Another slide thing...

[Kyz]

OK, don't laugh, but I recorded the noise my slide is making.

Here's the info...My slide was getting really hard to get in/out. It would struggle, take forever, and go very slow. One RV tech told me I could upgrade the motors so it wouldn't struggle so much, another RV tech told me I just needed new batteries (mine were probably 5 years old). So I replaced the batteries, and today I brought the slide in/out a couple times. It isn't struggling visibly, but it sounds like it's struggling maybe.... I recorded the sound (I said don't laugh) so if anyone is so inclined, please listen and tell me your thoughts... (screen is black because my phone was sitting on a table). Thanks

[Abnorm]

NO Nothing...........................

[sternwake]

The tech thinking it is because the batteries were old, tells me the motors are struggling with the voltage they are receiving. Voltage being electrical pressure. to little pressure, they struggle.

My window motors, after replacing the track felts, slowed way down and sounded like they were struggling, when I open or close them with engine not running, but with engine running, they move at double the speed, ~12.7v vs 14.7v provided to circuit breakers powering the window motors. I've not checked the actual voltage reaching motors through the many various connectors and switches, but rv manufacturer like auto manufacturers, skimp on wire size as copper is expensive. They are only concerned that the wiring can handle the expected amperage for the duration the load might require it, and screw voltage drop.

When there is excessive voltage drop, on too thin or too long wiring, an electric motor needs to pull more amperage to do the same job. More amperage over the same thickness/length wires, causes more voltage drop, causing more amperage needing to flow, causing more voltage drop, and so on.

If you were to remain plugged in, and the converter is basically holding the batteries at 13.2v+, I bet the slide motors sound much less likely to struggle.

When too low a voltage is fed to an electric motor, it is really hard on them. The engine starter with too weak a battery might still start the engine, but the motor has to work a lot harder, for longer, to do the same job, and as such it wears out significantly faster.

Short of replacing the wiring to the motors from distribution panel with fatter wire, the easiest way to prevent the motors from struggling as much is by the converter/charger, holding the batteries at a higher voltage when the slide motors are activated.

I do not know anything about the sliders mechanicals, whether there is roller sliders or just a low friction surface designed to slide, and needs regular lubrication.

I've found some old white lithium grease, that I sprayed long ago, turned into clay on my door lock mechanisms and needed a chisel and wire brush and wd40 to actually be removed, and allow the power door locks to thunk open and closed rather than slowly struggle a fraction of an inch with every switch trigger.

So try the slides when plugged in or with generator running, allowing converter charger to hold batteries at charging voltages, or provide whatever amperage it can to maintain that voltage the converter had chosen.

[GotSmart]

Try lubricant on all the moving parts and seals.

[sternwake]

Rubber seals can be damaged by some lubricants, even the ones which say right on their blue and yellow can, they are safe for.rubber.

Id use aerospace.303.on a soft.sponge/foam rubber on sweeps/seals, and if more aggressive cleaning,.is.desired, silicone spray, sprayed on rag First.

The hydrocarbons in some lubricants eat rubber. Some silicone sorays use hydrocarbon propellants, so spraying on a rag first, keeps them off the rubber as they evaporate quickly.

[RoamerRV428]

I clicked vid. got nothing, redirected to some youtube page, couldn't listen, didn't see vid there. sorry no help without hearing lol

[Kyz]

I did use lubricant before closing. I hope it's "the right stuff." Meaning, I got it from a local RV place (when they looked at my slide back when I thought it was first struggling). I do have Aerospace 303 spray, maybe I'll switch to that. I don't think it's lack of lubrication though. Maybe it's just me being overly paranoid. This one slide is bigger, heavier and I've been paranoid over it for more than a year now. Bottom line is that it comes in and goes out better now with the new batteries but the noise seems different. Also, I've always been plugged into shore power when I put them in/out. The last RV tech said that doesn't matter, that they draw primarily from the batteries. I've used many different RV techs over the last few years; getting the same person to actually show up (and stay in business) has been impossible--even with traveling to Livingston to get work done on it. This is a big reason why I want to sell the RV. I want simpler/less problems (I hope!). Many of the things I stress over are simple things but beyond me. Maybe if I learn as I build, I'll comprehend more.

For the video, sorry, it is listed as private but I thought it would play for anyone I shared the link with... I'll make it public for a couple days just in case. (It does have a black screen though, audio only...)

[RoamerRV428]

thanks Kyz and you can take down if required, since 'I got to hear it and cool'

to me personally, very normal slide noise.

I also feel 'that slide noise is off' in a way on batteries when we close it but if the damn thing works and it sounds like weirdo noise, yup, that is the way for me when I bought the darn new rig LOL ALL slides sound 'less than' what we expect them to be and I had alot of slides and when OFF OMG I knew cause it cost me big bucks when I had one slide issue on a rig so..............to me normal truly.

I think you are fine.

[Kyz]

OK so washed the RV for some updated outside pictures, and closed the troublesome slide. It went in perfectly, sounded about right, no real hesitation. Took my pictures and about an hour later tried to put the slide back out. It went out slightly, then stopped going out. I stopped/restarted on the switch. Nothing. I could hear the motors trying to move it, but nothing. I WAS able to bring in the slide back in the couple inches it went back out so it's at least fully in. Grrrr...

[tx2sturgis]

EVERY ONE ABANDON SHIP! SHES GONNA BLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!