Step power lost at switch

[Iggy]

Hi All.
I'm on the road and had something happen to my steps which I need everyone's help with.
I know I help a lot of folks but can't figure this one out.

I lost the power to my step light switch which turn on and off the steps.
The switch light has no power to it doesn't light.
The step no longer goes in when I start the motorhome like it used to.
No can anyone help my find the possible blown fuse from the engine that makes the steps go in automatically when the engine is started?

Here is the picture of the switch I'm talking about.

[fonzie]

Iggy, have a look underneath your steps and above the house battery for the battery control center. In it seems to be a 5 amp fuse show in orange (ESF)

[doc73]

I do not know about the fuse issue but my father had a georgetown and a few years ago had a similar problem. I ended up finding some bad connectors under the steps area that were supplying power to and from the control module. They looked good at first glance but once a test light was put on them they turned up all corroded out.

[bubbles]

Isn't there a 25 amp fuse connected directly to the batteries that supply power to the steps? evidently your steps are out and will not retract, is this so?

[bubbles]

Even if the engine start won't retract your steps they still should retract with the step switch on and the door closed. It sounds like main power loss. And I think main power is from an in line fuse at the batteries. You now have kwikee steps and they may have connected power differently than LCI. By the way, those switchlights are very cheap and light burning out is not un-common. Battery disconnect is not in disconnect position I assume. Didn't you install a by-pass switch for the door magnetic switch?

[bubbles]

Any followup thus far?

[jojo bamboo]

Its one of the 2 power plugs that go to the steps.
There..... its fixed. "that was easy"

[copsuno]

Iggy, just reminder, that if the magnet on screen door does not line up correctly with the magnet mounted to door frame, steps will not work even with engine start. Just had that happen in AZ, Yesterday. Leave main door open and try engine start, if no action pull on screen and make sure magnets line up, mine out of alignment at bottom.

[intercept]

Had my 2012 378XL do the same. The switch had oxidized contacts from not being used. 10 to 15 of pushes and it works ok again.
Try that and if the light even flickers once change the switch.

[fonzie]

Iggy, sure would like to get an update on your status, has anyone here helped or not?

[Iggy]

I have installed a switch instead of the door magnet contact.
This makes the steps extend or retract and I will figure out the other switch when I get home. I am on the road and don't want to tare everything apart now.

The 3 wires on the bad switch has a power and 2 other leads but not sure where the power comes from nor the 2 control wires.
Anyone have any ideas where those wire go to?

[Nutmeg]

This file only shows two wires at the switch but uploaded incase it helps,

[intercept]

Iggy,
Red lead is the + power from the coach
White is the switched power that is sent to the step controller when the switch is on.
The third Black wire is the ground for the switch light.

The magnetic door switch provides a short to chassis ground for the controller.
To check that operation make sure one side of the switch has a good chassis ground.
If it doesn't work after making sure the chassis ground is good, then short the hot lead to chassis ground. If it operates the step when you do that you have a bad magnetic switch.
If shorting the hot side of the mag switch doesn't make a difference you have a bad connection to the step controller or a bad controller.

Let us know!!

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by intercept

Iggy,
Red lead is the + power from the coach
White is the switched power that is sent to the step controller when the switch is on.
The third Black wire is the ground for the switch light.

The magnetic door switch provides a short to chassis ground for the controller.
To check that operation make sure one side of the switch has a good chassis ground.
If it doesn't work after making sure the chassis ground is good, then short the hot lead to chassis ground. If it operates the step when you do that you have a bad magnetic switch.
If shorting the hot side of the mag switch doesn't make a difference you have a bad connection to the step controller or a bad controller.

Let us know!!

Thanks
I appreciate the information.
My problem or question regards the lighted switch.
It seems I lost all power to light up the switch.
The switch has 3 wires and I get no 12 volts to ground on none of them.
Thinking I blew the fuse but can not find the fuse or source.
I checked all the fuses in the control center and they are all good.
Checked the DC fuses next to the electrical panel in the bedroom. All good.
I started checking the fuse panel below the drivers seat but haven't checked them all as it is difficult to get under there.

Does this help a little?

[intercept]

Yes it does help me understand the issue.
The Step power comes from the Battery control center under the step. You were there.
There is a left and a right bank of fuses inside the box. The step fuse is a 5 Amp fuse on the right side of the left bank. Another description is there are two 5 amp fuses in the center of all of the fuses. The step fuse is the left 5 amp fuse. I had a bad one that looked perfect but when I replaced it the circuit started working. Try replacing it. That is the only step fuse I know of. If the replacement fuse doesn't fix it you should look of a bad connection between the control center and the switch. I had one wire that I had no luck tracing and ran a jumper wire from the control center by drilling a hole in the heater compartment under the fridge and dropping the wire down. The vented cover allows you access there.

Sorry I couldn't help u more.
I will look at my step in the AM and see if I figure any more stuff out.

Best of luck.
Jack

[bubbles]

You have Kwikee steps and they are wired a little different than Lippert. The fuse to the switchlight may have been spliced or just tapped off external from where the main power fuse is connected. As said that extra wire from the switch is most likely the gnd for the bulb. The schematic depicts a non illuminated step switch. You'll get it.

[bubbles]

As you have said, it's good that people come back with the fix for a problem they are having. So, what happened?

[bubbles]

Yeah, how was this issue resolved??

[jojo bamboo]

....so that we can all learn something, just incase