Thor Omni full slide

[Party of 5]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to update you as to the status of my rig. I was informed it had a short in the wiring to the forward motor. I drove to the repair center and was fortunate to be able to inspect it during the repair process. As I’ve previously mentioned, I can tinker, but I don’t consider myself a true hands on mechanic. It was certainly an eye opener as it afforded me the opportunity to inspect the rig as the molding/paneling were disassembled and the motors and wiring were exposed. Should a motor malfunction in the future, I would definitely feel comfortable changing it!

The technician removed the front motor and placed it on the back of the slide. At this point, he received an error code that there was now a short in the wiring to the rear motor. It seems I have a bad motor. As I searched YouTube, I came across a video where a couple experienced the identical problem with their rig, although I believe they had a 2021 Omni SV 34 model. To my surprise, I learned that in order to remove the motor from the housing, you must first remove a screw on the outside of the rig. The screw is located at the top area of the slide. It’s probably elementary to the majority of you, but I would have never have figured that out on my own.

The technician recommended the same as Judge in that I should continue to depress the extend/retract button approximately 5 seconds after the slide has stopped moving. He said by doing this, it allows the slide to synchronize on the tracks.

I am now in a waiting pattern as Thor must approve the work order to initiate the repairs.

I will certainly follow Judge’s advice and have a back-up motor as we travel. I also intend to keep a pick and hook tool set as it will make it easier to remove the molding on the slide!

Again, I apologize if this is all elementary to most of you, but I thought I would update and share my experiences in case it happens to assist another newbie who might experience the same issue.

Stay safe on your travels friends,

Pat

[Pops R]

OK I have tried reading and searching for an answer to my question so let me just post it here

Our full room slide failed to retract and the error code on the controller said there is a short in the wire between the controller and motor.

A mobile RV guy used a long control wire to determine it was on the rear motor wire. He ran it outside the motorhome and through the bedroom window to the plug wire up in the corner of the slide out.

We were then able to get the slide to retract but only like half an inch or less at a time going retract then extend little bit at a time as it would only work/ come in that way a little bit at a time B4 stopping. So that got the slide in after a long time doing that and we were back on the road again but without the full slide working. I do not dare try to extend it again till we get off our road trip and back to our home base

My question is to me it sounds more like a motor issue than a wire issue as why would the Mobile RV guy's new wire work but only getting the slide to micro inch its way back in. My fear is having someone do a behind the wall wire replacement then find out it was the motor that needed replacement.

Anyone have this experience with your full room slide out?

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Pops R

OK I have tried reading and searching for an answer to my question so let me just post it here

Our full room slide failed to retract and the error code on the controller said there is a short in the wire between the controller and motor.

A mobile RV guy used a long control wire to determine it was on the rear motor wire. He ran it outside the motorhome and through the bedroom window to the plug wire up in the corner of the slide out.

We were then able to get the slide to retract but only like half an inch or less at a time going retract then extend little bit at a time as it would only work/ come in that way a little bit at a time B4 stopping. So that got the slide in after a long time doing that and we were back on the road again but without the full slide working. I do not dare try to extend it again till we get off our road trip and back to our home base

My question is to me it sounds more like a motor issue than a wire issue as why would the Mobile RV guy's new wire work but only getting the slide to micro inch its way back in. My fear is having someone do a behind the wall wire replacement then find out it was the motor that needed replacement.

Anyone have this experience with your full room slide out?

When you get this code it means the Controller cannot measure the number of revolutions the motor is making when you are extending or retracting the slide.

There can be three causes for this error:

1) There is a short in the cable that runs from the controller to the slide motor.

2) There is a short in motor wiring harness coming out of the top of the motor.

3) There is a problem with the sensors in the top of the motor that measure the revolutions (this is what happened to me when the screw sticking out of the slide box damaged the top of the motor).

Once the controller loses its abaility to measure the number of revolutions that each motor is turning, the motors get out of sync. If the motors get out of sync enough, you can have the problem you are experiencing. The slide may move an inch or two and then the motor stops because the controller has lost its calibration.

You need to put the controller into the override mode so it ignores reading the motor revolutions. In the override mode it will just send power to the motor to retract (or extend) the slide. This works as long as one if the wires supplying 12V is not damaged.

If you get the slide retracted, extend it again about 6 inches so you can access the motor. After a couple minutes the controller should exit the override mode and the error message should be cleared (at least temporarilty).

You can then take a spare cable (I carry a spare cable as well as a spare motor) and do what the tech did. Unplug the cable from the motor 2 port and run it through the window and plug it into the rear motor if the code says the issue is motor 2. Then try to fully extend the slide and check to see if the code returns.

If the code does not return, you know it is a bad cable and it will have to be replaced.

If the code does return with the spare cable, then you know it is the motor wiring harness or the sensors in the top of the motor. Either way the motor would need to be replaced; unless you can physically see a damaged wire and then you can try to repair it.

I have seen techs run electrical tape around the harness coming out of the motor to better protect those wires from being pinched, cut, etc.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Judge

When you get this code it means the Controller cannot measure the number of revolutions the motor is making when you are extending or retracting the slide.

There can be three causes for this error:

1) There is a short in the cable that runs from the controller to the slide motor.

2) There is a short in motor wiring harness coming out of the top of the motor.

3) There is a problem with the sensors in the top of the motor that measure the revolutions (this is what happened to me when the screw sticking out of the slide box damaged the top of the motor).

Once the controller loses its abaility to measure the number of revolutions that each motor is turning, they motors get out of sync. If the motors get out of sysnc enough, you can have the problem you are experiencing. The slide may move an inch or two and then the motor stops because the controller has lost its calibration.

You need to put the controller into the override mode so it ignores reading the motor revolutions. In the override mode it will just send power to the motor to retract (or extend) the slide. If you get the slide retracted, extend it again about 6 inches so you can access the motor. After a couple minutes the controller should exit the override mode and the error message should be cleared (at least temporarilty).

You can then take a spare cable (I carry a spare cable as well as a spare motor) and do what the tech did. Unplug the cable from the motor 2 port and run it through the window and plug it into the rear motor if the code says the issue is motor 2. Then try to fully extend the slide and check to see if the code returns.

If the code does not return, you know it is a bad cable and it will have to be replaced.

If the code does return with the spare cable, then you know it is the motor wiring harness or the sensors in the top of the motor. Either way the motor would need to be replaced; unless you can physically see a damaged wire and then you can try to repair it.

I have seen techs run electrical tape around the harness coming out of the motor to better protect those wires from being pinched, cut, etc.

After 6 years on this forum, I would think this is mandatory reading for anyone joining the Thor Forum with a Schwintek slide and they should be tested a week later for understanding on the contents. Very well said.

[Scubawise]

My wire came out of the motor. Thor shipped a new motor in 2 days and fixed

There is a short in the cable that runs from the controller to the slide motor.