Bershire Jacks Extended 90 %, won't work and front 2 slideouts won't work - fuses???

[Superchief]

Have a 2011 Berkshire 390BH. Noticed I was getting Sofa Slide Out creeping. Asked for advise from dealer. They said most likely air in the hydraulic system. Gave me a printout of "basic purge procedure for LCI hydraulic pump units" from Lippert Components. I followed the steps in the printout. Basically added 2 quarts of ATF transmission fluid to reservoir to bring it up to between a 1/4" and 1/2 " from the top. Extended Leveling Jacks, taking coach off tires. Extended all Slideouts. Then immediately retracted all Slideouts and Leveling Jacks. Checked reservoir for foam, found none. I had thought the jacks had fully retracted, but they did not move. I tried to retract them again, but all that happens is the light blinks and make a beeping noise. I then tried to extend the Slideouts. The only Slideouts that will work are the bed and wardrobe units. The sofa and kitchen slides out will not work. I then tried to see if the air bags would fill, so I started the MH and they did. Now I have the Motor Home in the ready to travel mode with jacks down, but 6 inches above the ground. Does anyone know where or if there are fuses for the Slideouts? 20 amp fuse on hydraulic pump is good. Thanks

[accumack]

The system used on Berkshires is equalizer systems not lippert. Check your fluid level and check for leaks at your hydraulic pump especially where the valve assembly meets the bottom.

[Iggy]

It may take a few more tried to get the air out of the system. Wait between tries and don't over heat the pump motor. Let it cool down a minute or so.

If your control maney is beeping which lights are blinking?
Most of the time that is low fluid alarm.

If you turn panel on and walk away it will shut down because it has a time limit built in.

[Superchief]

Will check for leaks, but what is confusing is 2 slides work and two don't. I also heard air purging from the system when I touched one of the extended jacks. Also the owners manual from Forest River indicates that there are 15 amp slide out fuses located near the floor in either the hallway or bedroom. It says they are clearly marked "slide room". Does anyone know where this is on a Berkshire? I don't remember seeing it. I found the 120 volt switches under the bed, but not the 15 amp box. Thanks

[Superchief]

Iggy,

All the light are blinking, both retract and extend. I did disconnect all the batteries and AC power for the night hoping that may reset the system. As noted prior, when I initial added fluid to the system, it did automatically bleed the air out as is was suppose to. I did get a lot of banging when I was using the leveling system prior to it not working.

[tmmar]

The bedroom and wardrobe slides are electric not hydraulic which is why they are working. Not sure why you are having trouble with the hydraulic slides. You should try calling Equalizer and see what they say.

[accumack]

On the Berkshire the kitchen, sofa slides and levelers are hydraulic the wardrobe is cable and the bed is rack and pinion. also check the connectors by the pump.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Superchief

Iggy,

All the light are blinking, both retract and extend. I did disconnect all the batteries and AC power for the night hoping that may reset the system. As noted prior, when I initial added fluid to the system, it did automatically bleed the air out as is was suppose to. I did get a lot of banging when I was using the leveling system prior to it not working.

Could be bad manifod valve(s) but first must clear console fault. Also the banging sounds like hydraulic shock, pump or valves cause it. Agree call factory and relay all symptoms.

[Superchief]

Okay one mystery solved, as to why the bedroom and wardrobe slides work, while the others do not. Thanks for that help!!! I was able to find owners, installation, troubleshooting, and override procedures for the Equalizer System on their Website along with diagrams and phone numbers. Now I need to take that information to the stored Coach and see if I can use it. Thanks for your help!!

Craig

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Superchief

Okay one mystery solved, as to why the bedroom and wardrobe slides work, while the others do not. Thanks for that help!!! I was able to find owners, installation, troubleshooting, and override procedures for the Equalizer System on their Website along with diagrams and phone numbers. Now I need to take that information to the stored Coach and see if I can use it. Thanks for your help!!

Craig

One more thought, don't think its the problem but here goes. You quoted a 20amp fuse for the hydraulic pump motor. Not sure thats enough power to lift that heavy vehicle. My Georgetown at 22,000 lbs has a 120 amp circuit breaker for the pump. Maybe you can find it on a diagram. My CB is near the battery.

[Superchief]

VinceU,


Looking at the installation guide, it does indicated that there is an option to install a circuit breaker in the wire from the battery to the pump: "Step 12 (Pump +12v): Attach a # 4 gauge wire (# 2 gauge if the run is over 12ft.) between the positive +12v terminal on the battery and the common posts on the motor solenoid. This supply may be fused at the source with a 120-amp circuit breaker. This +12v supply must be a dedicated and isolated circuit (not shared with other devices), and must be constant, non- switched +12v." I did look for a circuit breaker in the battery compartment, but could not find one. I will have to see if it is somewhere else or if I missed it. Thanks for the help!

