Who's in charge?

C&J wrote:
OP again.

All three batteries (2 coach, one chassis) are brand new and fully charged.

Oh u have a gasser? well u just answered the question;; one chassis battery is no way sufficient to be operating slides and for sure
changing to the dual coach batterys for slides is the correct move
always run the engine while operating slides to keep the amps up

hostage wrote:

C&J wrote:
OP again.

All three batteries (2 coach, one chassis) are brand new and fully charged.

Oh u have a gasser? well u just answered the question;; one chassis battery is no way sufficient to be operating slides and for sure
changing to the dual coach batterys for slides is the correct move
always run the engine while operating slides to keep the amps up

Yes it's a Ford v-10. I got the "low voltage" message on the slide-out controller when the engine was running and I was plugged into shore power (lights flickered too.)

I guess it's time to visit my friendly RV repair shop :)

sounds to me like a loose wire or dirty contact. try cleaning and tightening all your main 12v wires on chassis and house batteries and any connections in between ( like in the chassis ground and the main wires to the slide out driver)

C&J wrote:

hostage wrote:

C&J wrote:
OP again.

All three batteries (2 coach, one chassis) are brand new and fully charged.

Oh u have a gasser? well u just answered the question;; one chassis battery is no way sufficient to be operating slides and for sure
changing to the dual coach batterys for slides is the correct move
always run the engine while operating slides to keep the amps up

Yes it's a Ford v-10. I got the "low voltage" message on the slide-out controller when the engine was running and I was plugged into shore power (lights flickered too.)

I guess it's time to visit my friendly RV repair shop :)

before you worry about anything assuming your slides go in and out with ease next time take a look at the battery charge on your led charge read out system after u have finished with the slide system and see just what the state of charge that gauge reads
your controller battery condition read out may be just giving a false reading

Interesting thoughts about keeping the engine running to keep the amps up.
When I had my fifth wheel, four slides, and one battery moved them in and out just fine without the need for a boost. That battery was charged by the inverter/charger while plugged in. Seems like the house or chassis batteries should be enough to move the slides.

okhmbldr wrote:
Interesting thoughts about keeping the engine running to keep the amps up.
When I had my fifth wheel, four slides, and one battery moved them in and out just fine without the need for a boost. That battery was charged by the inverter/charger while plugged in. Seems like the house or chassis batteries should be enough to move the slides.

depends on the size and weight of the slides the living room and kitchen slides on my diesel are extremely heavy especially when loaded and one battery would never do it;
each Rv and persons circumstances vary for sure its not a one size fits all

Winnebago recommends having the engine running when extending and retracting slides and when extending and retracting levelers. Here's a quote from page 10-4 of the 2011 Sunova operators manual.

NOTE: We recommend that you KEEP THE
ENGINE RUNNING WHILE
EXTENDING OR RETRACTING
SLIDEOUT ROOMS so the engine
alternator can provide maximum power
for proper operation of the slideout
mechanisms.

Here's a link to the online operators manual:
https://winnebagoind.com/resources/manuals/pdfs/Operator2011/11Sunova.pdf

If you have the Lippert slide and leveling system it needs 12.7 volts to operate properly. The "Low Battery" message will appear (and shut the system down) if the voltage level falls below 12.7 volts. Since 12.8 volts is considered a full charge almost any power draw in addition to the leveling or slide system will cause the voltage to drop below the required level

When the engine is running the alternator can supply up to 14.3 volts if necessary. If the battery is not fully charged the shore power charger is not strong enough to keep the batteries to the proper lveel with the heavy draw the slides and leveling system require.

YC 1 wrote:
RV's are snowflakes and built differently.

Awesome!

I think that you need to get the wiring diagrams from winnebagoind.com and check out the way your rig is supposed to be wired. In the owners manual it states that the engine should be running when deploying or retracting the slides. The engine charges the chassis battery and the house batteries simultaneously, no B.I.R.D. involved. Different than the Bounder we had.

The chassis alternator puts out more amps than the charger so running the engine will provide more power than shore power or gen set.

Which would put less strain on the batteries?

C&J wrote:
When the motorhome is plugged into shore power AND the engine is running, are the house batteries being charged by the engine alternator or by the converter off shore power?

I ask because our slide-out rooms run off the house side, not the chassis side (why Winnebago did that is a long story). Usually we have unplugged from shore power before we retract the slides. But today we happened to leave the shore power plugged in when we started the engine to retract the slides. They retracted ok, but I got a "low voltage" message on the slides' control panel. So I'm wondering if I shouldn't leave the shore power plugged in when deploying the slides.

We're pretty naïve about the electrical systems on the coach, so any input would be appreciated.

Engine alternator should charge the chassis batteries first and then the house. Converter charger should charge the house first and then the chassis. You can't miss with both running.
Ours asks to start the engine for the slides and the power comes from the chassis. This works out for us and give the big CAT some time to warm up, while bringing in the rooms, retracting the jacks, etc...etc....
When setting up, it gives the turbo some time to cool down, before shutting off the engine.
Obviously your mileage will vary and we didn't do it this way with our old gas coach.