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FredT · 10-20-2021, 08:30 PM

I recently purchased a 2009 Tiffin Phaeton 36QSH. It has 4 slide outs. 2 are electric and 2 are hydraulic. In one section the owners section states the motor home engine should be on when extending and retracting the slides and another states the engine should be off. Anyone know the correct procedures for extending and retracting the slides? Thanks

BRodgers · 10-20-2021, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredT

I recently purchased a 2009 Tiffin Phaeton 36QSH. It has 4 slide outs. 2 are electric and 2 are hydraulic. In one section the owners section states the motor home engine should be on when extending and retracting the slides and another states the engine should be off. Anyone know the correct procedures for extending and retracting the slides? Thanks

Out of curiosity, I looked for and found the owner's manual for the 2009 Phaeton. I agree there are several contradictory statements regarding the position of the key when operating the slides.

I owned a 2012 Phaeton and currently own a 2018 Allegro Bus. In both coaches the ignition key had to be on to operate the slides. I typically do not operate the slides unless the coach is running and/or hooked up to shore power.

Hope this helps.

Coloradodude · 10-21-2021, 06:57 AM

Fred

Key must be on to Operate electric slides. Hydraulic slides do not have to have key on.

Wayne

DRM901 · 10-21-2021, 08:39 AM

I always have the engine running. Both the electric & hydraulic slides take a lot of power to operate. The electric ones can get confused if you stop them in the middle.

It is just easy to do the jacks & slides while the engine is warming up or cooling down.

pameridan04 · 10-21-2021, 01:47 PM

Put me in the camp with the engine running, then extend slides.

But FIRST level the coach, then extend slides.

PAM

Fredtp · 10-22-2021, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coloradodude

Fred

Key must be on to Operate electric slides. Hydraulic slides do not have to have key on.

Wayne

Our 2022 Open Road has to have the key on for the hyd slides to operate.

Ohio44718 · 10-22-2021, 07:02 AM

When I had my 2008 Phaeton and staying at a location that had power, I would go out, hook-up my electric and water (easier to get to everything on basement slides), level, then open slides using the shore power. Do not remember which slides, but one set did require the ignition key on for them to open or close. If somewhere without pedestal power, would start motor to supplement the batteries when bringing them in.

One disclaimer: I was fortunate to have 6 house batteries so plenty of battery power.

groswald · 10-22-2021, 07:48 AM

Sitting in the lounge in Red Bay waiting for service on the bedroom slide to be finished

The tech recommended always having the engine running when operating slides or jacks. His opinion/experience is that the higher voltage available makes everything work better.

True? Who knows, but hopefully he knows more than I do, so I’ll be running the engine from now on.

Regards,

Randy

Ohio44718 · 10-22-2021, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groswald

Sitting in the lounge in Red Bay waiting for service on the bedroom slide to be finished

The tech recommended always having the engine running when operating slides or jacks. His opinion/experience is that the higher voltage available makes everything work better.

True? Who knows, but hopefully he knows more than I do, so I’ll be running the engine from now on.

Regards,

Randy

If you have an expert available, maybe a followup question. Which provides more supplemental power? The alternator or the inverters hooked up to shore power? If pulling out in the mornings, I personally hate to run the motor longer than I have to trying to be considerate of my neighbors.

groswald · 10-22-2021, 05:56 PM

Sorry, didn’t see your request in time to ask.

But, at 175-ish amps, the alternator generally wins!

Regards,

Randy

Ohio44718 · 10-23-2021, 02:04 AM

You are right. After some Google searching, found that at least the newer Inverter/Chargers seem to typically charge at around 150A. Alternator wins! But as I think through all of the steps and my reasoning is or was, on a Tiffin, you must level your coach before opening the slides. For safety reasons, I believe the jacks could not be operated with the ignition key on and always felt the hydraulic pump required a lot of power to operate too. So having the shore power/inverter supplying power to the batteries always seemed a logical way to supplement. Slides never seemed to struggle, but you are right, restarting the motor would give it even more juice.

DRM901 · 10-23-2021, 07:05 AM

Our alternator is 170A. Our inverter is 2800W (233A). On our 2014 Allegro Bus, I think the slides are powered by the chassis batteries, since you have to have the ignition on.

thegats1 · 10-24-2021, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRM901

Our alternator is 170A. Our inverter is 2800W (233A). On our 2014 Allegro Bus, I think the slides are powered by the chassis batteries, since you have to have the ignition on.

Or the ignition may only be the safety interlock but not related to power. I responded to your post because I have often wondered which batteries are being used. My initial thought is chassis using your same logic. But in my old Navy Nuke Electrician days I worked on many things that were powered by one source but interlocked from another source. Guess I will have to look it up. I imagine there are 1000+ posts on this forum some place.

KenJr · 10-24-2021, 06:29 AM

2800 watts=23 amps AC, DC amps determined by built in charger in inverter. Charged battery bank can easily power slides but I do think it’s a good idea to run engine or be on shore power to operate. Also so much easier to hook up power water and sewer before extending slides. Banging head while hooking up sucks.