Problems with my Powrtouch Motor Mover Again - roller won't retract from tyre

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
B

BigTim

Aug 31, 2008
514
0
18,880
Visit site
I had a P/T motor mover, with electric actuators fitted to my 'van just before Easter 2010.

Some of you may remember that I posted after returning from our Continental hols about a problem the motor mover at Camping Chateau Gandspette in late August on our way home.
After I had positioned the 'van on a rather difficult pitch at Chateau G the nearside mover roller would not retract from the tyre. As is it was evening I had no choice to leave the roller on the tyre overnight, the 'van was connected to an EHU. In the morning the roller did retract and when we got home mover performed perfectly positioning the 'van on our sloping drive, including the rollers retracting without problem.
Today a guy called from our local council to trim the trees which are growing over our drive from adjacent park. He agreed to return in the morning and I said I would move the 'van out of the drive onto the road, we live at the end of a cul de sac, to allow him access.
This evening I thought I had better get the 'van ready for its move but when I put the mover rollers on the wheel the nearside one, again, refused to retract. I phoned P/T technical dept and the guy told me to take the "top hat" rubber washer off the actuator motor and try turning the bolt by hand. I tried this but it was too stiff to turn. After checking with P/T I decided, reluctantly to move the 'van onto the road tonight, as I don't have time to faff about before work in the morning. The mover worked okay but at the end this maneourvre the nearside roller would still not retract.
I am getting pretty cheesed off with this mover. In the 6 months since it was fitted by a P/T engineer I have had:
(1) An incorrectly placed electronic control box, it was installed behind the heater and had to be moved to a bed box
(2) A failed electronic control box which had to be replaced, I missed the van's service appointment
(3) The offside motor bearing was clicking and had to be replaced - just in time for our 5 week Continental hols
(4) The roller would not retract in France
(5) The roller would not retract today.
Whilst I accept the P/T after sales service is very good I'd prefer NOT to have to keep calling them out!!!
By the way does anyone have any suggestions as to what the problem is? Not the battery I think as it has been on EHU since we returned from France 4 weeks ago and had enough power to move our 'van up our sloping drive tonight.
Regards
Tim
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Visit site
I take it that its electric on/off onto the tyre
The terminals on the actuator switch on my PT mover were not very good
The cable had spade terminals but the switch terminals had rounded corners so it was possible to push them off accidently with an object in the locker
I soldered wires to the switch and crimped male spade terminals on the end
It would be worth just giving the spade connectors on the switch a jiggle or even pulling them off one at a time and giving a squirt of WD 40 or better Tri Flow
A couple of mine actually came off altogether and got replaced on the wrong terminals and that quickly burnt through the jumper wires on the switch so do it one at a time !!
I think that you previously posted about winding off with a cordless drill
I had to do that once when an actuator burnt out on one side
They now fit a switch that is spring loaded in the centre off position
 
B

BigTim

Aug 31, 2008
514
0
18,880
Visit site
Thanks for the replies.

Powrtouch Management I have contacted your technical dept and they are arranging for an engineer to make contact. What I really need however is a motor mover that is up and ready to do its job when I need it

Powrtouch technical support yesterday suggested I try hand turning a bolt on the actuator motor to see if that would cause it to operate correctly. That did not work last night.

Thanks John G for pointing me to the advice on the P/T website that this bolt could be used to wind off the roller manually with a 9mm socket. When turned a few times with a 9mm socket the actuator did retract the roller correctly. However, when I tried putting the rollers on and off again the actuator would only retract the roller when I turned the bolt a few times with the socket !!

I can now get the roller off the wheel but I am waiting for a more permanent solution from the P/T engineer as the reason that I paid for the power actuator was so that I could do this automatically and not have to crawl around on my hands and knees with a socket set!!!

Thanks again folks for the helpful comments.

Tim
 
xtrailman

xtrailman

Mar 10, 2006
3,260
44
20,685
Visit site
Agree john. they are low down, i was concerned about that back in 2004, but despite the ground clearance i haven't had any problems. nor read any, have you?
 
xtrailman

xtrailman

Mar 10, 2006
3,260
44
20,685
Visit site
Big Tim said:
Thanks for the replies.

Powrtouch Management I have contacted your technical dept and they are arranging for an engineer to make contact. What I really need however is a motor mover that is up and ready to do its job when I need it

Powrtouch technical support yesterday suggested I try hand turning a bolt on the actuator motor to see if that would cause it to operate correctly. That did not work last night.

Thanks John G for pointing me to the advice on the P/T website that this bolt could be used to wind off the roller manually with a 9mm socket. When turned a few times with a 9mm socket the actuator did retract the roller correctly. However, when I tried putting the rollers on and off again the actuator would only retract the roller when I turned the bolt a few times with the socket !!

I can now get the roller off the wheel but I am waiting for a more permanent solution from the P/T engineer as the reason that I paid for the power actuator was so that I could do this automatically and not have to crawl around on my hands and knees with a socket set!!!

Thanks again folks for the helpful comments.

Tim
Click to expand...

Personally i wouldn't fit an electrical actuator, just something else to go wrong, and that includes the reich.
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Visit site
Hi Ray
Yes I have read of them catching and I have had my old Carver knocked onto the wheel
They do look lower than most but if you have had no problems them it may just be an optical delusion on my part
I have the actuator and its bliss as AD creeps on!
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Visit site
Tim
I hope that things are now sorted for you
It would be interesting to know what was the reason for the fault as if it happens to anyone else they may find it helpful
 
B

BigTim

Aug 31, 2008
514
0
18,880
Visit site
Hi John
No, still waiting I'm afraid - engineer is due to call today, after I chased up P/T again yesterday.
This is why I get annoyed/frustrated - I need the mover to be working A OK every time I need it not when P/T can send someone to repair it!!
I will certainly post what the problem was when the engineer has been.
Tim
 
Damian

Damian

Moderator
Mar 14, 2005
7,510
936
30,935
Visit site
Quote "I need the mover to be working A OK every time I need it not when P/T can send someone to repair it!!"
Powrtouch do not have a number of engineers who work solely for them, they use the services of mobile engineers throughout the country and it depends how busy the independent engineer is , as to how quickly he can get to you.

As soon as a fault is reported and the nearest engineer is located, Powrtouch contact that engineer, then it is his workload which dictates response time.
 
B

BigTim

Aug 31, 2008
514
0
18,880
Visit site
The engineer sent by P/T arrived late this afternoon as arranged. He had already diagnosed the problem, or perhaps P/T had done it for him. He said that the actuator had a faulty microswitch which was preventing it from turning on the actuator correctly. He removed the whole of the nearside actuator motor and replaced it with a new one. I asked if this was a common problem and he said that he had had a few recently.
In reply to Damian, I appreciate that P/T use independent engineers and how quickly they come depends on their workload. I have had to wait on several previous occasions already!!! The point that I was trying to make that having paid nearly £1,000 of my hard-earned cash exactly 6 months ago I would expect a product that was "fit for purpose", ie, move my caravan when I need it to and not have to wait for someone to repair it first. I have my 'van noise in down our sloping drive and NEED the mover as I cannot tow it out and would need about 8 strong men to push it out!! This is the 4th problem requiring an engineer's visit in only 6 months and 3 of these have been due to 3 different failed components.
I did a lot of research before buying a P/T mover and I now hope that MY mover lives up to the company's high reputation.
Regards
Tim
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Visit site
Tim
I'm glad that you have it sorted and hope that you will have no more problems
It is disappointing when things let you down and you can lose faith in the product
Good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom