Dear Dave,
My Lippert coach operating panel has the jacks down illuminated, but the jacks are fully retracted. The operating panel will not extend the jacks in either manual or auto mode. Lippert told me to buy a new control box, which I did (from them). I connected it and the problem is the same. —Dan, 2019 Thor Hurricane 35M
Dear Dan,
This seems to be a common issue as this is discussed in several forums. I am surprised that Lippert Customer Service had you replace the control box before going through some troubleshooting steps.
First step in troubleshooting this and similar issues
The first step in almost every troubleshooting issue when it comes to a component that is powered by 12-volt DC is to plug the unit into shoreline power to verify the house battery is getting at least 13.2 volts. Low voltage is the “gremlin” in the majority of failures.
I have heard hundreds of times that “it’s not the house batteries, I know they are good.” Plugging the shoreline cord into a good 120 volt means the converter should be putting out at least 13.2 volts. I would verify that with a multimeter at the battery bank.
You did not provide the make of the jacks; however, most of the Thor products use Power Gear®, which is owned by Lippert. Since your Thor Hurricane Class A is a fairly heavy unit, I also assume the jacks are hydraulic due to the weight.
Therefore, next I would suggest checking the fluid level in the reservoir. Here is a photo of the hydraulic motor and reservoir on the 2016 Thor Challenger we worked on for RV Lifestyle & Repair Club. It is located in the driver side front compartment.
I know all this sounds very simple; however, it is important to verify each step as we can often step over a very minor issue.
Possible issue
According to my Lippert tech contact, it could be several issues, such as a bad jack motor, fluid sensor, directional valve, or the Pressure Sensor Switch, although that is very rare.
I would suggest contacting Lippert Customer Service again and ask for a technician, since you already swapped out the part. Several forums have posted that there are some reps that may not have the technical knowledge but rather are using a “cheat sheet.”
Most of the ones that I have talked with are very knowledgeable and helpful. The technician you talked to should have walked you through the basic steps of power, fluid, and a few other items before suggesting to just swap the part. Verify 12-volt power at the motor, as well, and the hydraulic fluid before contacting them.
Any additional information you can provide such would be helpful as well. Does the motor try to run, click, or just nothing when you try any of the buttons?
You might also enjoy these posts from Dave
- Why is RV ‘leveling jacks down’ light on with jacks retracted when driving?
- Planning ahead: Should RV leveling jacks be retracted during winter storage?
- Can I use a small battery jumper to extend and retract RV jacks?
- My RV’s auto-level system doesn’t work. How do I recalibrate it?
- Are SnapPads on the RV’s jacks a good idea?
- Why aren’t the leveling jacks working?
DAVE HAS ANSWERED MORE THAN 1,000 readers’ maintenance and repair questions. Read a directory here. There is so much to learn!
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
RVDT2765
Being plugged into shore power while operating the jacks will help supplement power from the batteries.
We also have the PowerGear jacks and this same issue happens to us occasionally. One thing we learned is that the system needs a lot of time to make sure the fluid is returned to the tank. We often have to sit for about 10 minutes before the system shuts itself off. Waiting has helped us with less beeping while driving and more accurate readings on the jacks up.
“Low voltage is the “gremlin” in the majority of failures”. Fact
We have an 06 Tiffin Phaeton with electric Level Legs. Our coach is 32,000 lbs. Lippert doesn’t support that version. Weight of coach didn’t matter to the manufacturer when picking the jacks. Just put the cheapest thing to put on without regard to ability to do the job.