Cable Hanging Below Refrigerator

Last month, I traded in my 2014 PC 2350 for a slightly used (3500 miles) 2022 PC 2552.

It is finally warm enough (in Colorado Springs) to start getting things ready for the traveling season.

Today, I extended the slide for the first time since I purchased the 2552. Of course, I made sure the slide worked properly before purchase.

When fully extended, I heard a slight cracking noise by the refrigerator and noticed the wood at the bottom bowing out.  Upon further inspection, I noticed a fairly thick cable that was knotted and hanging to the floor, apparently causing the wood trim to compress it when the slide is fully extended.

It appears the cable has either dropped down from where it is supposed to be secured or pulled through the seal under the refrigerator.  It is also frayed with bare copper showing.

The refrigerator appears to be working (at least on propane), but it is definitely a concerning situation since the trim is bowing/cracking when the slide is extended and the cable is pinched/frayed.

I have no access to secure the cable and I’m at a loss on how to fix this.  I looked for an email address to send pics to the Service Department at Phoenix Cruiser, but did not see any listed on the website.  Also, the contacts listed under "Links and Contacts/Factory Contacts" on this forum are outdated (still has "Earl" listed).  I'm planning on contacting the factory after the weekend, but if anyone here has any suggestions or a valid email address for the factory, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,
Bob

Hello, I don't know if you have been under the slide when its extended, If you go under the slide you will find some rubber flaps that cover the openings for the gas line, wiring etc that allow passage for those items when the slide moves.. I would go up under the slide and open up the flaps and take a look to find that wire/cable.  Once you find it you can figure out what happened and what its for. You might want to start to close the slide slightly to free the cable so you can pull it out when your down there.
Very Respectfully
Lance

Hello, I don't know if you have been under the slide when its extended, If you go under the slide you will find some rubber flaps that cover the openings for the gas line, wiring etc that allow passage for those items when the slide moves.. I would go up under the slide and open up the flaps and take a look to find that wire/cable.  Once you find it you can figure out what happened and what its for. You might want to start to close the slide slightly to free the cable so you can pull it out when your down there.
Very Respectfully
Lance

Thank you for the suggestion, Lance.  I did take a quick look under the slide and saw the rollers and rubber seal, but it has a very small vertical clearance, at least compared to what I remember on my 2014 2350 that had a threaded screw slide.  At this point, I'm guessing the cable goes to the slide drive motor on that side of the slide.  The only way I can think of to access it, is to pull the Norcold refrigerator and remove the OSB shelf under it.  Not sure how hard that would be.   Even if I'm able to somehow shove the cable up and back, so it doesn't pinch when the slide is extended, it does have bare copper wire showing, so I need to fix that.

Unfortunately, even though the coach is only 7 months old, I'm not the original owner, so the warranty doesn't extend to me. 

Hey you might want to rethink your idea.  Your 2014 had a different slide, the new one you have now is made by Lippert and the slide motors wires don't run under the slide, I believe they run behind the trim piece above the slide. I believe you can look up under the slide and see that wire if you simply remove or pull back the rubber flaps. I say this because I remember looking under my slide and seeing the gas line and electrical to the fridge. My thought is its wiring to the lights above the sofa, sofa or the refrigerator. You don't want to pull the refrigerator and then remove that piece of OSB. Have you checked to see what doesn't work, Sofa, lights above the sofa or the refrigerator on AC power. I believe the refrigerator on AC power still uses 12 Volt power for the control circuits, so the control panel will light but the heating element for it will not work so it won't get cold.
 
One question, have you looked under the slide with it partially closed (maybe a foot) to see if you can see the wire. I mean looking from the side behind the drivers seat (inside).  I do think you should be able to see it, and I believe you will see it protruding from the flaps which are located under the refrigerator. There really is no other place for that wire to come from.

I wish you the best, that is all I got.
Very Respectfully
Lance

Hey you might want to rethink your idea. 
 
The more I look at your picture the more it looks like the wire to the outlet for the refrigerator.....

I wish you the best,
Very Respectfully
Lance

All excellent info Lance, thank you again!  I'll definitely take a look under the slide again.  When I looked earlier today, it was the end of a long day, so I didn't spend much time.  Even if I can pull it back where it isn't pinching, not sure how I'll be able to repair the damage to the cable or prevent it from happening again.

That sure looks like the coiled power line that provides power for the lights, refrigerator and sofa on the slideout.  Since you have the newer slideout, I am not sure if it provides power for the slideout mechanism itself.

That's something you definitely want fixed NOW before it gets any worse.

Was able to talk with Doug M. at Phoenix Cruiser today - great guy.  Apparently, the cable is the 120v line for the fridge.

Lance, you were correct.  When my slide is extended, there are two "channels" on the bottom of the slide that extend from the outer wall, towards the inside of the coach, i.e. in the same direction the slide travels in/out.  Those channels have rubber flaps (on each side of each channel) - I didn't notice those yesterday.  On my coach, the left channel has the 12v cable and the 120v cable.  The 120v cable is coiled to allow extension when the slide travels - that was the cable being pinched at full slide extension.

With the slide most of the way out, I could reach into the channel and pull the cable out and repair the exposed insulation.  Doug had me just stuff the cable back up into the channel above the rubber flaps.  One end of the cable goes to a metal junction box, to the left of the channel, and I could not feel any other cable going in/out of that box.  The other end of the cable, goes down through the floor, not up to the fridge, so a bit confused by that.  I suspect there was a cable going up to the fridge from the junction box and I just missed it - will feel around again, out of curiosity.

The coiled cable appears to me to be at least twice as long as necessary, so I expect there's a good chance it will end up in the same position, bunched between the trim and wood behind it, when the slide is extended.  I'll be looking for a clip of some kind to anchor the cable, leaving enough on either side for slide extension/retraction, to prevent this from happening again.

Hey I am glad you got it figured out and repaired, but sorry to hear it happened.  Your idea of fastening it up out of the way is how I would handle the issue as well. Good luck and safe travels!

Very Respectfully
Lance