electrical steps

[drmmartin64]

i am a new member. my rig is a 2007 hurricane 34n. i am having step problems,kwikee 32 series. the steps work as they should until the engine is started hey retract and after a minute come back out stay locked out. contoller,mag switch, motor all replaced. fuses in battery control center checked. ground wires surface down to bare metal. checked harness on vehicle side with multi meter. yellow wire to ignition not found it's location.
would appreciate any input.


thanks,


dennis martin

[javelin]

Welcome to the forum.....unfortunately I am not a step guru (or for anything else for that matter). Although you have changed out most items by the sound of things, it almost seems like the magnetic door switch signal (brown wire) is losing ground connection (going open circuit instead of being grounded with door closed) and thereby keeping the steps extended. Even if the ignition override (engine running) brings the steps in, if the door is opened the steps will extend (normal operation); but what if the brown wire ground signal is lost (with door still closed).....the step will extend. Have you cleaned the step wiring connector to make sure all connections there are solid? It is easy to get crud into the connector. A pinched wire perhaps snagging in the step operation? The other option is to actually use a voltmeter to check all signals at the step connector to see what is (or is not) maintaining a proper connection when things fail. Attaching a testing video that may help isolate what might have failed. New items also fail sometimes too (infant mortality).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AzkvylZH7Y

Is the time delay between starting the engine and the steps extending on their own (not opening the door) repeatable and the same delay each time ?

[drmmartin64]

thanks for your reply. when starting the engine the steps retract about a minute they go back out . the only way to get them i is removing negative battery cable. today they retracted after 10 minutes this is new. i tested with a multi meter everything was ok. tested with the pigtail plug. the magnets are working. i am testing the plug again tomorrow i believe the controller is bad. i am leaning to electric manual with no controller. chinese electrical products are junk.

[javelin]

So a 1-10 minute delay before the steps extend (for no apparent reason; door still closed) while engine is running, is very strange and potentially dangerous. Did you replace the original step controller module because it failed your previous basic testing? If no, then I wonder if re-installing the old controller would make any difference to your specific failure situation or create some new ones? Since the timing of the step extension seems arbitrary, it almost seems like perhaps some connection or component is overheating and then opening up (failing); or is just intermittent; resulting in the step extending, when it should not. Intermittent electrical issues are a PIA to find unfortunately. That's why i wondered previously if a pinched wire might be the problem somewhere.....connected OK for a while until flexed or moved slightly somehow. You might want to contact LCI tech support and see what they suggest as a likely issue. It might save you time and money in the long run and get you back camping faster with confidence the problem will not re-occur going down the road somewhere.

[drmmartin64]

appreciate your input. the motorhome is a 2007 hurricane 34n model. the steps retract when engine is started in a few minutes can hear a click sound from the battery control center then steps come out. engine off sometimes after ten minutes steps retract. talk to lippert they never heard of this problem, talk to tech from rv customs about click in bbc . he said if fuse's are alright no problem. tested wires with multimeter on vehile side seems ok.
tested switch wires. white wire running 1414 , not running 1274, brown wire
running 1232, not running 1080. i need to check what wire but lippert claims 12 volts are needed.

[HarryS]

10.8 is too low. Sounds like a bad connection somewhere.

[javelin]

Interesting new info...... “most RV” steps are powered from the chassis battery. So the voltage readings on your white wire (steps locked out) sound normal to me (14.4 running = the alternator is charging the chassis battery; engine off = you are reading a fully charged battery.......but it is also possible that your interconnect relay in the BCC closes when the engine is running to charge both chassis and coach batteries; and then the interconnect relay opens again when engine is off, depending on voltage levels on both battery sets. Not sure if that click you hear is related to that interconnect relay functioning......also it “might” be just a coincidental thing when the step does its inappropriate operation. The coincidence does “seem” like it is related to the problem though.


Measuring voltages on the coach wiring side of the connector........brown wire (door magnetic switch) should have ground or open I would think from the door switch being closed or open depending on door position? If you are measuring voltage on the controller side of the connection plug you might be seeing control voltages coming through the electronics inside the controller, but I am just guessing. I believe that the older and newer step controllers may be different though and not sure what that difference is. Attaching the only circuit I have which is the newer version I believe.

