Leveling system problem 2006 Itasca Ellipse

[cupe873]

Hi all
I have a 2006 Itasca Ellipse. 3 slides. The last time I leveled it, I raised the front, then the back, when I went to raise the drivers side it started to raise then the pump stopped, I pushed the button again and it started to lower instead of raising. I could hear the fluid going back into the reserve. I can raise the front, back and passenger side but when I try the drivers side it just lowers. The slides work well no problem there. In the past I have had a few times where I had to push the buttons on the control panel a couple of times to get them to work. I had to change the shuttle valve last year because the slides where very slow to move, that corrected the problem. I have contacted HWH, filled out the request form 3 times over the last month and no reply from them. Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem before.
Thanks
John Braidwood

 

[youracman]

Suggestion, John: In the event nobody on the forum is familiar with this problem (I'm not) Call Paul Maddox at 602-549-3638. and have your HWH model number handy. He is in AZ and he works for HWH. Be sure to leave a msg because he gets so many robo calls he just deletes if no msg/callback number. He occasionally posts on iRV2 as azpete. He knows HWH systems inside and out and has helped many an RVer. I have read many times where it can take weeks to hear from the main HWH folks in Moscow, IA ..... sad but true.

Good luck on the fix and safe travels to ya.

 

[Non-partic]

Just a guess, but that HWH motor is ground thru it's 3 mounting screws, and when these get loose you lose your ground.

SOLUTION: Tighten the bolts... after you pull one of the 5" long screws out and add a extra ground wire. ==> Be sure you find a good ground, because a lot of places under you front steps are not good grounds.

* And you should inspect your solenoids to see if you have any leakage.

* I also attached a picture of a relay another owner said fixed his HWH jack activation issue. This relay is accessed from outside your RV... in front of your driver's side front wheel. You also need to remove the metal plate to see this group of relays. Note: I have not tested this out for myself, so keep us posted if this tip helps you!

* Lastly, if your control panel button looses ground then you may have a bad button and the only way to repair that is to send your control board to HWH for replacement and/or repair. Note: These buttons are N.O. contacts and switch to ground.

==> One time I could not retreact my jacks so I took a 12V probe-light... connected it ground... and then touched the problem button, and when I touched the backside of the "Jacks-up" button (completing the circuit to ground) all my jack-up worked!!! ...Thank god, because I was trying to leave a State Park and I was just about ready to ??? I don't know what, because a tow truck would not have been any help in the spot I was camped in.

 

[John Canfield]

Great troubleshooting presentation, thanks for that. I'm voting for the control panel being wonky based on the symptoms.

As an aside, it is recommended you level side to side first and then front-back if necessary.

 

[Ray-IN]

If the motor is activated with any button it is not the motor, but rather it is particular to the port-side activating system only. We know the port-side lowering button works because it opens the solenoid, since there is no pump pressure oil flows backwards into the reservoir and lowers the coach.
Depending on your model #, the control box has 5 or more fuses on one end, test those. Some models of control box also have lights on them to indicate an operating function. To see what they look like, google HWH control box then select "images".
What is your model #? HWH system identification pdf, Here is a faster easier HWH leveling system ID pdf.

A question, what happens during automatic leveling??

 

[John Canfield]

Auto leveling was an option, at least when we ordered our 2005 Horizon.

 

[Ray-IN]

Auto leveling was an option, at least when we ordered our 2005 Horizon.

Yep, that's why I offered him the HWH system ID pdf, so we may know whereof we speak.

 

[cupe873]

Problem Fixed I was reading the repair manual for the system and it stated if a single button on the panel was not working that it is likely the control board needs replacing. They don't make the boards any more but HWH does rebuild them. Sent it away to them and received it back 2 months later. They like lots of other companies are having a hard keeping staff and were down to only one person rebuilding electronic panels. We left the motorhome parked for the winter and this was the 1st chance I had to test it out. Works like its brand new. Cost was only about 100 to fix it.

 

[John Canfield]

Thanks for the follow-up!!

Was the control board for the inside panel or the large board underneath? Our main controller (underneath the chassis) had a problem and Winnebago Factory Service had to order one from HWH. This was probably six plus years ago, the last time we were ever there. HWH will not let Winnie stock parts (or at least that part) so we had to wait three of four days. Only $800

 

[cupe873]

This was the inside control panel.