I really hope the day comes when I stop having problems I need to post about, but until then I'm super thankful for the help I get from you guys. That being said, another problem has found me. I haven't extended my rear slide for about a month due the the place I was parked not having enough room. Now I have room to do so, and the thing won't move. My rear slide has the electronic slide lock....a little arm that extends to lock the slide in place when it is closed. Today, when I hit the button to unlock it, nothing happens. Usually there will be lights on the control panel to indicate whether it is locked or unlocked, but they don't light up either. Engine is running, Jacka are down, coach is level. The other slide works fine. What gives?

zach477 wrote:I really hope the day comes when I stop having problems I need to post about, but until then I'm super thankful for the help I get from you guys. That being said, another problem has found me. I haven't extended my rear slide for about a month due the the place I was parked not having enough room. Now I have room to do so, and the thing won't move. My rear slide has the electronic slide lock....a little arm that extends to lock the slide in place when it is closed. Today, when I hit the button to unlock it, nothing happens. Usually there will be lights on the control panel to indicate whether it is locked or unlocked, but they don't light up either. Engine is running, Jacka are down, coach is level. The other slide works fine. What gives?parking brake on?

What type of slides do you have? Mine will not move with the engine key on, but since you said the other slide works, I'm assuming that is not the problem.

Yes the parking break is also on. They are Power Gear slides. In the past, I have always had the engine running while operating the slides as per the instructions.

Here is the Power Gear operation / Maintenance manual for slide outs I found.http://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/towablelanding/slideouts/powergear/old%20powergear%20electric%20slide%20out.pdfSorry, not good yet at attaching links. Hopefully you can find something here to help or someone else will chime in that knows more about your setup.

I don't mean to be insulting but you are positive it is locked? I have power gear and all my slides unlock from one button. I push the unlock and hear a sound of them unlocking. i am now wondering if the larger slides are actually locked from that switch or if it only controls the bedroom. I suspect from your post you have actually looked at the lock in the engaged position which I have never done. Where is it?

Slide lock won't budge | Good Sam Community

zach477
Explorer
Jun 19, 2016
I gave up on trying to track down why the locking arm doesn't move. I used the battery from a cordless drill to power the motor on the locking arm. The motor works just fine that way. Once the locking arm is out of the way, I can extend/retract the slide all day long.

Instead of using the locking arm anymore, I'll just make a DIY version of the locking bars that some RVs come with.
zach477
Explorer
Jun 07, 2016
Ok I've had a busy couple of weeks and haven't been able to trouble shoot this at all. I might have some time this week. Where do I look for the relay? Inside or outside of the RV?

I'm pretty sure it's not the motor itself. I've tested the leads going to the motor, and there is no 12v going to motor when there should be. Something is preventing it from getting 12v.

BUT, the actual slide motor still gets voltage. When I hit the "Retract" button, the motor starts for a second, but since the slid is already retracted it stops right after. It's just the locking arm that doesn't want to work.
tropical36
Explorer
May 28, 2016
zach477 wrote:
I think it's time to go relay hunting. :/

Yes, maybe so and again, you might try bypassing everything before you begin and for knowing that you're on the right track.
In the case of my friend, we disconnected the slide motor and applied 12vdc directly from my golf cart with some heavy wire. Even made up a reversing sw. and connector to match the controller and for bypassing it, if he should have other problems later on while on the road. Don't think he's ever had another problem however.
In my case, if I can't fix it immediately, I just pull the electric brake and crank it in or out from inside the basement with a socket wrench or other.
Goldencrazy
Explorer
May 28, 2016
Many coaches suggest (almost require) the engine be running to move slides because they take a lot of energy and will drain batteries. There are numerous shut offs that prevent slides from moving. Emergency brake not on is the biggie. Others have cut-offs on driver seat and those that have beds that move to a raised position have a cutoff on the bedroom slide and won't move if not in fully raised position.
Busskipper
Explorer
May 28, 2016
zach477 wrote:
I think it's time to go relay hunting. :/

Works doesn't work ???

IMHO

Check Grounds.

Check for a safety shut off if the engine is turned on. In many coaches there is a shut off to not allow the slides to deploy with the engine on. (like driving down the road)

If this has already been covered sorry to waste your time, but ....

JMHO,
zach477
Explorer
May 28, 2016
I think it's time to go relay hunting. :/
tropical36
Explorer
May 27, 2016
zach477 wrote:
tropical36 wrote:
zach477 wrote:
Long story short: it works again now. HOWEVER the site is not letting me post anything more than a couple sentences to explain.

In short. I pushed the E brake in even farther than it was and re-leveled the coach. Now it works fine. The odd thing is that the living room slide was working just fine, so I guess the bedroom slide is just a little more picky.

Are you perhaps, just on a bind in some instances, with the thing not having enough power to release. Would a little grease in the right place help any? All this, without really having much of an idea of what it actually looks like.

I don't think so. It's not even trying to work. When operating correctly, pushing the "lock" and "unlock" buttons not only moves the motor for the locking arm, but it also causes the "locked" and "unlocked" LEDs to light up. As of now, pushing the button does not do any of these things.

I once had an intermittent situation with the neighbor's rig and after finding out, that it always worked, by applying separate power directly to the slide motor. It turned out to be a plug in relay on the firewall and whereas it's normally closed contacts were being used to pass power to the slide. I guess it was a safety feature with the relay opening on ignition or start or selecting a gear. Anyway, made a good heavy jumper for the socket contact points after removing the relay. He did order another relay, but don't know if he ever installed it or just left the jumper in there.
Just some food for thought here and it take me a while for thinking outside the box, as well.
zach477
Explorer
May 27, 2016
tropical36 wrote:
zach477 wrote:
Long story short: it works again now. HOWEVER the site is not letting me post anything more than a couple sentences to explain.

In short. I pushed the E brake in even farther than it was and re-leveled the coach. Now it works fine. The odd thing is that the living room slide was working just fine, so I guess the bedroom slide is just a little more picky.

Are you perhaps, just on a bind in some instances, with the thing not having enough power to release. Would a little grease in the right place help any? All this, without really having much of an idea of what it actually looks like.

I don't think so. It's not even trying to work. When operating correctly, pushing the "lock" and "unlock" buttons not only moves the motor for the locking arm, but it also causes the "locked" and "unlocked" LEDs to light up. As of now, pushing the button does not do any of these things.
tropical36
Explorer
May 27, 2016
zach477 wrote:
Long story short: it works again now. HOWEVER the site is not letting me post anything more than a couple sentences to explain.

In short. I pushed the E brake in even farther than it was and re-leveled the coach. Now it works fine. The odd thing is that the living room slide was working just fine, so I guess the bedroom slide is just a little more picky.

Are you perhaps, just on a bind in some instances, with the thing not having enough power to release. Would a little grease in the right place help any? All this, without really having much of an idea of what it actually looks like.
zach477
Explorer
May 27, 2016
Goldencrazy wrote:
You appear to have it fixed. On my 2016 we have a bed that powers up and down. If the bed is not totally in the up position the slide does not move. Once I jus happened to touch the remote with my knee when reaching for something on the bed and it was enough to move it a fraction but later no slide. Now I know. I decided to check that just before I was ready to take the switch apart. Simple things first.

I definitely DON'T have it fixed. I thought I did, but it's back to not working again. Given it's intermittent nature, it's very hard to troubleshoot.

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