HWH Hydraulic Leveling troubleshooting

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Popycat

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Joined
Oct 14, 2019
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I am new to this forum, and have to learn the navigation of it. 

My issue is with my 2003 Itasca Suncruiser.  My RV is for sale, and last week I have a prospective buyer very thoroughly give it a go over.  Now, or some reason, the jacks are not working, though they did last week.  I go through the sequence of it being in Park, Parking Break on, key in accessory position (I have also done it with the motor running), I press the on button--it goes red.  No other lights or activity takes place on the control panel.  I have done this with electric plugged in and without.  I have also discovered the exhaust fans are not working, but I don't know if related, or how long that may have been an issue of which I wasn't aware.

There are other issues with which I must deal, now, but this is hopefully an easy fix of a switch or fuse somewhere.  I have turned all the breakers off and on, and pressed all the reset buttons on the panels.  I located a fuse box under the hood, but see no identifier for the levelers on the fuse locator diagram.  I'm not sure I would know a blown fuse if I saw it, anyway, so I didn't mess with that other than taking a picture of the box and the diagram.
 

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So, what happens when you push the "On" button the first time?
Anything? does the light at least come on?

I've actually never tried my leveling with engine off.

I set the parking brake, then hold the on button for half a second and release. The blue light flashes then remains on, and the leveler jacks deploy to downward position.
After verifying they are all down, I then press it a second time, and hold for a second, and release, and they begin auto-level deployment. when leveled, the blue light goes out and only the four red lights (each jack point) are lit.

turn engine off.

To retract, Start engine, press On button for half a second or so, and release.
Then Press Store for half a second or so, and release.
 
If I just push and release the "On" button, nothing will happen. I Have to hold it and then release.
 
I don't think it is auto.  My husband used to put them down and have me go out and check to see if it had gone down to the ground.  In any case, I have tried press and hold, as well as pressing twice. Nothing changed.  The red "on" light comes on readily.  One thing I hadn't done to check the lights, was the parking brake.  I just went out and took the brake off, pressed "on," and the brake light did come on.  So, the "on" button and the "not in park brake" lights are working.  No response from any of the others, and no response of any sort from pushing the up arrows.  The slides will open, by the way, if that says anything. 

The overhead exhaust fans in the bathroom and the main compartment are not working.  The furnace fan is working, as is the micro/conv oven fan.

In response to LarsMac, no, definitely not auto, if that is what auto does. 
 
Well, on second thought, my husband may not have know how to use auto leveling, and I certainly did not before doing this research.  We got no instruction on that part of the RV when we purchased it from a dealer 3 years ago.
 
I called Camping World and spoke to a HWH tech listed on the HWHCorp.com website.  He suggested there may be a reset switch just for the HWH Hydraulic Leveling system, but he that all models are not the same.
 
The wanted the slides open, and it was later he told his son to operate the jacks.  I said the slides had to be closed, but the buttons had gotten pushed already.  Eventually the slides were closed and the jacks came down, but I think the wrong buttons were being pushed.  It probably confused the system, at the very least.  I hope it isn't broken.
 
A couple of questions:

1: Do the levelers work in manual mode? Read your manual to refresh your memory on how to do this?
2. Do the slide outs extend?

If the emergency brake is set but the switch that detects this is not activating then neither the levelers will work nor the rooms will extend. If the slide outs extend or the levelers work in manual then the emergency brake sensor is functioning. If it isn?t functioning look under the dash at the regency brake pedal until you find that sensor switch and see if it is being depressed fully.
 
You don't have an automatic system. Just push the buttons to first put down the slides on the lower side, then when the light moves to other side, push button until the light just  changes. Make sure all four jacks are down. They work in pairs so that the chassis doesn't get twisted. It sounds like every thing is ok. Start by putting the jacks down, engine on, parking brake on. After jacks level put out the slides.
 
Popycat said:
The wanted the slides open, and it was later he told his son to operate the jacks.  I said the slides had to be closed, but the buttons had gotten pushed already.  Eventually the slides were closed and the jacks came down, but I think the wrong buttons were being pushed.  It probably confused the system, at the very least.  I hope it isn't broken.

