Questions about slide outs

[aztec7fan]

I've owned two motor homes and lived in a third as a kid, and all of these didn't have slide outs, so I have some questions about them. I'm asking, since in the next few years, we may have to replace our current '89 Southwind and I'd like to know more about them.

1) Do you ever get to a destination and leave your slide outs in, since you will just be there for a short while? Can you function easily in your coach with them in?

2) When dry camping, do you ever worry that the batteries will be drained too much, and you won't be able to get your slides in? Is there a safety feature(s) that prevent this?

3) Are there any Class A motorhomes made currently that don't have any slide-outs?

Thanks for any info you can provide,

Chris G.

[garykd]

Hi Chris,

For me, the answers are:

1. No. With the slides in, the coach is more cramped than a coach with no slides. The floor plan is made to live with the slides out and travel with the slides in.

2. No, I do not worry about this. Some coaches have an energy management system. This auto starts the generator when the batteries hit a certain voltage. This is adjustable by the owner. I do no have this. However, I know my batteries (4, 6 VDC for the coach). It is no problem for me to check the power panel and start the generator when it is needed. Lastly, the engine batteries are separate from the coach batteries. Some coaches (like mine) are wired so the engine will charge the coach batteries once the auto batteries (2, 12 VDC) are charged. This means I wold really need to be "lost in space" to have no way to charge the coach batteries.

3. I do not know of any class A coaches, being made today, that do not have slides.

[pkendzor]

Hi Chris,

1. We occasionally leave our slides in when we boondock or are in a tight campground and get around with no issues. Our rear bedroom slide only blocks one closet door, and with the slide in we cannot walk around the bed but otherwise no problem. If we decide to stop at a Walmart or Flying J for the night we leave the slides in.

For questions 2 & 3 I agree with garykd

Paul

[Guest 2driftrs]

1) Do you ever get to a destination and leave your slide outs in, since you will just be there for a short while? Can you function easily in your coach with them in?

Lots of times. We've parked in some places where there isn't room to run your slides out, or put down your awning! And if we're doing the Wally World thing, we never run the slide out. We only have 1 slide for the living room sofa and dinette. Ten years ago, multiple slides were few and far between. To be honest, our coach, being 10 years old, isn't like today's newer rigs that are designed to be lived in with the slides out. We've been to lots of RV shows, and found that some floor plans just won't let you move about with the slides in.

2) When dry camping, do you ever worry that the batteries will be drained too much, and you won't be able to get your slides in? Is there a safety feature(s) that prevent this?

Our coach has no safety feature, and I don't worry about battery drain. The coach has 1 engine battery and 2 coach batteries. If they all die for whatever reason, I can always jump them off the toad. And, I can crank the slide in by hand if necessary.

3) Are there any Class A motorhomes made currently that don't have any slide-outs?

Not that we've seen in recent shows or ads.