Step Switch -- Disintegration?!

[rurallady]

We'd been having a problem with the step switch not working that keeps the step out when the motor is off and the coach is parked.

Forry took the switch plate off this evening to see if he could fix it. Much to his surprise all he found was a bluish green powder residue that was still contained in the plastic sheath on the one terminal!

It looks like there may have been some kind of chemical reaction...

Have any of you seen anything like this?

Rurallady

[rurallady]

We'd been having a problem with the step switch not working that keeps the step out when the motor is off and the coach is parked.

Forry took the switch plate off this evening to see if he could fix it. Much to his surprise all he found was a bluish green powder residue that was still contained in the plastic sheath on the one terminal!

It looks like there may have been some kind of chemical reaction...

Have any of you seen anything like this?

Rurallady

[Algoma]

That's the copper in the connector corroding. These connectors must be kept dry. Sea air and salt on the roads will destroy these in no time unless they are watertight.

[OldForester]

If your step is still staying out, you might try cycling both battery disconnects off for about 45 seconds and then back on. When my step fails, I find cycling the battery disconnects resets the Vansco and the step works fine.

[Jim A]

On my coach the step would sometimes stay out when the engine was started, and sometimes would cycle in and out going down the road. The problem was that the switch was not being pushed in enough. I put a piece of velcro tape (something with a little thickness) on the door where the switch hits, and it has not been a problem since.

[TerryM]

Old Forester,

Look me up at a future NoWACA rally. I have a simple wiring change you can make that should stop the step from staying out (that requires you to reset the battery disconnects.) Your problem sounds like the same one I had on my 2006 34'. You just need a clean 12v power source and a basic relay from radio shack. Took me less than an hour. I don't know how to get those cool photos and scans onto this site, or I'd post the diagram I have.

[OldForester]

TerryM,

I will look you up at a future NoWaCA rally. Have only had to recycle the disconnects a few times, and I have determined it happens when I shut down or start the coach with the door open and the entry step set to the manual mode. In automatic it seems to always work fine. I like your idea of solving this; I have thought for some time it's a clean power source issue.

Also thought about you again when I drove past Selah last week on the way home from Yakima and wondered how your new coach was doing.

[takepride]

TerryM:

To upload your photos:

1. Go to the top of any forum page. In the top blue band is the word PHOTOS. Click it.

2. You will have to register, just like you had to register for the forum. You can use the same username and password, if you like. This will give you permission to upload photos.

3. Once you are into the Photo area, you will have the opportunity to make your own albums, look at others, etc. However, to upload your pictures, go to the second blue band where you will see UPLOAD PHOTOS. Click it.

4. You will see a BROWSE button. Click it. You will be able to navigate on you computer to select the photo(s) you want.

5. After you upload your photos, a moderator will have to approve your photos before they are viewable on the website. You will see an icon saying PENDING (approval). Once it is approved (10 minutes to 10 hours), you can then add it to your posts (or name or signature, etc.)

6. To add it to a post, when you are writing your message, select the button at the top of the dialog box that says URL. That is where the file name for your picture is entered. (It's long.) The best way to get the exact filename is to look at your picture in the PHOTO section, right-click it, select Properties, highlight the full filename, copy it (Ctrl+C), go back to your post and paste it (Ctrl+V) into the URL box at the top of the post dialog box.

7. To control the size of the picture, you will see that part of the file name will include the word "thumb" or "medium", depending on which picture you right-click. If you right-click the picture while it is small, it will say thumb, if you right-click the picture while it is displayed in a bigger box, it will say medium. While you are entering the URL in the post dialog box, you can just change the word from "thumb" to "medium" or vice versa (type it right in). Though I haven't tried it yet, you can also use small and large too.

Hope this helps. I just did trial and error to make it work.

[rurallady]

Someone I shall not name rather sheepishly remembered spilling soda near that switch plate...

Picked up some replacement switches (a spare is always handy, you know...) at the RV shop and all is now well with the step.
Rurallady