The HWH controller can get easily confused, but nothing that being powered down over night shouldn't fix.
 
John Hilley said:
You don't have an automatic system. Just push the buttons to first put down the slides on the lower side, then when the light moves to other side, push button until the light just  changes. Make sure all four jacks are down. They work in pairs so that the chassis doesn't get twisted. It sounds like every thing is ok. Start by putting the jacks down, engine on, parking brake on. After jacks level put out the slides.

I accidentally said "to first put down the slides on the lower side," it should have been first put down the jacks on the lower side.
 
Thank you everyone for the advice.  I am trying everything and anything new.

The levelers do not work at all. (I have been plugged into electric, but I have also taken it off and expect the house batteries take over) 

My sequence has been:  Manual, from what I understand, is in Park, Parking Brake on, key in Acc (I have also done with engine running), press "on" which come on with red light.  NO other lights come on at the vehicle diagram--no arrow lights.  I can press the up arrows  to bring the levelers down, but nothing happens--not even a noise, no clicks, buzzes, or grinding.  Just nothing.  Again, if the parking brake is off when I start the sequence, that red light is functioning.

The slides work.  I thought the motor had to be running, but I got in the driver door and bumped the front slide button, and was surprised it started to open.  I reversed that immediately.  I now believe the slides will open whenever there is electric or charged house batteries, the parking break is on, and of course, the shift in park.  If I had not had the parking brake on, the slides would not have worked.

I don't think I could functionally manage to even operate the slides and the levelers at the same time.  Ten fingers, two hand, one person, nope, won't happen.  I have had the slides out without the jacks down, but if the jacks have to go down I close the slides first. 

When this prospective buyer was here, he did not do that.  We had opened the slides while he check that out, and then ordered his grown son to lower the jacks.  I told them the slides had to come in first.  I was watching so many things at once, the front slide came in, but it is possible the son in the driver's seat was pushing leveler buttons while I was in the back retracting that slide. 

So, where do I find the "shuttle valve?," if this is the problem.  Would that affect the panel lights?  A dealer repairman identified the HWH unit is under the hood, from some pictures I showed him. He said the reservoir will be close to the connector area. 

Ceiling exhaust fans in living area and bathroom are not working, but the microwave and that fan are.  Radio, blowers, headlights, steps and awning are all work properly, as far as I have noticed.
 

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In your picture the reservoir is the part with the yellow caution sticker, and HWH sticker.  The dipstick is attached to the bolt head cap.  The shuttle valve is on the top of the manifold toward the top of the picture where the "u" shaped tube is attached to the manifold.
 
Wow, I thought I would have to crawl under the RV.  Is that shuttle valve something to which the dealer needs to attend? 

Also, everything is so dirty.  Is there something I can do to clean up under the hood without damaging anything?
 
Replacing the shuttle valve is pretty easy if you have good access to it, but first you need to verify that it is the problem.  First you need to know what HWH system you have, get the service manual for it if you dont have it, and then follow the troubleshooting guide.

If you dont understand the troubleshooting guide, then call Paul Maddox at 1-602-549-3638 or email [email protected].  He works for HWH and does troubleshooting for them.  I have called him, and he is a very good guy. Also, he advertises his services on another forum.
 
I would second calling Paul. he was a great help. Access might be easier by removing the grill, mine is only 6 screws.
 
I believe my system is the 310 series, at least this is exactly what my panel looks like, compared to the diagram. 

Well, I have studied the pictures, and I give up.  You said, PJ, "The shuttle valve is on the top of the manifold toward the top of the picture where the "u" shaped tube is attached to the manifold."  I really don't like to admit it, but I don't know what the manifold is, in order to ID the shuttle valve.  I took additional pictures to get a better look.

The entire unit is down in front below the radiator, and the bottom of the system is just behind the front bumper.  If it has to be accessed from the top, that would be easiest, but I am rather short, and may fall in. 

I did download all the manual in PDF form, as it is much easier to search for something specific than to stumble through those paper manuals.  I will do as you suggest and check those out to learn what I can.  Thank you for the reference, I will likely use it. 
 

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