Leave slideouts out - ac on? - Montana Owners Club

bikefever · 05-09-2009, 09:00 PM

We are new to RVing having taken delivery of 3455 yesterday. It is set up at a RV site until October 1 and will be seeing her every weekend. When we leave her on Sunday or Monday should we leave the slideouts out or pull them in? Leave AC powe and dc power on? What else should be do if leaving her for a few days?

ols1932 · 05-09-2009, 11:53 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bikefever

We are new to RVing having taken delivery of 3455 yesterday. It is set up at a RV site until October 1 and will be seeing her every weekend. When we leave her on Sunday or Monday should we leave the slideouts out or pull them in? Leave AC powe and dc power on? What else should be do if leaving her for a few days?

Personally, I'd leave the AC power connected, but leave the slides out. There's no reason they need to be in. I know people who have a permanent site in So. California who leave their slides out all the time, even when they are gone from April 1 to November 1. However, they disconnect AC power. I think it's a personal matter.

Orv

Emmel · 05-10-2009, 02:56 AM

bikefever, by all means, leave the ac hooked up, especially if you are leaving items in the fridge from weekend to weekend. While our Montana is beside the house, we leave it hooked up so the fridge isn't on lp and it doesn't run the battery down.
It seems like everyone I know with a permanent site leave their slides out all the time.

H. John Kohl · 05-10-2009, 03:13 AM

If you are going to leave it parked until Oct I suggest you coat the exposed hydraulic ram cylinders so they do not rust or pit due to weather. Rusted ram arms will destroy the seals and cause leaks.
That is a good question for Lippert at the Fall Rally in Goshen.

Glenn and Lorraine · 05-10-2009, 03:25 AM

slides out and AC connected for all the above reasons.

John, I have never coated the exposed hydraulic rams in all the years we wintered in Florida. Usually we are set up from early October into mid-May and have yet to collect 1 spot of rust. These rams, I believe, are stainless steel. That would be a Q for Lippert.

Parrothead · 05-10-2009, 05:35 AM

Before we were full timing we were set up and left the rig for a weekend or a week at holidays. We left the slides out, AC on but shut off the water (in case of a leak). We still do this if we take a overnight trip. Never had a problem.
Happy trails...............................

Glenn and Lorraine · 05-10-2009, 06:00 AM

Very good point Sue, turn off the water.

hazmic · 05-10-2009, 06:07 AM

I do two things, I leave the AC on but be sure you have a converter that has Smart Charger in it or added on as not to boil the water out of the battery's. Also if the slides have been out for some time and the rods are extended,I take a rag that has been wet with WD-40 and wipe the rods before bringing them in as to remove the dust that might have collected on them. The dust or grit will destroy the seals in the cylinder. Yes, be sure the water is OFF. This seems to work for me.

dsprik · 05-10-2009, 10:59 AM

We do the same as above: AC on/slides out/water off.

Also - doesn't hurt to have a neighbor (trustworthy) keep a watchful eye on your unit during your absences...

kdeiss · 05-10-2009, 02:03 PM

Slides Out AC On never boiled a battery in 13 Years

Art-n-Marge · 05-10-2009, 07:49 PM

Besides the water, wouldn't it be a good idea to turn off the propane, too? While the chances of a leak are more rare than a water leak, I don't suppose your neighbors would want to notified of a propane leak as indicated by a BOOM or the propane alarm whistling while you are away.

Some experience RVers also recommend you open the pressure relief valve for the water heater if you leave the trailer for an extended period. As you leave, and you turn off the water heater, wait a little while, then open the valve to relieve the pressure.

I understand leaving the AC on should be okay just like most everyone reports. I park my 'tana at home and leave it on AC, but the gas and water are off unless I use if for overflow visitors at our stick house. I believe most power supplies protect any batteries from overcharging, but the water in the batteries WILL evaporate nevertheless. I installed a water reservoir in my trailer garage and the manual pump to keep the battery water full (it has automatic overfill protection, too), but someone (me) has to check it about once a month to refill the batteries.

As pointed out by many others, the slides being out should not be a problem either. Another gadget that is becoming popular are slide out supports. They are adjustable stands that can be mounted under each slide's gear rail to provide additional support, but these are usually used if the rig is occupied, so if you leave, you could stow them away or they might grow legs while you are away. I have read that even for a long-term deployment the slides should be taken in and back out to ensure proper lubrication and check for correct operation, but if one keeps things maintained I am not sure why this has to be done other than piece of mind as the rig gets older.

Lastly, you don't mention on where you are doing this (and probably shouldn't tell us), but if weather is a concern, especially as Winter conditions approach, I know there are quite a few experienced members here who could start a whole dialog on what do do for that.

bikefever... Congratulations on your new rig!

dsprik · 05-11-2009, 04:00 AM

[quote]quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

Besides the water, wouldn't it be a good idea to turn off the propane, too? While the chances of a leak are more rare than a water leak, I don't suppose your neighbors would want to notified of a propane leak as indicated by a BOOM or the propane alarm whistling while you are away.

As pointed out by many others, the slides being out should not be a problem either. Another gadget that is becoming popular are slide out supports. They are adjustable stands that can be mounted under each slide's gear rail to provide additional support, but these are usually used if the rig is occupied, so if you leave, you could stow them away or they might grow legs while you are away.

grampachet · 05-11-2009, 10:47 AM

Interesting thoughts of wiping down the rods to prevent damage to the seals. I used to be a water well driller and our air rotary drilling machines were perhaps one the most abusive to the many hydralic cylinders you can find. With all the wet mud and dust on the rods we never had any problems with the seals. Wiping them down cant hurt.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 05-11-2009, 11:35 AM

Dave,

IIRC, the reason to NOT use slide stands:

If tire goes flat, then an abnormal amount of pressure is put on slides (forcing slide into position you don't want it in).

We used to see slide stands in campgrounds with a lot of seasonal sites, but, don't see too many any more. Reason: NOT needed. Slides are made to be out there hanging around.

And, that flat tire thingy too!

And, probably some other reasons I have forgotten.

Years we were able to travel to RGV for 3 months of warmth and no snow, we were set up on one site, did not use, and never felt the need for them.

dsprik · 05-11-2009, 12:23 PM

Thanks, Carol! I couldn't remember why the consensus of that topic tilted that way.

Parrothead · 05-11-2009, 01:24 PM

Actually the only ones (slideout stands) we see anymore are very old rigs.
Happy trails..........................

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