Landing gear not working at all

[Remi]

Hi folks. I have a Montana 3455A from 2010. We haven’t used it much, but now we intend to live in it for several months while we build a new house. I am new to the owners club and the forum. I have looked at many posts and the electrical setup for my landing gear seems different than anything I have seen in the current posts. My problem is the landing gear doesn’t work at all. Furthermore the slides will not extend when operated from the external box at the front LHS of the RV. We had to use the manual crank to set up the landing gear and the inside controls to extend the slides. In my review of the available posts, I see reference to 50 and 80 amp fuses and notes about inline fixes on orange wires. I am attaching a couple pics that hopefully show what I am up against.

First image is electrical panel with a 15 amp fuse. I don’t know where this blue wire leads to nor if it is equivalent to the common orange wire with a 30 amp or more fuse. The cover of the fuse holder says 15 amps). Also I don’t know what the blue bottom on the lower RHS of the panel is for. Is this a reset switch?

The second image is the same panel showing a red switch mounted above. I do not know what this switch is for. Is it a reset switch?

The third image is wiring that seems to be consistent with other images I have seen in posts that talk about changing from a 50 amp breaker to an 80 amp breaker. I don’t see an existing breaker of any type located anywhere near this wiring setup.

Last image is the motor. Can someone tell me where/how to check voltage to see if the motor is getting power. I think this entire setup is by Lippet, based solely on markings on the wires. There is nothing else inside the compartment or in any of the manuals I was provided to indicate the company who supplied the landing gear equipment.

We are ok for now but I do want to resolve this as soon as possible because the trailer is still a tiny bit out of level.

Thanks a bunch in advance for any help.

Remi allard in Cranbrook, BC, Canada

[Carl n Susan]

F.Y.I. i created a new Thread for your Post. You have a number of issues and questions which are unrelated to the existing Thread where this was posted. This way you will get answers related to your problem.

[Carl n Susan]

First understand that the front jacks are driven by an electrical motor. The slides are controlled by a hydraulic pump system. They are completely independent of each other. You have to diagnose each of them separately.

Originally Posted by Remi

First image is electrical panel with a 15 amp fuse. I don’t know where this blue wire leads to nor if it is equivalent to the common orange wire with a 30 amp or more fuse. The cover of the fuse holder says 15 amps). Also I don’t know what the blue bottom on the lower RHS of the panel is for. Is this a reset switch?

That is a picture of the "brain" for the remote control system. 2010 models (and others) had a handheld remote control device which would allow you to move the slides, awnings, stabilizer jacks, and such (hot the front jacks). The 15 Amp fuse appears to be the power supply for the "brain" The Blue button is used to "Program" the handheld remote to the "brain". As you didn't mention a remote I am assuming you don't have it.

The second image is the same panel showing a red switch mounted above. I do not know what this switch is for. Is it a reset switch?

To be honest I don't know what that red thing is for exactly. I suspect it is a self-resetting breaker for something. It will take some experimenting with a VOM to see what it controls.

The third image is wiring that seems to be consistent with other images I have seen in posts that talk about changing from a 50 amp breaker to an 80 amp breaker. I don’t see an existing breaker of any type located anywhere near this wiring setup.

Those rectangular devices under the wires with the yellow crimp connections are the 40 or 50 (it all depends on what they were usuing back then) self-resetting circuit breakers. The left most one feeds the hydraulic pump that drives the slides. You definitely want to check for 12V power on both sides of the two self-resetting CBs.

Last image is the motor. Can someone tell me where/how to check voltage to see if the motor is getting power. I think this entire setup is by Lippet, based solely on markings on the wires. There is nothing else inside the compartment or in any of the manuals I was provided to indicate the company who supplied the landing gear equipment.

Yup Lippert supplied all the pieces parts you are looking at. This is the motor that drives the front jacks. Montana uses a Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) switch to power the motor. Depending on where you press (top or bottom) it sends 12V to the motor. The difference between where you press is the polarity. One side sends it as is and the other reverses it causing the motor to run forwards or backwards.

For the Landing legs you will need to use a VOM to follow the 12V power from the battery to the electric motor. There will be a 30 amp fuse in the wire somewhere which as likely blown That is the most common cause of the jacks not working.

For the Hydraulic Pump motor you will also need a VOM, Start at the battery and follow the wires to the right, and then left, self-resetting CB. There should be 12V across all of them. The most common problem is the left hand CB is shot. If things are good to there, then check you have 12V all the way to the reversing valve (Trobetta Solenoid - sorry BB_TX).

There have been occasions where the "brain" has locked out the external switches. But you wrote you got the slides to work using the inside switches so I don't think that that is your problem.

[mazboy]

Your issues, to me, look like a trip to a RV service center. Legs and slide outs are usually beyond what most RVers can deal with.


Your front legs are electric and you should be able to see that motor is getting electricity.

[BB_TX]

Mine is a 2007. And I do not have a remote control system. But my wiring from the auto reset circuit breakers, as shown in your 3rd picture looks similar. Where you have a violet wire from the right hand circuit breaker, I have an orange one. And that orange wire has an in-line fuse a couple feet away (don't have a pic of it). And that is the power for my front jacks. Try following that violet wire and see if it has an in-line fuse. Mine is a 30 amp fuse.

The red thing in the top left of the 2nd picture looks exactly like the red plastic covers on auto reset circuit breakers in many units including mine. But I have not seen pictures before of one that looks like yours, especially the fact it has much smaller gauge wire than usual. Typically the auto reset circuit breakers like in your 3rd picture would have those red covers.