Self leveling problem

[Tom Fisher]

I have read the manual a couple times on HWH air leveling. My problem is when I park and auto level, I have evidently have a small leak and after a couple days the couch has setteled a little. The way I understand the manual, it lets air out of the higher side then, and over time just keeps lowering the unit. The 12 volt compressor doesn't kick on. Lowers down and starts pinching the sewer hose. Have to start upa and raise and relevel the coach. Normal??
Thanks
Tom

[David T. Richelderfer]

Our coach has HWH automatic air leveling as well as RVA(?) automatic hydraulic leveling.  When I get parked and have extended the slides, I restart the engine and press the "air button" twice (on the face plate) to initiate automatic air leveling.  After a few minutes, when the automatic leveling function has completed, I turn off the engine and do not press any air buttons (on the face plate) so that the automatic leveling system remains in "sleep mode."  If and when an out-of-level condition exists, as evidenced by one or more yellow lights (on the face plate) remaining on steadily for one minute, then the air leveling system is supposed to wake up and re-level the coach automatically.

If your 12v compressor is not working for one reason or another, then the automatic air leveling will not have access to air pressure to wake up and do its job.  If you have turned off your automatic air leveling after the initial leveling event, then it will not be in "sleep mode" to know it is still on call to keep the coach level.

I do not know if our respective systems are identical or operate identically.  But this is how I do it... which is almost exactly how the manual says to do it... and it works for me.

[Fred Brooks]

     Hi Tom,   Dave is correct, Tap the air button twice and let it level. When complete, turn off the engine and the unit remains in "sleep mode". Once every 30 minutes it wakes up to check level status. If necessary, it activates the on board aux compressor to air it up. A little history behind this system, It was originally engineered for bus conversions back in the 80s or 90s. The issue was almost all buses were notorious for air bag system leaks thus the "sleep mode" was added to resolve the issue.
  Hope this helps, Fred

[Tom Fisher]

Thank you for the comments. I try to leave mine in sleep mode also. I hit the air button twice and when it is level, I shut the engine off. The red light flickers like is is supposed to for several minutes. Once the system decides it is not level, it lets air out of the bags that are high. It doesn't appear to ever kick in the small compressor to raise the low side. After a few days, the whole unit can be settled to the point of pinching the sewer hose. ( The 2005 Beaver Monterey  sewer exits low as it is.) I usually start self leveling from the travel height position. I have been debating about hitting the raise all button to get some height on the unit, before I hit the self leveling. Could give me some more days before I have to start up the unit to re-level. I am studying the manual to see if I can find the location of the fuses that pertain.
Thanks all.   

[William Jordan]

Mine does not let air out of the high side ..It engages the small compressor and raises what has dropped (only seen it once as the bags maintain pressure. . Does your small electric compressor work at any time? Maybe if its not ,it decides to lower the other side to get to level. ... ?  Don't have the engine running and when out of level start auto level... you should hear the compressor come on when it loses air in the tanks as it trys to level

[Tom Fisher]

The compressor was working at our home this summer.  I have been crawling around under the unit this afternoon, and checked the voltage, which is to the relay. Then I jumped the relay and the compressor kicked in. I will continue to try to check the relay and the pressure sensing switch. It seems it has to be one of those. I am going to try your idea first about trying to level without the engine running to see what happens. Thanks for the idea. I also may have to end up crawling all the way under and trying to locate some slow leaks in the air system. Not excited about that since the unit sets so low. May try to raise everything to its additional 4" max to do that.
Thanks for ideas.

[Lee Welbanks]

Tom

On my 06 PT it acts the same way will let air out of the high side until it cannot level anymore then it fires the compressor to air up the low side. I have had a couple air leaks in the past, one was one of the 3/8' swivel tee fittings and had a air switch and a solenoid valve leaking. The solenoid valve has 2 O Rings that are prone to leaks, these are easy to replace. The air switches are replacement only.
HWH is awful trying to get them on the phone, I always use Stuarts HWH Leveling Service have had great service from him.

[LaMonte Monnell]

The compressor was working at our home this summer.  I have been crawling around under the unit this afternoon, and checked the voltage, which is to the relay. Then I jumped the relay and the compressor kicked in. I will continue to try to check the relay and the pressure sensing switch. It seems it has to be one of those. I am going to try your idea first about trying to level without the engine running to see what happens. Thanks for the idea. I also may have to end up crawling all the way under and trying to locate some slow leaks in the air system. Not excited about that since the unit sets so low. May try to raise everything to its additional 4" max to do that.
Thanks for ideas.

Please don't crawl under your RV with out being supported. Especially if it sits low when air is out. All it would take is a rupture of an air line or pulling an air line loose at a fitting and you will be crushed.

[Tom Fisher]

Again I appreciate comments. I figure I am going to have to find a pit location to pull the RV over to thoroughly check for leaks. This unit sets so low it does make me nervous working under it. I have a couple more checks to make to see if the HWH is sending the proper +12 signal to the air pressure switch, but I can ck that in the elec. dept in front of the drivers side wheel. Once I get past that, it might be mechanic time. Hate to see that because I can imagine several hours hunting for air leaks. We'll see.
Thanks again for everyone's comments.
Tom

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Tom,
Find a pit or drive it up on a number of 2x8s (stacked) to get some room. I had a trusted shop go through the air level system on our 07 Contessa and found 8 leaking fittings and  all 3 leveling valves leaking in addition to a bad control panel. Then to add insult to injury, the warranty policy BCS sold us says they won't cover any of it. Going to have a "discussion" with both them and BCS next week.
Steve

[Lee Welbanks]

Yeah on my PT two of the air leaks were the swivel push to connect DOT fittings. The swivel ones are prone to leaking, the only reason they use them is cost and the installer doesn't have to think about how to route the tubing and they still screwed it up.
The air solenoid valves have two different O Ring seals one on the body and one on the base, the body ones are usually the ones to start leaking, easy to change. Word of caution "Do Not Unscrew the Solenoid Valve with Pressure in the System" You have to dump all the air and drain the tanks to be safe which means the coach will be down are far as it will go.
I made up some 4"X8" blocks to block up between the suspension subframe the coach frame, four in the rear and four in the front so there is no way for the coach to drop down.