Craig

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Superchief

VinceU,


Looking at the installation guide, it does indicated that there is an option to install a circuit breaker in the wire from the battery to the pump: "Step 12 (Pump +12v): Attach a # 4 gauge wire (# 2 gauge if the run is over 12ft.) between the positive +12v terminal on the battery and the common posts on the motor solenoid. This supply may be fused at the source with a 120-amp circuit breaker. This +12v supply must be a dedicated and isolated circuit (not shared with other devices), and must be constant, non- switched +12v." I did look for a circuit breaker in the battery compartment, but could not find one. I will have to see if it is somewhere else or if I missed it. Thanks for the help!

Craig

Here's the cable you're looking for the big red. Mine wraps up from here to the girder runing front to back. There it bolts to a inline circuit breaker to the battery control center. Its large and red and easy to trace.

[Superchief]

VinceU,

Thanks for the photo (worth a thousand words)! I will see what I can find tomorrow.

Craig

[Superchief]

To all - Thanks - Problem fixed!!!! I won't bore you with all the things that I spent four hours today trying to do to fix the problem, but just as I was about to give up in frustration, I tried one more thing and it worked! I don't know why exactly it worked, but it did work and I'll take it and run! I will tell you what worked first and then if your interested you can read what didn't work in my situation. When I left yesterday, my coach was in storage, in a ready to travel status with air bags inflated, but jacks extended to within 6 inches of the ground and front slides and jacks would not work or move. When I arrived to day, I found the coach air bags had deflated and the jacks were touching the ground. I figure the air escaped because the jacks were extended. Here is picture of a hydraulic unit similar to mine:





This unit has four override valves, mine has five. What I did in frustration and as a last ditch effort was to take a flat screw driver and turn all of the override screw closed. I then took the two red direction valves (not noted on the diagram) and pulled them out and turn them half a turn to lock them open. I then went in to the Motorhome and turned on the display and tried to retract the jacks. Nothing happen. I went back out and opened the five screw (back to original position) and returned the red directional valves to their original position. I then went in an tried to operate the display key pad and to my amazement I heard the jacks being retracted. I then tried the front two slides and they both worked. Why this worked I can only guess, but I think there was to much air in the system and that was why it didn't respond, so when I closed the override screw and open the red directional valves, it must have broken the air lock. I will stay with that until someone offers a more technical analysis.

So what did not work that I tried:
1-disconnecting the negative terminals on all of the batteries
2-disconnecting all of the electrical connections to the hydraulic unit and the module
3-trying to reset the command display by either pushing all four up or down arrows at the same time and hold them for a period of time.
4- trying to Nil the command display to think everything was level.
5-looking everywhere for a tripped breaker. I did find the breaker in behind the chassis batteries on the left side, but the little ear tag was not out.

Over the four hours I tried the above things many times in various sequences. I also went to the dealer and looked at another 2011 unit with the Service people to see I was looking in the right places and to see what the circuit breaker for the hydraulic unit looked like. They did give me a service sheet for the unit and how to purge the air of it, but that was only applicable if the jacks and slides were retracted. They said if I succeed to let them know how I did it. Will make that visit tomorrow!

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Superchief

To all - They said if I succeed to let them know how I did it. Will make that visit tomorrow!

Sounds great Craig, I know whats it like to be high and dry, I had slides out and jacks fully down once also. Was a faulty electronic control cable. My only guess of what you did right: Could be one of the electric valves you manually opened and closed got stuck and you freed it? At least you have this for next time (not)!

[tmmar]

Craig,
Happy to hear that you resolved the problem and, eventhough it took some jockeying around, turned out not to be a major problem.
Tom

[lefaivre]

First question
Two Rear slides are electric ... not hydraulic. This is also the reason why slide locks are not required in the rear.
Second
Breaker panel is located on the front right edge of bed. These breakers are responsible for most 120 circuits.
There are a large number of relays that are located in one of the rear compartments on the driver side (I think second from back).
Coach fuses for 12 volt systems are located in driver footwell and front gentset compartment.

Suggestion
Make sure that all batteries (both coach and House) are well charges.
Make sure hydraulic fluid levels are at proper level

[malewis49]

I have 2011 410 QS and the front slides will not retract if the jacks are down.

[NO3putt]

Our slides will work with the jacks up or down, but we don't open them unless we are level. Our manal says to level HM before opening slides.