Slides No Power

[Salda01]

Looking for some insight as I can't find a post on this topic. I just got the trailer out of winter storage and now the slides won't work. I have checked the fuses and they all appear intact, I have shorepower as the microwave is on. The only that looks out of ordinary is the battery is showing low power. Does one need a fully or at least a half charged battery for the slides to work?

 

[ryeja]

The slides do require battery power, how low is low power. Your converter should be supplying enough power to the battery to allow the slides to open. Can you connect your tow vehicle plug in and get battery power from it? That should allow you to operates the slides. I would the put a battery charger on and fully charge the trailer battery.

 

[mwebber78]

Stupid question but you sure the battery is connected right? Is the fuse link between the battery re-installed? Did your battery freeze or suffer some damage over winter? Check the fuse panel and ensure all the breakers are reset and pull any fuses and swap around if needed to test.

 

[Korbe & Diana]

I recently put my slide out with shore power only, as my battery shutoff switch was in the off position. My owners manual agrees with that.

 

[Hamops]

I recently put my slide out with shore power only, as my battery shutoff switch was in the off position. My owners manual agrees with that.

Even though the manual says thatyou canoperate the slides on shore power only, I don't think that it'sgood idea. The reason I say that, is because the starting currents are pretty high on the drive motors and may overload the converter. When the drive motor is started using the converter only, you are essentially putting a dead short across the converter. The converter may or may not be able to handle that kind of condition. If it can, that's great, butif it can't, it's internal protection may shut it down. If there is no internal protection, then the high starting current may be tolerated by the converter components for a while but eventually something will fail and it could be costly. That is whyyouneed thebattery in service, because it's readily capable of handling the drive motor starting currents and that is where most of the initial current should come from. Once the drive motor is running then the converter can help supply the load current toit.Edited by: Hamops

 

[Salda01]

Problem resolved... It was a low battery. Charged the battery all night, re-installed and I have slides. However, it does make me wonder why the shorepower, battery or no battery wouldn't power the slides.

 

[Salda01]

Even though the manual says thatyou canoperate the slides on shore power only, I don't think that it'sgood idea. The reason I say that, is because the starting currents are pretty high on the drive motors and may overload the converter. When the drive motor is started using the converter only, you are essentially putting a dead short across the converter. The converter may or may not be able to handle that kind of condition. If it can, that's great, butif it can't, it's internal protection may shut it down. If there is no internal protection, then the high starting current may be tolerated by the converter components for a while but eventually something will fail and it could be costly. That is whyyouneed thebattery in service, because it's readily capable of handling the drive motor starting currents and that is where most of the initial current should come from. Once the drive motor is running then the converter can help supply the load current toit.

George thanks for the insight on why the shorepower won't power the slides.. We must have been posting at the same time.

thanks again
Dave

 

[Korbe & Diana]

To Hamops. Thanks for the clear description of what the converter is doing during the slide out process. My owner's manual only indicates that I can run my converter without a battery.

 

[granteaston]

... However, it does make me wonder why the shorepower, battery or no battery wouldn't power the slides.

If the batteries were on, then the power is coming through the batteries, if they were drained they were sucking down all the juice. If the batteries were off, then the converter does not have enough oomph (technical term) to get the slide motor started.



BTW, My Kingston slides work fine off shore powerwith the batteries off.

 

[ryeja]

Glad to hear your slides work with just shore power. Mine will not as there's a seperate wire from the positive battery terminal to an in-line fuse to a auto reset breaker. My guess is this was wired for the reason of in-rush current to start the motor to protect the converter. As for my bedroom slide I'm not certain as I can not access it unless the main slide is out, but I would imagine it's tied directly to the fuse panel (converter).

 

[mwebber78]

Mine will not allow the slides to deploy unless a battery is hooked up to the 12v system.