[N-D-RED]

My front drive side slide will not extend. Pulled into the site, left the engine on, the coach was in travel mode, turned the HWH key to the on position. The orange light came on after about 45 seconds. I pushed the extend switch, and nothing happened.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to begin to trouble shoot this issue?

[rheavn]

Have some one stand with the left front compartment door open to see if the pump motor is activating when the extend button is pushed.  Report back your findings.

[qcj]

Does your rear slide extend? If it doesn't its probably  the relay or the pump motor.  I am having problem with my front. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. My rear slide works fine.

[N-D-RED]

Does your rear slide extend? If it doesn't its probably  the relay or the pump motor.  I am having problem with my front. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. My rear slide works fine.

The rear slide works fine.

[N-D-RED]

Have some one stand with the left front compartment door open to see if the pump motor is activating when the extend button is pushed.  Report back your findings.

Fired her up this morning. Put it in travel mode. Turned the key on, yellow light came on after about 45 seconds. Pressed the extend button and everything worked like it should.

The only solution I can come up with is the battery voltage. When we started driving yesterday the voltage was just over 12 on the gauge. As the day went on the voltage dropped to about 11. It was still over 10 when we were setting up last night. Is it possible that the drop in voltage did not let the pump motor activate? Why would the drop in voltage occur?

[folivier]

Probably right about the voltage, not enough to run the motors. I think Newell recommends having the engine running while operating the slides.

[RussWhite]

The HWH control board is very very sensitive to voltage. The big contactor that has to energize to run the pump just won't pickup unless it has nearly full voltage. For some reason the HWH controls have an unacceptably high voltage drop internally, so even though you might have a good 12VDC to the controls, not enough of it will get to he contactor.

This can be solved if you wish with an interposing relay between the controls and the contactor. I had to do this when my alternator took a holiday off. Now my pump easily runs even with the engine off.

[qcj]

But there was enough voltage to open the rear slide.  Does it take more voltage to open the front?  I am having the same problem.  The front slide is sporadic.  I've owned this coach for almost 4 years and never had a slide problem.  Newell did work on the front slide in Oct. and have had problems since.  The problem the floor came up at an angle.  Got that fixed and when the driver pulled it into the parking lot he open the slide and it came out at an angle. Got that fixed.  When I got home the slide hesitated and then after several more tries it might work and it might not.  I installed a new switch and the didn't take care of the problem.  Open up the computer box and cannot find any loose wires.  Removed the switch from the dash and unplugged the 9 pin connection and took it to the computer and plugged it into the 9 pin plug on the room 1 logic board and still did not work. So that told me there was no problem between the dash and the computer. Called HWH and after 10 days someone called me and was unable to help on the phone. Told me to send the computer to them.  So I have decided to take it back to Newell and see what they can do.  I have an appointment Jan. 9th.

I have never had any problem opening my slides with the engine running or not running.

[RussWhite]

The problem I described involves voltage to the contractor that runs the hydraulic pump motor. In my case with no alternator the voltage was right on the border line. It might run or it might not. Since the pump is shared between front and back on my coach it could result in one or the other or both not running. The problem can be diagnosed with a voltmeter on the coil of the contractor. Observe the voltage when you try to move the slide. If there is voltage - say in excess of 9 volts, but less than 10 or 11, the contractor may just not have enough magnetic field to energize. If you are seeing that, then some way to increase the voltage to the contractor is required. My little relay between the board and the contractor did the trick.

[qcj]

The problem I described involves voltage to the contractor that runs the hydraulic pump motor.  In my case with no alternator the voltage was right on the border line.  It might run or it might not.   Since the pump is shared between front and back on my coach it could result in one or the other or both not running.  The problem can be diagnosed with a voltmeter on the coil of the contractor.  Observe the voltage when you try to move the slide.  If there is voltage - say in excess of 9 volts, but less than 10 or 11, the contractor may just not have enough magnetic field to energize.  If you are seeing that, then some way to increase the voltage to the contractor is required.   My little relay between the board and the contractor did the trick.

Russ, I'm sure that everything you said is correct.  But I feel that my problem is something to do with the computer.  Mark went into the computer when he was trying to figure out what my slide problem was when it came out crooked.  It also messed up the paint on the side of the slide.  For some reason or another I am having too much problem all of a sudden with that one slide.  From talking with Mike at Newell I feel he think so also.  I do not have any problem with taking it to HWH, but for now it is too far north and would be either April or May before the weather would allow that. Newell might be too far N. in Jan. but I am going to risk it.   I have some things I would like to do this spring and if Newell can repair it and paint the slide it would be great.
The problem I have in checking the voltage is the slide might work and then I might have a problem getting it back in.  There was times where I had to push the switch a dozen times to get the slide to come in or go out.  All of a sudden it worked and would come in half way and stop and then after a number of pushing the switch it came on in or out whatever the case might be. It is in now and the air seal is sealed, it has always worked thank goodness, so I will leave it that way until I get to Newell.  There should be plenty of voltage.  It is plugged in and the batteries are only 3 months old and it shows 12.6 volts at the relay.  I realize the coil of the contractor is different.
I have been talking to Richard and he feels that it might be a loose connection. I have looked and cannot find one.