Leveling Jack Length

[cdsuggs]

This has probably already been covered and I'm just too technically challenged to find it.  I have read in several threads references about something or other with the leveling jacks fully extended.  Well, how in the heck do I know when the jacks are fully extended?  There are also references about over-extending the jacks.  Same question. 

On my Discovery, I will sometimes get a low voltage message, but don't know if that means they are completely extended. 

I also haven't seen any references anywhere that tell how much they will extend, though I don't think I would want to crawl under there and measure.

[wayne77590]

Charles, you are looking for the stroke of the piston. On my recently drowned 2008 Winnebago it was 17 inches.  The manual should tell you, or call the Mfg of the jacks and they will tell you the distance.

As for low voltage, do you level with the motor running?  If so and you still get low voltage I'd ask how old the batteries are. Could be one or more are going "south."

[wildebill308]

22 hours ago, cdsuggs said:

Well, how in the heck do I know when the jacks are fully extended?

They stop moving. Don't worry about over extending your hydraulic jacks, I think that is mainly the electric ones that may have a problem.

 

22 hours ago, cdsuggs said:

On my Discovery, I will sometimes get a low voltage message, but don't know if that means they are completely extended. 

What does the owners manual say? Some say to have the engine running or generator to supply power or shore power. The same with slides. 

 

22 hours ago, cdsuggs said:

I also haven't seen any references anywhere that tell how much they will extend, though I don't think I would want to crawl under there and measure.

I have to ask, why is this important? 

Bill

[cdsuggs]

Thanks for the pointers about where or how to answer the questions.  The reason that I asked about over-extending is simply because I've seen some reference to that in forum posts.  Th e leveling system on my Discovery won't even work without the engine running, so I always have the engine running at high idle when leveling.  I still occasionally get a low battery light if any of the jacks extend close to what I believe is their maximum extension.  The batteries were in the coach when I bought it in June 2016.  They looked new, but I have no way of determining that for sure.  They are watered and the connections are cleaned regularly.  The reason I was looking for the full extend length was simply for information purposes to understand the equipment.  I come from a  work background ,back when I had a job, where there are no unimportant questions regarding the equipment you operate, especially considering the disastrous results possible with incomplete knowledge.  

[wildebill308]

52 minutes ago, cdsuggs said:

Thanks for the pointers about where or how to answer the questions.  The reason that I asked about over-extending is simply because I've seen some reference to that in forum posts.  Th e leveling system on my Discovery won't even work without the engine running, so I always have the engine running at high idle when leveling.  I still occasionally get a low battery light if any of the jacks extend close to what I believe is their maximum extension.  The batteries were in the coach when I bought it in June 2016.  They looked new, but I have no way of determining that for sure.  They are watered and the connections are cleaned regularly.  The reason I was looking for the full extend length was simply for information purposes to understand the equipment.  I come from a  work background ,back when I had a job, where there are no unimportant questions regarding the equipment you operate, especially considering the disastrous results possible with incomplete knowledge.  

What make/type levelers do you have?

Bill

[manholt]

Quote

Batteries looked new in 2016

By detailing the batteries and compartment, you can make old batteries "Look" new or young...see if you can still see the year punched out of tag, and take a voltage meter and test each battery, could be that you have a bad cell in one and that will drag down your voltage in it and the others!

[cdsuggs]

Tried to look at the markings on the top of the batteries, but they weren't marked.  The rest of the compartment was pretty dirty for what that means.  The leveling system that I've got is a Power Gear Automatic system.  I don't have the control panel in front of me, but have found a manual online that gives me some information, as soon as I figure out exactly which jacks I have.  Didn't have any trouble in Texarkana, but that was on a pretty level asphalt parking lot.

[manholt]

I'm still on that parking lot.  5 coaches leaving later today for the LA. State Fair in Shreveport for a week of Volunteer work...they give us free full H/U and lots of food for 2 hrs of greeting folks as the come in!  For Six State, I'm the Golf Captain and got to pay for H/U and Volunteer!

I recommend that you have the batteries load tested, I suspect they need to be replaced.

[jleamont]

Great idea to ask questions! You hit the nail on the head, most don't ask until its too late. Hydraulic jacks have a stop on the ram inside the cylinder, unless that fails its not an issue to worry about. Battery light; as mentioned those will need to be load tested individually, if you look on the sides of the battery it will have a round sticker with something like B1 which is a date code, chart is below to identify when it was made.

[manholt]

Like tires, I had all 10 of my batteries (ACID) replaced in Sep. 2016 with AGM's and they where 9-2016.