Kwikee Model 42 slide out steps - mind of its own

[Aussie Mike]

Hi - I'm a newbie to iRV2 and live in Australia.
My prob is: when correctly wired as per manual, my step will not stay out with door closed when the 'overide' switch is turned off. ie 12v from red wire thru switch to white wire is off. (It has a white n.c magnetic switch on door).
Suggestions have been try the black n.o. magnet instead and try reversing red & yel motor wires - all for zilch!.
Steps go in and out ok with white wire override switch 'off', but when its ON -all that does is retract step, (if its out) - everything else is NIL.

Would appreciate any assistance from those with experience of Kwikee probs. Bill at Powergearus/Kwikee has been extremely helpful but right now I still have no solution. Anyone have a circuit diagram for the 909510001 control box ??

Cheers
Mike

[Planocat]

I had the same situation on my coach. Last summer during a month stay at one location, rather than have the steps going in and out every time the door was opened, I put the step out with the door open and removed the magnet from the door frame and put a piece of duck tape over the hole. This kept the step out for the duration of the stay. Took about 5 seconds to remove and replace as it is just a magnet.... No wiring involved. There is a side of this contact point that is wired and a side that is just the magnet - that's the one to remove. It is so easy I figured that would be the way I would do it in the future. Only drawback is if you forget to replace the magnet, you'll be driving with an extended step!

This Spring while testing fuses for a non-working LP detector (found that fuse and replaced), I found another blown fuse in the same rear compartment and replaced it. Much to my surprise, this solved my step issue! The non-working step extended switch is inside the entry door (as is the LP detector on switch), but the fuses for both switches are inside the rear electric cord compartment in the rear compartment on the driver's side. (There are only 5 automotive fuses in THIS compartment.)
Go figure.....

My step is back to working as it should, but in reality removing that magnet was no big deal and something I was prepared to live with. My unit is a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star built on a Spartan chassis.

Hope my experience and blind luck solution is of help to you. Sorry for the length of this post.

Planocat

[Skip426]

Glad to have you join us here in the forums.
I have wiring diagrams for my KwiKee steps and controller. I'll check my controller P/N and if it's what you need I'll scan it and re-post.

[Aussie Mike]

Hi Planocat - Thanks for that - one solution to our/your prob is to put a switch on the brown wire to the magnet or on the the earth side of it. That way you can 'lock' the step in or out. It will work but it doesn't fix/explain the 'white wire' prob I have

Cheers Mike

[Aussie Mike]

Hi Skip426
Thanks also - I do have the Model 42 wiring diagram from Kwikee - however a circuit diagram of the control box internals would make finding the problem far easier.. but does it exist publicly ??

Ps. another prob we have is distance - we are up to 14 hours ahead on your East Coast so when its lunch time there its 2 am next day on our East Coast - makes contact a bit tiring as any phone calls to US suppliers are always in our early morning hours

Regards
Mike

[Planocat]

Mike:

I guess my point is, have you found a fuse for the override switch? I didn't know the override switch had one until I stumbled across it. My previous motor home required a step "brain transplant" and it wasn't cheap.

Before I started rearranging wiring, I'd be sure the problem wasn't as simple as a blown fuse. I am assuming your steps worked properly at one time as mine did before they refused to stay extended.

Hope you find a simple solution.

Planocat

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Hi Skip426
Thanks also - I do have the Model 42 wiring diagram from Kwikee - however a circuit diagram of the control box internals would make finding the problem far easier.. but does it exist publicly ??
Mike

OK; so what your actually looking for is the power flow chart for the printed circuit board, inside the controller.
Probably not available to the public, and even if it was , I believe the circuit board is gel sealed for water proofing, so you would have to remove the gel to do any testing and that might destroy the board.

[Aussie Mike]

Planocat - Yes have fuse on both red 12v and white as per manual - They would have worked properly at some stage..but before I bought the rig tho.
A simple solution would be great.

Mike

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

A simple solution would be great.
Mike

If looking for a simple solution, rather than a factory operation repair, then I'll throw this out.
A friend , tired of replacing controllers ; after 3 failures; re-wired the step to an internally mounted , automotive power window switch.
Big disadvantage is he had to mount a dash warning light to remind him to retract the step when he turned the ignition, and of course , it's a long way down if he opens the door and forgets to extend the stairs.

[doons71]

I recently bought a 1999 31’ Four Winds Chateau and am having similar stair problems except my stairs go in and out by themselves with the door closed. This was discovered while changing the oil on my generator. I knew there were stair problems when the first time out camping my steps would not always retract when the door was closed. Since they did retract with the ignition key I thought this was a problem to be put on the bottom of my “to do” list. That changed when the stairs came out twice while driving home. The position of the stair on / off switch or door doesn’t change this condition. I have to turn the power off to the cabin then close the steps with the ignition.
I would appreciate any insight as to whether I should be looking at the door’s proximity switch, stair locked out switch or the controller and what the best tests would be to determine where the problem is?


Thanks,


Randy

[Aussie Mike]

Hi all

Hopefully a solution to my prob...and yours. Having pulled my steps out of the RV (found also two of the slides had long cracks in the ball races) I checked out my wiring. If you change an old controller for a newer one there may be probs. The later controller (909510000 or ..01) uses a black 'normally open' (door opened) magnet rather than the old white one which was 'normally closed'. Use a black one!. Also the white wire, with the new controller is turned ON by the override switch to lock the steps and not 'off' as you would think.
Also an interesting point raised by Bill at Powergearus is that there have been occasions known where the magnets have reversed their 'polarity'. In my case red wire and yellow motor wires were correct except the motor was working in reverse. The step should extent with 12v+ on the red and earth on the yellow (swap the wires and it retracts). I fixed mine by opening the motor, swapping and resoldering the wires inside and also very sparingly greased the motor bearings.
Having retested the step action with a battery, it seems to be working now ok - got to get it all painted and back in to ensure its is fixed tho.

There is a test flow chart on the Powergearus website - if you can't find it I'll give you the details. (Its not in the normal step manual)


Mike