[Bob Denman]

Since these folks have already "Stepped up" to the plate to help: I'll just say, "Welcome to the forum!"

[drmmartin64]

i would like to thank everyone who tried to help. rv dealer can't get to it for a month. thor techs are of no help. the electronics in this rig have always been a problem. connectors where wires are short wires pullout. other areas excess wiring all wrapped up. decided to install a rocker switch at the door to work my steps. my decision is not only based on my current situation but from all of the complaints about the steps coming out while driving.

[javelin]

Too bad you had to resort to a power switch override addition to guarantee the steps would not operate when not intended, but sometimes the hammer needs to be used to buy some time to use the coach safely.

The only reason I wondered about something wrong in the brown wire door switch circuit, is because even if the yellow wire has brought in the step when engine is running, the brown wire can override the yellow and extend the slide again, when the door is opened. New controllers will put the steps out if the ground on the brown wire is lost, even if the door remains closed. That’s also why I was curious if re-installing the old controller would make any operational changes. I think the controller change by Kwikee was made around 2005 approx (not certain) so your 2007 coach should have the newer step controller (famous last words). If and when you get your step issue resolved let the forum know so we all can become smarter. Happy camping in the mean time.

[cgeace29.3]

Call the folks at lci they were a big help to me when I had step issues there phone number should be in your manual.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by drmmartin64

i would like to thank everyone who tried to help. rv dealer can't get to it for a month. thor techs are of no help. the electronics in this rig have always been a problem. connectors where wires are short wires pullout. other areas excess wiring all wrapped up. decided to install a rocker switch at the door to work my steps. my decision is not only based on my current situation but from all of the complaints about the steps coming out while driving.

but from all of the complaints about the steps coming out while driving. How can they say they have never heard of this before? I had a car dealer once that had to replace the engine cradle on both of my cars under warranty. I was in there for new tires, they were less money than other places. A person in front of me was complaining about his engine cradle and after he left I asked the service writer if they have problems with the engine cradle and he said it's the first one I've heard of and I said you just replaced both of mine and it's all over the internet why did you lie to the customer? He turned red and didn't know what to say. Every manufacture says they have never heard of the problems

[Justin F]

New member here. I noticed my electric steps on my 2017 Thor Ace 29.3’ were not retracting even with the engine running. I looked underneath and found a wire hanging that looks like it is supposed to be secured to a port, but I see nothing around the area to support this theory. Attached are some pictures. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[javelin]

Hi, look at my post 7 for the general wiring diagram for the steps. Your unknown wire looks like it is purple, which if correct, is for the optional step switch that also operates your porch light. Hope that helps.

[javelin]

Welcome to the forum by the way.

[Justin F]

Thank you for the response. I figured it out, don’t know what the wire goes to but the magnetic strip was not lined up. So now it’s working.

[javelin]

Glad you found your problem. The brown wire goes to the magnetic door switch I think, per previous discussion in this thread, so if it is not aligned properly with the door closed, the step controller thinks the door is open and it will over-ride the engine running step retraction (a safety feature). As I always say, we learn the most about our coaches when something goes wrong.......but we hope nothing ever goes wrong. Like that ever happens. Happy camping.

[Justin F]

So now my jacks won’t raise and all four lights are blinking. Blinking lights are (wait, jacks down, engage park break, excess angle). Brakes are engaged and it’s barely an angle?

[javelin]

Well, that was a fast trouble. In future you might get faster response if you start a new thread with a title that reflects your new trouble. For this problem you could try pushing all four diamond shaped buttons on the driver side control panel and see if that resets your jack system. Always make sure your coach batteries are fully charged; engine is running (alternator also charging and boosting battery voltage) and parking brake is on when using the jack system. Hope that works for you.

[Justin F]

Thank you, I did reset it by pushing the diamond indicators and it stays plugged in so batteries are charged. Slide moves in and out fine, it’s just the jacks.