Yet another slide problem. Help???

[Chad D.]

I’ve tried everything I can find to keep this pile of crap working, and I’m about at my wit’s end…. Started out as the standard “Schwintek slide won’t go in or out straight”. I’ve gone through the synchronization procedure about a million times. I’ve lubed the seals. I’ve made sure it’s level. I’ve tried with stabilizers up. I’ve tried with them down. I’ve had to run it in and out with the override function enabled on the controller the last two trips.

After the last trip, I counted the blinks on the controller. 2 greens (motor #2) and 8 reds (short between controller and motor). Override function again, and in it goes just fine.

I cannot find anything wrong, and neither can my local mechanic. They had it for a week and couldn’t get it to fault. Lubed seals, took my money, and sent me home after we ran it in and out a dozen times. Said they pulled things apart and found no issues.

Fast forward to today, and we’re right back where it was. Goes out about 4” and the rear end (motor #2) quits running. The thing gets out of square, and then the front stops. Effff.



Here’s the odd thing: I have to press then”In/Out” button twice to get it to start doing anything, in either direction. Run it out till it jams, and have to press “In” twice to get it moving back in. Then have to press it twice “Out” to get it to start going out again, where it will get jammed up…



Trailer is a 2-year old ‘21 Imagine 2500RL. If it weren’t for the slide, we’d still be in love. Currently, I’m ready with a match and a gallon of gas…



Any thoughts, suggestions, or ideas that might help?

[howson]

Chad D.

UPDATE: Don't miss AlexPeterson 's note in post 5 and my subsequent response for more information.

Pressing the In/Out twice quickly resets the error code in the controller. Nothing odd about that.

The short between the motor and controller error code (and the intermittent nature of the fault) suggests a bad wire harness. My RV Works on YouTube has lengthy videos on the entire process to troubleshoot Schwinteks.

What I'd do, since the problem is intermittent, is try and isolate by swapping the motor junction connections at the controller (highlighted with a red arrow). The next time there's a failure, if the same side (it will be the opposite motor identified with the short since the wire was moved) quits first with the "short" error code, it's the harness or possibly the motor. Doing an inspection of the motor (where the harness connects) may reveal that there's an issue. (That would not be surprising.)

If the code still calls out motor 2, the problem could be in the controller. (Remember--the wires were swapped.)

Since this is an intermittent issue, I suggest figuring out which motor harness goes to which physical motor. There's no consistency--motor 1's harness could be the forward motor or it could be the aft motor. Might want to mark the wires by the physical location in the camper as it would be easy (for me) to confuse them.



A trick I learned recently (this is the first opportunity to post about it)--there are two small dip switches just to the left of the MODE button. If the room is severely skewed, moving one dip switch will reverse the polarity of that motor. (The small "2" and "1" above the switch correspond to the motor junction.)

So with a dip switch in the opposite position, one motor will "push" and one will "pull". Naturally, if the wrong switch is selected the skew will get worse(!). Only leave it this way long enough to get the room back aligned, then return the dip switch back to it's original setting. I've never actually tried it myself, but I think this trick will only work in "override".





Please report back.

Howard

[Guest]

Great info Howard,

Also to check the positioning system (hall effect) by carefully operating in override mode to apply full current to both motors. If the system works in this mode, then the wiring on the positioning side of the motor could be the problem. Or the motor itself.
The diagnostics of this system is far from perfect where any binding, a failed positioning system (hall effect), motor gearbox, or motor that causes binding will be reported as a short.

Jim

[Jims94vmx]

Wow Howard. Great advise. Should be a sticky. Nice....hope the op gets it figured out and reports back.

[AlexPeterson]

howson

Howard - good stuff. If one swaps the connectors would not the direction of motion also be swapped? It seems the motors are installed as mirror images of each other, so they must rotate opposite one another. I surely might have misunderstood the system...

I have on occasion seen the alarm "hall effect short to ground" on mine, yet all functions well. I'd thought of swapping connectors also.

[howson]

howson

Howard - good stuff. If one swaps the connectors would not the direction of motion also be swapped? It seems the motors are installed as mirror images of each other, so they must rotate opposite one another. I surely might have misunderstood the system...

I have on occasion seen the alarm "hall effect short to ground" on mine, yet all functions well. I'd thought of swapping connectors also.

Hmmm...now you're making me think. The switch on the main panel may work opposite ("in" becomes "out", etc). I'll have to check and will report back.

Of course the small switches could just be moved to the opposite position when the motor junction wires are swapped so the switch continues to work as expected. But again--that's conjecture so I'll test it.

[howson]

AlexPeterson -- good catch! You're right. When the motor junction connectors are swapped between positions the slide works opposite ("in" becomes "out" and vice versa). I also confirmed that by moving both of the dip switches the motor junction connectors can be swapped and "in" remains "in", etc.

Thanks for the note--learned something!

Chad D. -- heads up.

Howard

[Chad D.]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Fantastic forum.

Waiting on the shop to call back and see when they can get the issue resolved. I tried digging into it when it first went belly up, but my big hands and little bucket of patience shut me down quick…

[Paul & Deb]

I was having nothing but trouble with mine and, like you, was pretty fed-up. Finally, A GD tech replaced my control box and so far, it's working flawlessly. It's interesting that I haven't read of anyone trying that simple fix. I wonder if more of these issues we are all having is as simple as a bad batch of control boxes.

[Chad D.]

Stopped at the shop today. It’s going in to them next Thursday, and hoping they can get it to fault out on them like it does for me.

That said, it just went out and in like it should about 15 minutes ago. Aaarrrrrrgggggg!!! I don’t want it broke, but I don’t want it periodically fixed, either…

[howson]

Chad D. -- an intermittent fault is maddening to troubleshoot. Based on what I've read (others having a problem and getting it fixed), a close inspection of the motor is where I'd start looking on your camper.

[Gene Navratil]

Good luck with the dealer approach. You will have to let us know how you come out. We have a 2020 29RS fifth wheel and the kitchen slide is doing everything exactly the way you are describing partial movement. I spoke with a factory rep at the Hershey RV Show and got only lubrication suggestions most of which I was already doing. I got a little more aggressive with CRC lube in the rail slot and around the coupler and speed reducer. It sounded better at first but still had to use several tries with manual override to complete extending or retracting at times.

I initially took it to the dealer this spring for the problem which like you it worked fine for them and they made me feel dumb like I didn't have a good battery charge. The battery was fully charged and I was hooked to shore power when I had the problem. I replaced the controller and still have the same intermittent issues. What I am seeing is the when above about 75 degrees the probability of working correctly is greatly reduced to the point you may not get full extension or retraction but then the next morning it will work just fine. I hate to say it but Grand Design should not use Schwintek on heavier slides as this is a historical problem for Schintek.

[Chad D.]

Well, I’m pretty tempted to just start replacing parts and keep spares…

By the time I take it in 9 more times to get the same results, I could have two new motors and harnesses. So, Morten questions from the new guy!

Anyone confident about the motor model number on a 2021 Imagine 2500RL? It’s a decent sized slide, so I’m curious if I have 300:1 #236575 or the 500:1 #287298. If I’m gonna learn how to tear into this thing, I’d kinda like to have the new motor(s) in hand.

Also, is it a major undertaking to replace a harness if it’s gone haywire? I’d like to think a harness would be repairable, but want to be prepared if I can.

[FlyStar]

This training vid from Lippert will help you identify your parts.

https://lippert.thinkific.com/course...outs-version-2

[AlexPeterson]

Chad D. , did you try swapping the two connectors around and moving the dip switches as was discussed earlier in this thread? If the error still tells you motor 2 than the controller is likely bad.