Dead Electric Stabs

Timex · 07-22-2014, 02:59 PM

I've read as many threads I could find on this subject.

I'm about ready to take these electric stabilizers off and replace them with scissor jacks. At least I know they'll work when I do.

Leaving on a trip in a few weeks so I thought I'd do a little testing to see if everything was working. Plugged my umbilical cord into the truck to check the running and brake lights. Good.

Had some friends over about a month ago that wanted to see inside the TT, so before they went in, I lowered the stabs to keep the rocking to a minimum. The stabs have been down for about a month. We've been in/out working on things and cleaning. This a.m., the stabs wouldn't go up/down, nothing. Not even a grunt!

I've checked all the fuses, breakers, current limiters I could find. There is no power getting to the switch.

From Lippert manual:

To manually operate the stabilizer jack, one of the

wire leads from the motor must be disconnected to prevent backloading the

motor and causing more damage.

Could I not just take the negative cable off the battery post?

I'm getting continuity thru the switch when I push the button up/down so I believe the switch is good. Found the fuse to the switch behind a false wall and it showed continuity. There is no power coming from the power cable to the switch. Looked behind the breaker box/converter, under the fridge and had a maze of wires but none that had a fuse except a 30 amp fuse labeled heater.

I'm seriously thinking of taking them off and putting scissor jacks in their place. 1 less electrical thing to worry about.

Anybody have any suggestions.

Twisty · 07-22-2014, 03:16 PM

"From Lippert manual:
To manually operate the stabilizer jack, one of the
wire leads from the motor must be disconnected to prevent backloading the
motor and causing more damage.

Could I not just take the negative cable off the battery post?"

No.

Timex · 07-22-2014, 03:32 PM

Here is a pic of the motor. Do these 2 screws on the end hold the motor housing on. If I take this housing off, will I find the wires to the motor terminals? And then which wire? I took 1 screw out and realized it was longer than I thought it would be and put it back in before I screwed something else up.

Brother Les · 07-22-2014, 03:36 PM

I mounted quick release brackets for my scissor jacks about 4 inches away from the 'stabilizers' (caugh) and do not use the 'stabilizers'. When I am told that the 'stabilizers' look purty..... I say, ..... purty useless is what they are. Dead weight to carry around.

**Herk7769** · 07-22-2014, 03:47 PM

I have a different "read" of the manual.
IMO, you can remove all power from the camper and use the manual drive.

I believe the reason for the caution is the same one regarding the slides. If you put the crank on the stub and some helpful soul hits the switch while you are cranking you are gonna get a face full of crank.

The switches are notorious for getting corroded if water gets into the switch housing. Try switching in up and down to try and wear off any corrosion.

There is a resettable current limiter behind the switch (photo of mine). There is another 15 amp blow fuse in (or behind in a pigtail) the power center.

Timex · 07-22-2014, 04:13 PM

Can't seem to post a pic of the current limiter behind the false wall. Something goofy is happening with my internet or the forum.

Didn't notice by looking at it but when looking at the pics, it seems to have some corrosion coming out of it like a flashlight battery does when it goes bad. Could this be a problem? And what could have caused it?

**Herk7769** · 07-22-2014, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timex

Can't seem to post a pic of the current limiter behind the false wall. Something goofy is happening with my internet or the forum.

Didn't notice by looking at it but when looking at the pics, it seems to have some corrosion coming out of it like a flashlight battery does when it goes bad. Could this be a problem? And what could have caused it?

Yea, I am thinking you have a corroded terminal (and possibly a water leak).

Remove and replace the spade lugs after hitting them (individually!) with some steel wool or fine sand paper. If it fixes your problem, you might want to consider replacing all the terminals (AFTER you find the water intrusion point).

Timex · 07-22-2014, 05:14 PM

Trying again.

This is for the rear stabs. Behind a false wall on the farthest curb side corner.

OldCoot · 07-22-2014, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Les

I mounted quick release brackets for my scissor jacks about 4 inches away from the 'stabilizers' (caugh) and do not use the 'stabilizers'. When I am told that the 'stabilizers' look purty..... I say, ..... purty useless is what they are. Dead weight to carry around.

Give you $50 plus shipping for the whole mess.

Timex · 07-22-2014, 05:59 PM

I'll GIVE you $50 to take the whole mess off and put scissor jacks on it!

youroo · 07-22-2014, 06:13 PM

Take or break the motor/gearbox off and use a elect.driver on the other end! They will go up/down 10x faster!

Youroo!! Had to run ours this way when the (Road Alligator) took off the motor/gearbox!

**Herk7769** · 07-22-2014, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timex

Trying again.

This is for the rear stabs. Behind a false wall on the farthest curb side corner.

That shortstop is damaged and needs to be replaced.

Temp fix; bypass it by putting both wires on the same terminal.

Replace as soon as possible and do not run the motor until it stalls.

Timex · 07-22-2014, 08:34 PM

Got it out and figured out why it was corroded. We had a first aid kit from the previous TT and put it in a overhead cabinet. Something oily had leaked out and run down the wall till it got to the bottom compartment. Most of it had gotten soaked up by a cardboard box. Glad to know the exterior isn't leaking! Here is a few pics of the shortstop.

So if this is bad, would it cause the front stabs to not work as well?

Where can I get this? Auto parts store?

**Herk7769** · 07-22-2014, 09:49 PM

Front stabs should have their own DC circuit.

Question, did the rear stabs work when you hooked the two wires together without the shortstop?

If they did not, there is more wrong than that bad fuse; the fuse in the power center might also have blown. It is possible the front and rear stabs come off the same fuse in the power center.

Check with a meter; do not trust your eyes to see if it is blown.
Your eyes can lie (just ask anyone in a bar at 2AM).

Timex · 07-23-2014, 04:51 PM

Do you see anything odd in these pics?

I do believe gremlins are messing with me.

The 20 amp fuse has always been in the last position(that I remember). I don't remember moving it. I just know that power was not getting to the switch/motor. I cleaned up the shortstop with sandpaper and steel wool the best I could. It had continuity thru it so I didn't replace it. I connected both wires that went to it onto 1 of the posts. Reconnected battery and nothing. So I got to studying the fuse panel and thought what the heck, so I moved the 20 amp fuse up 1 slot to the "power jack" slot. Duh! Went out and touched the jack switch and lo and behold, we got power! Disconnected the battery again, repositioned the wires correctly on the shortstop, reconnected the battery and it worked again.

Like I said, I am getting older, and I may have put the fuse in the wrong slot (at 1 time) but I still think it worked like this before. I knew it had to be something simple that I was missing. And the last slot on the fuse panel said "bunkhouse". I don't have a bunkhouse!

Embarrassed is what I am.

And thanks to all who tried to help and especially Herk for being patient.

I still may replace these electric jacks for scissor jacks, 1 day.

**Herk7769** · 07-23-2014, 05:27 PM

Since that fuse powers both your stabilizers it makes sense that it is 20 amps.

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