Cougar HC 321RES Slide Electrical Issue

[DoubleOTexan]

I have a 2012 HC321RES with non operable slides, legs, or jack.

12v items that work:

• LR & BR Lights
• Awning - using switch
• Water Heater - electric & propane
• Water Pump

12v items that DO NOT work:

• Electric Slides
• Electric Jack
• Electric leveling legs

I have checked the following regarding the 12v system:

• 12v Battery = 13.6v
• 12v 50A Auto Reset Breaker = continuity and 13.6v
• Power in @ Fuse Panel from battery = 13.6v
• Power in @ Fuse Panel from converter = 13.6v
• All 15A fuses in fuse panel
• 30A fuse for electric jack
• 30A and 15A fuse for remote panel

I have checked the following regarding shore power:

• Power into Breaker Box = 120v
• Power to converter = 120v
• Power out of converter = 13.6v

I have also changed the neutral/common buss bar due to corrosion.

What is weird is when I pull the fuses from the fuse panel, not all the indicator lights come in, leading me to believe I have a short somewhere that is interfering with the signal from the switches/remote.

https://imgur.com/SNURide



Thoughts?

[travelin texans]

Sounds like a battery issue with the low amp items still working but the high amp draw items like slides & jacks don't.
You indicate everywhere you checked converter & battery voltage at 13.6, did you check the batteries with shore power connected, if so you were reading converter output. Disconnect your batteries, let them set for about an hour then check them, I'm guessing you won't see that 13.6, if not take them to your local auto parts store & have them load tested. Before connecting them back plug into shore power & read the voltage at the disconnected cables, that's the converter output & should be 13.6+.
Just thinking out loud. When did you check the water levels in your batteries last? That is a required maintenance item about every other month & top them off with distilled water.

[LHaven]

I suspect your battery is failed.
Simple analysis:

1. Unplug from shore power.
2. See if "12V items that work" stop working or work really funny (e.g., pump sounds weak, lights are dim).
3. Check the DC voltage again and see if it is significantly down from 13.6 (while you're plugged into shore power, you're reading the converter voltage, not the battery).

The "12V items that don't work" are all items that need significant amperage from a healthy battery -- the converter alone is NOT enough to run them.

Definitive analysis: Have the battery load tested at an auto shop.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by DoubleOTexan

I have a 2012 HC321RES with non operable slides, legs, or jack.

12v items that work:

• LR & BR Lights
• Awning - using switch
• Water Heater - electric & propane
• Water Pump

12v items that DO NOT work:

• Electric Slides
• Electric Jack
• Electric leveling legs

I have checked the following regarding the 12v system:

• 12v Battery = 13.6v
• 12v 50A Auto Reset Breaker = continuity and 13.6v
• Power in @ Fuse Panel from battery = 13.6v
• Power in @ Fuse Panel from converter = 13.6v
• All 15A fuses in fuse panel
• 30A fuse for electric jack
• 30A and 15A fuse for remote panel

I have checked the following regarding shore power:

• Power into Breaker Box = 120v
• Power to converter = 120v
• Power out of converter = 13.6v

I have also changed the neutral/common buss bar due to corrosion.

What is weird is when I pull the fuses from the fuse panel, not all the indicator lights come in, leading me to believe I have a short somewhere that is interfering with the signal from the switches/remote.

https://imgur.com/SNURide



Thoughts?

When trouble shooting any problem take a logical approach to analyze what's happenening first. If you return home to a dark house you fliup a lightswitch on. If the light doesn't come on you go turn on another light to see if the power is out. if that doesn't work either than you look at what the common issue is.

The three sysytems that failed in your camper I you state are all electric motor power, not hydraulic so what's the common items with all of them. It's very unlikley that the three or four seperate motors would fail at the same time. First suspect is battery as has been explained by others. Easiest test? Place a volt meter on the battery leads. Do not have the unit plugged into shore power or the truck, battery power alone. Have someone push one of the buttons to operate whatever doesm't work. The battery voltage will most likely drop very low if the battery is weak or internally shorted. If the battery voltage does not vary then move on to the next "common component". Check the ground, the cable from the battery neg terminal to the frame. If it's severly corroded (not uncommon where the cable is screwed to the frame) then it will cause gigh resistance which will effect the higher amp loads more than it will an LED light. If that's good move down the line.

The fastest way I know to check that 50 or 30 amp auto resseting 12 vdc breaker is by "jumping the posts. You can do this with a heavy peice of wire with alligator clips on each end or going across the two posts with a pair of liers or screwdriver AS LONG AS YOU DON'T TOUCH THE FRAME OR GROUND WHILE YOU TOUCH THE POSTS. Have someone operate a switch while you "jump out" that breaker.

If it still doesn't work then follow the electric to the next component and test/verify . From the sounds of your description I doubt you'll end up past the battery. In refrence to your "pulling the fuses and not getting the led light indicating a bad fuse" that only works IF the circuit is completed. What does that mean? Let's say you pull the fuse for the overhead lights. Since you are inside the camper pulling fuses you most likely will have the lights turned on. Pull the fuse the led indicator glows. If you then pull the fuse for the exterior lights and the switch is turned offbecause it's daylight then that led will not glow. the circuit must be complete, ie. all switches on so the circuit can connect to the negative side of the battery from the fuse thru the switch, then thru the light or device to complete the circuit to ground. Any switch or relay the "nterrupts" that path will prevent the led from illuminating.

Long winded explinations but I hope this helps.

[cavie]

12v items that DO NOT work:
Electric Slides
Electric Jack
Electric leveling legs

these items are controlled by a chassis interlock system to prevent there use while the RV is moving.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by cavie

12v items that DO NOT work:
Electric Slides
Electric Jack
Electric leveling legs

these items are controlled by a chassis interlock system to prevent there use while the RV is moving.

Its a trailer so there isnt any interlock.

OP: is the leveling system and slides hydraulic by chance?

If so start at the hydraulic pump solenoid and work backwards.

[DoubleOTexan]

As Paul Harvey always said, "Now here's the rest of the story":

The Duralast battery that I had charged enough to get the trailer home and opened up, apparently lost a cell when I "reconditioned" it after I closed the slides back up. It was still registering the correct voltage, but apparently the amperage wasn't. This was proven when I charged the battery again to 100%, reinstalled, and tested the (now but momentarily working) jack, however the slide motor stopped immediately once a load was applied.

I went and got a brand new 24M-EFB by Interstate that has a 2 year warranty. This model is so new the distributor didn't even realize he had it in stock.

I appreciate the consensus on it being the battery, which made me check the amperage and not just the voltage. I feel stupid , since 90% of electrical issues will be caused by either a fuse or the 12v battery.

[DoubleOTexan]

The positive results were short lived. I got one cycle out of the kitchen slide, then didn't use it for a couple days, and came back to.....non operational slides.

I've got a parasitic draw or short somewhere that if the battery isn't at 100%, the slides won't work.

What is left to check?

[cavie]

Put an amp probe on the slide motors.

[DoubleOTexan]

Well, I couldn't shake the feeling the problem was associated with or near the 2 50 amp auto reset breakers...



..and sure enough, upon disassembly I found that the power leads for the jacks AND the slides had worn through the jacket on the electrical fitting, creating a short into the body of the breaker and then into the trailer frame.





....nothing like wasting two weeks of trouble shooting to have the (temporary) fix be $0.005 worth of electrical tape!