ACE 30.2 Slide out woes continued; does this look right???

[Soldier Girl]

Ok, for those who didn't see yesterday's post about my finding out during a fire evacuation (no kidding!)....that my slide wouldn't return & made no motor noise? -

I think I have figured out the order of troubleshooting steps by what y'all have mentioned so far, what I've watched on youtube, & what the tech support folks told me that I spoke with at LCI1.

I think the steps to figure this out need at least 2 people & are:

1. Chk fuses under bed (seems like we know 1 is blown & but didn't have an xtra). Note to self: buy xtra fuse set, lol!!!

2. Chk house batts - the ones I jus replaced! ...sigh...using the tester thingamajig I have but don't know how to use...time to learn...double sigh

3. Chk fuses next to house batts inside battery storage bin with that fuse checking thingamajig (the one I have but don't know how to use?)

4. Have one person work the switch inside the rv & other person goes outside the rv to where the LCI1 controller is located (in a storage compartment - must find 1st!)

5. The person outside watches to see if one or 2 green lites flash to say which motor has a problem (if it does). If no lights rechk steps 1 thru 4. If still no lights & certain no 1 thru 4 issues then purchase new controller (between $178 used & $600 from the company - oh good grief!!!).

6. If the green lites come on then keep watching to see the number of times the red lite flashes, that indicates the error code.

7. Theres an error override that can be entered by pressing a pen in it till it flashes repeatedly that will allow the motor to run & retract the slide.

8. If theres a red error code that usually means it has to go to the dealership to fix or replace either 1 or both motors (there are guides to do it online but need some skills I jus don't have, like resoldering wires or replacing the motors after purchasin - arrgghh! - & that also takes brut strength!). The motors run between $170 - $450 depending on the model number

9. If need to get the rig to mechanic or dealer to fix it - it can be done by manually if the override doesn't work by lifting both motors from top corners of slide (careful not to pull the wires that are barely soldered on!). Need some brut strength here, too...

9. Then 2 or more strong people should be able to push slide back in....even bigger sigh...

10. Bc its now off the motor system it will fall out while driving unless u block it from the top of the inside part of the slide & the rv wall with a 2x4 cut to size....

Ok, I definitely need help...

But does this jive with the experts out there as reasonable steps to troubleshoot if not totally fix my issue?

As always, thanks to everyone - & as always, it seems I just have to do things the hard way (my Dad used to say, there's a right way, a wrong way, & then there's my daughter's way!).

At least I remember each lesson learned with your help, but new ones keep popping up that I couldn't fathom without y'all!

Plus, each new mess means a new skill for me as I go along on all my adventures - & I still love this rv life, lol!!!

[ducksface]

I'm pretty sure I would take the course someone else did with the same problem this last week:
Call a professional. Professional will have the big guys, the 2x4, the parts, the ability to make parts, and best yet, the experience.
Watch him closely so you can do it or instruct the next time it needs done.

Too many what's and where's and people involved and bad backs and no saw and crushed finger of a stranger for me to try something that big the first time around.

[TripleGGG]

This X2. Better to gain experience watching professionals than trying on your own and ending up hurt or in the ER.

Originally Posted by ducksface

I'm pretty sure I would take the course someone else did with the same problem this last week:
Call a professional. Professional will have the big guys, the 2x4, the parts, the ability to make parts, and best yet, the experience.
Watch him closely so you can do it or instruct the next time it needs done.

Too many what's and where's and people involved and bad backs and no saw and crushed finger of a stranger for me to try something that big the first time around.

[Soldier Girl]

Thx Duckface - unless it turns out to be something simple I will havta turn to a professional, but I may havta open a Gofundme to pay for it, lol!

Originally Posted by ducksface

I'm pretty sure I would take the course someone else did with the same problem this last week:
Call a professional. Professional will have the big guys, the 2x4, the parts, the ability to make parts, and best yet, the experience.
Watch him closely so you can do it or instruct the next time it needs done.

Too many what's and where's and people involved and bad backs and no saw and crushed finger of a stranger for me to try something that big the first time around.

[Soldier Girl]

Yep, I agree, I'm a combat medic so I know my limits - I jus want to see if I can narrow down the problem a bit...

Originally Posted by TripleGGG

This X2. Better to gain experience watching professionals than trying on your own and ending up hurt or in the ER.

[TripleGGG]

And yes my comments come from experience of not following that advice. Lol

Originally Posted by Soldier Girl

Yep, I agree, I'm a combat medic so I know my limits - I jus want to see if I can narrow down the problem a bit...

[Soldier Girl]

Ouch! Hope everything worked out for you and that you still have all your fingers & toes...

Originally Posted by TripleGGG

And yes my comments come from experience of not following that advice. Lol

[Soldier Girl]

Update!

