Our slide out will extend every time we go but it will not retract. It starts to retract maybe an inch and then stops. It is a mechanical slide out. We have a 30 ft. Terry Dakota with a 12 ft slide. I have read some posts about a shear pin but not sure if it will not work at all after one breaks or do like ours and just go out but not in. We have made sure battery is charged etc. Do not have a lot of stuff stored in it just light paper products etc.

If it goes out each time, then it's not the shear pin as it's needed for extending the slide also.Often when this happens it's a case of low batteries. I'd plug it back into shore power or if shore power is not available, plug it into a generator. This should put a lot of power to the batteries.Plugging it into power should also help if the battery terminals are dirty and not providing full power to the battery cables and therefore the 12V electric motor powering the slides.Not all slides, but a lot of them, when they go out, to make the floor flat inside, when they're just about out, the slide goes down an inch or two. Then when bringing the slide back in, the motor has to have enough battery power to get the slide back up over that hump.Let us know if plugging it in works.Bill

Moved from Forum Technical Support

It could be the switch has gone bad and only works in the out direction. Shouldn't be too hard to unscrew it from the wall and reverse the wires to check.

You need to clean and drylube the rails and seals.

On our old rig we had a slide that acted that way. We got in the habit of giving it one turn with the hand crank then it would move with the switch. Never did fix it before trading - it was just part of the routine.

Slide out will not retract | Good Sam Community

mikestock
Explorer
May 19, 2017
It could be one of several things. This is not likely, in your case, but it is one possibility. We had a slide that acted similar to yours. Long story short: one of the permanent magnets inside the gear-motor had come loose and was moving inside the housing. I epoxied the magnet back where it came from and never had another problem.
RJsfishin
Explorer
May 18, 2017
firemedic1992 wrote:
My 2003 Topaz behaves the same, slide goes out on 12 volt (new batteries) but will only come in with generator or 120v plugged in. I've lubed the slide mechanism but still the same. I guess a new motor is next.

If that motor is not overheating, I'd doubt a new motor will fix that.
I would more suspect too much resistance somewhere, in connections, or switches. If its done this since new, either the motor is barely adequate to do the job, or the wiring is too small to handle the load.

To eliminate the latter, connect jumper cables from a full charged battery directly to the motor.
firemedic1992
Explorer
May 17, 2017
My 2003 Topaz behaves the same, slide goes out on 12 volt (new batteries) but will only come in with generator or 120v plugged in. I've lubed the slide mechanism but still the same. I guess a new motor is next.
dougrainer
Nomad
May 17, 2017
It takes more power to retract a slide than extend. Most mechanical electric slides have NO controller. The switch just reverses the Polarity to the motor to operate in reverse. The BEST test to verify a bad motor, is to use a good battery and wire direct at the slide motor. IF the slide will not retract wiring direct, the motor is worn and needs replaced. Doug
RJsfishin
Explorer
May 17, 2017
Check the voltage at the motor while the incoming load is activated.
If its holding 11-12 volts, then the problem is in the mechanical slide system.
If lacking voltage, try hot wiring 12 volts directly to the motor, eliminating all switches etc.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 17, 2017
I have a few switches that are kind of flakey, if you don't press 'em just so they don't activate... However there are other causes of that same issue epically with current sense controllers like Power gear and Accuslide.. IF for any reason the current increases in the motor STOP

My problem was a slide that would not move at all. I mean it just did not even try... All last night.. This morning.. "Shot" right out when I gave it one last try before calling for hepl, er, help. Theory I have (Not the slide's fault, heat from Generator (Next to slide motor) was enough to make Thermal Protection engage and it took that long to cool off.. I know it takes a LONG time for the gnerator to cool off from when I changed the oil.. 4 hours and it was still warm.

But.. I'm worked.. Anyone know where Damon hid the controller on a 2005 Intruder 377@W?
joebedford
Nomad II
May 17, 2017
On our old rig we had a slide that acted that way. We got in the habit of giving it one turn with the hand crank then it would move with the switch. Never did fix it before trading - it was just part of the routine.
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
May 17, 2017
You need to clean and drylube the rails and seals.
wrgrs50s
Explorer
May 17, 2017
It could be the switch has gone bad and only works in the out direction. Shouldn't be too hard to unscrew it from the wall and reverse the wires to check.
1492
Moderator
May 17, 2017
Moved from Forum Technical Support