Hooking up a Kwikee Steps Cutoff Switch

[Dutch Star Don]

It sounds to me like a solution looking for a problem. You said it happened twice because things were broken. Why not repair the issues and not worry about the steps coming out.

I've had automatic steps on five different coaches since the 90's. I've never had a step come out while driving.

By doing what you intend, you have to climb into the coach without steps and out without steps, a broken ankle will be more serious.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

It sounds to me like a solution looking for a problem. You said it happened twice because things were broken. Why not repair the issues and not worry about the steps coming out.

I've had automatic steps on five different coaches since the 90's. I've never had a step come out while driving.

By doing what you intend, you have to climb into the coach without steps and out without steps, a broken ankle will be more serious.

I agree, steps deploying going down the road isn't a common issue. Our rig has 20 year old Kwikee steps on it that have never given an indication they wanted to extend while we weren't looking. Forgetting to turn on a makeshift disconnect switch before exiting the RV could lead to a painful experience.

[jdanyi]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

If you prefer to add a switch, I cannot see any downside, unless you forget and step out the door onto nothing.

Thank you. It wouldn't be much different from what I do now (disconnect them on travel days) other than crawling under the coach to do it.

[jdanyi]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I've had automatic steps on five different coaches since the 90's. I've never had a step come out while driving.

.

They've never come out while driving. But they have come out at a gas station when I was refueling - and then got stuck out. And another time in line at a state park. I jumped out to check the vehicle I was towing - and they got stuck out. One time it was a motor failure. One time was low voltage. Both were fixable - but I'd rather they got stuck in a better place than they did.

[Tha_Rooster]

Originally Posted by jdanyi

Thank you. It wouldn't be much different from what I do now (disconnect them on travel days) other than crawling under the coach to do it.

I’m sorry I just don’t get it. If they work as design why mess with it.

[MrMark52]

Rube Goldberg would be proud of your efforts!

But as many of the recent posts (starting with Dutch Star Don’s) have been trying to convince you of - and you have provided strong evidence as to that the REAL problem is/was - in either case of the two issues you had, disconnecting power to your steps would not prevent the action your trying to prevent.

Steps that don’t retract when directed typically mean either a mechanical issue, or an electrical issue,

Mechanical issue correction - 1) lubricate your steps, 2) stripped or stripping drive gear in step motor transmission (gear is typically replaceable and can typically you can get a new life out of a stripped one by removing it and flipping it over).

Electrical issue correction - keep your batteries charged - which should happen thru your converter hooked to shore power or generator, and possibly thru a B.I.R.D. Device installed in you BCC. And don’t travel with weak or failing coach batteries.

And FWIW - one suggestion to bind the steps with a bungee cord or similar could be problematic to a perfectly good step system - IF the steps are signaled to go out, either the step drive gear will be stripped out, or the bungee cord will pop and possibly go flying.

[Vicr]

To the OP, if you want to make sure your steps don't deploy, like if you are parked next to a curb, you simply need to wire a switch in series with the wire going to the motor. Yes, it's that simple and won't have any effect on the control circuit.

[Jon_C]

I had my steps partially deploy while driving about 1/2 way out on 2 occasions.

First time I heard it clunk while driving and pulled over. Second time we had stopped for fuel and were pulling out when my buddy told me it was partially out.

Both times it was because of a bad motor the metal worm gear was binding on the plastic gear.

First time I worked on motor and got it working, second time a few weeks later I just bought a new one on Amazon, been fine for almost a year since.

Still not sure how the binding caused it to deploy randomly. I’ve thought of installing a proximity switch with light on dash so I can monitor it.

The cheap china motor I bought is much quieter and smoother than the expensive lippert motor that lasted less than a year. You can buy 2 of them for lipperts price and carry a spare.

[tap4154]

Originally Posted by MrMark52

Rube Goldberg would be proud of your efforts!

But as many of the recent posts (starting with Dutch Star Don’s) have been trying to convince you of - and you have provided strong evidence as to that the REAL problem is/was - in either case of the two issues you had, disconnecting power to your steps would not prevent the action your trying to prevent.

Steps that don’t retract when directed typically mean either a mechanical issue, or an electrical issue,

Mechanical issue correction - 1) lubricate your steps, 2) stripped or stripping drive gear in step motor transmission (gear is typically replaceable and can typically you can get a new life out of a stripped one by removing it and flipping it over).

Electrical issue correction - keep your batteries charged - which should happen thru your converter hooked to shore power or generator, and possibly thru a B.I.R.D. Device installed in you BCC. And don’t travel with weak or failing coach batteries.

And FWIW - one suggestion to bind the steps with a bungee cord or similar could be problematic to a perfectly good step system - IF the steps are signaled to go out, either the step drive gear will be stripped out, or the bungee cord will pop and possibly go flying.

But my suggestion was to tightly cinch the steps with a tiedown, not use a bungee. In fact I tried it, and it works. The motor stops when it sees increased amperage, no matter if that's when it hits bottom, fully retracts, or is cinched into the retracted position.

[MrMark52]

Originally Posted by tap4154

But my suggestion was to tightly cinch the steps with a tiedown, not use a bungee. In fact I tried it, and it works. The motor stops when it sees increased amperage, no matter if that's when it hits bottom, fully retracts, or is cinched into the retracted position.

Your right - I forgot about the way the controller works is it looks at motor current.
But that sure puts a stress on the step motor transmission drive gears, especially the bigger replaceable one.

[tap4154]

Introducing the brand new Kwikee Klamp! I had an idea for something like this last night, and I just made this out of a piece of spare bar aluminum. It works, and I honestly don't think it puts any more stress on anything than regular opening and closing. Probably put a tether on it, just in case it fell off on the road, but the way I made it it fits fairly snugly

https://youtu.be/r4vbhR9Dqwg

[jdanyi]

Originally Posted by Vicr

To the OP, if you want to make sure your steps don't deploy, like if you are parked next to a curb, you simply need to wire a switch in series with the wire going to the motor. Yes, it's that simple and won't have any effect on the control circuit.

Installed this morning - and it works exactly how I wanted it to.

Thank you for the response.

[jdanyi]

Thanks for all of the responses!
Project complete - total success.

Supplies
2x 2' of 16 gauge wire
weatherproof switch
electrical tape
electrical heat wraps
multimeter

1) Verified the hot wire was the red wire, with the multimeter
2) Snipped the red wire about 4 inches from the plug
3) Stripped each end of original and each end of my extension wire
4) Mounted and wired in my new switch and connected the ends of the extension wire.
5) Wrapped, tied and cleaned up the new wire run and secured it to the existing wiring bundle.

[tap4154]

You can also simply pull the 20 amp fuse for the steps, while retracted. Then replace it when you get to your site. You can do this from inside the coach, so with Class A you wouldn't have to jump out to get to the switch.