I finally completed the installation of the electrical/mechanical slide control on a 2002 3670RL Montana. I installed cartridge solonoid valves on the slide cylinders and a triple switch setup adjacent to the regualr slide control. All works well with only one small glitch. For those that are interested in all the details, I am currently working on a document that I hope to be able to e-mail out as a responce to request. I took a few pictures and hope to include them as well.
I decided to inclulde it here although I need to verify some facts before you quote me. This project is NOT for the faint of heart. A good mechanical and electrical back ground would come in very handy.
Hello happy campers,
I had heard that the newer Montana 5ers was going to have a slide control and wouldn’t that be great on some occasions. I further imagined that they would be controlled from a switch panel near the slide control switch. But, too my great disappointment, I later learned that the new slide control system was merely a manual valve on a manifold near the pump in the forward compartment. As I did not want to run back and forth to the front storage compartment, I decided to build my own system to control the slides individually from inside the trailer.
I went to my local hydraulic shop to inquire about solenoid valves to control the line that cause the slide to move out. The parts man recommended what was called a cartridge valve. They were kind of pricey, ($91ea) but I was determined to have control over the slides. These valves come in normally open or normally closed. I opted for the normally open ones figuring that they would not even be used most of the time.
The next problem was getting fittings and adapter to adapt the valve down to the size of the opening on the hydraulic cylinder. The same local hydraulic shop parts man was very instrumental in coming up with the correct parts. The cylinder fittings are #4 O-ring type and the valves are #8 O-ring type. The adapters were: (and in this order)a #4 O-ring male to #6 a flange type female, and a #6 flange male to #8 O-ring male. These screwed to gather in the order shown and attached to the #1 port of the valve body; next was a #8 O-ring male to #6 flange female and a #6 flange male to a #4 O-ring female, these were assembled in that order and attached to the #2 port on the valve body.
This configuration will allow you to insert the new valve in series with the line that causes the slide to move out (these lines are located on the end of the cylinder closest to the center of the unit). Disconnect the line at the cylinder; remove the #4 90 degree fitting from the cylinder, install the new valve body on the cylinder using the #4 O-ring male fitting. Next, install the 90 degree O-ring type fitting that was removed previously onto the new valve body in the #4 O-ring female. And last but not least, reinstall the line on the valve body. Now you only have to do it twice more, for the other two slide cylinders.
The next fun thing to do in this adventure is to run wiring for the solenoids that make the valve work. My 5er is a 2002 3670RL Montana so I only know what it took to do mine. I was able to pick up a 12 volt ground on the left side of the trailer in the wiring for all the marker lights, tail lights, etc. (it is a white wire common to all and can be verified in the junction box on the king pi mount). The next task is to run the control wire. I ran mine from the kitchen and living slide solenoids, up the left side with the coach wiring stopping were the propane line go up to the water heater and furnace. Also, run a wire from the bedroom slide down through the floor with the hydraulic line, through the front storage compartment and down the left side back to the propane lines again. I had to drill a small whole (3/8 inch) through the floor near the propane line and poke a hoe in the plastic barrier. Poke another wire down through the floor and tape the three wires from the solenoids to it and fish them through the whole in the floor. I decided to put the control switches on the pantry adjacent to the slide control switch. That involved drilling a whole through the wall below the pocket door (inside the cabinet area where the water heater is), removing the steps to bed/bath, and drill wholes on either side to run wiring across to the pantry/converter cabinet. I was able to fish the wires out through an area where a vent pipe goes up and into the converter area. I next cut a whole for the triple switch (this is three switches mounted on one plate and mounting bracket) that will be used to control the solenoids. I fished the wiring up through a whole provided by the CO2 detector and out the whole for the switches. Along with the solenoid wires, I pulled in another wire that will go to the converter box to provide power to the switches and then on to the solenoid (s) that one wants to enable.
In this application you will only need single poll single throw switches. The wire that will supply the 12 volts power will be connected to the same contact on all three switches. The individual solenoids wires will then be connected to the other contacts. I connected mine from left to right as; 1- bedroom, 2-kitchen, 3-livingroom. I connected to the CO2 fuse for power to the slide control switch bank. It really doesn’t make much difference which fuse you use as long as it does not already have much of a load. The combined current drain for all three solenoid is right at five amps.
With this configuration of solenoids and switches, everything operates normal with all switches in the off position. Simply turn a switch to prevent a slide from moving out. However, even with the switch in the on position, the slide still always be retracted. The valve is bidirectional between ports 1 and 2 in the relaxed position. With power applied to the solenoid coil, flow is prevented from port 2 to 1, but will flow from port 1 to 2, thus enabling the slide to be retraced even with the switch (and solenoid) enabled (turned on)
Now, having said all of that, I do find one flaw with the system. For example: if I inhibit the living room slide and slide out the bed and kitchen slides until the stop and the turn off the living room switch, the slide will move out a little (and probably not keep the seal tight enough). I can overcome this by bumping the slide in/out switch to in position in order to relieve a little pressure. At the time I did not realize that the pump held pressure on the cylinder in the respective positions (in/out).
If I had it to do over again, I would use the normally closed valves and control power to the switch bank through an extra set of contacts that I saw on the slide control switch (the one for the pump). With it this way, all slide would need to be selected to operate normally and the deselected to prevent a slide from moving out.
The total cost for this little project was around $360.00 and a LOT of sweat equity. In order to run the wining, I had to remove some of the belly pan from the under side of the trailer. Because I did this in conjunction with some other projects, I removed the rear stabilizers and the spare tire carrier. I also took the belly pan down from the rear to between the axles and rolled up the bubble insulation as I did not want to cut it. If I decide to change valves to normally closed, one sharp knife and look out insulation.
If this information is not adequate, you may e-mail me at
kechols929@netzero.com
Ken Echols
Ken and Karon
2004 Silverado LT C/C LB D/A 3500 DRW
2001 3670RL Montana
If you are in your RV, you can't be late...no schedule!
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