Sluggish tongue jack

[nilesrob]

The tongue jack on our 2008 International is operating really sluggish - as if the battery were almost dead. I left the trailer plugged in to shore power overnight, but that did not make a difference. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[azflycaster]

How many volts at the battery? Maybe the converter is not working or you battery(s) are shot.

You need to determine if it is an electrical issue or a mechanical issue and then go from there.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by nilesrob

The tongue jack on our 2008 International is operating really sluggish - as if the battery were almost dead. I left the trailer plugged in to shore power overnight, but that did not make a difference. Any thoughts? Thanks.

A bent jack post will slow the operation.

Also, there could be a poor ground between the jack head and jack post. You did say who's jack you had.

Andy

[Ike T]

Drink a beer or two then try it again.

[nilesrob]

Drinking a cold beer is always Plan A, but (sadly) that did not do the trick this time, although typically it works pretty well. It looks like I am getting a 9 volt reading on each of the batteries - I assume that is the problem?

[azflycaster]

Sounds like a big problem to me. Now you need to find out why the batteries are not charging. Bad converter, blown fuse, shorted battery?

[2airishuman]

9 volts?

are the batteries wired in series?

UNplugged, do the 12 volt lights work, water pump run, and the brake away system function?

none should function normally IF that reading is correct.

cheers
2air'

[nilesrob]

OK - unplugged from shore power, and neither the lights or the pump worked...

[2airishuman]

ok, good info brad...

does this model have one of those clearly confusing "store/use" switches for the 12v system?

cheers
2air'

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by nilesrob

OK - unplugged from shore power, and neither the lights or the pump worked...

At nine volts the batteries have had it. Reguardless of what caused their demise. Plugged into shore power you should get a reading above 12.6 on the way up to 13.8-14.2 You will not get 13.8 until the bulk charge of the batteries has completed.
Suggest you disconnect the converter from the DC "buss" and check it's output. Unloaded it should be 13.8-14.2. If you blew an AC fuse on the converter I would suspect the converter is toast.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Our coach sat on the dealers lot for 6mos. A lot of that time plugged in I'm sure.

First thing we had to do was replace the Interstates, I.S. pro-rated them.

Not all that unusual...sadly.

[2airishuman]

as i recall (vaguely) the p-lax charger/converter has a LOWER VOLTAGE threshold...

and will NOT kick into CHARGER function until something like 10.5+ volts ? (i've 4gotten the threshold)

HERE is the flow chart for t/s the 7300 series...

http://www.parallaxpower.com/7300/Flowchart7300.pdf

((they left out the arrows pointing to -> buy a different brand...))

here's all the supporting documents for the 7300 p-lax...

p-lax tech documents...

they are probably toast but take the batteries to be charge/load tested before replacing them...

cheers
2air'

[nilesrob]

Thanks - you guys are awesome to help, by the way - thank you.

I looked at the 30 amp fuses and everything looks OK. I turned shore power back on, and read the voltage at the converter - got a 13.57 reading. Looks like I am in for a new set of batteries... if I am reading these comments correctly.

[nilesrob]

Deal is done - batteries replaced, everything working as it should. Thanks again - you guys are great!

Now, on to Plan A - a cold beer.