Community Forums

mtorres · 07-15-2012, 10:08 AM

my power gear jacks when turning on key the pad lights up, when touching the down arrow I can hear a click but jacks do not extend has anyone had this problem? Thank you in advance

1996 Bounder 34J

garym114 · 07-15-2012, 10:33 AM

Is this when the MH is in park and the parking brake is on. What happens then??

Jim_HiTek · 07-15-2012, 10:57 AM

Both a friend and myself have had this problem with '94 Bounders. I've never traced it down but I'm pretty sure that it's an electrical connection problem somewhere on the jack assembly because when I go out there and wiggle the wires, it comes back to life. It also starts working again if I cycle power 2-3 times, and/or cycle the shifter.

But I did replace the solenoid on top of the assembly just recently and haven't had the problem since. The solenoid was 18 years old and all rusted and gunky on the outside...perhaps the contacts were in poor shape too.

mtorres · 07-15-2012, 11:37 AM

I have tried everything I know. Parking brake on, engine running, etc. The jacks were working 1 day and the next day they weren't. I replaced the solenoid with a generic one from autozone, no luck.

**CLIFFTALL** · 07-15-2012, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtorres

my power gear jacks when turning on key the pad lights up, when touching the down arrow I can hear a click but jacks do not extend has anyone had this problem? Thank you in advance

1996 Bounder 34J

If you don't get an answer today, you can email Power Gear ( today ) and you will have a tech respond early Monday. Their address is info@powergearus.com . Good luck.

Cliff

kirkusfixer · 07-15-2012, 11:57 AM

Had same problem a while back on my 98 National tradewinds. my problem turned out to be a blown fuse in the chassis fuse block which is labeled "heater", it also turns out it feeds vaccum pump, power seat(which had bare wires and was the cause of the blown fuse). Not sure what part of the leveling system that fuse feeds but it solved the problem. hope this helps

mtorres · 07-16-2012, 08:25 PM

I got a reply back from Power Gear. Looks like I have a bad solenoid, my question is will a generic 12 volt solenoid work on this system?

Thanks

mtorres · 07-16-2012, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

Both a friend and myself have had this problem with '94 Bounders. I've never traced it down but I'm pretty sure that it's an electrical connection problem somewhere on the jack assembly because when I go out there and wiggle the wires, it comes back to life. It also starts working again if I cycle power 2-3 times, and/or cycle the shifter.

But I did replace the solenoid on top of the assembly just recently and haven't had the problem since. The solenoid was 18 years old and all rusted and gunky on the outside...perhaps the contacts were in poor shape too.

Did you use a generic 12 volt solenoid? Or did you order one from Power Gear?

Jim_HiTek · 07-16-2012, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtorres

Did you use a generic 12 volt solenoid? Or did you order one from Power Gear?

Just used a generic solenoid from an auto parts store. $9. Been working fine now for several months. I'm using an intermittent duty solenoid since it's only used a minute or two once a week or so, don't think that will be a problem. Continuous duty solenoids are around $20.

The one I took out was so rusted and corroded, I couldn't read a number off of it. But the new one is the same case and style as the one I removed.

mtorres · 07-17-2012, 08:32 PM

Well damn the solenoid did not solve the problem. Turns out I do not have power to the solenoid, Afraid it is going to be a control panel.

Jim_HiTek · 07-17-2012, 11:27 PM

Surprised you can hear a click when you press a button.

But, never mind that. You can just run your own wire and switch plugged into a hot terminal somewhere to operate the jacks for now. Or at least to test if the controller is causing the problem.

Keep in mind that those Power Gear controllers (not the keypad, but the controller under the dash) have multi-wire connectors that should be inspected and sprayed with contact cleaner.