Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-11-2010, 06:15 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 27
2010 Georgetown 341DS - I ain't impressed

Right now, sitting in Savannah, about 175miles from home with main slide that has been through 3 30A fuses and is now working on a 40A. Maiden trip to Tenn - same result only that there is no diagram of fuses or where they are. Nice little red light comes on when fuse is blown but I had to take the faceplate off to be able to see the fuse. Same problem then - dead main slide. In shop 3 weeks (there were some other things like steps didn't retract and they got into a tangle with a mountainside) but I was told slide problem was "just a fuse." Now I'm faced with trying to find someone to work on the #$%^&thing. My wife is very unhappy and wants to take the whole thing back home and let dealer sell it. Documentation looks like it came out of a trash basket, hardly fitting for a vehicle that got into six figures.
If you're having the same problems (oh yes, rear a/c died today and found out there were more breakers in the generator compartment, some under the steps (according to rv dealer) but really they're not - they're in a compartment beside the steps that's damned near impossible to reach. Then there is the main fuse/breaker box that's beside the bed.
Oh, but the way, the generator and hookup to 50A a/c only "trickle" charges the batteries - the main charging setup comes from the engine alternator so you have to run the main engine to adequately charge the batteries.
I feel like Georgetown just gathered up a bunch of parts and more or less put them together and I feel like I've just wasted a helluva lot of money on a do-it-yourself-kit.
Gator_38 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2010, 09:10 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
NWJeeper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Enumclaw, WA
Posts: 2,615
Sorry to hear of your troubles Gator. Hopefully things will get sorted out and fixed under warranty so that you can enjoy your rig.

I can't speak to all of your issues but on the issue of the charger "trickle" charging you might not understand the way they work. Most chargers and all RV converter/chargers will charge at a high rate until the bank reaches 90% full. At 90% full the charger automatically reduces the charge amperage while increasing charge voltage. 2 stage chargers like the one that comes stock in the Georgetown will only max out at 13.6 volts in the last 10% of the charge while the amperage will dwindle down to just a trickle. This is by design and meant to keep from totally boiling the batteries to death and is in keeping with major battery manufactureres recomendations. A good 3 stage charger will slowly increase the voltage to 14.4 volts in the last hour or so of charging while slowing the amperage to around 1 amp. This is called "equalization" and is in fact an "over charging" which is required to get batteries back to a 100% charge level. The last 10% of the charging cycle can take almost as long as it takes the charger to get your bank up to 90% from a depleated state. If you are never running your batteries much lower than 90% then your charger will always be "trickle charging" your batteries.

Hoping the best for you, good luck.
__________________
"I can fix it, and if I can't fix it, I can fix it so no one can fix it!"
Ed & Wendy
2009 Georgetown 378TS | 1998 Jeep Wrangler | 1998 Skeeter ZX202C
Nights camped in 2009: 53 | Nights camped in 2010: 55
www.nwjeepn.com
NWJeeper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2010, 06:51 AM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: LEXINGTON SC
Posts: 37
Lets us know when you find out what the issue is with slide. The step problem I had with my 05 378 that I traded, John's Rv in Lexington fix the problem an said the connections were bad
ravenmike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2010, 07:20 AM   #4
CLASS "A" Senior Member
 
cfsoistman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Upperco, Maryland
Posts: 3,136
So sorry to hear of the problems. Unfortunately we've all had them in some shape or form. There has to be some reason why the slide fuses keep blowing. The dealer needs to do some troubleshooting to find the problem. If they aren't capable then contact Mike Burns @ FR and he should be able to recommend someone else in the area that will do the work under warranty. Hope they get your problems fixed quickly so you can enjoy your coach and not second guess your decision to buy it. Best wishes, Charlie
__________________

2007 Georgetown 370TS
aka - RAYNMKR

Driver: Charlie
Navigator: Sheri
cfsoistman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 10:39 AM   #5
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 27
Thanks for the reply, but...

I understand charging and deep cycle batteries, having dealt with them on boats for many years - there isn't anything much harder than keeping batteries working on a bass boat.
What really got me was this information came from Georgetown Warranty Support - the information was that both the generator and the 50A hookup only provided trickle charging-there was no information about any "stepdown charging as would be done on a normal battery charger- when you say "trickle charger, that implies one of those $5.00 chargers from Harbor Freight, hardly appropriate or applicable for a $100,000 vehicle) - it was suggested that I start the main engine and run it for an hour or so (this was my instruction from Mr. Burns). I had just been on the road continuously for about 3-4- hours so batteries should have been hot - fully charged.
I read the info on the Lippert hydraulic slide mechanism but my slideouts are cable type.
I'm too danged old to have to maintain at "fixer-upper" and so far, that's the best description of my MH.
Gator_38 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 12:29 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
TulsaSteve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 309
Motorhomes can definitely be hard to break in. Once you get everything working and learn the quick fixes to the things that get wacky on a regular basis you should be all set. A house on wheels is definitely not a breeze to build or maintain.

