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slide extention

Yahoo Message Number: 62208
I was advised by my mechanic that I should have the engine running when I put the slides because of the voltage or amps that the elec. motors draw. The question is, would it be the same if I did not start the engine as long as I am hook-up to 110, 30 or 50 amps.

Stan 51406 2005 Inspire

Re: slide extention

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62212
Not for me. I notice a distinct difference (better) when starting the engine. Possibly because, since the slides are operated off the engine battery, when the engine is running, the engine batteries are getting a direct charge with the alternator and have more power/amps available?. I haven't tried it with the generator.

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856

Re: slide extention

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62215

Stan:

Any charging source, the running engine's alternator, your cord connected to shore power or the generator charging the batteries (not just running) should provide roughly equivalent amounts of juice to move the slides. This is so because regardless of source the charger converts the input into the 13+V that charge the battery. This is much easier on the batteries and electric motors than using the coach batteries with no charging source.
Whatever differences there might they are not significant for this type of work, the charger doesn't know where the energy is coming from and doesn't care, it reacts as programmed and needed for all three.

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178

Re: slide extention

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62216
Bob

Partially true, but the way I understand it, while plugged into shore power, the only engine battery charging source is the echo charger, which kicks in only if the house batteries are 13+ volts. If the house batteries are not at 13+ volts, there is no charging source for the engine batteries and unless my engine is running, my HWH panel sometimes shows a red light labled low voltage, and the slides may move in or out erratically.

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856

Re: slide extention

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62217
I may be mistaken, but shore power must charge the house batteries to a preset level before the engine batteries begin to receive a charge.
So being plugged in may or may not provide a charge to the engine batteries at the time the slides are being moved, depending on the condition of the houses batteries at that time.

Bob Wexler
SOB

Re: slide extention

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62224
Greetings!

I agree with Larry. The issue with high draw motors (remember, the early Inspires use Power Gear electric slides vice hydraulic slides) is volt-amperes. You can put eight flashlight batteries in series and produce 12 volts, but your slides obviously won't run on them.
The chassis battery produces a bunch of amps, and an adequately charged battery will operate the slides. However, charging amps from the battery charger do not approach the amps produced by the engine alternator.
With the engine running, the slide motors are receiving the max volt-amps available from the coach's DC electrical system. That's why CC recommended operating the Power Gear equipment (slides and jacks) with the engine running.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Jay

05 Inspire 51457

Re: slide extention

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62231
Its probably important to note that all our slide mechanisms are not the same!
Mine are HWH hydraulic and my Country Coach Owners Manual says, and I quote,
"Slide-out rooms will not operate in low voltage conditions. Chassis voltage must not drop below 12 VDC or the chassis batteries will need to be charged by the engine. If domestic voltage drops below 12 VDC, shore power (or the generator) must be activated to operate the slide mechanism. Avoid partial extension or retracting of the slide room. Fully extend or retract the slide room at each operation of the mechanism."

In another paragraph the manual says,

"though not required for room extension, it is recommended that the chassis engine be running, to prevent an unnecessary drain on the coach batteries."

So I guess you can do it any way you like, though it sounds like with the engine running is the surest way to go.

--

Lee Zaborowski

07 Intrigue 12153, Cat C-13

Re: slide extention

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62243

All:

Just getting around to seeing these exchanges. I always assumed, a bad proposition, that for our rig, which uses Power Gear electric gear drive slide mechanisms, they are connected to the house batteries. I don't have all my books here at the present time but I do have the Chassis Owner's Guide. It is not clear from the electrical diagrams which battery set is connected to the Inspire's slide rooms but there is an indication that the hydraulic leveling jack system is connected to the house batteries and not the chassis battery. I figured if the leveling jacks are so connected it was reasonable to assume the same for the slides.
The sections Lee quoted seem to refer to both sources but in one place "If domestic voltage drops below 12 VDC, shore power (or the generator) must be activated to operate the slide mechanism." He has HWH - but it may vary from model to model as he says.
So, the answer to Stan's question is beginning to look like "It depends." For full power to the slide motors the engine would need to be running if the chassis battery(ies) are the source. If the house batteries (multiple 6V in the Inspire case) are the source as long as the batteries are at a reasonable charge and the charger/inverter is running from any source that should suffice.
As noted in another set of posts, running the engine in some Inspires causes the leveling jacks to retract to the travel position which makes it impossible to run the engine while moving the slides unless leveling isn't used - and the coach is supposed to be level before moving the slides.
It appears to very much depend on how the coach is wired, not all coaches are the same, so there is no one fits all answer on running the engine during slide movement.

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178

Re: slide extention

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62255
? You can run the engine with it still plugged into shore power or have the generator running. So why isn't that a fits all answer?

Don Seager,

2004 Allure 31046

Re: slide extention

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62267
I don't really get the concern with a power source for running the slides out.
There are normally 2 conditions when the slides are operated.
One is when you arrive at a camp spot. In that situation, you have usually been running the engine, probably for hours, so all batteries are full. If you plug in, the echo charger will replenish the chassis battery right away. Even if you don't plug in first, the draw from running the slides out doesn't seem to be such a large amount to worry about - they will be charging soon anyway.
The next time is when you are leaving a camp spot and that means you are again fully charged from being plugged in for at least 16 hrs. You can retract the slides while plugged in, and, you will start the engine right away so that the alternator will charge anyway.
We usually try to shut the engine off as quickly as po9ssible when arriving at a spot and run it as little as possible when leaving. Often the slides are operated on shore power.
For us, the exception is when dry camping. In that situation, we will probably run the engine until fully settled in to be sure that batteries are fully charged. Then we will start the engine before operating slides so that there is no chance of draining batteries before trying to start the engine.
It has never been a problem for us. We have operated slides many times without the engine running.

Richard Owen, Inspire '05 51442

Re: slide extention

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62272

Same here Richard. Unless I see/hear the system struggling I just use it and enjoy it. And I like level spots so I can avoid problems.

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178

Re: slide extention

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 62274
Maybe because you are fortunate enough not to have the same issues others have had when trying to open the slides without running the engine, regardless of when the slides are operated. Probably due to different systems on different coaches?

Larry, 03 Allure 30856