Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Operating slide with no power

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Operating slide with no power

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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8354
Printed Date: 31 Oct 2025 at 12:04pm
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Topic: Operating slide with no power

Posted By: JHoffman
Subject: Operating slide with no power
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2016 at 2:06pm

So we have just recently discovered the joys of camping in State parks but have a concern with how to retract the slide if we drop the voltage too low on the battery. Is there a way to manually retract the slide or will the truck power the slide once plugged in.

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2016 176t Rpod the "Hoffpod"
2010 Toyota Tundra 5.7L

Replies:

Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2016 at 2:52pm

Three is information on for both types of slide outs at

Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
creating an instruction & maintenance manual
Slide-out (here and here)

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JandL
2013 Honda Ridgeline
2012 177
2 Paynes in a Pod

Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2016 at 2:59pm

If your TV provides power to the trailer not just to the running lights as most do you will be able to retract the slide using the TV. Alternately you could use jumper cables from the TV battery to the trailer battery to retract the slide.

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Ron & Sharon
2015 R-Pod 179
2022 Nissan Frontier

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated

Posted By: MDPaddlersPod
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2016 at 10:42am

Ronahue, great advise, I just put this in my notes. I really like the idea of jumper cables if needed, do simple that I didn't think of it. Thanks.

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MDPaddlersPod
2017 RPod 179
2002 Silverado1500

Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2016 at 10:54am

Your welcome, you may find this video interesting as it shows how to retract the slide if the retraction mechanism fails. You also may want to make a slide lock as shown in the video, I used a 2x4 cut to

21and1/2 inches on my 2015 R179

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzqbvwCJpNU

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Ron & Sharon
2015 R-Pod 179
2022 Nissan Frontier

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated

Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2016 at 11:00am

Originally posted by MDPaddlersPod

Ronahue, great advise, I just put this in my notes. I really like the idea of jumper cables if needed, do simple that I didn't think of it. Thanks.

I had to use jumper cables to charge up the battery in a previous TT. It's not as good for your batteries as a real charger, but in a pinch, it will definitely work. You have to be sure that you start your vehicle right after you connect the jumper cables in order to keep your TV's battery from getting drained too much.

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"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

2014 Hood River 177
2005 GMC Envoy XL

Posted By: JHoffman
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2016 at 9:42pm

Thanks for the YouTube link. I like the set up on the older pods much better then the newer ones like mine. Hopefully I won't ever have to disconnect the motor but if I do I now have the tools on board to do it. If I run my battery too low to close the slide I'll just hook up to the truck and close it before I hit the road. Over the winter I think I will work on getting a solar panel set up to keep the battery charged up and maybe even get two golf cart batteries. I want to be able to run the Fantastic fan all night without worrying about killing my battery.

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2016 176t Rpod the "Hoffpod"
2010 Toyota Tundra 5.7L