Stairs won't retract - 2018 Georgetown 369XL

flexdogScott · 04-14-2019, 06:57 PM

Had a battery go bad this weekend on the maiden voyage...wow, the sulphur smell was terrible.

Unhooked the positive lead from the charging/load circuit and the stairs still worked.

Took all the batteries out, including 3-4 fused wires on the positive leads and the stairs don't work.

I was assuming the stairs were powered from the coach battery so this doesn't happen. Checked all fuses in the battery compartment as well as the coach fuse panel, didn't see any blown. Magnet is still there on the door switch. Is there another place where I could find fuses that might have blown while removing the batteries?

Any ideas? Any help would be appreciated.
-scott

p.s. there is a purple wire down under near the stair motor and wiring harness, and it has what looks like half of a round glass fuse holder, but there is not another end in sight.

fonzie · 04-14-2019, 07:12 PM

Look into the battery control center for a 5 amp fuse for the steps, see link below. Also do you need to have parking brake on for steps to work?

flexdogScott · 04-14-2019, 07:26 PM

Fonzie - thanks...
where is the battery connect center? Is this back where the power comes into the coach, or up under the hood with the engine?

Also, we have not needed to have the parking brake on to operate the stairs in the past (only the jacks).

bubbles · 04-14-2019, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flexdogScott

Had a battery go bad this weekend on the maiden voyage...wow, the sulphur smell was terrible.

Unhooked the positive lead from the charging/load circuit and the stairs still worked.

Took all the batteries out, including 3-4 fused wires on the positive leads and the stairs don't work.

I was assuming the stairs were powered from the coach battery so this doesn't happen. Checked all fuses in the battery compartment as well as the coach fuse panel, didn't see any blown. Magnet is still there on the door switch. Is there another place where I could find fuses that might have blown while removing the batteries?

Any ideas? Any help would be appreciated.
-scott

p.s. there is a purple wire down under near the stair motor and wiring harness, and it has what looks like half of a round glass fuse holder, but there is not another end in sight.

The fuse for the steps is the 20 amp one connected directly to the battery. The other fuses connected directly to the battery are the awning and lp detector. The purple wire is not used in the Georgetown. The porchlight can be wired to the step light via the purple wire. The step light comes on just for a few seconds when the steps are extended but when wired to the porchlight (via the purple wire) it will illuminate along with the porchlight. Didn't sound like you were having trouble with your steps, just saying what you have done to check for blown fuses; correct?

flexdogScott · 04-14-2019, 10:16 PM

Bubbles - sorry for the confusion...

The steps will not retract, so YES, I am having trouble with the steps.

The 20 Amp one you mention for the steps being connected directly to the battery - is that the coach battery, or the house batteries? I removed the house batteries.

I will look for other fuses tomorrow and see if I am missing something. If the LP and Awning are attached to the coach battery, that could cause drain (LP) while in storage, right?

fonzie · 04-15-2019, 06:08 AM

Usually the BCC for a Georgetown is under the entry steps by the house battery on the coach frame. See thread below.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ic-161732.html

bubbles · 04-15-2019, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flexdogScott

Bubbles - sorry for the confusion...

The steps will not retract, so YES, I am having trouble with the steps.

The 20 Amp one you mention for the steps being connected directly to the battery - is that the coach battery, or the house batteries? I removed the house batteries.

I will look for other fuses tomorrow and see if I am missing something. If the LP and Awning are attached to the coach battery, that could cause drain (LP) while in storage, right?

That was my initial thinking but then I read your post again and thought naw. The batteries are typically known as the chassis battery and the coach battery (ies). Your coach battery would be the chassis battery and your house batteries would be the coach batteries. So with that in mind and in your words your house batteries is where the steps fuse is connected to. You have no power for the steps when you removed those batteries.

kenandterry · 04-15-2019, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flexdogScott

Bubbles - sorry for the confusion...

The steps will not retract, so YES, I am having trouble with the steps.

