what powers the slides?

[luggage]

I have a 2002 5th wheel Mountaineer by keystone. Just traded my TAG to get more room. Love the camper and it is in great shape. I have an electrical question that will show how little I understand the electrical system. On my TAG I always had problems with the battery being drained when I forgot to disconnect the battery or pull the inline fuse. So I had a battery disconnect switch installed on my fiver. I went to let out the slides (it was connected to 110 shore power) and I could only get the bedroom slide out. Living area slide would not move. In the storage compartment where the battery is I also have a switch which will move the slides. All I could hear was a clicking sound but the slide would not extend. After thinking about it for some time I wondered about the battery switch. Sure enough it was in the off position. Is it the battery that powers the slide? I would have thought the 110 would have done the job even if the battery was disconnected. Obviously I don't know too much about what powers what. Can someone please help me understand the system?

Thank you.

[wallynm]

OP states they have a fiver.

J-Rooster wrote:
Also on some slide outs you need to have the RV engine running to kick in the solenoid that runs the slide motor!

[luggage]

Thank you so much for the explanations. I really felt helpless for a while and when I finally did remember the battery switch and the slide worked I was glad but somewhat puzzled. Your answers helps me better understand the "why" and the"why not". Thanks a lot.

[J-Rooster]

Also on some slide outs you need to have the RV engine running to kick in the solenoid that runs the slide motor!

[Ductape]

Your slides are powered from the 12 volt system. You have two sources of 12v power.

The battery can put out a lot of power, but only for a limited time, until it is depleted.

The 12v converter / charger is powered by 110, and provides smaller amounts of 12v power to recharge the battery or run small loads.

So in your case the converter can run the small slide, but you need the battery to supply enough amperage to move the big slide.

[Ranger_Smith]

The slide is powered by 12 volts. With the battery switch off the batteries were not in the circuit and the converter does not have enough power to run the slide . That is why just the clicking sound