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Power Cord Reel Not Working
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On our ’99 Marathon, the retract limit switch is under the rubber flap collar where the cable enters the bus. That one seems to work fine since you can retract the cable.
The limit switch for cable extension is on the far side of the cable drum/wheel where the cable enters from the cable storage side. If you pull the cable all the way out you should see where the extension limit collar on the cable trips the limit switch. The switch may be stuck or broken. Don’t know the setup for an H3 but for the XL I had to remove the bay access panels next to the cable inlet to get access to the cable drum.
You can always give Marathon a call. They will be able to tell you how to access and test the limit switches.
Look for http://www.glendinningprods.com/products/cablemaster/cm-models/166-cm-7
for a parts diagram and general layout.
Good luck, Gerald
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Update: out limit switch stuck, was able to move the cable “around” while pulling out manually, everything works as it should now. Thanks
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Just curious, have you tried to power it out, even if it is just a little way you can rule out the motor.
If it does come out a little, will it then go back in a little or maybe even all the way? On mine there are some micro switch limiters to the cord travel and they just look like they could be a problem although I have had no issues with them.
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Must be a jinxed weekend. Mine quit too. Got over to Petoskey, MI and it would only go out about 6 feet and stopped with a squeal and blew the breaker. Reset the breaker and tried again…blew it again after a short squeal. Reset it again, and tried to get it back in. It would not move. Tried it again several times and finally got it back in. Then tried to get it out and it went out just enough so I could hook up an extension cord to it so we could get power.
Jeff thinks it could be either a knot in the new cable he installed in April, or the motor could be bad.
We are scheduled to go to Yellowstone this comming week, so as long as it will keep working to give me 8 inches or so, I can use the extension and we are good to go.
You have to pull the generator radiator to gain access to the storage tub and mechanisim. Not exactly user friendly.
Looks like a trip to North Chicageo will be the next stop after we get back.
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Jon….
Yes I did try to jiggle it both ways and it won’t budge… even tried to pull and push on the cord a little…. I mentioned earlier that I thought it still had power to the switch but it doesn’t… so it could be a fuse… just have no clue which fuse number to look for?? anyone know?
Mark…
Mine didn’t come to a screeching halt like yours did… it just stopped reeling in. I am praying its just the fuse…. just wish I knew which fuse.
Hope you get yours sorted out without a big hassle. Safe travels.Cheers, Diane
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Mark, from your discription sounds like what happened to me on a very cold day in OKC a few years ago. Mine was knotted, and it happened when trying to leave. In order to unknot mine had to take the platform of the bed apart since mine does not raise. That is where the cord is stored. Once unknoted everything was fine. Breaker would pop since motor was trying to do the impossible.
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One thing that can help prevent problems with cord reels is to periodically extend the cord its entire length and unroll it. By unrolling I mean when it is extended make sure it is not twisted along its length.
I don’t know why this might be a problem, but I am not comfortable leaving a large portion of the cord inside the container while drawing a lot of current such as in the summer when it is hot and the coach is drawing a lot of amps. That probably has nothing to do with the issues reported above.
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Hello Diane, if this is the same coach you had in August of 2014 when you had a similar situation going on, Jeff advised you to check the “fuse in 2nd bay should be 15amp wire number 82..”, at that time replacing the fuse was the resolve.
Hope this works for you….
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For you H owners, I assumed the cable tub was in the same place as mine, remove the driver rear fender and it’s right in your face. Must be Liberty did it different.
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Dorel….
That thought crossed my mind but thought it was on our Vantare…. thanks so much …. I will check it out. I need a new memory for sure.
Happy fourth to you ….
cheers, Diane
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Tom, I wish it was that easy. On mine, you have to remove the generator radiator, the panel behind it that directs the hot air to the ground, and then it is visible. Just barely. It is a real PITA to work on. You should have seen Jeff trying to wiggle in to change it the first time. I should have taken a picture!
Liberty does some things that just make me shake my head.
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Mark: Sorry to hear. I feel your pain.
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Jon wrote: “One thing that can help prevent problems with cord reels is to periodically extend the cord its entire length and unroll it. By unrolling I mean when it is extended make sure it is not twisted along its length.”
To me, the power cord reel is a little like electricity … I can’t see it so I don’t completely understand it and consequently don’t trust it.
After going to the Glendenning web site and seeing how the power cord it restracted and put into a basket (versus being wound up on a drum) I decided that when I pull it out, I want to make sure it going back in “straight” because I can’t see what is going on inside the basket which is akin to what Jon does with his. Pulling it out a long way, making it straight, and then retracting it is a good idea. I can just imagine what “knots” in the power cord look like!
Then Jon went on to say: “I don’t know why this might be a problem, but I am not comfortable leaving a large portion of the cord inside the container while drawing a lot of current such as in the summer when it is hot and the coach is drawing a lot of amps. That probably has nothing to do with the issues reported above.”
I use a 50′ foot 15amp power cord on a reel in the race shop and at the track to power the portable air compressor that I drag along as well as the battery charger and to provide power to the two oil tank heaters. Over the years I’ve noticed that when I’ve pulled out only a short amount of cord (say 8 to 10 feet) that if I’m pulling considerable amps (running the compressor for a long time) that the power cord on the reel will get warm … warm enough that I’m concerned. But if I pull out most or all of the 50′ feet and pull the same amount of amps, the cord doesn’t get warm.
Somewhere I read (probably the Garage Journal Forum) that running lots of eletrical through the cord wound around the reel creates somekind of “thing” which causes the heat and to keep the heat from being an issue the cord should be pulled off the reel. Maybe one or more of the engineers on the PC forum can elaborate. I suppose putting a remote, wireless thermometer in the cord basket might enlighten us to actually how hot it gets in there.
Mark wrote: “Liberty does some things that just make me shake my head.” With no malice towards LIberty Coach or the Konigseders (who I think build a very, very fine coach) … I often think the same thing. Sometimes I think maybe it was the original purchaser who spec’d the coach out (who in our case I understand wasn’t able to take delivery when the coach was finished and someone else bought it when finished). Then other times it might be something a purchaser would like not have control cover and respond similarly to Mark. Then I look at other things and think “WOW! Those guys really went the extra mile!” Considering we have coach #405 I’ve conceded (1) they are smarter than I am and (2) there must be a method to their madness.
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To use the power cord “reel” as an exam ple that seems to apply to a lot of things associated with out conversions I have found what we can call the “Prevost rule”.
It seems the more difficult something is to access and repair, the more problems there will be associated with it.
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It’s a hose reel weekend!
Our HR is acting crazy.
Ours went out and when we put it in the off position it just keeps winding in until it pops breaker 39.
So so now Butch has to manually pull it and I have to push the breaker for it to come in the push the breaker again when yells STOP!
We are super worried the storage facility valet won’t be as saavy and walk away.
I thought i was was coming here to find the fix.
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