Steps and Outside lighting

[edgewant]

On my steps 12v to the purple wire does nothing.

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by edgewant

On my steps 12v to the purple wire does nothing.

If the step switch is turned off, the light will not come on even with power to the purple wire. at least on mine that is what I found yesterday. be careful under there with the step swich on.

[edgewant]

Dan.
What's the purpose of the purple wire then. Does power to the purple wire prevent the steps from retracting?

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by edgewant

Dan.
What's the purpose of the purple wire then. Does power to the purple wire prevent the steps from retracting?

The purple wire will light the steps, but only if the step switch is on.
I know what you mean though as the step light will come on anyway if the step switch is on and the steps go out.

Maybe the difference is if you have the step switch on and 12v to the purple wire, the light may stay on when the steps are 'closed'.
The instructions say to wire the purple to your porch light.
http://support.powergearus.com/techdocs/875.pdf

Still not what I want to accomplish though.

[I-RV]

Dan - The link you gave is for the Kwickee Step. I have the Coach Step (supplied by Lippert). Not sure when they changed. I did see a statement on their web site that you cannot use Kwickee door magnets with the Coach Step. I alerted Ernest, since this may be his issue.

With the Coach Step, I have the purple wire. Does one ground it or supply 12V to it to turn the light on. I would like to have it go to my Porch Light switch.

My Step light is full of water and very corroded. I just ordered a truck clearance LED to replace it at half the cost.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more.../attributes/16
Hank

[dan-nickie]

my light came on when I applied to 12v to the purple wire. BUT only when step switch was on.
So the steps would be going in and out every time the door is open or closed.

[conceptumator]

ernest917: I was looking over the Lippert manual for the CoachStep and noticed something you might check that could have something to do with your steps going in and out. They gave a caution in the installation of the magnetic door switch to be sure it isn't installed in a location where the door frame could flex while driving, causing the switch to think the door was opening. Not sure how to check that other than possibly just relocating the switch and seeing if it helps. Good luck.

[I-RV]

Dan supplied a link to the Kwikee Step manual (see post #44). If you have the Coach Step, here is the link........
https://www.strombergcarlson.com/sto...%20Lippert.pdf
Hank

[15berkxl]

You may have figured this out by now but LCI bought Kwikee which IMO was a bad thing as Kwikee made quality products and Lippert makes crap.


Wayne

[edgewant]

I think I'm going to cut the black wire coming out of the control module going to the light and splice into the aisle lights wiring. The aisle light switch controls the light in the entry handle so it will now control the step light. The only downside I see to this is I won't have light when the step switch is on the steps are deployed.

[dan-nickie]

edgewant, that seems to be one sure way to be able to control the step lights.


I'm still looking at tying into the magnetic door switch and add a relay so that the lights come on when the door is opened, and goes out when door is closed regardless of the step switch position.


I also think I'll use some LED lights for better lighting as I have a strip left over from another project that is just long enough.


Not sure when I'll get it done as we are travelling, but I'll update here to let you know how it worked out.

[edgewant]

I also am considering adding LEDs. I may just leave the step light as is and power LEDs from the aisle lighting circuit.

Whenever I get to this I too will try and update on my final solution.

[I-RV]

I also have a LED strip leftover. I cut it to 24" and was about to mount it to the step frame just beneath the door sill. This would illuminate the step nicely, but the step would shadow the ground and also a step platform if placed there, I nixed that and ordered a 14LED truck clearance light. My original step light had water in it and is badly corroded. A new one would probably cost around $24 with shipping.

Controlling the light is another thing. You can what's called "OR" the light on, by putting a diode in series with each 12V source, tie all the diode cathode together and connect to the light. That way you can have the Porch Light, OR the Aisle Light OR the Step Controller turn the light on. The diodes protect each source from being directly connected to another source and the possibility of one source blowing a circuit of another.
Hank

[dan-nickie]

I drew a quick diagram of what I had in mind.
As I finished, I realized that since the relay needs to be energized to turn the light off, it may put some draw on the battery while in storage.

[I-RV]

Dan
You must have the Kwikee Step, which closes the door switch with the door open. The Coach Step opens the door switch with the door open.

As for functionality, I see that you want the light to go on whenever the door is open. I think that I will go with the light operating as intended when the Step Switch is on and add that it goes on when the Aisle Light or Porch Light is on. That takes three diodes as I previously explained where two of them could be placed inside the entry switch panel, tied together with only one wire to run.

It all depends upon the functionality one wants. Your circuit will do your wants and good job.
Hank

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by bubbles

Kwikee and I believe also Lippert provide a (purple) wire from their module for splicing to the porch light power wire that will illuminate the step light through the porch light switch. Just splice into the wiring and feed thru a 5amp fuse if your porch light is not already fused.

This post references the Kwikee installation manual. I have a Lippert step system on my Georgetown and I have applied 12 volts from my coach battery directly to the purple wire and the step amber light illuminates. The step power switch is not on. This connection is not referenced in my Lippert step documentation the way that it is for the Kwikee steps but it does work. By the way, Kwikee door switch is open with door open and Lippert door switch is closed with door open. Just some trivia.

[5456Mich]

Not having picked up our coach yet and reading this one and other posts that are electrical related I have to ask in all the booklets and such that comes with the coach do they provide a wiring schematic for the coach ?

[I-RV]

Joe - You are really kidding or believing in fairy tales! No schematics or wiring diagrams for the cabin. Appliances and modules may have some and dependent upon the manufacturer. You can get Freightliner wiring diagrams on the web.
Hank

[BobHanke]

Lippert Wiring

[5456Mich]

Originally Posted by BobHanke

Lippert Wiring

So are these Lippert drawings specific to Berkshire coaches or are the generic to what the motor homes should be wired like?