E-450 remote start

[Brianfrench65]

I received this from Forrest River regarding our coach:

“Thank you for your email into Forest River expressing your concerns. Our production has recently change to have the ignition on to function the slides and awning. I understand your concerns but, this is per design to make sure the batteries are a full power when operating to avoid faulting the electronic control boards for the systems. I am your warranty rep. here at Forest River. Feel free to contact me directly anytime for questions and/or concerns.

Respectfully,

Travis Bird
Class C Warranty
Forester, Sunseeker
Forest River Inc.”

[Steve-W]

That is a very interesting bit of info from FR. I can understand it to a point for the slide & levelers, but for the awning it makes zero sense.
If it were mine I would be making a few wiring changes.

[Brianfrench65]

Originally Posted by Steve-W

That is a very interesting bit of info from FR. I can understand it to a point for the slide & levelers, but for the awning it makes zero sense.
If it were mine I would be making a few wiring changes.

I can’t agree more. I really am inconvenced by the awning. I understand the jacks and slide outs, as low voltage will blow fuses and burn motors and controllers.

I really wish I could get my unit to operate the awning without the engine running.

Thank You;

Brian French

[Steve-W]

From what you have said ignition on and parking brake set they must be using a relay tied between the +12 volt Ignition line and the parking brake switch (which is grounded when brake is activated. if indeed that is the case the inhibit line going to the one control system would have to moved to tie directly into the +12 ignition line bypassing the relay. I would expect all this to be under the dash to the left of the steering wheel. essentially a single wire needs moved.

Keep in mind this is not based on fact just my interpretation of how the system functions and my knowledge of how my coach and chassis is wired. FR may do thing completely different. Either way a hour or two and a meter the function could be changed. Another simple solution is to wire a separate switch just inside the door to operate the awning bypassing the one control.

[Brianfrench65]

Steve-W
Quote: “Another simple solution is to wire a separate switch just inside the door to operate the awning bypassing the one control.”

I like that suggestion. Likely it could be in parallel with the one control system?

Is that wiring easily accessible and identifiable ?

Thank You;

Brian French

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by Brianfrench65

Steve-W
Quote: “Another simple solution is to wire a separate switch just inside the door to operate the awning bypassing the one control.”

I like that suggestion. Likely it could be in parallel with the one control system?
Yes

Is that wiring easily accessible and identifiable ?
Most likely

Thank You;

Brian French

The One Control system uses a polarity reversing relay to operate the awning motor. The best bet would be to get a typical awning switch which is set up to do the same you would need to supply it with +12 volts and ground an then parallel the two motor wires on the One Control module (this particular module is called the 5 function receiver). The location of the module varies on what floorplan you have.
Edit to add:
Since you have a 3011 it should be under the bedroom dresser drawer. info is from other threads here on the forum.

[Dr Safety]

Originally Posted by Brianfrench65

I can’t agree more. I really am inconvenienced by the awning. I understand the jacks and slide outs, as the low voltage will blow fuses and burn motors and controllers.

I really wish I could get my unit to operate the awning without the engine running.

Brian,


Thanks for relaying the information from Forest River. I was looking at a 3011 for my next RV, and this may change my mind on that unit. From a practical point of view, I can't image going to sleep with my awning out and hearing a storm come up and having to get my keys and start the coach or turn the ignition on to put the awning in ridiculous.



From a safety point of view, I think it is a potential liability waiting to happen to rely on one circuit to prevent the awning from going out. If there is a short in the parking brake interlock will it fail-safe (I doubt it). I know of no other coach that has the awning wired in this fashion.


One question I have for you and maybe I missed it. Does this hold true even if you are on shore power?? The battery excuse for wiring it this way would be moot as the converter is suppling full DC power.



I wish you the best and it seems like Steve may assist with a workaround for you.

[Steve-W]

Apparently from a conversation I had with a contact at FR today they made this change recently. It absolutely makes no sense and hopefully they will come to their senses quickly on at least the awning operation.There are workarounds but they will require some technical abilities to implement.

[Brianfrench65]

Dr Safety:
Quote : “One question I have for you and maybe I missed it. Does this hold true even if you are on shore power?? The battery excuse for wiring it this way would be moot as the converter is suppling full DC power. “

Yes on shore power the same holds true; the engine has to be running for the jacks; the slide outs and the awning to operate.

Thank You;

Brian French

[Brianfrench65]

Originally Posted by Steve-W

Apparently from a conversation I had with a contact at FR today they made this change recently. It absolutely makes no sense and hopefully they will come to their senses quickly on at least the awning operation.There are workarounds but they will require some technical abilities to implement.

I can’t agree more. The awning is a really hard operation to understand. The jacks and slide outs are understandable however not the awning.

Thank You;

Brian French

[Dr Safety]

Originally Posted by Brianfrench65

Yes on shore power the same holds true; the engine has to be running for the jacks; the slide outs and the awning to operate.

Yikes!!!! Then this makes no sense at all for the slides or awning.



When setting up camp my past procedure (abbreviated) has been:



1. level coach with it running.
2. Turn off coach

3. Plug into Shore Power.
4. Deploy Slides and Awning


I am contacting the Forester division sales and my dealer and ask this question. A deal breaker for me.

[emm-dee]

Might be true but I find it difficult to believe that a single manufacturer out of hundreds has decided to disable awning operation with the ignition off. There is a recall in effect for Solera awnings with the Smart Arm system. That recall corrects a problem where water intrusion could cause a short that allows the awning to deploy while in motion. I don’t think the recall is related, but why introduce a feature that changes things to allow awning deployment while in motion. Seems to me the prudent thing would be to remove all power to the awning whenever the ignition was on.

[Brianfrench65]

emm-dee;

I completely understand however for the awning, the slide outs and the leveling system to operate, the engine has to be running and the parking brake set.

I have tested this, and without the parking brake set, none of the three functions.

My only hope is that somehow we can get the awning operational without the ignition being on.

I am open to suggestions on how to accomplish this.

Thank You;

Brian French

[Tombsy]

Will they work if the ignition is on but engine not started? Just curious because of the wording in the response from FR.

[Steve-W]

Brian,
Couple of questions, im thinking through a few ideas for a solution to your issue.
When the ignition is off is the icon visable on the One Control screen?
If yes when you press the extend or retract do you hear a faint clicking from the module I mentioned eariler located under the wardrobe drawers?

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Tombsy

Will they work if the ignition is on but engine not started? Just curious because of the wording in the response from FR.

My LCI levelers work with just ignition, or with engine running. With ignition on slides and awning are inoperable (which is how it’s supposed to be).

[Brianfrench65]

Originally Posted by Tombsy

Will they work if the ignition is on but engine not started? Just curious because of the wording in the response from FR.

Yes, the jacks; the slide outs and the awning works with the key on, however I don’t like to do anything with just the key on. I remember the days of when engines used points in the ignition system, and the key being on would burn the points. I understand electronic engines are completely different, in the back of my mind, it’s not a good thing to do.

Thank You;

Brian French

[jtmitch416]

X2 [emoji16]

[Brianfrench65]

Dr Ssfety:
quote: “ I am contacting the Forester division sales and my dealer and ask this question. A deal breaker for me.”

Please let us know what you learn from your inquiries.

Thank You;

Brian French

[emm-dee]

I just talked to a contact at Forest River who verified the awning and slides require the key to be on in order to operate. It has to do with protection for the system modules in the event of low voltage.

Now, ‘splain it to me how you get better voltage when the key is on...meaning you just added more systems resulting in lower voltage.

Apparently several folks at FR are not happy with this change. Fortunately my 3051 doesn’t do that because I would not have bought it with the new system.