bclemens
Senior Member
Industry Pro
A recent thread about dead batteries/non-working slide and also a conversation on our Facebook page (with successful results) got me thinking about the slide issues we run into....and some confusion about their operation. This is a HIGH frustration area, when in most cases there is a really easy, quick fix.
Batteries:
Car or starting batteries are meant to give REALLY high output for a short period of time, basically to crank the motor.
RV Batteries (at least ours) are true deep cycle batteries meant to drain very slowly over a long period of time.
The slide is a motor. So when we operate a slide out, we are asking the RV batteries to do something they weren't really meant to do. It's like asking a marathon runner to enter a 100 meter sprint. They could do it....but its not what they were built for.
So, we ask that the batteries have some back up (engine running, plugged in or generator running). Same as having that marathon runner to do that sprint "wind aided"...or with a strong wind at their back.
The new slide switches and brains we run are designed to prevent catastrophe. So when you run the slide out, they are designed to "look" for problems and stop operating if there are some.
What happens in most cases, if you are not plugged in, or you are dry camping, or maybe at some point you lost power, or its cold, you tried to operate the slide without that "extra support". In any of those cases, the battery is tired. We are asking it to run a sprint....it will go, but maybe slowly. It's at that point, the slide "brain" is looking for issues. SO it MIGHT see low voltage and trigger a low voltage fault. Or maybe the voltage is good, but its operating slowly, it might think you have a motor problem and its dragging. What I am saying is that a LOW VOLTAGE issue, could trigger ANY number of fault codes.
The answer in 90% of the cases? Plug in, turn on the engine, run the gen....let the batteries charge up to full power and leave those things on. The problem is, the "brain" now thinks you have an issue and it wants you to correct that issue. It is stubborn and is not going to move until you do.
So, now, once you have that "extra support", pull the slide switch (shown). On the back side, there is a small "clear fault" button. Push that for one second. That should clear your fault and it tells the brain "everything is ok". Then try to operate the slide again. 90% of the time (including the FB conversation) this clears the fault and now you're ready to roll. These people were stranded, hopeless and slightly panicked because they didn't know. Had they read the manual, it might have helped...but I have said before, there is a LOT to learn and we're always trying to do a better job of teaching, showing, explaining the ones that cause the most frustration...even if the manual was there.
ONE side note. IF you press and hold that button TOO long. It will clear the stops. Then your slide won't operate until you re-set them. That too is in the manual, but is a little more complex. I will save that for another day.
Batteries:
Car or starting batteries are meant to give REALLY high output for a short period of time, basically to crank the motor.
RV Batteries (at least ours) are true deep cycle batteries meant to drain very slowly over a long period of time.
The slide is a motor. So when we operate a slide out, we are asking the RV batteries to do something they weren't really meant to do. It's like asking a marathon runner to enter a 100 meter sprint. They could do it....but its not what they were built for.
So, we ask that the batteries have some back up (engine running, plugged in or generator running). Same as having that marathon runner to do that sprint "wind aided"...or with a strong wind at their back.
The new slide switches and brains we run are designed to prevent catastrophe. So when you run the slide out, they are designed to "look" for problems and stop operating if there are some.
What happens in most cases, if you are not plugged in, or you are dry camping, or maybe at some point you lost power, or its cold, you tried to operate the slide without that "extra support". In any of those cases, the battery is tired. We are asking it to run a sprint....it will go, but maybe slowly. It's at that point, the slide "brain" is looking for issues. SO it MIGHT see low voltage and trigger a low voltage fault. Or maybe the voltage is good, but its operating slowly, it might think you have a motor problem and its dragging. What I am saying is that a LOW VOLTAGE issue, could trigger ANY number of fault codes.
The answer in 90% of the cases? Plug in, turn on the engine, run the gen....let the batteries charge up to full power and leave those things on. The problem is, the "brain" now thinks you have an issue and it wants you to correct that issue. It is stubborn and is not going to move until you do.
So, now, once you have that "extra support", pull the slide switch (shown). On the back side, there is a small "clear fault" button. Push that for one second. That should clear your fault and it tells the brain "everything is ok". Then try to operate the slide again. 90% of the time (including the FB conversation) this clears the fault and now you're ready to roll. These people were stranded, hopeless and slightly panicked because they didn't know. Had they read the manual, it might have helped...but I have said before, there is a LOT to learn and we're always trying to do a better job of teaching, showing, explaining the ones that cause the most frustration...even if the manual was there.
ONE side note. IF you press and hold that button TOO long. It will clear the stops. Then your slide won't operate until you re-set them. That too is in the manual, but is a little more complex. I will save that for another day.
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We have a lot to learn, and I really appreciate your help in this matter.
