Carl n Susan wrote:
This is a somewhat common problem. Here is the best explanation of the problem and an alternative solution. This is posted on the Montana Owners Club forum and has been utilized by many of the members there.
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Maybe this will help some of you with this problem. The black box located in the forward storage compartment is called a lot of things. I will refer to it as the receiver since it receives the signals from the remote key fob/control to operate the slides awning, landing gear and rear stabilizers. The receiver has + and – 12 volt terminals on the right side to supply power to the receiver. This power is straight off the battery and protected by one of the circuit breaker below it. On the top of the receiver are another pair of + and – 12 volt terminals. These terminals are labeled “manual switches” and they supply 12 volt power to the outside switches for the landing gear, rear stabilizers and inside switches for the slides and awning. The only logic for this wiring set up is that when the remote control is turned on, the receiver disconnects power from the top + and - 12 volt output terminals so the manual switches cannot be used the same time the remote control is being used. Who knows what kind of interference or problems this would cause if they were both used at the same time??
Here is the problem I experienced and my fix which so far has been working OK. After the warranty ran out (naturally) the outside switches for the Landing gear and rear stabilizers quit working. The inside switches for the slides and awning worked OK. After some meter work I found that the switches were getting power and working fine, but were not getting a ground. That is when I found that the top – 12 volt terminal was not providing ground for the switches. I removed the wire from the terminal and attached to chassis ground and shazam everything worked again.
This worked good for a couple months then all of a sudden the outside switches quit working again AND the inside switches for the slides and awning quit working also, but the remote worked OK. Getting the meter out again I found that the upper + 12 volt terminal for the manual switches was dead therefore not providing power to any of the manual switches. So I removed the + wire from the manual switches terminal and connected directly to the + 12 volt terminal for the receiver supply. Now everything works the way it is supposed to again. The only thing I have to remember is make sure both the remote and the manual switches are not used at the same time.
Evidently there is a transistor or relay inside the receiver that fails and opens the + and - 12 volt manual switch power supply. Of course the dealer is not going to do this work around, they are just going to order you a new receiver which comes with new switches and remote whether you need them or not and replace the receiver, probably for a nominal $400.00 to $500.00. Chances are that they don’t even know how the system works and just change out the parts.
I hope this is some help to you, especially if your warranty is expired.
This is great info. I need to learn more about how to use the meters...I think I know a little but I probably know just enough to be dangerous. Thank you again!!!
This is a somewhat common problem. Here is the best explanation of the problem and an alternative solution. This is posted on the Montana Owners Club forum and has been utilized by many of the members there.
================================================================
Maybe this will help some of you with this problem. The black box located in the forward storage compartment is called a lot of things. I will refer to it as the receiver since it receives the signals from the remote key fob/control to operate the slides awning, landing gear and rear stabilizers. The receiver has + and – 12 volt terminals on the right side to supply power to the receiver. This power is straight off the battery and protected by one of the circuit breaker below it. On the top of the receiver are another pair of + and – 12 volt terminals. These terminals are labeled “manual switches” and they supply 12 volt power to the outside switches for the landing gear, rear stabilizers and inside switches for the slides and awning. The only logic for this wiring set up is that when the remote control is turned on, the receiver disconnects power from the top + and - 12 volt output terminals so the manual switches cannot be used the same time the remote control is being used. Who knows what kind of interference or problems this would cause if they were both used at the same time??
Here is the problem I experienced and my fix which so far has been working OK. After the warranty ran out (naturally) the outside switches for the Landing gear and rear stabilizers quit working. The inside switches for the slides and awning worked OK. After some meter work I found that the switches were getting power and working fine, but were not getting a ground. That is when I found that the top – 12 volt terminal was not providing ground for the switches. I removed the wire from the terminal and attached to chassis ground and shazam everything worked again.
This worked good for a couple months then all of a sudden the outside switches quit working again AND the inside switches for the slides and awning quit working also, but the remote worked OK. Getting the meter out again I found that the upper + 12 volt terminal for the manual switches was dead therefore not providing power to any of the manual switches. So I removed the + wire from the manual switches terminal and connected directly to the + 12 volt terminal for the receiver supply. Now everything works the way it is supposed to again. The only thing I have to remember is make sure both the remote and the manual switches are not used at the same time.
Evidently there is a transistor or relay inside the receiver that fails and opens the + and - 12 volt manual switch power supply. Of course the dealer is not going to do this work around, they are just going to order you a new receiver which comes with new switches and remote whether you need them or not and replace the receiver, probably for a nominal $400.00 to $500.00. Chances are that they don’t even know how the system works and just change out the parts.
I hope this is some help to you, especially if your warranty is expired.
================================================================
Maybe this will help some of you with this problem. The black box located in the forward storage compartment is called a lot of things. I will refer to it as the receiver since it receives the signals from the remote key fob/control to operate the slides awning, landing gear and rear stabilizers. The receiver has + and – 12 volt terminals on the right side to supply power to the receiver. This power is straight off the battery and protected by one of the circuit breaker below it. On the top of the receiver are another pair of + and – 12 volt terminals. These terminals are labeled “manual switches” and they supply 12 volt power to the outside switches for the landing gear, rear stabilizers and inside switches for the slides and awning. The only logic for this wiring set up is that when the remote control is turned on, the receiver disconnects power from the top + and - 12 volt output terminals so the manual switches cannot be used the same time the remote control is being used. Who knows what kind of interference or problems this would cause if they were both used at the same time??
Here is the problem I experienced and my fix which so far has been working OK. After the warranty ran out (naturally) the outside switches for the Landing gear and rear stabilizers quit working. The inside switches for the slides and awning worked OK. After some meter work I found that the switches were getting power and working fine, but were not getting a ground. That is when I found that the top – 12 volt terminal was not providing ground for the switches. I removed the wire from the terminal and attached to chassis ground and shazam everything worked again.
This worked good for a couple months then all of a sudden the outside switches quit working again AND the inside switches for the slides and awning quit working also, but the remote worked OK. Getting the meter out again I found that the upper + 12 volt terminal for the manual switches was dead therefore not providing power to any of the manual switches. So I removed the + wire from the manual switches terminal and connected directly to the + 12 volt terminal for the receiver supply. Now everything works the way it is supposed to again. The only thing I have to remember is make sure both the remote and the manual switches are not used at the same time.
Evidently there is a transistor or relay inside the receiver that fails and opens the + and - 12 volt manual switch power supply. Of course the dealer is not going to do this work around, they are just going to order you a new receiver which comes with new switches and remote whether you need them or not and replace the receiver, probably for a nominal $400.00 to $500.00. Chances are that they don’t even know how the system works and just change out the parts.
I hope this is some help to you, especially if your warranty is expired.
