Daughter needed help this morning

Log in

Log In | Register

Skip to main content

Topic: Daughter needed help this morning (Read 180 times) previous topic - next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Daughter needed help this morning

February 16, 2021, 05:37:19 pm

I apologize for posting this on the LDOF but my daughter called today and said she’s stuck in her SOB (Newman) and needs my help. She managed to retract 2 of the 3 slideouts but the 3rd one only went half way. I had her check the fuses and breakers and all looked good. I then had her start the generator in case the batteries were low and she said it wouldn’t turn over. I then had her start the engine and now she can retract the last slideout. She has now left the campground and is heading home. The batteries are charging from the engine alternator.

Ok, so here’s my question to the group. One telling thing was that when the slideout was stuck and before she started the engine, she said that the microwave worked. Also be aware that the Newman has 50 amp service and she was plugged into the campground power pedestal. My thinking is that the microwave is probably running on the 20 amp side of the pedestal and the battery charger/inverter is probably on the 30 amp side of the pedestal. If that’s the case then maybe it was just that the 30 amp side of the pedestal was dead. She didn’t have a 50 amp circuit tester to check the power on the pedestal. I’ve already ordered one from Amazon and should get to her tomorrow. My question is, what else could be the problem?

Thank you for any assistance and again I apologize for posting this on the LDOF.

- John

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #1 – February 16, 2021, 07:23:23 pm

It sounds to me as if the house batteries were low... period. That could indicate a failed converter, or as you speculated, a problem with shore power. But it sounds as if the primary issue was dead house batteries. That's probably why the generator would not start, since it too is typically powered by the house batteries.

None of the five RVs I've owned has had slideouts ... but I had the impression that most RVs that do have some way to retract them manually, using a crank or perhaps a power drill. Your daughter might want to look into alternative ways of retracting, in case this happens again.

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #2 – February 16, 2021, 07:38:30 pm

Thanks Andy... that’s what I thought, the house batteries were run down. They are new batteries, only 1 year old. The lack of a multimeter or circuit tester to check the shore power is limiting my phone support troubleshooting. She is going to plug-in the RV when she gets home. She had a 50 amp pedestal installed at the house, so I guess we’ll just have to see if the batteries charge when connected to her home pedestal. Hopefully that’s all that was wrong. I’ll also have her look at the manual to see about manually retracting the slideouts.

- John

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #3 – February 16, 2021, 07:45:57 pm

If the slides are hydraulic, the power drain of the hydraulic pump is in the 100-200 Amps range. Far more than the converters battery charging/house supply can provide. The slides really run off of house battery 12v dc power. I've always noticed that the manuals for a motorhome with slides, hydraulic or not, state to have the engine running, before operating the slides. Out or in, and also leveling the motorhome. Only HWH levelers, with the spring retract pushing fluid back into the reservoir, don't need the extra power.
   The microwave would be running off of 120 VAC, unrelated to the 12 Vdc demand of slide out/in power. Also in this cold, the batteries wouldn't be happy about a large power drain, and there could have been ice on parts of the mechanism.
   Yes, the two halves of the 50Amp service, might not have both been there. Usually most things run off of the 30A side. In case you are connected to just a 30A hookup. The extra 20 Amp side is mostly electric heat, electric water heater, the other air conditioner, things like that.
That would be a 'Newmar' Class 'A' motorhome, large by Lazy Daze standards. It should have substantial batteries, 2 x 8d, or more. Diesel engine, pusher. RonB
   edit: one gas engine, a few front diesel models....

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #4 – February 16, 2021, 07:50:16 pm

Quote from: JohnR - February 16, 2021, 05:37:19 pm

Also be aware that the Newman has 50 amp service and she was plugged into the campground power pedestal. My thinking is that the microwave is probably running on the 20 amp side of the pedestal and the battery charger/inverter is probably on the 30 amp side of the pedestal. If that’s the case then maybe it was just that the 30 amp side of the pedestal was dead.

Just to clear something up, a 50A service is not a 30A service + a 20A service, but rather two 50A circuits. A 50A RV service is similar to how houses are wired, usually with a 240V service which is actually 120V<->neutral<->120V (the 120V leads are opposite phase so there is 240 between them). Like houses, the RV is mostly wired with circuit breakers and circuits between one of the two incoming hot lines and neutral providing a 120V circuit. Some of the higher end RVs will use a 240V circuit for something like an induction cooktop or cloths drier. A 30A service can provide 120Vx30A or 3,600 Watts of power. A 50A service can provide 2X120Vx50A or 12,000 Watts.

Depending on the type of slide mechanism, they usually draw a lot of 12V current. It is best to have the engine running or shore power connected running slides in/out to avoid drawing house batteries too low.

Art

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #5 – February 16, 2021, 08:04:41 pm

Hi Art, long time no see. The only 50A service I've ever parked at was because they were out of spaces for 30A, just had the standard 30A plug, and a 50A plug. But only a 30A breaker and a 20A breaker, with plug, so I was assuming the 20A breaker was for the other side, no? The 30A wasn't a double handle, like my house has for the electric drier, (that I don't have). No wonder they tried to charge me extra for the 50A hookup. They took the extra charge off the bill when I complained that my LD only had a 30A capability. RonB

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #6 – February 16, 2021, 08:09:28 pm

Thanks Ron... it’s a gas powered class-a. Good information on running the engine when operating the slides and about cold weather. I’ll let her know.

Thanks Art... I knew that the 2 lines were 180 degrees out of phase but I didn’t know that both were rated at 50 amps. Good to know.

- John

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #7 – February 16, 2021, 08:18:02 pm

Quote from: RonB - February 16, 2021, 08:04:41 pm

Hi Art, long time no see. The only 50A service I've ever parked at was because they were out of spaces for 30A, just had the standard 30A plug, and a 50A plug. But only a 30A breaker and a 20A breaker, with plug, so I was assuming the 20A breaker was for the other side, no? The 30A wasn't a double handle, like my house has for the electric drier, (that I don't have). No wonder they tried to charge me extra for the 50A hookup. They took the extra charge off the bill when I complained that my LD only had a 30A capability. RonB

The typical boxes we hook up to will have a 4 contact 50A socket, a 3 contact 30A socket and a duplex 15A socket (sometimes GFCI protected), with a 2pole 50A breaker, 30A breaker and 15A breaker. When we had our LD we carried a 50A->30A adapter. Sometimes the 50A socket was in much better shape than the 30A or the voltage on the 30A was lower. Now we carry a 30A->50A adapter on those occasions where we can only get a 30A service.

Art

Re: Daughter needed help this morning

Reply #8 – February 16, 2021, 09:06:43 pm

Well, here’s the latest on my daughter’s battery problems. This makes me so mad, I could just scream.

My daughter lives in Coarsegold and in January she took her Newmar to a Camping World in Fresno. I’m not sure what they did, but it appears that they disconnected a wire that made the charger to not work. My son also lives in Coarsegold and was waiting for her when she got home. He was the one who found the disconnected wire. I haven’t spoke to him yet so I don’t know which wire was disconnected. The batteries had enough charge in them from before the Camping World visit plus the drive to the campground, to last a couple of nights. But the slide retractions this morning drained whatever was left in the batteries. I’ve told both my kids to stay away from Camping World because they are nothing but trouble, but there are few RV repair shops in the area. To be clear... I wouldn’t let Camping World hold my kite string, let alone touch my RV. They are a really bad business and should be avoided at all cost. Ok, rant is over.

Thanks to Andy, Ron and Art for your support.

- John

Affiliate Notice

LDOF is user-supported. When you purchase through some links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.