2018 Cougar 29 BHS

[papachaz]

Hey everyone, a quick question. I am having problems with my ground control 3.0 leveling system. I have talked to 3 different techs with Lippert over the last 4 days. I wound up replacing the battery today, and even though it's a new off the shelf battery, I know it's not fully charged, it is charging over night tonight then I'll call them back tomorrow.

The thing I'm having an issue with, is the last guy, all of which were very nice and helpful BTW, told me to get my multimeter and have it handy so we can check voltage at the controller. I've followed the wire coming from the touch pad, and it disappears...does anyone happen to know where that controller is? I have a sneaky feeling I'm going to have to remove everything from the pass through storage and it's going to be behind a panel somewhere, guess it's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic. But if anyone can tell me for sure where it is, and it's NOT there, will save me a lot of time and trouble.

I've searched the forum, and the closest answer I can find is that it's probably in the same compartment where the water pump is, and I have no idea where that is either....LOL

thanks in advance!

[MarkEHansen]

I don't know where it is on your trailer. However, you can get some help by looking at the heavy gauge wires running from the landing gear motors. They will run back to the controller, so if you can see where they go up into the trailer from underneath, it may provide some clue - one of them may go right into the compartment where the controller is mounted.

It may be close to the control pad, so that may also give a hint.

On our trailer, it is mounted in the same area with the water pump. To find your water pump, just turn it on and open a faucet and listen for it. It will probably be behind a removable panel or something similar.

Good luck!

[papachaz]

I don't know where it is on your trailer. However, you can get some help by looking at the heavy gauge wires running from the landing gear motors. They will run back to the controller, so if you can see where they go up into the trailer from underneath, it may provide some clue - one of them may go right into the compartment where the controller is mounted.

It may be close to the control pad, so that may also give a hint.

On our trailer, it is mounted in the same area with the water pump. To find your water pump, just turn it on and open a faucet and listen for it. It will probably be behind a removable panel or something similar.

Good luck!

yeah, I was kind of hoping someone would know which 'hidden' compartment it's in. following wires from the land gear motors isn't any easier as those all disappear through the insulation underneath.

Just winterized it again after camping last weekend, and lows are predicted to be in the low 20s high teens the next couple of nights, so using the water pump isn't going to be an option. It's raining today all day, so I may very well wait until the weather breaks in a couple of days and get back on it.
I think I'm going to wind up having to empty out the pass through storage, crawl up in there and take off a panel, although I might be able to flip the mattress off the bed and take off the platform.

appreciate the suggestions though :)

[Summergirl]

Your water pump location if like most will be in cabinet by the right side of the bed.
Look for some screws on the front or top of panel.
If it has carpet they may be hard to see.

[papachaz]

Your water pump location if like most will be in cabinet by the right side of the bed.
Look for some screws on the front or top of panel.
If it has carpet they may be hard to see.

I found the leveling controller, behind yet another panel in the pass through storage area. So I've been crawling in and out of there all morning, not fun.

still don't have the leveling problems figured out, been on the phone with the dealer's mechanic and LCI. The retract button no longer works on the touch pad, but you can bypass that by going to auto hitch, although it still kicks out the error.

I can't even take it in to be fixed, because the front jacks are on the ground, and I can't get them raised....this has gotten real interesting

[MarkEHansen]

Can you place the system in manual mode? After powering it on, use the up/down buttons on the left side to navigate to manual mode, and then click Enter. Now you can adjust the jacks manually.

One thing though - if the trailer's weight is on the front jacks, raise the trailer using the tongue jack first - so the front jacks are unloaded. Then raise each of the front jacks.

... assuming your system is working well enough to do this, of course.

[papachaz]

Can you place the system in manual mode? After powering it on, use the up/down buttons on the left side to navigate to manual mode, and then click Enter. Now you can adjust the jacks manually.

One thing though - if the trailer's weight is on the front jacks, raise the trailer using the tongue jack first - so the front jacks are unloaded. Then raise each of the front jacks.

... assuming your system is working well enough to do this, of course.

