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Old 05-21-2017, 01:48 AM   #1
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Brand: Still Looking
State: New York
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THOR #7508
Low voltage auto levelers

We have a 2017 thor 31w our auto leveler says Low Voltage. Its still at the dealer and they cant figure it out. Anyone else having this issue?

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Old 05-21-2017, 02:25 AM   #2
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THOR #7581
Unhappy Low Voltage on Auto Leveler

We also have a new 2017 Thor, and presently we are stuck at a campground. We tried to get to manual mode, no luck. Called Thor directly, no luck. It's Saturday evening and we can't open slide or anything. Am not a very happy camper at the moment.
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Old 05-21-2017, 03:44 AM   #3
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I had that problem last year. But I think it could be 2 things. 1. last year it was my batteries. They were only showing 12 percent and we're basically to far gone and wouldnt even charge enough from the generator when it was running to get the jacks to go back in. I had to get two new batteries and then it was fine and they went up. 2. This year it gave me the low voltage error but I knew it wasn't my batteries. it was because I had to put the emergency brake on, and start the coach first, and then tried and it worked. Hope this works.
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Old 05-21-2017, 03:53 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denyceb2007 View Post
We also have a new 2017 Thor, and presently we are stuck at a campground. We tried to get to manual mode, no luck. Called Thor directly, no luck. It's Saturday evening and we can't open slide or anything. Am not a very happy camper at the moment.
Do you have the store/use switch in the use position? Are your batteries charged?
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Old 05-21-2017, 06:33 AM   #5
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This happened to us earlier this year and I quickly reviewed as many rv forums as possible in record time (while wondering what in the world was going on... That's the PG rated version of what I was really thinking). We had just finished driving 5 hours and using the inverter. I found information that suggested the batteries may not be at full charge due to using invertor while driving. I thought that was the whole idea behind using an invertor was to have power while driving and it recharges the batteries while doing so. Nonetheless, the suggestion was to turn everything off, then start the engine and run for about ten minutes to recharge the batteries and retry. I did this at a higher than idle engine rev, turned off the engine, restarted and the levelers worked fine. Hope this helps.