From what I've read, even the million dollar motorhomes have routine issues. My best guess is that the drivers people hire drive half time and maintain/fix the other the other half.

Once we got past our wacky issues we have really enjoyed the lifestyle.

Oh and one tip that I learned last summer.. Driving along pull into a picnic area, put it in park, emergency brake on, shut it down.

Go to start it up and all the lights on the dash go wacky. I go out and the chassis battery cable got loose on a nasty stretch of I-40.

So I think I'm all set and I turn the key and I get a "click".. Geez.. So I start checking fuses and 30 minutes later I'm ready to call Good Sam. Then the wife says what about the gear shifter. Her old Ford Escort had trouble finding "park"

So I turn the ignition on, move the gear shift into Neutral and back into park. Then it FIRES UP!!

I said "Park", but the computer disagreed and wouldn't allow the engine to fire!

Good luck!
TulsaSteve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 02:16 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
NWJeeper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Enumclaw, WA
Posts: 2,615
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gator_38 View Post
I understand charging and deep cycle batteries, having dealt with them on boats for many years - there isn't anything much harder than keeping batteries working on a bass boat.
What really got me was this information came from Georgetown Warranty Support - the information was that both the generator and the 50A hookup only provided trickle charging-there was no information about any "stepdown charging as would be done on a normal battery charger- when you say "trickle charger, that implies one of those $5.00 chargers from Harbor Freight, hardly appropriate or applicable for a $100,000 vehicle) - it was suggested that I start the main engine and run it for an hour or so (this was my instruction from Mr. Burns). I had just been on the road continuously for about 3-4- hours so batteries should have been hot - fully charged.
I read the info on the Lippert hydraulic slide mechanism but my slideouts are cable type.
I'm too danged old to have to maintain at "fixer-upper" and so far, that's the best description of my MH.
Then the information you have been given by FR themselves is wrong. Your charger/converter is most likely a Parallax 7465, 2 stage 65 amp unit. Not the best but not a "trickle charger either".

Also, what exactly do you meen by "my slideouts are cable type." Not doubting you but I have never seen that on any RV. The Georgetowns are supposed to be electric/hydaulic using a 12volt electric pump with hydraulic rams. I even went to Lipperts web site and opened every document for all their slide rooms and they don't have one that runs on cables. Would like to see pictures of your system from underneath the slides when they are open.

I hear ya on the bass boat batteries. The guy I bought my boat from neglected to tell me that the onboard charger doesn't charge the starting battery so after about a month of running my boat on a lake where I only had about a 5 min ride each way and using my fish finders I had a dead starting battery. Ended up having to swap in one of the trolling motor batteries out on the lake to get the big engine started. I put in an A/B switch on one of the charge leads for the starting battery and an auxiliry start circuit using an older ford starter solenoid similar to what RVs have so that I can now push a switch next to my seat and jumper the trolling batteries to my starting battery for an emergency start.
__________________
"I can fix it, and if I can't fix it, I can fix it so no one can fix it!"
Ed & Wendy
2009 Georgetown 378TS | 1998 Jeep Wrangler | 1998 Skeeter ZX202C
Nights camped in 2009: 53 | Nights camped in 2010: 55
www.nwjeepn.com
NWJeeper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 02:38 PM   #8
CLASS "A" Senior Member
 
cfsoistman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Upperco, Maryland
Posts: 3,136
Quote:
Originally Posted by NWJeeper View Post
Then the information you have been given by FR themselves is wrong. Your charger/converter is most likely a Parallax 7465, 2 stage 65 amp unit. Not the best but not a "trickle charger either".

Also, what exactly do you meen by "my slideouts are cable type." Not doubting you but I have never seen that on any RV. The Georgetowns are supposed to be electric/hydaulic using a 12volt electric pump with hydraulic rams. I even went to Lipperts web site and opened every document for all their slide rooms and they don't have one that runs on cables. Would like to see pictures of your system from underneath the slides when they are open.

I hear ya on the bass boat batteries. The guy I bought my boat from neglected to tell me that the onboard charger doesn't charge the starting battery so after about a month of running my boat on a lake where I only had about a 5 min ride each way and using my fish finders I had a dead starting battery. Ended up having to swap in one of the trolling motor batteries out on the lake to get the big engine started. I put in an A/B switch on one of the charge leads for the starting battery and an auxiliry start circuit using an older ford starter solenoid similar to what RVs have so that I can now push a switch next to my seat and jumper the trolling batteries to my starting battery for an emergency start.
One of my slides in the bedroom, the one that houses the TV and closet has a cable visible from outside near the top. It's an electric slide and if I pop off the false cable door at the top inside I can see the cables there as well. I believe may be having problems with that particular slide.
__________________