I have been in manual mode, I can't get anything to retract now because the 'bubble' for the 'retract' button is no longer there, in other words, I have no retract button. The touch pad doesn't even power on any longer, unless I go out to the tongue jack and and activate it first.

the front jacks are all the way extended, but I can block under the tongue jack and get the weight off of them, I hadn't considered that. I have been on the phone with the mechanic at the dealer I bought from, Camper Kingdom in Meridian MS, and after talking with the mechanic off and on all day, the owner of the dealership just called me a little bit ago and said they are going to send me a new touch pad to install. I have said all along, the brands are all going to have some who love em and some who hate em, but the thing to research is the dealer. These folks are great and this is why I've bought my last two campers from them.

ok, on my way out to block the tongue jack and get the weight off them and see if I can get them up, if I can get this thing hooked up to my truck, I'll take it in and let them figure it out, LOL

thanks for the suggestions!

[papachaz]

ok so my dealer called me and gave me the number for Keystone Customer Support. I called and talked to a lady there, who informed me that they do not have technicians that talk to retail customers, only to the dealership....

the dealer is sending me a new touch pad, mailing it today. Hopefully I'll get it monday or tuesday and can change that out.

however, I called LCI back, and the tech there told me how to manually raise it with a drill if I have to do that, although since this is the 4th time I've called them in a week, he told me he'd cover a mobile tech service to come out. If I can get these jacks up, then I will gladly take it back to my dealer, I trust them completely.

Oh, to raise the jacks, on the front, there is a rubber plug to remove, a 3/8" socket extension fits in there. Unplug the electrical connections and you can use a drill to raise/lower the jacks. On the rear jacks, it's under the bottom of the jack motor. Just so anyone who needs to know that in the future will know :)

[MarkEHansen]

Do you have the manual? I've found it very helpful when I've had questions about how it worked. It goes over how to use manual mode, how to manually reposition the gear using a drill/driver, etc.

[papachaz]

Do you have the manual? I've found it very helpful when I've had questions about how it worked. It goes over how to use manual mode, how to manually reposition the gear using a drill/driver, etc.

I don't have a manual, I do have the LCI app though, and it has some info in it but I find it very lacking as well.

As for manual mode, well that was working for me, until the touch pad shot out, so as soon as I get the new one, and install it, I'll see if I can get the jacks up, and recalibrate everything. if not, then I'll raise the jacks with the drill and take it in to the dealer.

[MarkEHansen]

Here's a link to the Lippert Master Owner's Manual (Leveling and Stabilizing): https://support.lci1.com/master-owners-manual-towing

Then I think what you want is the section on page 41 titled Ground Control TT Leveling System.

You may already know all this, so this is just an FYI.

Good luck on getting it all working. By the way, I've had very few issues with Ground Control 3.0 on my trailer and learned to work around them so the operation is now flawless. I'm very happy to have it.

[papachaz]

Here's a link to the Lippert Master Owner's Manual (Leveling and Stabilizing): https://support.lci1.com/master-owners-manual-towing

Then I think what you want is the section on page 41 titled Ground Control TT Leveling System.

You may already know all this, so this is just an FYI.

Good luck on getting it all working. By the way, I've had very few issues with Ground Control 3.0 on my trailer and learned to work around them so the operation is now flawless. I'm very happy to have it.

yeah we bought this camper last april, we have logged 10 camping trips, over 3200 miles. set up several times here at home, never had an issue before now. I love it too, I'll take the blame partially because I failed to keep the battery charged. I am in the process of taking bids for electricians to wire me a circuit out there to keep it plugged in all the time and I won't have to worry about dead battery again

[papachaz]

Here's a link to the Lippert Master Owner's Manual (Leveling and Stabilizing): https://support.lci1.com/master-owners-manual-towing

Then I think what you want is the section on page 41 titled Ground Control TT Leveling System.

You may already know all this, so this is just an FYI.

Good luck on getting it all working. By the way, I've had very few issues with Ground Control 3.0 on my trailer and learned to work around them so the operation is now flawless. I'm very happy to have it.

oh thanks for the link! that one is actually for 'towing' but getting to their site I was able to find the correct manual and download it. Thinking I may print out the pages that go for my system and keep it in the camper.

When I get the new touchpad, before I do anything I plan to call LCI back and let them walk me through everything. I'm thinking I'll need to reset the zero calibration, although that may be in the control unit and not in the touch pad. They can tell me that I'm sure.

thanks again for the help, in my mind, the dead battery was the culprit, and the touch pad going out while retracting just maxxed the issue. We'll see, and I will update when we're back up and running. worse case scenario is I get the front jacks down, hook up and take it to the dealer

[MarkEHansen]

Sorry about the link. They used to have one consolidated manual, but now have split it into separate parts - I noticed that and thought I got the correct link :(

The manual does include the process for recalibrating the unit (zero calibration, or something like that). Good luck.

[papachaz]

Sorry about the link. They used to have one consolidated manual, but now have split it into separate parts - I noticed that and thought I got the correct link :(

The manual does include the process for recalibrating the unit (zero calibration, or something like that). Good luck.

hey no problem Mark, I did find and download the manual.

latest update:

the dealer sent me a new touch pad. Installed it this morning, and I now have the ability to navigate raising and lowering again! Yay, however.....

the left rear jack error is still there. I did call Lippert back this morning and we've walked through several things, he had me change the plugs on the controller, swapping the LR and the RR jacks, on the controller. When I do that, the issue changes sides, in other words, with the LR plugged into the RR port on the controller, the left rear jack works correctly, the problem then becomes the RR, so this tells him (and me, as a computer tech) that the issue is with the LR port on the board.

So I have talked with the dealer again, waiting for them to tell me if they are going to send me a new contoller and I swap them (which I would really rather do, since I trust ME, LOL) or if they want me to bring it in. Lippert said they would send me a new controller if the dealer won't, but they prefer me to get it handled through the dealer now that the jacks are raised and I can tow it, as Keystone doesn't like having to deal with warranty work through them, they want to deal with their dealers. I understand this perfectly, and I will do whatever they want me to do, I just need my camper fixed!

[papachaz]

latest update through this afternoon. Dealer is having Keystone send me a new controller, should receive it later this week. I'll change it out, rehome and re-do the zero set point, and should be good to go.

My dealer called me this afternoon to let me know, and laughed when he said, 'you're learning a lot this week aren't you'...LOL

yeah, but definitely not bad things to know.

Will update when I get it in and changed. The folks at Lippert are super nice and will go above and beyond to help. I can not say enough good things about my dealer either, this hasn't been just some flunky working in the shop who's called me, this is the owner of the dealership!

[chuckster57]

When you get the new controller, it will be straight forward to swap all the wiring harness’. Just don’t forget to put that little jumper back in.

[papachaz]

When you get the new controller, it will be straight forward to swap all the wiring harness’. Just don’t forget to put that little jumper back in.

I figure on taking it one wire at a time, off the old board, onto the new one. Not sure what jumper you're referring to, I do have a case number and am on a first name basis with a couple of the LCI Techs, so I know I can call and ask LOL

I also know I'll have to manually level it the reset the zero point, that's all pretty well spelled out in the manual and in a few videos I've watched, but I am curious about the jumper. When I first started working on computers, everything was set by jumpers or dip switches, so I'm very familiar :) so where is this jumper? in my looking at it, I don't remember seeing a jumper. I do have a pic so maybe I need to enlarge it and look at it

[papachaz]

another quick update. Got a call from Keystone Customer service today. I had emailed them about this issue with the jacks. They actually called me today to check on whether something was being done about it. I did inform her that my dealer and the techs at Lippert are great to work with, and they were taking care of me.

have to say, I'm surprised they reached out to me, so I'll give them an 'atta girl' she seemed to be knowledgeable and was friendly. Glad to hear that my dealer is taking care of me.

I say I'm surprised, because I've already had a couple of issues trying to talk directly to Keystone customer service, maybe I've made a 'squeaky wheel' impression, but what whatever it is, I'll take a call from them as a good thing any time

[papachaz]

final update:

should have posted this yesterday, but just didn't have the time.

New controller arrived via UPS, Keystone shipped it Wed, I got it Fri, impressive!

I called LCI and talked to one of their techs again before I started the 'replace' process, just to make sure I wasn't going to get any surprises. He basically told me what I already knew, that I'd have to 'rehome' and 'recalibrate zero point', but he wasn't sure what screen would come up first when I powered it up.