The 20 Amp one you mention for the steps being connected directly to the battery - is that the coach battery, or the house batteries? I removed the house batteries.

I will look for other fuses tomorrow and see if I am missing something. If the LP and Awning are attached to the coach battery, that could cause drain (LP) while in storage, right?

I see Bubbles working with you, but to recap.....

The battery under the front hood is commonly called the engine battery.

The three items wired directly to the “chassis/coach/house batteries” (the ones under the steps) are the LP detector, awning, and steps. The only item that might cause a parasitic draw would be the LP detector. On my unit, I have a separate switch on the detector itself that I turn “off” if I’m parking for sometime. The awning and steps should not draw any current unless you press the button.

bubbles · 04-15-2019, 08:17 AM

If you reference the pdf file in fonzie's post #2 and move the 5 amp fuse to where it is shown in that pdf drawing (side of the BCC stud #1) the LP detector will not be powered when the coach batteries are disconnected but will be connected to them when not disconnected. The LP detector will also be powered if connected to shore power whether or not the coach batteries are disconnected. The Awning will not be powered unless the awning switch is actuated. There is no current draw from the steps unless moving in or out. So your query about the battery disconnect for those items is answered. If you have other items connected to the coach batteries I am not familiar with them.

flexdogScott · 04-15-2019, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenandterry

I see Bubbles working with you, but to recap.....

The battery under the front hood is commonly called the engine battery.

The three items wired directly to the “chassis/coach/house batteries” (the ones under the steps) are the LP detector, awning, and steps. The only item that might cause a parasitic draw would be the LP detector. On my unit, I have a separate switch on the detector itself that I turn “off” if I’m parking for sometime. The awning and steps should not draw any current unless you press the button.

I am shocked that the design allows for the chassis/house batteries to be removed and not power the steps somehow...

There is a red cable that comes from up on the frame with all the charging/load circuits that is connected to the battery bank. I assume that is where the battery bank gets charged? Is it possible to connect that wire to the LP/Awning/Steps wires and get 12V to the steps motor (obviously when the engine is running or the unit is plugged into shore power)?

When coming out of storage, the first time the steps open up, they are sluggish due to the lower battery voltage, but when you fire up the engine, I assume the alternator starts charging the chassis/house batteries and brings up that voltage, right?

bubbles · 04-16-2019, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flexdogScott

There is a red cable that comes from up on the frame with all the charging/load circuits that is connected to the battery bank. I assume that is where the battery bank gets charged? Is it possible to connect that wire to the LP/Awning/Steps wires and get 12V to the steps motor (obviously when the engine is running or the unit is plugged into shore power)?

OK, again reference Fonzie's pdf file and you will see that on the side of the Battery Control Center(BCC) box are 3 studs. Notice stud #2 is the chassis battery feed. If you connect the steps fuse to that stud the steps will function (stud is continuously hot from chassis battery). The layout of the studs in the pdf file is accurately depicted for your BCC. I'm thinking that if the battery disconnect was in the battery disconnect configuration when you removed the coach batteries the only self contained charging for the chassis battery will come from the alternator and not from the converter when plugged into shore power.

flexdogScott · 04-18-2019, 04:15 PM

Thanks Bubbles...
I got the stairs working by connecting them to that back stud, worked great, and I will leave them connected like that.

I will check on the charging once it is all back together, as I certainly would like for (and expect) the alternator to charge the house batteries while traveling down the road.

I will also invest in a solar charger to keep those house batteries topped off while it is in storage.
-scott

fonzie · 04-18-2019, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flexdogScott

Thanks Bubbles...
I got the stairs working by connecting them to that back stud, worked great, and I will leave them connected like that.

I will check on the charging once it is all back together, as I certainly would like for (and expect) the alternator to charge the house batteries while traveling down the road.

I will also invest in a solar charger to keep those house batteries topped off while it is in storage.
-scott

Did you locate the BCC controller and open it? There is a 5 amp fuse inside for the stairs.

You may also like: