No indication you're driving with the slide-out out. :-)

[BigFatGuy]

Tried an experiment yesterday. I'd always wondered what would happen if I tried to drive my ERA 170M with the slide-out extended. I didn't drive far, or fast, but just basically far enough to get off my leveling blocks.

Nothing happened. No bells, no dings, no warnings.

Not really surprising, but I guess it's good to know.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by BigFatGuy

Tried an experiment yesterday. I'd always wondered what would happen if I tried to drive my ERA 170M with the slide-out extended. I didn't drive far, or fast, but just basically far enough to get off my leveling blocks.

Nothing happened. No bells, no dings, no warnings.

Not really surprising, but I guess it's good to know.

Kind of reminds me of folks using a parachute ONCE to infiltrate the enemies intelligence network. They did not practice or see what would happen prior to the one jump.

[BigFatGuy]

This WAS the practice.

Jumping into enemy territory would be driving down the freeway.

[Windrat]

Well there is a large indicator ....called a side mirror ��even if you don’t do a walk around before leaving a campsite

[Nic7320]

There's also no indicator your shore power cord is still plugged in, or your awning is out, your hatches and door are properly closed, etc. Proper operation of an RV does require some vigilance.

And sometimes I have to drive a short dustsnce with the slide out. My motor is getting weaker and weaker, so when my slide fails to pull in, I find a spot with some elevation so gravity helps it in. I also purchased a battery powered ratchet in case the motor totally fails.

Anyone know what part number the motor is on a 2012 Solera 24S? My label is damaged, so all I can read is a partial part number of xxx...1150N, S/N M10...xxx, VDC 12 AMP 20.0

[Windrat]

I have been using this for a awhile. I purchased a few snap bracelets at the dollar store in different colours and snap them on my steering wheel when I hook up shore power etc different colours for each item. Works well.

[avanti]

I've mentioned this once before, but since it is on-topic:

I have various dry-contact sensors all over the vehicle to catch me when I am being a space cadet. Mostly magnetic alarm window sensors like this:

mag switches.JPG

For example, this one checks that the TV antenna is not deployed:

Antenna2.jpg

I have similar sensors for the skylight hatch and a few other things. For shore power, I have a little relay that is powered when plugged in. All these things are wired in parallel and provide the ground to a warning buzzer, with +12 coming from "ignition on". If any of them is closed when I turn the key, the buzzer goes off. If I had a slide-out, it would be part of the system.

[GeorgeRa]

I always use a check list with walk around the van before departure.

Latches on our overhead sliding doors were very inconspicuous, so I modified them by inserting bright orange transparent plastic, they look like little semaphores, works great. From the front seats we can see if the sliders are latched. Do you remember old VW Beetles semaphore style turn signals – my inspiration.

My recent warning system is at home, I programmed my Z-wave light switches indicators (RGB LED) to blink if any of the garage doors are opened, green of the south door and magenta for the north door. We can see garage doors status from anywhere in the house. Simple and effective.

[Davydd]

I remember the Volkswagen Beetle's semaphore turn signals very well. When I was 15 years old I bought the first (of two) Volkswagen's brought to America in 1949 by an Indianapolis car dealer before they were officially imported in 1950. I bought it in 1959 and was the fourth owner. I worked on it in all my high school years but could not afford a new engine as it had a broken crank shaft and cracked engine block. So I only drove it once unlicensed illegally when I bought it and brung it home.

[Doneworking]

A few years ago, an elderly friend's wife made the decision it was time to sell their Class A. The husband was not convinced.

Her husband concurred, but only after he had driven it a couple of miles with one slide extended from its storage space up Interstate 235 in Oklahoma City with all the other vehicles honking and attempting to wave him over. His poor wife was following frantically in her car trying to get him to answer his cell phone.

Thankfully, no one was injured. There will come a time when I will have to make the decision about driving and I pray it doesn't take an event like that to convince me. The time will come for me just like it did for him. The guy, incidentally, had a doctorate degree but that made no difference.

I have carefully pulled up on or off of leveling blocks a few times in the past with a slide extended on a C and it did no apparent harm but I had my wife keeping an eye peeled on the outside of the rig during the maneuver.

[BigFatGuy]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

. Do you remember old VW Beetles semaphore style turn signals

I learned something today