Changeout was straight forward, wire off the old board, put on the new one. One wire at a time, although they're all marked on the board and the wires are labeled, still did it this way to make sure there was no confusion. Before I started, I unhooked the battery to be sure I wouldn't accidentally short something out. Changed all wires, and hooked the battery back up.

at power up, the screen immediately went to 'zero point calibration' and I had no choice except to choose enter and set it there, I knew I was going to have to manually level it and reset anyway, no big deal.

The tech told me I would probably have to force a jack error so it would let me do the 'rehome' process, but after setting the zero point, it came up with the 'LF jack error'. Rehome process is pretty simple, extend all jacks to at least 6", push and hold the 'retract' button until they actually begin to retract, then release it and they'll all go back up in sequence. This is what it WOULDN'T do before I changed the controller.

Then came the tedious process of leveling setting the zero point. I say tedious, because I was home alone yesterday, so I was having to raise jacks, go in and check the level (I used a 4 ft carpenters level inside) I started out by putting all the jacks to the ground, then checked the level. My carport is slightly off, lower on the left side. I leveled it up from side to side first, checking the front first, then going to the rear. After it was level side to side, I could then level front to back with just the 'front' and 'rear' buttons on the touch pad (I don't have a remote, yet). I moved the level to the center of the camper inside, running front to back and leveled it. Then I rechecked side to side at both the front and rear, had to do a few tweaks, but nothing major. After rechecks in all directions, set the zero point there. Which is done by turning the touch pad off, then pushing the 'front' button five times, followed by immediately pushing the 'rear' button five times. There's the ' set zero point' screen, hit enter and it's set.

next step was to power on the touch pad, arrow key to 'auto hitch height' and watch it retract all the jacks.

After that, I went through the auto level process 3 times, just because I'm anal retentive and needed to see it do it multiple times, LOL

So it's back working again, I called my dealer and told him it was fixed, I asked him why I didn't get the remote with it, and he's going to check into that for me. If I'd had the remote, sure would have made setting the zero point by myself a lot easier.

All total, from the time I walked outside to start until I finished and went back inside, was 40 minutes.

@chuckster57 - there was no 'jumper' to have to deal with, just an FYI that they've apparently upgraded or this setup is different from what you're familiar with.

through this whole process, I can't say enough good things about the LCI techs, and my dealer. Even Keystone called me to check on how it was coming along. Hate having trouble, but, having people work with me through the whole thing, and being able to do this myself, no trip in to the dealer and waiting 'my turn'....definitely worth doing myself

[MarkEHansen]

I'm glad it's all working for you. We looked into the Ground Control 3.0 remote but it was just too expensive - I looked for my notes and can't find them, It was upwards of $300. In normal use, we don't really need it so I gave up on that.

[Eric MP]

Came in on the late side of all this..........at the tail end to be exact. Any idea how old your controller is/was? We settled on our purchase of our 27RL Sprinter Campfire two years ago yesterday. The dealer had this discontinued floor plan model on their lot for about 6 months, give or take. When we settled the leveling system did not work. I can only guestimate that the dealer's techs did some checks on wiring for maybe 10 minutes then replaced the controller (panel). No cause was given for the control panel's failure.


As we finished last season in late October, our auto level failed. I was kind of in your boat..........manual retract was the next process called for. Pushing the retract button did not do what the controller said it would do. The jacks would not come up. I found the LCI owners manual for the leveling component systems and printed it out. When I saw "manual" retract, the "electronic" aspect (@ controller panel ) left my mind. The owners manual did as you said,..... told me how to retract with a drill or socket wrench. Got it done. Still had the LF error.......jumping ahead, after some time passed, battery charge and vehicle electrical hook up and running, "0" Calibra., jacks 6" down, retract again did not work; have not been able to get rid of the LF error code. Actually, the controller/system refused to do anything yesterday, the last time I tried. Seems a new controller may be the pill that I have to take.



My mind has gone back to two years ago, the replacement at no charge and am now wondering about the realistic life span of the controller, or......is it an electrical problem that the dealer may not have taken time to hunt for.............. We have probably had 13 trips over these two years and about 5000 miles on the TT. So, does anyone know. like "Long Life" fish food, if any of these controllers have any chance at a long life of their own? :banghead: