Thinking About Modifying Level Up

[bertschb]

I got tired of killing batteries when then battery switch was off.

I got really tired of that too. I ended up ordering the new rig with the 300w solar package and replaced the L/A batteries with LiFePO4. I'm hoping my battery problems are behind me now.

I re-wired the batteries in my last RV with a true battery cut off switch but sold it before trying the auto level system again. I didn't realize the auto level system requires a constant 12v current to maintain the calibration settings. That's no good!

[Roll With The Changes]

I over think everything ... it is a curse I have learned to control somewhat ....

Yes, it really is a curse. Just a generalized statement... I think we have gotten so used to the convenience things that we forget how to do things for ourselves. And when some part of it stops working, the whole thing is useless.

Case in point: I wrongly believed that the battery switch isolated the battery. One severely damaged battery later, I discovered that off is not off. So I fixed that. Now Schwinteck and Level Up don't work right. So I have to fix that.

Regarding auto level or manual mode, I find that I can usually do it faster with fewer adjustments than auto mode.

Call it old school thinking (not always a bad thing), but in my mind it makes more sense to learn how to operate three switches. (It's better than laying out boards to drive up onto.) Get rid of the poorly thought out integration and get a more reliable system.

[boyscout]

The way the battery switch is set up, I can't use auto level anyway.

We must be less-sensitive to level than you are. I've installed a kill-everything battery switch too but haven't found that auto-level was off by much when the batteries have been turned off for a while. Haven't put a level on it, but we're not noticing much out-of-level except the kitchen slide, which even after careful manual leveling tips to the outside.

[Roll With The Changes]

We must be less-sensitive to level than you are. I've installed a kill-everything battery switch too but haven't found that auto-level was off by much when the batteries have been turned off for a while. Haven't put a level on it, but we're not noticing much out-of-level except the kitchen slide, which even after careful manual leveling tips to the outside.

I'm not overly sensitive to level; that was just something I noticed.

But ever since I changed the battery switch I get an error when I try auto level and it just won't do it. I re calibrate it manually and then auto level works until the next time I turn off the battery.

[SGT ROC]

The Auto level was the one and only MUST have on a new rig for me. I wouldn't change a thing!

[Roll With The Changes]

We must be less-sensitive to level than you are. I've installed a kill-everything battery switch too but haven't found that auto-level was off by much when the batteries have been turned off for a while. Haven't put a level on it, but we're not noticing much out-of-level except the kitchen slide, which even after careful manual leveling tips to the outside.

...and I have that flopping kitchen slide too. I'm hoping I can adjust that out, but that's for another thread.

[boyscout]

I'm not overly sensitive to level; that was just something I noticed. But ever since I changed the battery switch I get an error when I try auto level and it just won't do it. I re calibrate it manually and then auto level works until the next time I turn off the battery.

I don't get the error message. Maybe there's a difference in our procedures?

I've read that the system can remember different positions for various purposes; I don't use any of that. On departure I manually retract rear jacks and raise the front for hook-up. On arrival I manually raise the front for unhooking and then when the truck is pulled out push auto-level a couple of times and stand back. It levels and beeps when its done.

I don't remember it behaving differently when the battery has been turned off.

[cdp2966]

Boyscout, I'm relatively new to the RV world. I read your post, and like you, noticed your level issues are with the kitchen side. Mine too. I am wondering if you ever did a recalibrate or found a solution.

[traveldawg]

After living with the Level Up system for almost a year, I have a love/hate relationship with it. The mechanical side seems well built and very capable. As with most hydraulics, it will probably last forever.

The controller, on the other hand, is well maybe not so great. For the person that wants to push the auto level button, it works great... Until it doesn't (lots of threads here about why does it do what it does). I personally use it in manual mode all the time. That's just the way I am and I just never took the time to learn the nuances of somebody's thoughts when they wrote the firmware. Also, the level point doesn't seem to be as accurate as the digital display leads us to believe. The stored level point seems to drift meaning that dead level one day is not the same as dead level on a different day. That is totally understandable with electronic sensors that are susceptible to temps and other things. Add to that the fact that since I power that controller from the other side of the battery switch now, it doesn't remember what level is anyway. So now, when I go to use the system I have to scroll through menus to get to manual mode and level the rig with a bubble level anyway.

So I'm thinking that maybe the solution is to remove all of the automatic control and replace it with manual switches. For me, it would be easier to use and maybe in the long run make it more reliable. The electronic control will probably be the most likely part to fail.

This is what happens when I have too much time to think. What think all of you?

Roger, like you I'm afraid I have "The Knack" too. It can be a terrible curse. But heck - most people love ya for it....

I made a lot of changes (improvements) to lots of things in my RVs. But on this one I left the leveling system alone. I just go into manual mode most of the time and level the rig up with 2 bible levels I mounted in my storage bay in sight of the level up panel. I use auto level somethings but mostly just use the manual mode.

[boyscout]

Boyscout, I'm relatively new to the RV world. I read your post, and like you, noticed your level issues are with the kitchen side. Mine too. I am wondering if you ever did a recalibrate or found a solution.

Hi there, and welcome.

I haven't gotten serious about addressing the un-level kitchen slide, but I understand there are ways to do it. This manual is a very good start on figuring it out:

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001612.pdf

There are threads here about it too that you can find by searching for them. I often find it's often better to use google to search this site than to use the site's own search facility. Google usually finds more things. Enter your search terms into google as usual, but at the end put this: site:mygrandrv.com Google will return only results from this site.

Couple more suggestions since you're new here.

If you're responding to someone's post, it's best to click on the "Reply With Quote" link at the bottom right of that post to reply to it. Doing so will copy the content of the message you're responding to into your reply (you can see your message above inside this one) which improves context for future readers. It also alerts the person that you've responded to their post so they can reply if necessary.

Also, consider making a "signature" that will appear in every message you post, and include at least your name and the trailer you have - see mine at the bottom of this post. You create the signature text by editing your profile, starting by clicking on your username near the top right of this page and looking for menu options on the left.

Again, welcome!