SIMPLE fix just became COMPLICATED...

Have you checked voltage at the motor?

Sorry about the problems you're having, almost right out of the gate. That always makes us second guess our decisions, but hang in there.

There are several issues that concern me. If the slide is hanging up in the front, I would look into that, and find out what is causing it. I'm not familiar with your rig's system, but there are usually glides of some sort, that the weight of the slide, slides on. Is one broken or missing? Is there something that has changed with alignment of the slide in the wall?

Have you checked for full voltage at the pump motor, while someone operates the controls? I haven't heard of a pump motor burning out, so 2 in a row for you, seems very odd. Could it be a control relay, or bad connection in the electrical system for the pump? Have you tried running the motor (either the old one or new), directly from a 12v battery? I would check these things first.

BTW, do you happen to be a member of a certain boating forum? We have a member there with a very similar screen name, who I think I remember saying recently bought an RV. Hope we can get thing figured out quick. Maybe a call to "Equalizer" customer support may help.

We have run into this on the 5th wheel slides by having a weak 12VDC battery in the system. Sometimes the DC OUTPUT of the converter needs a little more boost from the trailer 12VDC battery to work good.

We have actually nosed the truck up to the battery bank a couple of times and used the truck jumper cable to help out...

Roy Ken

One easy way to check out the voltage issue is just keep the engine on when working the slides. If you still have a problem, then it probably isn't a voltage issue.

Ed

Bill S. wrote:
Sorry about the problems you're having, almost right out of the gate. That always makes us second guess our decisions, but hang in there.

There are several issues that concern me. If the slide is hanging up in the front, I would look into that, and find out what is causing it. I'm not familiar with your rig's system, but there are usually glides of some sort, that the weight of the slide, slides on. Is one broken or missing? Is there something that has changed with alignment of the slide in the wall?
The glides are straight and true, and even sprizting them with silicone spray didn't change things. The slide has been extended and retracting about a dozen times in the past month, so nothing related to sitting awhile, either.

Have you checked for full voltage at the pump motor, while someone operates the controls? I haven't heard of a pump motor burning out, so 2 in a row for you, seems very odd. Could it be a control relay, or bad connection in the electrical system for the pump? Have you tried running the motor (either the old one or new), directly from a 12v battery? I would check these things first.

BTW, do you happen to be a member of a certain boating forum? We have a member there with a very similar screen name, who I think I remember saying recently bought an RV. Hope we can get thing figured out quick. Maybe a call to "Equalizer" customer support may help.

The glides are straight and true, and even sprizting them with silicone spray didn't change things. The slide has been extended and retracting about a dozen times in the past month, so nothing related to sitting awhile, either.

Yes to your voltage question. 13.57V at the solenoid, but jumping to the motor produces nothing. Good idea about using a spare battery.... the old motor did nothing when connected to a battery; no hum, no twisting, nada. There are two in-line fuses that both check good for continuity, and there isn't a bit of corrosion or rust in the compartment.

yes to the THT question. I've posted on that board as well, just to mine other diagnostic input.


What's perplexing is that:
a. this happened all of the sudden. No warning.
b. the jacks keypad was the tell-tale, because it began beeping the "jacks down" alarm when I started the unit.
c. replacing the motor allowed the slides to function and the Jacks light to go out, but then the front of the front slide hung up and wouldn't extend all the way.

Equalizer has been great from a CS standpoint, and has sent a number of trouble-shooting guides. I couldn't ask more from them; especially when the cause has to be something simple...that's I've overlooked so far.

Thanks for the input, guys. Keep it coming.

eheading wrote:
One easy way to check out the voltage issue is just keep the engine on when working the slides. If you still have a problem, then it probably isn't a voltage issue.

Ed

Thanks, Ed. No, it isn't a low-voltage issue because I'm connected to shore power here at the house, so batteries are all topped off.

Given that Equalizer hydraulics are supposed to be self-adjusting for pressure, I'm beginning to wonder whether there's a pressure valve of some sort that's restricting flow to one of the cylinders?
Of course, that likely has nothing to do with the motor dying, or could it?

That system you have sounds very much like the HWH used on mine. You are right; there are check valves that prevent blowing seals, if you don't let up on the switch, when operating the slides, but I cannot see that having anyfhing to do with the motor running/not running, when power is directly applied to the motor

Re the slide hanging up in the front, are there 2 hydraulic rams for that slide? Is the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir up to the full line? (This has to be checked and topped if necessary, wiith jacks up and slides in). The system is self-bleeding, so there shouldn't be air in it. So it seems to be back to something binding the slide, and a bad pump, if it won't run, with 12v right at the motor.

Did you look around carefully to see if anything could have fallen into a place to jam the slide? Do you have a supplied winch to manually crank it in? Can you release the hydraulic valves on the reservoir, and with some help, push the slide?

Missed your thread on tht. I'll look for it. Btw, waay back when I joined, couldn't get captbill, so you know me as captwill there. :)

Just for giggles try running the engine and see if that helps. Shore power doesn't necessarily mean your engine battery is at full strength. We were told when we bought our Winnie to always run the engine when extending slides/jacks.

Is there a possibility the reservoir is low on fluid? This could cause the pump to run constantly burning it up? Just a thought.
kdk

You might be on the right path with the pressure equalization issue. If the switch is telling the system there is too much pressure, it could be shutting everything down. Call Equalizer and see if they can point you to the switch and a way to by pass it.