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john foose · 02-25-2021, 08:16 AM

My 50 amp cord reel won't retract, but I can hear the motor run... it looks difficult to get to, to see what's wrong. It is on a 2008 tiffin allegro bus ...Ideas??

**CountryFit** · 02-25-2021, 09:08 AM

My reel is hardly turn, I tried pulling out, straightening and rewinding, it didn't work. I am thinking to open up the enclosure and look at what's going on. Might have to replace it.

FIRE UP · 02-25-2021, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john foose

My 50 amp cord reel won't retract, but I can hear the motor run... it looks difficult to get to, to see what's wrong. It is on a 2008 tiffin allegro bus ...Ideas??

Much this depends on which kind/make/model of electric cord reel you have. For instance, the one in our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP, has a Glendinning Marine Products power cord reel. In ours, there are guide rollers on both sides of the cord as it emerges from the barrel. Both of those rollers are attached to switches.

As the cord is wound in, it can rub against either roller and continue to wind in. But, if it were to hit BOTH right and left rollers, that would trigger BOTH switches and that shuts the motor down. There is a collar attached to the cord, about a 1' or so from the plug. When that collar comes in contact with both of those guide rollers, it pushes them out which, triggers both switches which, shuts the motor down.

Also, on ours, there is a lever on the side of the guide rails and rollers. That lever engages the motor drive gears. Normally, the lever is in the IN position which, allows for extension and retraction of the cord. But, if I flip that left into the OUT position, I have disengaged the motor drive. What that means is, if I push the spring loaded toggle switch to retract OR extend that cord, the motor will spin but, the cord won't move because, the lever is in the OUT position and the gear drive is disengaged.

Flip that lever back to the IN position, and the gear drive is now engaged and, the motor will extend and/or retract the cord, depending on which way the toggle is pushed.

Now, does any of this help you, not sure. Again, it depends on the maker of your unit and, what kind of safety sensors are in place and how they work
Scott

MSHappyCampers · 02-25-2021, 10:56 AM

The cord reel in our 2002 Windsor just squeezes the cord to move it into and out of a large steel catch box. The pressure on the cord is adjustable through an access cover on the box. You may want to check to see if yours is like that. The pressure may need an adjustment!

john foose · 02-26-2021, 08:57 AM

for info, it is a 2008 tiffin allegro bus. after investigating, it looks like I can access the reel thru the closet floor, there looks to be an access panel under the carpet. we shall see. thanks all, John.