Here's a good post on the topic:
http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f8/...king-1932.html
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Old 05-21-2017, 07:52 AM   #6
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My 2017 ACE requires the coach to be running for the jackes to work. If every thing else is fine on 12v then I would say your coach also is requiring it to be running for the jacks to work.
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Old 05-21-2017, 10:51 AM   #7
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I always have the engine running when using the jacks. The slide won't operate with the engine running, it has a safety interlock. I plug in to 120, easier with slide in, then operated the slide. When leaving I pull slide in, disconnect 120, start engine, retract slides.
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Old 05-21-2017, 11:26 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by SuperD View Post
I always have the engine running when using the jacks. The slide won't operate with the engine running, it has a safety interlock. I plug in to 120, easier with slide in, then operated the slide. When leaving I pull slide in, disconnect 120, start engine, retract slides.
We do the same , still says low voltage. One leg down and stuck down.
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Old 05-21-2017, 11:41 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by George Ryan View Post
We do the same , still says low voltage. One leg down and stuck down.
If you have the manual it gives instructions on how to manually raise the jacks. You can also call the Thor helpline, sorry don't have phone with me for number, leave a message and they will usually call back fairly quickly.
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Old 05-21-2017, 11:50 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by denyceb2007 View Post
We also have a new 2017 Thor, and presently we are stuck at a campground. We tried to get to manual mode, no luck. Called Thor directly, no luck. It's Saturday evening and we can't open slide or anything. Am not a very happy camper at the moment.
Deny.... feel your pain! That happened to us when we first brought ours home playing in the driveway. If you are hooked to shore power, try unplugging the jack controller,,,it looks like a white screen.... let sit for ten minutes.....make sure your use switch is on.... then after you plug the controller in just go see if your panel will light. If it will, toggle to voltage and if not about 13 or more the jacks get goofy. So go depress your emergency brake and turn ignition on to acc,,, let the bells stop and then start your engine and let run for at least 5 minutes. Then turn off wait a minute and restart slowly again.... let run a minute or do and check your jack panel......any better? If not you probably have a bad controller. When you are ready to go before you start your engine bring in your slides and unhook from power..... go start your engine ......when you pull the plug Bergen your brake, your jacks will pull up in emergency mode with lots of bells going off! ( can't remember but you might have to put in drive) at least you will get home!
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Old 05-21-2017, 11:53 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by WillowRun View Post
Deny.... feel your pain! That happened to us when we first brought ours home playing in the driveway. If you are hooked to shore power, try unplugging the jack controller,,,it looks like a white screen.... let sit for ten minutes.....make sure your use switch is on.... then after you plug the controller in just go see if your panel will light. If it will, toggle to voltage and if not about 13 or more the jacks get goofy. So go depress your emergency brake and turn ignition on to acc,,, let the bells stop and then start your engine and let run for at least 5 minutes. Then turn off wait a minute and restart slowly again.... let run a minute or do and check your jack panel......any better? If not you probably have a bad controller. When you are ready to go before you start your engine bring in your slides and unhook from power..... go start your engine ......when you pull the plug Bergen your brake, your jacks will pull up in emergency mode with lots of bells going off! ( can't remember but you might have to put in drive) at least you will get home!
Where is the jack controller?
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Old 05-21-2017, 12:33 PM   #12
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The helpline is manned 24/7. Got my phone, number is 877-855-2867, just in case you don't have it. I think the controller is in the same compartment as the jack pump, drivers side first small door.
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Old 05-21-2017, 04:50 PM   #13
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It is all about batteries. Power for levelers is supplied by coach batteries.
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Old 05-21-2017, 11:51 PM   #14
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I had this happen to me jacks down and would not retract and panel said low voltage. It turned out to be one of the breakers in the house battery compartment had tripped ( small yellow tab) reset it and back in business. That will be the first place I check in the future for electrical problems .
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Old 05-22-2017, 01:11 AM   #15
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Every time I've tried to use the jacks in my 2017 Thor Ace I get this message. I've always just started the engine and they've always worked (so far). The message is disturbing, but I have yet to be stranded by it.
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Old 05-22-2017, 01:23 AM   #16
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Mine does the same unless I have been plugged in and batteries are fully charged.
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Old 05-22-2017, 01:32 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Jbird_in_SC View Post
. We had just finished driving 5 hours and using the inverter. I found information that suggested the batteries may not be at full charge due to using inverter while driving. I thought that was the whole idea behind using an inverter was to have power while driving and it recharges the batteries while doing so. Nonetheless, the suggestion was to turn everything off, then start the engine and run for about ten minutes to recharge the batteries and retry. I did this at a higher than idle engine rev, turned off the engine, restarted and the levelers worked fine. Hope this helps.

Here's a good post on the topic:
http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f8/...king-1932.html
The engine alternator puts out a max of 175 amps at 80 degrees in the stator. Under heavy load, the stator coils run about 130 degrees so the alternator max output is closer to 105 amps @13.8 volts. That is equal to 1426 watts. Assuming the inverter is 90% efficient and the engine is using 150 watts for the ignition and computer that leaves an inverter output of 1,150 watts or 9.6 amps. The dash air can easily consume 25 amps on a medium speed; windshield wipers and defroster fans another 25 amps If you ask the inverter for more power, it comes from the batteries. You never want any thing on in the coach when deploying the jacks or moving the slides. The closer you can get the DC voltage to 14.2 volts the less problems you will have less problems in the long run when deploying/retracting the jacks or extending/retracting the slides. Adding a volt meter to the chassis battery is a good idea if you are to run the inverter while traveling with the generator not running.
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Old 05-22-2017, 03:44 AM   #18
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Thanks Beau338, appreciate the info.
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Old 05-22-2017, 10:12 AM   #19
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THOR #1469
My trick or tip

Start the engine and turn on the Jack power. Cycle through the menu until the display shows battery voltage. Once the battery voltage reads 12.7 or higher then press the level or retract button. This does require the jack control panel with LCD display.

The jacks must have 12.7 VDC or higher to operate.

When I pull into a campground having used the inverter for the fridge while travelling the batteries normally read 12.5 to 12.7. If I must, and it is not too often, I will start the generator until the voltage is sufficient and the coach is leveled. The engine alternator is not providing much voltage to the house batteries during idle.
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Old 05-22-2017, 05:53 PM   #20
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Unhappy Low Voltage/ Levelers Stuck

Hi! Thanks for all the suggestions. After hours on the phone and calling everyone from our sales rep to the district sales manager on a Sunday, we finally got some results. It turns out we had to reset the main circuit breaker on the batteries. After we did that the whole system reset and the levelers retracted. The circuit breaker was hard to find. We had to crawl under the coach to get to it, but we are now home and looking forward to our next experience.
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