Community Forums

Marca · 02-05-2008, 10:10 AM

We are currently in Quartzsite at Guaranty RV's lot waiting to leave after having moved into the 2006 Apex purchased at the DDR. We are waiting for one last repair (a new manifold) needed for a leak in the rear SmartBeds and were stowing the last of our belongings in the Smart Beds yesterday when the large 250 Amp Fuse in the rear blew disabling all of the Coach's DC. Randy, the technician is here with us troubleshooting the problem. Everytime he tries to do anything requiring HWH systems, it blows the large fuse in the rear. If he doesn't activate HWH, the DC in the coach appears to operate correctly so we are sitting here with Smart Beds out and all of the slides out. By the way, the engine starts, etc. so it appears to be on the house battery DC side.

Also, has anyone had to retract their slides or Smart Beds manually? We know about retracting the dinette one with the large bolt mechanism but the emergency procedures for the remaining slides and SmartBeds haven't worked thus far. The reason I ask this is we currently have all of our slides out, the jacks down but off of the ground due to starting the engine and the air bags filling, and Smart Beds in various states.

Somedays you're the bug and other days you're the windshield. I know which one we have been for the past 24 hours.

Thanks in advance for any experiences or words of wisdom you may have to offer.

Marca · 02-05-2008, 10:10 AM

We are currently in Quartzsite at Guaranty RV's lot waiting to leave after having moved into the 2006 Apex purchased at the DDR. We are waiting for one last repair (a new manifold) needed for a leak in the rear SmartBeds and were stowing the last of our belongings in the Smart Beds yesterday when the large 250 Amp Fuse in the rear blew disabling all of the Coach's DC. Randy, the technician is here with us troubleshooting the problem. Everytime he tries to do anything requiring HWH systems, it blows the large fuse in the rear. If he doesn't activate HWH, the DC in the coach appears to operate correctly so we are sitting here with Smart Beds out and all of the slides out. By the way, the engine starts, etc. so it appears to be on the house battery DC side.

Also, has anyone had to retract their slides or Smart Beds manually? We know about retracting the dinette one with the large bolt mechanism but the emergency procedures for the remaining slides and SmartBeds haven't worked thus far. The reason I ask this is we currently have all of our slides out, the jacks down but off of the ground due to starting the engine and the air bags filling, and Smart Beds in various states.

Somedays you're the bug and other days you're the windshield. I know which one we have been for the past 24 hours.

Thanks in advance for any experiences or words of wisdom you may have to offer.

big jimbo · 02-05-2008, 12:15 PM

We purchased a 2006 Apex from Guaranty in Sept.

We had a lot of electrical gremlins, up to and including the entire coach going dead. No starter, no inverter, no NOTHING.

After this happened a couple of times, I got on the phone with a tech at the factory. Long story, short version is. Go in the compartment where the batteries are and there is a large nut where the main ground cable bolts to the frame. Mine was not tight and after tightening that nut, NO MORE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (so far)

Let me know how you make out and I will send a PM right now with my phone number, just in case you want to call.

swansnest · 02-05-2008, 03:21 PM

Marca - We wish we could give you some answers but tris was stumped when I ased him. He said "Whoa - It has to be a BIG SHORT to throw the 250 amp!" You will have to look at all the connections for something that is loose or burned. Why don't you call Steve & Richard - maybe they would have a clue.

The other side of the freeway almost opposite where you are (a little east) is a repair guy with an Alpinlite trailer and big rig who is from North Carolina and doing repairs there until the end of the month. He is really good. Can't think of his name but her name is Ann. Why don't you go over there & see if he has any ideas.

Are Clyde & Jeri with you still? We are leaving tonight for Kingman & the Grand Canyon Caverns for a week (hunt coyotes). See you in Pomona!

Marca · 02-06-2008, 06:56 AM

Thanks for all of your responses and helpful information. It has been determined that the primary motor for the HWH system is the culprit blowing the 250 Amp Fuse. A new one is on the way from Iowa and hopefully will be here tomorrow (Thursday) provided it didn't get delayed by the storm expected there.

It continues to concern us that the emergency procedures for retracting three of the slides (not the dinette) and the SmartBeds didn't work. Does anyone have any experience with having to perform those operations? With Randy's help, we were able to release the pressure but found that three people couldn't push them back in. Thanks!

TerryM · 02-06-2008, 08:02 AM

C & M,

I was able to push in my wardrobe slide on our 06 34FDDS with the help of a couple of other guys. I never could get the big kitchen slide to come in even with the hook and crank. I just couldn't get the pressure to release when the valves were turned on the HWH solenoids. HWH specifies that the little screws on the solenoids are to be turned exactly like 3.5 to 4.5 turns, or something like that. Possibly, turning too much or too little may not release the pressure. I'm a little concerned that my new 09 doesn't even have a hook and crank for the big kitchen slide. It, too, is to be pushed in. I don't think I even know enough people to help push that one in if it gets stuck out.

Good luck.

EngineerMike · 02-06-2008, 01:53 PM

Assuming you've got the valves set to release the hydraulic fluid as you move the kitchen slide in, you could reduce the population required for an assist to half by rigging a small come-along from the front ram bracket below the outside of the slide to the frame rail.
For mechanical advantage at the rear ram, you'd need to remove some of the interior body work around the slide ram assembly. I didn't look too close to see what would have to come off (lack of necessity is the mother of laziness

)

hrhuggie · 02-08-2008, 08:38 PM

I too have wondered about the feasibility of being able to retract the slides by pusing them in. I certainly dont want to have to find out when its me and a 5 year old that happens to be riding his scooter by have to try. if anyone finds a sure fire solution please come back here and post!!!! (think I'll buy a come along in case it ever comes up)

george henry · 02-08-2008, 08:51 PM

Sounds like alot of work , I guess we have been lucky

dgerstel · 02-09-2008, 06:08 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> we were able to release the pressure but found that three people couldn't push them back in </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Chuck & Marca

Upon leaving the Redmond rally last year, our neighbors in an 36 SE had a failure of a bedroom hydraulic hose, leaving the bedroom slide stuck out. With just the solenoid valves that WRV service said were the ones for the bedroom slide opened, a group of about 4 or 5 of us were not able to push the slide in. When more valves were opened we were able to get the slide in. With these other valves opened, pushing in the bedroom slide caused the Smart Beds to slide out a little. After the bedroom slide was all the way in, I blocked it with a 2x4, the valves were closed and the Smart Beds were run in as normal.

I was told that the reason WRV quit installing the "emergency retraction winch" under the kitchen slide, is that it didn't work. I know that all of the slides, Smart Beds etc. can be done manually with enough help, although I still haven't seen a diagram for the SE's valves yet.

zinom · 02-09-2008, 02:55 PM

It would be nice if the WRV tecks' could hold a seminar and demo emergenct slide retraction for us at Las Vegas.

Marca · 02-10-2008, 07:51 PM

UPDATE FROM PALM DESERT, CA:
Thanks to all of you for your suggestions and support. Rear Manifold for SmartBeds was replaced on Thursday PM. New HWH primary motor was installed on Friday PM. With fingers crossed and bated breath, all hydraulic systems worked. Hooray!

Lessons learned: 1) Emergency procedures did not work. 2) There is no next day delivery in Quartzsite. 3) The diagrams on the HWH panel leave a little (lot) to be desired. 4) It is very disconcerting to have your drawers hanging out in the desert. Fortunately we had our old reliable 2000 Alpine next to us for storing some of the more valuable cargo. So much for modern technology.

Back on the road again headed to Victorville, CA on Thursday for inverter repair and then on to Las Vegas. We continue to remember that a bad day RV'ing still beats a good day at work!