach Association Technical Library:
Alpine Coach - Technical Information

If you are not comfortable doing all this yourself, then call HWH, who are very helpful in talking you through the diagnostic procedure. Good luck!

Oh yes, you should also check the tightness of all the connections in the HWH compartment to the solenoids and the pump. Many people have found problems there.

[NorCal C&H]

Thanks Dale, but unless I'm missing something the HWH 625 fuse sheets and LED legend / data and console center loose connections (I wrote a couple of those posts) were for / with the HWH leveling systems, not the room extensions.

I didn't have the 625 LED ledgend so I printed a copy but I don't see how that will help with the slide problem.

Harold

I may have spoken too soon. I see that led# 34 relates to a "room switch" but I don't see anything else related to the slide extension / retraction.

H

[Dale777]

Harold,

LEDs 13, 14, 15, 16 indicate a signal or voltage to the master relay (solenoid) and pump relay (solenoid) for the pump motor in the referenced manual.

[NorCal C&H]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale777 Harold, LEDs 13, 14, 15, 16 indicate a signal or voltage to the master relay (solenoid) and pump relay (solenoid) for the pump motor in the referenced manual.

I don't know how many times I read this and missed those four every time. Thanks again Dale.

Harold

[Dale777]

Harold,

My dad always told me that two sets of eyes is always better than one set in dealing with problems, so I understand how easy it is to overlook those 4 LEDs. My dad was variously a real cowboy, a WWII soldier/airplane mechanic, a farmer, an auto mechanic, a diesel mechanic, a machinist, and finally an electrician, so he should know.

Fuses F7 & F8 on the HWH circuit board are also relevant for the HWH pump. However, since your problem appears to be intermittent, these fuses don't seem to be the problem.

Good luck.

[EngineerMike]

I'll bet a buck its the pump solenoid. There are two electric only solenoids sandwiched on either side of the pump motor. the outside one is the pump solenoid and the inside is the Master solenoid. Pressing an extend button sends 12V to the signal post on the pump solenoid to give pump pressure, while the hydraulic solenoid applicable to the switch pushed opens. The pump solenoid is a copper contact unit. Mine just went bad. You can test it w/an ohm meter- check ohms across the contacts while your beautiful assistant presses an extend or retract switch (or use long leads and be your own beautiful assistant). If you get variable readings like I did, 25-45 ohms, each time the button is pressed, the contacts are pitted or have pieces of pitting getting caught between contacts and causing high resistance so the pump won't get enough juice.
I reached into my bag of tricks and pulled out an old Cole-Hersee charging solenoid spare and wired it in as a temp. Voila! Back in business.

The OEM pump solenoid is a Trombetta 684-1211-212; that has the copper contacts & is rated 25% duty cycle. For about $3 more order the 684-12x1-012 w/the 'x'= 2, 5 or 6. The 012 has silver contacts & 100% duty cycle. The x= 2,5 or 6 = curved L bracket (same as the oem unit), L-bracket flat (so you'll have to bend it slightly to mount w/oem band method), or L-bracket curved narrow (which should mount same as oem solenoid).

You can owe me the buck till we meet again.