Hydraulic Slide Reversing Solonoid

[RMcNeal]

Apparently, the reversing solenoid is going out on my 2019 3791RD. I've been waiting on the part (and other parts) for over 3 months now. In the meantime, I'm still using the rig.
Whenever I'm breaking camp, it takes numerous tries to get the hydraulic slides in. I thought it was the switch, but the tech says the reversing solenoid needs to be replaced. I can hit the switch 20 or more times before it finally kicks in and the slides start to move. Is there a way to manually get the slides in. Motor works fine and other hydraulics work fine. The slides work fine when going out, only problem is coming back in.
I feel like at some point it will completely fail and I'll be stuck until I can retract the slides. I've already replaced the 50 amp breaker with an 80 amp. It's not tripping. All other hydraulics run fine. Just the retract on the 2 hydraulic slides.
Any advise greatly appreciated.

[jimcol]

I'm going way back in the memory bank on this. Friend with an SOB had similar issue while camping with us. Seems like I was able to jumper the solenoid with a pair of water pump pliers to get his slide in. My unit isn't here to give me a visual so I can provide you more detail.

[RMcNeal]

Thanks, JimCol. I was hoping I could jumper across the solenoid and not have to use the drill to run it in. Now I just need to find that wiring diagram so I can see which posts to jump.

[RipNC]

Strange the issue only arises on retracting slides? Is it just because you're retracting them first and once you reversed the pump it continues to work?

[Carl n Susan]

You can jump the center post (12v supply) to either the left or right post to activate the motor. Which post is forward or reverse will be quickly apparent.
On Edit: Don't try this!! Based on Post #6 below, you may let the smoke out. You can jump from the center post to a spade connector but if the solenoid is not working this likely won't work either.


You say you are waiting for the part. Here is one you can have tomorrow. https://www.amazon.com/Trombetta-214...00089224&psc=1

[BB_TX]

I may be wrong (wouldn’t be the first time), but I thought the reversing solenoid not only reverses positive to the motor but also reverses ground to the motor. Doing so reverses the direction of current flow thru the motor. That means when one of the solenoid top terminals is positive, the other is connected to ground thru the side terminal. If so, it is not as simple as just jumpering one of the positive terminals. In fact, a jumper could go straight to ground instead of to the motor.

Anyone???

[jimcol]

You may be 100% correct but around 2009 the method I described worked.

[Carl n Susan]

No Bill, I think you are right!! I was wrong to say to just jump from one post to another. You can jump from the center post (12V feed) to one of the spade connectors to activate the solenoid and thereby the motor. The solenoid bridges the 12V feed to one power cable and the ground to the other. If the solenoid has an issue where one spade side connector is not working, then you are stuck unless you wire the pump directly to a12V supply and ground. At that point I would go the drill motor driving the pump method.

[ChuckS]

Yes you "could" jumper the motor leads to spin the hydraulic pump moto CW or CCW BUT......

You also have to remember the HYDAC valve or valves also need 12 volts to open the CORRECT Hydac valve for the intended hydraulic cylinder to move....

In the case of the Hydraulic slide outs there is ONE and only ONE Hydac valve that needs to open when closing or extending and the close once the operation is complete..

IF your RV also has Six point hydraulic system and it is working ok for extend or retract the the issue IS NOT the dual polarity solenoid...

You can also easily test the slide out switch directly at the dual polarity solenoid by simply removing the Retract wires off the retract terminal at the dual polarity solenoid...

Attach RED multimeter lead to retract wire removed from DP solenoid and black meter lead to ground.. Have helper operate slide switch in retract direction and observe the meter reading...

If you are not seeing a steady and constant 12 volts DC each time the slide out switch is moved to the retract direction then either the switch contacts are bad or out have a loose wire in the switch circuit

This short video will help you understand how easy it is to operate the hydraulic system in manual over ride for the leveling and hydraulic slide outs.

https://youtu.be/XzPMZHGn5a8

You can also easily measure the 12 volts at the EXTEND or RETRACT side of the solenoid to determine if you are getting a voltage drop that is too low for the Hydac valve operation or pump motor and solenoid operation

[rohrmann]

I’m betting it’s not the reversing solenoid but is actually the 50 amp breaker which should be replaced with the 80 amp breaker. The reason it does this more when retracting is because when the pump runs backwards there is more stress on the motor. If you haven’t replaced the breaker yet, that should fix this problem. Just reread the posts and you say you replaced the breaker. Replacing the reversing solenoid is not hard and can be bought on Amazon.

