Electric jacks not working - Montana Owners Club

RCMP03 · 04-23-2007, 07:43 AM

Hello All!

Well, we had our first trip in the Monty last weekend and had a great time. There were some minor problems which we have noted for the dealer.

In the hooking up preparation to leave the CG, the electric jacks were working one minute and then they quit. We had to raise/lower manually. Although we will have the dealer fix the problem, we are wondering if anyone can offer any input as to what the problem may be? We had plenty of battery power, in fact we even hooked the electricity back up! Is there a specific fuse to look at?

All in all, we love the Monty and VERY happy with our choice.

Thanks All!
Sue & Harv

Cat320 · 04-23-2007, 08:25 AM

If you are talking about the landing gear, there is an inline 40 amp fuse off the battery. Mine blew the very first time I used the landing gear...replaced the fuse and have not had a problem since, go figure.

RCMP03 · 04-23-2007, 08:46 AM

CAT320, yes we are talking about the landing gear. We figure there must be a fuse blown, but not sure where to look! You say it is at the battery? Forgive my ignorance, not mechanically incline, but learning!

ols1932 · 04-23-2007, 08:58 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by RCMP03

CAT320, yes we are talking about the landing gear. We figure there must be a fuse blown, but not sure where to look! You say it is at the battery? Forgive my ignorance, not mechanically incline, but learning!

The easiest way to find the fuse is to trace back from the switch that you press to raise/lower and you'll find an "inline" fuse. Mine blew after about a year of use and it was only a 20-amp fuse. Installed a 30-amp fuse and it has worked well for the last six years.

Orv

richfaa · 04-23-2007, 09:34 AM

And it may not even look like a fuse as it can be cleverly disguised and hard to open but yes there is a fuse in there..

rrheik · 04-23-2007, 10:19 AM

We had same problem, replaced the 40 amp in-line fuse and no more troubles. Our fuse was just a foot or so off the battery wire. Our battery is in the front (under cap storage compartment). It is on the right hand side of the compartment , if you are facing the cap of the rv. Most places like walmart or camping world don't carry 40 amps. I have found good luck by going to just about any rv dealer close by. I try to carry a 1/2 dozen spares so I can help folks out that need them. Just be careful when you extend or lower your landing gear that you don't go all the way to the end of the legs. Most of us mark the place we want to stop on the landing gear legs.
Good luck and enjoy that rv.

bob

ols1932 · 04-23-2007, 10:36 AM

It also helps if you don't run the motor for an extended period. By that I mean in those cases where you really have to lift the front end pretty high to get level, just stop for a few moments for a "cool-down period." It doesn't take a lot of cooling, merely lets the motor "rest" a little. It's what I do just because I don't like to stress that motor more than I have to. I've already replaced one in our rig. But then our rig is one of the "older" Montanas.

Orv

RCMP03 · 04-23-2007, 11:02 AM

Ok...we found the fuse, pulled it out and it looks fine. Put it back in and the motor works now (go figure)! I wonder if there is a loose connection somewhere? Definitely will have the dealer check it out.

Thanks for your experience and advise!

hazmic · 04-23-2007, 11:45 AM

Be sure to check the ground. Person I know had the same problem and purchased a new motor and when he went to change it found the ground lose. Tightened it up and it has worked fine ever since. I think that motor/gearbox are will over 100 bucks. The dealer would NOT take it back so he sold the motor/gearbox for 50 bucks.

Glenn and Lorraine · 04-23-2007, 01:25 PM

In my 2955 I had a 30AMP glass tube inline fuse which I removed and replaced with an automatic reset circuit breaker. Will do the same with the 3485SA as soon as I get time.

49merc · 04-23-2007, 01:38 PM

Our 2007 2955 blew the fuse several times so the dealer installed an auto reseting circuit breaker and no more problems.
Bob

bw2 · 04-24-2007, 07:23 AM

We had the same problem as well, ours turned out to be a loose ground wire.

happy campers · 04-25-2007, 02:13 AM

I'm wondering why there seems to be 2 different size fuses in these trailers. I had to replace mine, and it was a 30A. The holder was marked 30A as well.

SUBSAILOR · 04-26-2007, 06:03 PM

We have the same problem right now. Dealer ordered a new motor so will take it over to have it replaced. No fun cranking this "candominium" up by hand. We're still under warranty, since ours is only 6 mos old.

Bill and Lisa · 04-26-2007, 06:29 PM

check out these two threads...
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ms=,short,stop
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=20798

includes some pictures...

Bill

rldriver · 04-26-2007, 06:54 PM

Very interesting if I do say so, as out Big Sky has only a 30 amp fuse. I think I will change it for a 40 amp circuit breaker. Or at least have one in stock if I need it.

Ozz · 04-27-2007, 01:58 AM

In my humble opinion, the blowing of fuses on landing gear is a common problem. The cause is mostly operator error, I can speak to this, as I am guilty as I can be. I was holding the button for one direction, poked my head out to see the landing gear legs-wrong direction, I pushed the other direction; Blew fuse. No patience.
The motor has to completely stop. I would imagine this is a common problem; until a guy gets tired of changing the fuses and starts to pay attention. Only took me two times.
The addition of Wes's remote landing gear control helped immensely.
Note: I would not change the value of the fuse, electrical engineers get paid good money to make the amperage match of a load to the fuse size. Do yourself a favor and just go with it.
I like the idea of a fuse, because by the time you find the darn thing, the load has cooled and is ready to go....But nothing wrong with an automatic circuit breaker.
I went back and copied a couple of good posts on this subject.
OH, and I hope I don't come off as a 'So called Forum Expert....'

Don't mean any harm.
Wes may be talking about EMF.

JH Sechelt
MOC Addict
MOC-4976
Canada
747 Posts

Posted - Mar 20 2007 : 02:46:51 AM

If you were lowering the trailer and went right to rising it without letting the landing gear motor stop turning in one direction first I could see it blowing a fuse. That would be a huge amount of torque. In our 2980, the fuse is in the wire going from the battery to the landing gear motor (inline).

J&D

WesWesthaver
MOC Enthusiast
MOC-2638
USA
4 Posts

Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 4:04:38 PM

quote:

His response was that he knew better because you should never raise and lower the jacks without pausing in between.

Your tech was telling the truth. I have seen this happen many times. I've done it on my rig a couple of times.

If you have your jacks running in one direction and then reverse them without letting the motor come to a complete stop the fuse can be blown.

When the power is removed from the motor it acts like a small generator and produces a reverse voltage nearly the same as the battery voltage. If you then flip the rocker switch to reverse the motor, this voltage is added to the battery voltage and you have nearly 24 volts present in the landing gear circuit and this can cause the fuse to blow. This is not unusual.

Wes Westhaver

thook · 04-27-2007, 06:28 AM

We had this problem first time out. Turned out to be an open connection inside one of the wire nuts............looked good, but was lose.

gary/sharon · 04-28-2007, 02:58 AM

I had the same problem last summer and found a loose connection at the motor.

bigbob7777 · 04-28-2007, 12:57 PM

Ok, so how did you lower/raise them manually? Haven't heard of this.

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