2007 Georgetown 370TS
aka - RAYNMKR

Driver: Charlie
Navigator: Sheri
cfsoistman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 03:48 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
NWJeeper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Enumclaw, WA
Posts: 2,615
Quote:
Originally Posted by cfsoistman View Post
One of my slides in the bedroom, the one that houses the TV and closet has a cable visible from outside near the top. It's an electric slide and if I pop off the false cable door at the top inside I can see the cables there as well. I believe may be having problems with that particular slide.
Hmm, that's different. I can't find anything on Lippert's site about them. Is this slide a Lippert? Are the other ones hydraulic. All of ours are hydraulic.
__________________
"I can fix it, and if I can't fix it, I can fix it so no one can fix it!"
Ed & Wendy
2009 Georgetown 378TS | 1998 Jeep Wrangler | 1998 Skeeter ZX202C
Nights camped in 2009: 53 | Nights camped in 2010: 55
www.nwjeepn.com
NWJeeper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 06:13 PM   #10
CLASS "A" Senior Member
 
cfsoistman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Upperco, Maryland
Posts: 3,136
I have the schematics for the hydraulic and electric slideouts and the levelers for my 370. The larger two are hydraulic but that small one is definitely an electric one with a cable and a bicycle type chain assembly visible inside behind two removable panels.

http://www.lci1.com/OwnersManuals/hy...ideout-Web.pdf
__________________

2007 Georgetown 370TS
aka - RAYNMKR

Driver: Charlie
Navigator: Sheri
cfsoistman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2010, 07:01 PM   #11
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 27
Wellllll, at 72, it's a little difficult to get all my bones moving in the same direction and besides putting a nylon drain on the fresh water tank overflow (it was taped shut with what appeared to be electrical tape), i haven't been crawling around under the monster. My slides (both) seem to be retracted with something that looks like about 5/16 steel cable, one cable on either side of the slide at the bottom about a foot up. Don't know whether they're Lippert or BrandX but the cable is there.
Gator_38 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2010, 02:01 PM   #12
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 94
I have a Georgetown 374(2008) and recently while leveling lost leveling and teh ability to put the slides out! Had a serviceman show up...he diagnosed the problem shortly and flipped the breaker beneath the stair far left high up on frame area...and replaced far right blue 15 A fuse....all is ok since!
The far left breaker is not noticeable to the eye, but you can feel the "flipper" an the left side that needs to be reset....along with replacing the 15A fuse....also there is hidden beneath the dash where no normal person can venture...a fuse panel...good luck in finding out what it controls!
Geroge
ynott96 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2010, 04:22 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
kvtaylor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Dahlgren VA
Posts: 317
Quote:
Originally Posted by cfsoistman View Post
I have the schematics for the hydraulic and electric slideouts and the levelers for my 370. The larger two are hydraulic but that small one is definitely an electric one with a cable and a bicycle type chain assembly visible inside behind two removable panels.

http://www.lci1.com/OwnersManuals/hy...ideout-Web.pdf
I was under our bed in the rear slide on our 2008 Gerogetown adding a compressor for the sleep number bed and I saw hydraulic lines making that slide hydraulic too. Also the manifold on the hydraulic pump had four feeds for the jacks and three for the slides on our 378.
__________________


Ken and Velda
Dahlgren, VA.
2008 Georgetown XL 378
2010 Ford Escape Limited
kvtaylor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2010, 08:19 PM   #14
CLASS "A" Senior Member
 
cfsoistman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Upperco, Maryland
Posts: 3,136
Quote:
Originally Posted by kvtaylor View Post
I was under our bed in the rear slide on our 2008 Gerogetown adding a compressor for the sleep number bed and I saw hydraulic lines making that slide hydraulic too. Also the manifold on the hydraulic pump had four feeds for the jacks and three for the slides on our 378.
In my 370 I have 2 slides in the bedroom. One is the bed which is hydraulic but the slide with the TV and wardrobe is electric with a set of cables on each side and inside at the top of that slide is a chain assembly that the cables are connected to.
__________________

2007 Georgetown 370TS
aka - RAYNMKR

Driver: Charlie
Navigator: Sheri
cfsoistman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2010, 08:51 PM   #15
CLASS "A" Senior Member
 
cfsoistman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Upperco, Maryland
Posts: 3,136
Here is a few pictures of the cable and the inside assembly. This is in our bedroom opposite of the hydraulic slideout with the bed. There is a sticker in there about adjusting the cables in and out. The sticker reads that the electric slide mechanism is from Norco Industries.

Click image for larger version

Name:	PICT0083.jpg
Views:	125
Size:	51.3 KB
ID:	3146

Click image for larger version

Name:	PICT0084.jpg
Views:	99
Size:	51.9 KB
ID:	3147

Click image for larger version

Name:	PICT0085.jpg
Views:	125
Size:	53.9 KB
ID:	3148

Click image for larger version

Name:	PICT0086.jpg
Views:	181
Size:	53.4 KB
ID:	3149

Click image for larger version

Name:	PICT0087.jpg
Views:	111
Size:	52.6 KB
ID:	3150
__________________

2007 Georgetown 370TS
aka - RAYNMKR

Driver: Charlie
Navigator: Sheri
cfsoistman is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:00 PM.