RV Doctor Column RV Doctor #295 Dear Gary, we have a Thor Citation with two slide-outs and neither one will go in. They have been out for an extended period of time since we are full timers and have been in one location here for several months. I have replaced the fuse to no avail and we have a new battery. Absolutely nothing happens when I push the switch. Is there a common motor that works them both? Our owner's manual gives little or no useful information. Sheri Yeakle, (Bradenton, FL) Sheri, the Citation has been going through a number of changes with their slide units over the last few years, so a lot depends on exactly which system and what model year you have. They have used quite a few different slide mechanisms in production; they include a hydraulic unit plus one with a couple different electric motors. There was even a mid-year change during production in 1999. Also, the living room slide is a completely different design than the bedroom slide and they are totally independent of one another. So, without actually viewing your two slides, we are mostly guessing here. But it is still interesting that neither slide, even though different, will operate at all. You did mention you have a new battery. Before we look at the slide units themselves, focus on the battery area. According to Thor, there should be two sets of wires attached to the auxiliary battery which powers those two slides. Two red wires should be attached to the positive terminal and two black wires should be attached to the negative terminal. If, when the battery was replaced, one or more of these four wires was not re-connected properly, the slides may not operate. Check to be sure those four wires are indeed on the battery and that the fuses are still good. If the new battery is fully charged and all four wires are attached properly at the battery, next look at the slide mechanisms. If you see two large neoprene-like geared wheels that engage slots on the actuator ram, then you probably have the Hydroslide mechanism. There will be two micro-switches, one for each room, located near the frame which disconnects the power when each room has been fully extended. Once the power has been disengaged, the micro-switch contacts remain "open" meaning they are exposed to the external elements. Even though they are encased in plastic it is quite possible these contacts have become corroded over the months you have been set up and fully extended. I'm not sure if it's possible to disassemble these switches and clean/treat the contacts, but I would indeed have them removed and tested. A simple test with an Ohmmeter will determine if the switches are operating correctly or if indeed the contacts are fouled. Perhaps repeated manual manipulation of the micro-switches will be enough to create a good enough contact to at least get the slides in. But, in most cases I would opt to replace both switches. For availability of the exact switches, contact Thor America at 570-837-1663 and ask for the parts department. Dear RV Doc, I am not getting DC power in the RV. I cannot start the generator or get any readings on the monitor panel. If I run the engine on the motorhome, (Class C), I can then start the generator and all of the DC circuits works, but as soon as I turn off the engine, everything dies. Any ideas? Steve Black, (Longwood, FL) Steve, have you checked the condition of the auxiliary batteries? Chances are they are internally sulfated or simply drained. The reason you have DC voltage after jump starting the generator is because the generator is powering the converter and the converter is producing the current. There is also the possibility the converter is not switching back to battery mode after the generator shuts down, but that doesn't explain why the generator itself won't crank unless the engine is running because it is normally wired to that auxiliary power supply as well. I still say, the RV batteries are dead at the very least. Be sure to fully charge the batteries before subjecting them to any type of battery test. Charge the batteries independent of the RV at a relatively low rate until the specific gravity in each cell of each battery remains constant over a period of an hour or so. Keep in mind this may take quite awhile depending on the charge rate and how much capacity the batteries have. Do not charge at a rate that boils the electrolyte. After the batteries have reached full charge have them tested with a carbon pile tester. Many RV or automotive service shops will have the equipment to test them in this manner. The carbon pile will indeed let you know if the batteries are still viable. Dear RV Doctor, we are new to RVing with a 2002 traveler trailer. Is it normal for the Suburban furnace to put out so much hot air through the outside exhaust vent? I mean, it is really hot! You cannot put your hand in front of it and you have to make sure nothing is put near it. We get warm air through the vents inside and the thermostat is working fine but is it normal for so much really hot air to be vented outside? Is there any way to route that hot air to underneath the trailer during winter? Kathy VanLandingham, (Tellico Plains, TN) Kathy, you are correct, furnace exhaust temperatures are extremely hot, much hotter than the heated delivery air inside the trailer. Perhaps more obvious with the efficient Suburban, but all RV forced air furnaces have these high stack temperatures. Unfortunately there is no way to reroute or otherwise direct that blast of heat to another location. The Suburban vent assembly you have also contains the inlet air which brings in fresh, outside air and mixes it with the LP for complete and proper combustion. Altering the vents in any way would not be advisable on any furnace under any circumstance. Wish I had a fix for you but the only remedy is to simply stay out of the way and be sure not to lean anything combustible up against any LP appliance vent; furnace, water heater or refrigerator. Dear Gary, where is the ground wire connection located for the water pump on my motorhome? Kent Sullivan, (Schertz, TX) Kent, chances are the ground wire simply runs from either the negative traces on the monitor panel where the pump switch is located and is integrated into the common coach ground system, or it is connected to a chassis ground somewhere near the pump location. If you suspect the pump is not grounded properly, simply run a new wire from any clean and tight chassis location up to the pump and connect it to any metal portion of the pump assembly housing. Double check the ground cable from the auxiliary battery bank and insure it, too, has a good, solid chassis connection. If the pump still does not operate and you are sure you have 12-volts positive, perhaps an internal pump component is faulty. Send me more details once you've run a new ground connection.
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