Slide Out Issues Cont'd

[Acaines]

I posted a few weeks ago about my slide out not working with shore power nor onboard power. All other 12v equipment works fine with onboard power. The only way the slide out will work is if the trailer is connected to the truck. The general consensus was that my batteries weren't supplying enough current to operate the motor.

I had those batteries load tested and they showed over 600 CCA. The battery/tire dealer also allowed me to bring home two new batteries to hook up and the slide out still didn't work.

I've concluded a couple things: as the sticker on the wall next to the control panel suggests, the slide out motor operates on its own 12v circuit independent of the converter. There is an input to that circuit from the pigtail to the truck to the motor which works just fine. The disconnect is obviously between the onboard batteries and the slide out motor.

I did find a blown 15A fuse on the line between the batteries and the input into the trailer. However, changing that fuse out didn't fix the problem nor did it turn anything on that I didn't realize wasn't working.

I spoke with a friend who knows about travel trailers in general and he suggested seeing if there was some kind of solenoid that allows switching between onboard batteries and outside 12v sources. However, searching for wiring diagrams or schematics specific to my trailer revealed that such information is "proprietary" and I would need to take my trailer to an authorized dealership for repairs.

This is a 2017 Keystone Passport Ultra Lite Grand Touring 2450RLWE.

[Texas Steve]

Do you have a battery disconnect switch and is it set to "on" when trying the slide? Also, check the DC Mini Breaker near the battery for power going through.

[chuckster57]

1) How did you determine the slide motor operates on its own circuit independent from the converter?

2) cold cranking amps rating is for automobiles not RV’s

There is no solenoid that “switches” from battery to shore power.

When you install a 12V battery (or a pair of 6V batteries) they will power everything that is 12V in the trailer.

When you plug into shore power, the CONVERTER starts charging the battery’s and supplies 12V to the trailer. The tag that says you must have battery installed is because your converter alone can’t provide the power needed to run the slide motor.

If the slide motor isn’t working you need to test for voltage at the motor connections and if you have 12V test the amp draw. If you have 12V I’m betting your motor is no good. If you look at my signature I know a little more than “general” about RVs.

[Canonman]

Could it somehow be the resettable circuit breaker at the battery?? It would be some oddball wiring but it is a 2017 and possibly jerry rigged in the past.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Canonman

Could it somehow be the resettable circuit breaker at the battery?? It would be some oddball wiring but it is a 2017 and possibly jerry rigged in the past.

Prior to when Keystone introduced the "Giggy Box" (which is a black box with these DC circuit breakers inside it) all the Keystone "travel trailers" had 2, 3 or more of these breakers screwed to the bulkhead between the A frame rails (right behind the battery tray). When the "Giggy Box" was introduced around 2019-2020, they "disappeared from the bulkhead and "reappeared inside the "Giggy Box"...

They "never left the trailer 12 volt wiring" they just "reconfigured to inside a slightly more protective black box".....

[bigrockk]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Prior to when Keystone introduced the "Giggy Box" (which is a black box with these DC circuit breakers inside it) all the Keystone "travel trailers" had 2, 3 or more of these breakers screwed to the bulkhead between the A frame rails (right behind the battery tray). When the "Giggy Box" was introduced around 2019-2020, they "disappeared from the bulkhead and "reappeared inside the "Giggy Box"...

They "never left the trailer 12 volt wiring" they just "reconfigured to inside a slightly more protective black box".....

Thanks for that explanation, I've seen the term "Giggy Box" on these forums more than once and it's a term I was was not familiar with.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by bigrockk

Thanks for that explanation, I've seen the term "Giggy Box" on these forums more than once and it's a term I was was not familiar with.

Take a look at the information about the Giggy Box at this link: https://www.keystonerv.com/innovations/giggy-box

IMO, while Keystone cuts lots of corners where I think they shouldn't, the introduction of the Giggy Box was one of the things I think they got right... If nothing else, it at least gets all those "non-waterproof" DC mini-breakers inside a weatherproof plastic box. That alone improves the 12 volt DC system "leaps and bounds" ....

[Acaines]

Could well be. There are two of them on the frame right by the battery tray.

[bigrockk]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Take a look at the information about the Giggy Box at this link: https://www.keystonerv.com/innovations/giggy-box

IMO, while Keystone cuts lots of corners where I think they shouldn't, the introduction of the Giggy Box was one of the things I think they got right... If nothing else, it at least gets all those "non-waterproof" DC mini-breakers inside a weatherproof plastic box. That alone improves the 12 volt DC system "leaps and bounds" ....

Agree 100%, definitely an improvement! Thank you for that link.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

1) How did you determine the slide motor operates on its own circuit independent from the converter?

2) cold cranking amps rating is for automobiles not RV’s

There is no solenoid that “switches” from battery to shore power.

When you install a 12V battery (or a pair of 6V batteries) they will power everything that is 12V in the trailer.

When you plug into shore power, the CONVERTER starts charging the battery’s and supplies 12V to the trailer. The tag that says you must have battery installed is because your converter alone can’t provide the power needed to run the slide motor.

If the slide motor isn’t working you need to test for voltage at the motor connections and if you have 12V test the amp draw. If you have 12V I’m betting your motor is no good. If you look at my signature I know a little more than “general” about RVs.

What Chuck says is important and not understood by many. All 12 volt DC is powered through the battery with the converter recharging the battery. The battery serves as a "shock absorber" to briefly supply amperage when the converter cannot supply it.