Slideout intermittent

[msully]

Been searching previous posts, decided to post question.
Batteries test good, all connections tight and clean on batteries and on boards throughout. Multiplex panel lights up, but no slide response. After numerous tries it will activate slide. Bad button at panel? If I get new switch panel (8 buttons, I think) is it purely plug and play or does it need some kind of programming to work?
VERY limited electric knowledge as far being able to trace problems.
Thanks

[distaff]

Post the details of your coach if you want specific advice.

Low probability it is the multiplex panel, lots of experience on this site relating to this problem, but we need to know more about the coach.

[Jeff753]

Originally Posted by msully

Been searching previous posts, decided to post question.

Batteries test good, all connections tight and clean on batteries and on boards throughout. Multiplex panel lights up, but no slide response. After numerous tries it will activate slide. Bad button at panel? If I get new switch panel (8 buttons, I think) is it purely plug and play or does it need some kind of programming to work?

VERY limited electric knowledge as far being able to trace problems.

Thanks

Fill in your profile on your rig so those with similar gear can help. When mine does that it's a door switch. If you look at your cargo doors (mine lift up) you may find a switch that tells the slide a door is open. I made a set of jumpers and bypassed the switch to confirm it was the culprit.


Jeff
2001 Dynasty Regent tag axle
Cummins 350 8.3 ISC

[msully]

Sorry for not putting more/better info regarding my issue.
2006 Monaco Dynasty Diamond IV.
I've checked through different threads, used some of the suggestions, but none have worked, although I forgot to check and see if all basement doors were well latched. Going to check the batteries again, making sure all are disconnected. All connections seem to be tight and clean. Afraid to go on scheduled trip coming up soon and use slides. Might go out and not come in.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Great source of info that has already helped in a couple other instances.

[distaff]

msully - the coach info helps. Very similar to mine. Lets get specific about the symptoms:

• Are all slides behaving the same - i.e. intermittently?
• What exactly do they do when they work and when the don't work? Do you hear the hydraulic pump come on when the don't work?
• What happens between them not working and them working, i.e. you just press the button repeatedly until they activate?
• When they do move, do they move at their usual speed or are they very slow?

Here are some things you can check without any electrical knowledge. First, the multiplex switch is sending a signal to an Intellitec relay. In my coach it is above the driver's seat in the overhead cabinet behind a small wood panel. It has fuses and LEDs on the outside. When you push the switch you should hear the relay click, and see the LED on the Intellitec box light up. If it doesn't it is probably the fuse right there. BTW, if you are having trouble finding the relay, the click can help lead you to the location.

Next up, if the lights on the relay are coming on and it is clicking, you may have a problem in the HWH control box.
On my coach it is located behind the headlight on the firewall in a box with a clear plastic cover. It is not easy to get to, but if you can slide out the generator you can look in to the right and up (the passenger side), and you should see it and a mess of wires going into it. It is pretty big, about 6 by 10 inches, and about 3 inches deep. Here is the tricky bit, if it is the control box that has gone bad, depending on what the problem is, you may not be able to get the generator to slide out because it is controlled by the HWH box!

I've had an HWH box go bad, it was only putting out about 3.5 V to all slides, but some of the time it would put out enough voltage to activate the hydraulic pump. In this case you need to send the box to HWH to have it fixed. Look them up, they are good people to deal with but they take about a week to reply to a call.

I had a more recent problem where one of the fuses inside the HWH box fell out of its receptacle. To diagnose a problem with the HWH box there are two LEDs associated with each slide (you have 5 slides on your coach - the generator counts as one). The LEDs are on the bottom of the circuit board beside each fuse (if the wires are connected to the left side) and you need to watch them as someone tries each slide. One LED is yellow, the other red, and they both need to come on, or you have a problem. When the fuse fell out on mine I had only one LED light up for the driver front slide (that was the one that was not responding).

It is very hard to get your head in far enough to see what is going on. I held my iPhone in the space and shot a short video the box while my wife pushed the buttons.

Go do some checking and report back. It is a pain to have to use the coach with the slides frozen but closed, but it is much worse to have them frozen out.

Merry Christmas.

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by msully

Sorry for not putting more/better info regarding my issue.
2006 Monaco Dynasty Diamond IV.
I've checked through different threads, used some of the suggestions, but none have worked, although I forgot to check and see if all basement doors were well latched. Going to check the batteries again, making sure all are disconnected. All connections seem to be tight and clean. Afraid to go on scheduled trip coming up soon and use slides. Might go out and not come in.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Great source of info that has already helped in a couple other instances.

Assuming your coach uses Intelitec controllers and has fluorescent lights, here is some food for thought,
Couple of years ago I had the same thing happening with my bedroom slide. In the Newmar forum, I ran across a thread that talked about RF interference from the lights with the controller. So, long story short, I turn off the ceiling light in the bedroom before activating the slide and have not had a problem since.

[asheville]

I have had the same problem with my 06 sig i can hear it click but will not go out till I push it 5 or 6 times. Sometimes it will go out 1st push. But it always goes out eventually....been doing this for 3 yrs at least. So hit the road, life is to short!!

[jacwjames]

Is there a procedure for being able to put the slides in if the system fails.

If so make sure how to do this in the event the system fails.


This is something all coach owners should know. On my coach it is fairly easy, I have a Power Gear electric slide. On the end of the motor there is a brake that you can disengage and then manually turn the drive to retract the slide.

[distaff]

The OP seems to have lost interest in his thread, but I do have a caution for asheville, and it relates to the question Jim raises. On the Signature and the Patriot Thunder the slides are all hydraulic, and if they fail out you can't drive it, and the manual specifies that on the smaller slides 4 to 5 people pushing on the outside of the slide can close them, but the large front slide needs at least TEN people pushing, and even then it may not work.

All the hydraulic fluid has to be pushed out of the rams and back through the tubes into the reservoir.

Asheville, on my coach when the slides failed the first time they were intermittent and you had to push the button a few times. Eventually they became extremely unreliable and on a trip where we had to be somewhere on a deadline I considered leaving the coach in a Walmart parking lot and carrying on in our toad. The did eventually come in and for the rest of that trip we took no chances.

That time the problem was the HWH box putting out inconsistent but low voltages. I bought a new box rather than have the old one repaired because I didn't have time to send it in. The second box had a problem this spring because one of the fuses inside the box fell out of the holder. I can tell you it is a real pain to pull the box. Fixing it was easy, but putting it back was even less fun than pulling it.

[asheville]

Thanks distaff for information! The only slide that does not retract is the small bedroom slide, and it has worked ok for a yr , although I have not done much traveling. What procedure would I do too push it in manually. Thanks in advance.

[msully]

Originally Posted by distaff

The OP seems to have lost interest in his thread, but I do have a caution for asheville, and it relates to the question Jim raises. On the Signature and the Patriot Thunder the slides are all hydraulic, and if they fail out you can't drive it, and the manual specifies that on the smaller slides 4 to 5 people pushing on the outside of the slide can close them, but the large front slide needs at least TEN people pushing, and even then it may not work.

All the hydraulic fluid has to be pushed out of the rams and back through the tubes into the reservoir.

Asheville, on my coach when the slides failed the first time they were intermittent and you had to push the button a few times. Eventually they became extremely unreliable and on a trip where we had to be somewhere on a deadline I considered leaving the coach in a Walmart parking lot and carrying on in our toad. The did eventually come in and for the rest of that trip we took no chances.

That time the problem was the HWH box putting out inconsistent but low voltages. I bought a new box rather than have the old one repaired because I didn't have time to send it in. The second box had a problem this spring because one of the fuses inside the box fell out of the holder. I can tell you it is a real pain to pull the box. Fixing it was easy, but putting it back was even less fun than pulling it.

Thanks for the advice and cautions. With Christmas and a new grandson have not been anywhere near able to do any checks for solutions.

[distaff]

Originally Posted by asheville

Thanks distaff for information! The only slide that does not retract is the small bedroom slide, and it has worked ok for a yr , although I have not done much traveling. What procedure would I do too push it in manually. Thanks in advance.

Asheville - I believe my manual said to have a small crowd gather outside the MH and push on the malfunctioning slide. From the manual -
To Move the Slide room manually:

1. Access the slide room hydraulic pump in generator compartment at front of the motorhome.
2. Use the ¼" nut driver on the end of the reservoir cap to turn the release nuts on the solenoids counterclockwise.
DO NOT exceed 4 ½ revolutions, as damage to the solenoids may result. The room may
move slightly when valves are opened and internal
pressure is released.
3. Line up an equal distance along the outside wall.
DO NOT push on the flange.
4. In synchronized movements, push the room in with
repeated attempts.
5. Close the release nuts when the room is fully
retracted.
NOTE:
The slide room is heavy and will require several people to push the room into position. When
the slide room is in the fully retracted position, tighten the release nuts to hold the room in
place. DO NOT over tighten.

I wasn't making it up, and it isn't trivial. The hydraulics are REALLY hard to get to. In your case with only one slide not working consistently it may be a sticky valve or weak solenoid. I suggest you start a new thread and ask for some help with the diagnosis. Don't want to hijack msully's thread too severely.

[msully]

Originally Posted by distaff

Asheville - I believe my manual said to have a small crowd gather outside the MH and push on the malfunctioning slide. From the manual -
To Move the Slide room manually:

1. Access the slide room hydraulic pump in generator compartment at front of the motorhome.
2. Use the ¼" nut driver on the end of the reservoir cap to turn the release nuts on the solenoids counterclockwise.
DO NOT exceed 4 ½ revolutions, as damage to the solenoids may result. The room may
move slightly when valves are opened and internal
pressure is released.
3. Line up an equal distance along the outside wall.
DO NOT push on the flange.
4. In synchronized movements, push the room in with
repeated attempts.
5. Close the release nuts when the room is fully
retracted.
NOTE:
The slide room is heavy and will require several people to push the room into position. When
the slide room is in the fully retracted position, tighten the release nuts to hold the room in
place. DO NOT over tighten.

I wasn't making it up, and it isn't trivial. The hydraulics are REALLY hard to get to. In your case with only one slide not working consistently it may be a sticky valve or weak solenoid. I suggest you start a new thread and ask for some help with the diagnosis. Don't want to hijack msully's thread too severely.

OK, Distaff. Thanks for the help on slideouts. You seem to be on the money. I do indeed have 5 slideouts, one of which is the GenSet, which also does not work. My panel is in the closet in the bedroom. Clicks and lights up for 4 out of 5, which do not work. The drivers side bedroom slide does work, didn't run it all the way out, but it started out and then I retracted it. My Bride was helping activate switches. Did not explore getting genny slide out manually and will call HMH. Checked all connections again, all tight and clean and fuses were ok. I have an appointment for service 1/12, so if I can't find a resolution on my own, at least maybe I have saved a tech some time in tracking things down. I fear my skill level has reached it's limit unless you have more suggestions.
Again, thanks so much.

[distaff]

Originally Posted by msully

I fear my skill level has reached it's limit unless you have more suggestions.
Again, thanks so much.

I'll think on this, but could you post a picture of your panel? It would also help if you are clear about what happens on the Intellitec board for every slide.

While you are thinking on it, have you found the HWH controller? If it is where mine is it will be hard to locate if the genset won't slide out. It looks like this (I've pulled one of the gaskets partially off):