I have a motor #1 wiring issue - how to fix it, still unknown - but it's a start. I hope it doesn't require replacing that motor, which would be difficult for me.

Below I have a diagram that shows the error code, #9, "hall power short to ground" - whatever that means...

[ducksface]

My 24.1 always has that code.
My slide works fine.
Maybe someone has some other insight for you.
I e read here where other folks also either always have it or it comes back during any reset.

[gmc]

Originally Posted by Soldier Girl

Thx Duckface - unless it turns out to be something simple I will havta turn to a professional, but I may havta open a Gofundme to pay for it, lol!

I would do some simple voltage checks... but if it comes to pushing in a large slide manually, it’s a challenge and a professional may be a good call.

My last experience turned out to be quite simple.. and same symptom - no movement from either motor...
Is there another slide or overhead bed? If so do either of these work?
In my case none did... Some voltage checking showed 12v at motor connections to controller, but no voltage at the extend/retract switch...
Was able to supply 12 volts to the ‘retract’ pin on the controller.. and the slide moved! Of course it tried to extend!
Supply 12v to the ‘extend’ pin promptly retracted the slide..

The root cause.. a broken wire (pulled out of multi wire connector) under bed in the safety circuit that prevents slides from operating with ignition on..
Took a while to find that, but until then wired a bypass in the wall behind control panel...

Btw - 6 of us couldn’t budge my large slide manually... A call to Thor confirmed I should see 12v on the retract/extend pins... no ‘current’ draw... just a signal to tell the controller to engage motors - so wire jumper from nearby light socket in storage bay did the trick.

Hope yours turns out simple.

[abjbrtd]

We've had a similar problem with 2 of our slides. Both times same trouble, damaged wire at the motor caused by poorly routed cable at the motors.
They were damage by rubbing on the wire caused by moving the slide in and out.

The first time I was able to repair the wire, second one not so lucky, the wire pulled out of the motor plus I had to take the microwave out to access the motor.

Here's a YouTube showing how easy it is to get to the motor, its held in by 1 small screw.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DviEbWT3lUo

[Soldier Girl]

Thx so much for the video

Originally Posted by abjbrtd

We've had a similar problem with 2 of our slides. Both times same trouble, damaged wire at the motor caused by poorly routed cable at the motors.
They were damage by rubbing on the wire caused by moving the slide in and out.

The first time I was able to repair the wire, second one not so lucky, the wire pulled out of the motor plus I had to take the microwave out to access the motor.

Here's a YouTube showing how easy it is to get to the motor, its held in by 1 small screw.

[Soldier Girl]

Thx, I will keep that in mind

Originally Posted by gmc

I would do some simple voltage checks... but if it comes to pushing in a large slide manually, it’s a challenge and a professional may be a good call.

My last experience turned out to be quite simple.. and same symptom - no movement from either motor...
Is there another slide or overhead bed? If so do either of these work?
In my case none did... Some voltage checking showed 12v at motor connections to controller, but no voltage at the extend/retract switch...
Was able to supply 12 volts to the ‘retract’ pin on the controller.. and the slide moved! Of course it tried to extend!
Supply 12v to the ‘extend’ pin promptly retracted the slide..

The root cause.. a broken wire (pulled out of multi wire connector) under bed in the safety circuit that prevents slides from operating with ignition on..
Took a while to find that, but until then wired a bypass in the wall behind control panel...

Btw - 6 of us couldn’t budge my large slide manually... A call to Thor confirmed I should see 12v on the retract/extend pins... no ‘current’ draw... just a signal to tell the controller to engage motors - so wire jumper from nearby light socket in storage bay did the trick.

Hope yours turns out simple.

[Soldier Girl]

And here I was hoping this was the answer - maybe I'm back to square one...

Originally Posted by ducksface

My 24.1 always has that code.
My slide works fine.
Maybe someone has some other insight for you.
I e read here where other folks also either always have it or it comes back during any reset.

[Geronimo73]

Happened to me once on our (then) new 2017 windsport - I panicked a bit as I was a total newbie. After a few deep breaths and a sip of JD, I began troubleshooting. Turns out I had the key in the ignition. Once I pulled the key out, the slide out worked fine.

[Soldier Girl]

UPDATE: My Brother in Law came out, wiggled some wires, & Shazam, it's fixed! I've added it to my "check every 2 weeks list" along w/running the motor & generator. Thank you everyone, as always!!!

[Down South]

Bad connection. Did you fix it or just wiggle it until it worked?

[Soldier Girl]

Idk. My Bro in Law is a retired Air Force F-15 jet mechanic. I figured he knew what he was doing. He had all the electonic gizmos & such that I know nuthin about. But that's a good question, I'll ask him about it, thx!

Originally Posted by Down South

Bad connection. Did you fix it or just wiggle it until it worked?