Multiple Slides Controlled by One Switch

radman72 · 03-03-2021, 05:31 PM

I recently purchased a new Sierra 321RL and am going through the normal learning curve. The RV has 3 slides -- one for the main living room, one for the kitchen, and one for the bedroom. The main living room and kitchen slides are both motor/gear driven. I'm not sure about the bedroom slide but guess its motor and gear driven as well.
My issue is that the main living room and kitchen slide both operate with the same switch on the control panel. When the button is pushed, the kitchen slide goes all the way out first, then the main living room slide. There is no way I can select only the main living room slide to open, or just the kitchen slide. The bedroom slide has its own button and operates independently.
The strange thing is that there are 3 buttons on the control panel available for slides; the third button doesn't do anything.
Is this normal? My previous Rockwood with 3 slides didn't work this way and I don't understand the logic of wiring the slides this way. I really don't want to tear into the control panel....Any ideas?

CHICKDOE · 03-03-2021, 06:58 PM

Are you sure they are motor and driven? Do you have a hydraulic pump for the legs are leveling?

When I read about a situation like yours it is typically caused by using he hydraulic pump to extend a hydraulic ram on each slide. The two rams share the same output pressure from the pump. The slide that offers the least resistance moves first and when it is out the pump then moves the other slide out.

Our fifth wheel has three slides that all share the same pump.

If this is the case there is a way to operate only one slide. The output pressure from the pump will go into a manifold and from it there will be hose runs to the individual slides. The manifold has control valves the allow you close off pressure to an individual slide so that it will not move. But to be honest, these valves are for maintenance purposes and not for everyday operation.

GlenZ · 03-04-2021, 06:29 AM

My Sanibel does the same thing. It’s just set up that way so not much we can do. Personally I think it’s bad design!

radman72 · 03-04-2021, 10:43 AM

Thanks for the replies. Chickdoe, what you say makes sense on the hydraulic pump. And I do have the hydraulic leveling legs.
I agree with the bad design, looks like I'll just have to get used to it.

GFD47 · 03-04-2021, 03:02 PM

Not saying it would be easy, or even cheap, but if you found a semi-convenient, semi-hidden place to locate individual actuators you could have a hydraulics outfit plumb separate spring-loaded actuator levers for each slide. I used to operate bridge repair trucks that had multiple hydraulic features all operating off the same pump...needless to say you don't want the stabilizers backing off at the same time the bucket is coming down. Multiple hydraulic actuators operating off a single pump is totally normal in the construction industry. Wouldn't hurt to find a hydraulics shop and ask.

NCBBA11043 · 03-04-2021, 05:14 PM

I use he valves all the time...

raysen · 03-04-2021, 05:30 PM

I have 2010 Sierra 355QBQ with 4 slides and they are the same set up. Just have to get used to it

2008 Ford F450 King Ranch
2010 Sierra 355QBQ

radman72 · 03-04-2021, 06:01 PM

Thanks for the replies...I'll look for the hydraulic fluid manifold setup next time I'm over at the storage area. That might be the best solution for the few times when only one slide is needed.

heyvern58 · 04-25-2021, 10:03 PM

Thanks RADMAN72!! Whither good or bad, I finally found someone who wants to know the same thing. I have a 2020 Sierra 379FLOK with 6 SLIDES! The front 2 slides are motor driven electric slides each with their own switches in the control panel. The other 4 Slides are hydraulic and operate from 1 Switch in the control panel. They do operate off of least resistance. Like you, I would like to control which of the 4 slides opens. Usually the slide I want to open, is the last of the 4 to open, imagine that and it's very frustrating!! Anyway, I have a friend who has a Cardinal, and his unit has a hydraulic valve manifold with selector buttons on it that he can control which slides operate. I want to do that to mine, but from what I'm finding out, I will have to remove the underbelly covering to access the hydraulic line coming from the pump, one line feeding the 4 back slides. I guess the engineers who designed the system have never pulled a camper and needed to just get in one slide when traveling. I guess the cost would be greater to add 4 hydraulic lines instead of 1!! Anyway, glad to know there are other people out there that want to do the same thing!

csterl01 · 08-30-2021, 05:49 PM

I actually think the single hydraulic pump system is a good idea and it works well. It has been more reliable than the electric system on my previous tt. I too use the manual valves to open or close any combination of my 4 slides. When all valves are open, the system moves the slide that requires the least amount of pressure first. It's not hard to figure the sequence the slides move in, and am glad to not have the weight and expense of unique hydraulic systems for each slide and the leveling system.

careycrawford · 10-25-2021, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radman72

I recently purchased a new Sierra 321RL and am going through the normal learning curve. The RV has 3 slides -- one for the main living room, one for the kitchen, and one for the bedroom. The main living room and kitchen slides are both motor/gear driven. I'm not sure about the bedroom slide but guess its motor and gear driven as well.
My issue is that the main living room and kitchen slide both operate with the same switch on the control panel. When the button is pushed, the kitchen slide goes all the way out first, then the main living room slide. There is no way I can select only the main living room slide to open, or just the kitchen slide. The bedroom slide has its own button and operates independently.
The strange thing is that there are 3 buttons on the control panel available for slides; the third button doesn't do anything.
Is this normal? My previous Rockwood with 3 slides didn't work this way and I don't understand the logic of wiring the slides this way. I really don't want to tear into the control panel....Any ideas?

Morning,
Just curious if you have found anymore information about your slides working this way? We just purchased a fifth wheel that has 3 slide out buttons and 3 slide outs. Slide button 1 works the bedroom. Slide button 2 works the kitchen and dining room slides. Slide button 3 hums and moves nothing. Curious as to why we too have 3 buttons, 3 slide outs but only 2 buttons work. Contacted our rv dealer and they are looking into it, but as of now we still have no answers.

radman72 · 10-25-2021, 03:54 PM

Nothing new to report...I've gotten used to having the slides work this way and haven't really experienced any negative effects. My control panel also has 3 buttons for slides but only two of them actually operate anything. Its probably a standard template for control panels.

careycrawford · 10-25-2021, 04:51 PM

I guess we may have to get use to it too. We have an appointment with the dealer to make sure that it is operating correctly. Thanks for the quick response. I'll let you know what our dealer says over the next couple of weeks.

Hitechpete · 03-26-2022, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by careycrawford

Morning,
Just curious if you have found anymore information about your slides working this way? We just purchased a fifth wheel that has 3 slide out buttons and 3 slide outs. Slide button 1 works the bedroom. Slide button 2 works the kitchen and dining room slides. Slide button 3 hums and moves nothing. Curious as to why we too have 3 buttons, 3 slide outs but only 2 buttons work. Contacted our rv dealer and they are looking into it, but as of now we still have no answers.

Hi, if you have multiple hydraulic slides, you will have only one switch to operate them all, but somewhere (in our case, in the wet locker) you will have a manifold that allows individual slides to be disabled. Generally electrically driven slides Schwimtek or similar will have individual switches.

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