It's fixed now but thought I'd share. I learned something new today.
I brought the MH home today to finish getting ready for winter. When I went to level it in the driveway, the HWH Leveler panel was dead (and therefor also no hydraulics for the slide). I was checking the fuse and noticed that the lights would come alive momentarily as I was playing with the fuse holder and also if if pushed hard on the switch. I pulled the cover with the rocker switch, to look for anything loose.
For those not aware of it (like me)the panel cover is not hard wired to the rest of the unit but uses three springs about the diameter of a ball point pen spring and 3/8" long to contact a circuit board on the main unit. One of these springs was visibly shorter than the others. I stretched it out to make better contact and put it together. It's working again but the spring wasn't very springy. I am guessing that it may have gotten hot and lost its temper. I may change it out later but for now I have one more place to check if it goes out again.
Has anyone else had this problem and if so, have you found a better cure? If you have this system, this may be one of those things to hide away in the back of your brain in case you do have a problem. If I hadn't seen the lamps flash, I'd still be in the driveway muttering.
Terry
Terry & Amy
2004 Hurricane 30F on P32 Workhorse Chassis
2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Where are we going.....and why am I in this handbasket?
Thanks for the insight. I assume when you are talking about the "panel cover", you are referring to the cover on the dash that has arrows on it that you push in to level.
there are two styles of joystick controls. one had the light panel on the dash (210 SYSTEM)and the other (225 system)has the light panel built into the joystock control box. the 210 system is hard wired and does not have the springs. it still needs to be cleaned, same as described below.
the 225 joystick system does have the three springs that you describe. due to the placement of the controls,, it is subject to accumulations of dust, animal hair,sand, and in one case, i found the grandchild had stuffed the area around the joystick full of potpourri he had found on the counter.
the panel should be removed once a year and cleaned. the springs fo get out of shape. you correctly repaired the problem.
to clean the joystick system, remove the knobs on the joystick and release handles. then remove the four screws holding the panel. when you have the cover off, do the following. vacuum the cavity around the joystick. look down inside and you will see a contact ring. clean this with a pencil eraser. gets the contact corrosion off. clean the spring contacts on the little circuit board with the pencil also.
straighten and stretch the springs back to thier original condition.
this will improve contact.
the joystick is almost a bullet proof system. there are very few problems with it. if you use it once a month and clean it once a year, it will serve you for a long time.
* This post was
edited 11/10/09 08:08am by azpete *
Azpete,
You are correct, it's a 225 series system. I called HWH today and I'm waiting for a call back. It's not that another item for the annual checklist is a problem but the spring temper may be gone. I may need to replace the spring set to be sure it continues to operate trouble free. I hope to hear back tomorrow.
Terry
I talked to the folks at HWH yesterday. No updates to the system, just periodic maintenance as stated by Azpete. There is no subassembly available for the contacts, and almost $50 for the top plate, which I don't need. As I told the gentleman from HWH, I may sacrifice a couple of ball point pens and replace the not so springy springs myself. If nothing else, I now have one more periodic maintenance item for my list.
Terry
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