[RMcNeal]

Thanks Chuck! That's what I told the tech. I don't think it is the solenoid but the switch. I'll have to trace and confirm. The part is being covered under warranty, so I'm stuck waiting on it.
Bob, I have replaced the 50 amp breaker with the 80 amp some time ago based on yours and other posts since I was having problems with the leveling system. I bought the manual reset one, and it hasn't tripped since I replaced it.
I've been reluctant to just jumper the posts on the solenoid without knowing for sure which ones, so I haven't tried that.
Strange thing is, I can flip the switch numerous times and eventually it kicks in and retracts the slides. Sometimes if I try extend then retract quickly on the switch, it "appears" to activate, but there's always a few second delay. I feel like it will eventually not work and leave me with no way to retract the slides other than my Dewalt drill. I'd rather not try to figure that one out when we are breaking camp and on a time crunch.
Is there some way I can try it ahead of time to make sure I know the procedure just in case? I have the flexible 1/4" shaft and bits to run it, I've just never tried it. Do I need to manually change a valve first?
The 6 level up jacks are working flawlessly. No problems there. They haven't missed a beat since I replaced the 50 amp breaker with 80 amp manual reset.

[RMcNeal]

Just watched your video Chuck. That has a great explanation of how to manually run the hydraulics. I think I'm going to try that procedure, just in case I'm in a pinch and need to do it for real.
Thanks so much for the link!

[ChuckS]

Since you already replaced the 50 amp breaker the issue ( if level up system works with no issues ) is either the switch or loose wire..

And YES ... the video I made is generic enough in nature to work on any RV that is using a Lippert Hyd pump system...

If you DONT manually open the Hydac valve for the slide outs or the level up system ( must open one at a time and close ) then nothing is going to move when you operate the pump motor with the drill

Its a simply process that every owner with a hydraulic system should know how to do in case of solenoid failure, motor failure,etc...

Let us know how it goes

[JimKrieger]

I don't know your rig, but if you have a "rocker" switch to activate slides, one end to push for slides-out and the other end for slides-in, the problem may simply be that switch. Remove the switch panel and jumper the in and out wires separately. If the slide moves satisfactorily in each direction, you can try replacing that cheap switch. Measure the length and width of the mounting hole, count the number of poles/contacts/wire connections and find the 12 volt or higher switch on Amazon or elsewhere which looks like a match. IMHO, sometimes repair tech people will suggest a more expensive fix simply to make more profit. Good luck. Oh, the manual override video posted here was really great.

[RMcNeal]

It is a rocker switch. My thought was exactly that. The switch was the problem. I haven't tried jumping the wires on the switch as I'm not sure which ones are the correct ones. It has 6 wires. I'm guessing one positive and 1 negative 12 volt.
Maybe one pair for the solenoid and another par to open/close the valve?
I found 2 different possibilities for a replacement switch but not sure which one I need. Also, the repair and parts are covered by warranty, so I am kind of at the mercy of the parts supplier at this point.

[Carl n Susan]

The rocker switch is a Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) type switch. The center poles are 12V +/-. One end feeds 12V +/- to one side of the Reversing Solenoid, and the other end feeds 12V +/- to the other end of the solenoid. Depending on which end of the solenoid is energized determines the pump motor rotation (CW or CCW).



Finding a replacement switch of the same diameter was a challenge when we did it.

[RMcNeal]

Yup. Got that. Something in there also has to open and close the appropriate Hydac valve or the pump does nothing. Does that happen at the switch or at the reversing solenoid?
Here's a youtube video about the very problem I'm having with finding the correct switch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgtSNny5jJE&t=127s

Trekwood only shows a SPST switch. Amazon has a maze of switches and configurations.

[Dirtherder]

If it is the solenoid I am thinking of, you can buy it on Amazon. If it is the three pole solenoid you can buy either the LCI or off brand. https://smile.amazon.com/Lippert-118...098167&sr=8-10

[ChuckS]

The slide out switch sends a 12 volt DC plus voltage directly from the switch to the hydac valve for the slide outs…

There is only ONE Hydac valve for ALL hydraulic slides..

My switch wiring (OEM) the blue wire shown on the switch runs directly to the hydac valve on your manifold..

Second 8mage shows blue wire that runs from slide switch to that hydac valve mounted on the manifold…

Your wiring may look slightly different but principle and wiring convention will,he the same..

Last image from a Lippert PDF shows green and yellow wires from slide switch to extend/retract terminals on dual polarity solenoid
The slide out switch also sends a 12 volt signal to,either extend or retract side of dual polarity solenoid

The images are from my fifth wheel and are part of a TS PDF I wrote for another group…too large of file to UL here … it is about 3.6mb

[RMcNeal]

Thanks again Chuck. I need to spend a little time tracing the wires from the switch, but what you have is basically what I was expecting. I wasn't sure if the switch went directly to Hydac valve or if it was passed through from the solenoid.