I sure will! It would be nice (and cheaper) if it was something simple.

 

Ok, the misadventure continues! I checked all the connections, everything seemed good. I replaced the motor--nothing. I applied direct 12 volt power to the motor and it works. I have absolutely nothing at the switch. The relays aren't even clicking anymore. Would it be crazy to just bypass the whole factory setup and install a new switch with a relay to run the motor? I feel like I'm on a wild goose chase on top of the other new problems that have cropped up.

 

Most trailers we looked at with multiple slides, had the switches right next to each other.
Ours has three slides - all three switches are next to each other..
I'm wondering if you can bridge the hot wire over from the switch next door and see if that gets you some action?

 

I think I would be inclined to by pass it and install a replacement switch in the slot if you could.

 

Don't buy any more parts or change anything else until you have diagnosed the problem. I reread all the earlier posts and I did not see where you have jumped the old motor directly, did that ever happen before ordering the new one? If the old one didn't work and now the new one won't, but does if you jump it, then you did need a motor and there is still a problem. If you did not jump the old motor, you may not have needed a new one. Save the new one and try to sell it on Craigslist of eBay to get some of the cost back. The only way to ever be certain a slide motor needs to be replaced is to jump it directly.

Now you mention relays. Can you locate them? If you can and the new motor works when you jump it, install the new motor and power it from the relay with a jumper box. If it works then, it is at the switch or between the switch and the relay. Disconnect the leads at the switch and jump the leads with a jumper box. What you do is work through the circuit breaking it down in parts.

If you have determined you do not have power at the switch with a meter, you need to locate the fuse to that supplies the switch and reestablish power to the switch. Once you have power back to the switch, disconnect the motor leads at the switch and check with a meter to make sure you have power through the switch.

I would not install a new switch and relay because with the correct diagnosis this is less than a one hour fix and installing new will take more time and cost more than that if done correctly.

In order of problem children, fuses and bad connection are first, relays are second, switches are third, and it is almost never the motor.

My thoughts,

Steve

 

Steve, the old motor was leaking some type of fluid, so I just went ahead and replaced it. The old one was still probably good, but I never attempted to jump it. On my setup, I have the switch that puts the slide in an out and another one next to it that you can set to either manual or electric. Initially, I was getting clicking from the relays when I pushed the in/out button. I had a brand new relay laying around from the front slide problem and tried switching it into the three different relay spots. This did nothing. I checked the breaker on the front of the trailer and it's getting the full voltage across it. A new twist was that when I jumped the new motor, I don't get a sound or anything from the relays now. I was camping when I posted the earlier statement and it's not fun to have to put the slide in and out while laying on the ground with jumper cables, but gotta keep the wife happy! I don't know where else to check on the trailer, I've looked at every connection that I could find and they all seem to be good. Short of just running new wires, I'm at a loss.

 

Okay, let's try to break it down into sections. It sounds like you can jump the new motor and it runs and Yeah, lying on the ground is bear. I have even done it in the snow making for even a higher degree of fun.

1. If you are able to locate the relay and can determine which leads go to the motor, you can disconnect the motor leads at the relay and run the motor from there so you don't have to get on the ground. If you are able to do that, it tells you the connection to the motor from the relay is good. Is the relay a Power Gear relay green in color with plug in connector, slow blow fuse and reset fuse both on the relay?

2. The second switch that is "manual versus auto" is normally just switches the power off and on to the switch which operates the slides. In the auto position, you should have power "to it and through it" to the slide switch. Do you? I am assuming this is not a system where you just push and release the button the slide stops on its own when it extends and retracts (the relay detects amp draw to determine when to stop and start).

Start with these steps first. I know this can be frustrating because you likely haven't done it too often in the past. Also refresh my fading memory. What model camper are we working on and does just the one slide not work?

Steve

 

I went all the way to your initial post and see where you have a Coachmen product. That vintage usually used two five-pin relays rather than a single relay. A cheaper way to do it, but more complicated to troubleshoot. Some also had the slide relay riding outboard on the tail of the camper underneath near the slide motor. Do you have one of those systems?

Steve

 

Steve, it actually has 3 relays and I want to say that they are 7 pin. I don't have one in front of me right now. I haven't seen a relay on the outside of the camper, just wires that look like they go to the inside. I'm going to pull the trailer up again next week and try to work on it again. We have Disney on the 9th, so I don't want to look all Griswald there. To stop the slide, I pretty much just wait until I hear the motor start to drag a little and then I let off. The motor has the obvious red and black wires, but it also has two brown wires that hook up to different color wires underneath, none that seem to provide power to the motor.

 

I have seen four pin, five pin, and six pin switches, but I don't think I have ever seen a seven pin, so not sure about that. I am pretty sure those brown wires are an electronic lock for the motor. Haven't seen it on Coachmen, but have seen it on Alfas. If it is the same as the Alfas, one of those relays just feeds power to the relays and probably is switched with the auto/manual switch. If it is bad, there is no power to the relays that actually power the motor. Would be ten times simpler if they just used an off/on switch, but hey, why make it simple?

While this can be fascinating for me, I bet you just want to be done with it. You should be able to locate the wires the power the motor and all you need are a positive and negative from a power source and a five pin slide switch. If you get a switch with the plug, you just tie the four wires to the wires that feed the plug for the switch, and mount the switch. I am sure we could troubleshoot what you have with a meter and work a fix, but maybe this is getting old for you.

Steve

 

Steve, I know this sounds really dumb, but could it be the battery? I checked all my connections and the relays. I have at least 13 volts to all of them when switched on. I took every connection apart and restripped the wires to ensure a good connection. When I tried to manually run the slide from the inside by jumping the wires, I got nothing. I decided to hook jumper cables to the RV battery and high idle the truck. I was getting over 14 volts at the cables. I went back into the trailer, pushed the switch and the slide went out! Could it be something that simple? I tried the switch a couple of different times after I cleaned the connections and there was no change, so the battery or the convertor is what I have it narrowed down to.

 

Interesting. But all these slides are designed to work with shore power or battery power.


What happens if you hook shore power to it? Will the slides work just like when the truck is providing power?

 

Senix, that was with both shore power and battery power. We have never boondocked, so I very rarely, if ever, am without a connection to shore power. One thing to note, before hooking up the jumper cables, whenever I would try to run the slide, either by the switch or manually jumping the wires inside, the lights would dim pretty good. I can't say that I noticed them dimming that much after hooking up the jumper cables, maybe I was just too excited that the slide was working.

 

I suppose you could take a car battery and swap it for a few and see if the slide works then?

 

That was my plan for today in addition to a seal repair and wall replacement. I am going to take my boat battery out and charge it and see if it will work then.