I have studied numerous threads and posts concerning the installation of a switch to keep
the Kwikee steps in with the ignition turned off.
Under my coach there are 4 wires (red, white, yellow, brown) going from the controller brain box to the 4-way
plug. But, there are only 3 wires (red, white, white) coming out of the connector and going up inside the coach.
Quikee Step Wiring Diagram (http://www.rvweb.net/tech_lib/quicke_fig1.html)
Can someone please tell what the deal is, and which white wire to tap into?
T man, does the article in "Modifications" on Beamalarm site not work for you doing what it tells to do. I did it for our step and it works.
JohnH
John,
I believe that T-man has the Kwikee electric steps FOT started in 03'whereas (I believe) the mod listed on Beamalarm are for the dropdown air steps.
Don
I realised that but thought the wiring may be same as both types switched by door ???
JohnH
Could be... When Rance did our step conversion which uses a different Kwikee (42 series), I thought he said that it was different when I talked to hime about adding the switch. But I could be wrong! :o Maybe this thread will answer the question...
Don
My steps have 4 wires going into the connector, red, white, brown and yellow. The brown and yellow must dead-end there because
what comes out the other side of the connector are red and 2 whites.
To use Beam's tech I would have to use the red wire and come out of the connector with a yellow wire that's not there now.
How about this possibility?
The red wire coming out of the connector is power.
That leaves 2 white wires coming out of the connector. One white wire should be brown, and the other white wire should be yellow. FOT used white wire in both cases, instead of the correct colors. The remaining empty hole in the connector needs a white wire coming out of it to use for hooking up the new switch.
First I ran two 16 ga wires down through the floor alongside a harness. I'll refer to them as wires A & B.
Then I cut the white wire from the controller brainbox at the 4-pin connector and connected it to wire B using a butt connector. I also spliced wire A into the red power wire just about 3" from the 4-pin connector. All this is under the coach
by the Kwikee steps.
Topside, behind the kick panel I now have two wires that should stop the steps when a switch is activated. I'm assuming that happens when 12VDC from the red wire is applied to the white wire via the switch.
Everything is as pictured in the diagram except for the fuse which I haven't got yet. I touched the two ends of wires A & B together to simulate the switch being turned on and.........................it didn't work.
The steps operate normally with no change, and there's 13.7 VDC at wire A whether the ignition or salesman's switches are on or off.
Ideas anyone?
I fixed our step to go in with the ignition off, but had to do some creative wiring, right now can't remember exactly, but there is a relay activated by the ignition which I activated with a switch I put in the dash, I had to install a diode in the ignition wire to keep from back feeding the ignition when the dash switch was turned on if I remember correctly. If that doesn't work let me know and I will think harder on this but think that is how I fixed ours and it works as we were going on the New Foundland Ferry so wanted the steps in.
That sounds promising Ron.
What kind of a diode?
I'd like to got to Newfoundland on the ferry too, so I need this step thing to work.
I was stationed there in the USN for 2 years, back in the mid 60's.
T-man, I sure hope you figure this out as I'd like to do the same thing as you.
Steve wired our Kwikee step conversion to do that, so it's possible (we have stay in/stay out/move with door/ignition override move with door). Nothing fancy, just 2 switches. Wish I had documented what Steve did, but it's not in my files.
Maybe I'll give Kwikee a quick call in the morning and speak with a tech rep...... It's their diagram.
Might need a new brain box. I know the white wire terminates there and it's getting power.
Quick, cheap, and dirty fix for keeping step in is to apply a magnet on the door sensor. We helped a forum member do that after the Mineola Grandvention when his step was stuck out due to a broken wire. Test placement of a magnet on the portion that is mounted on the frame, not the door.
How is that different than the magnet on the door touching it?
If you want the step to stay in with the door open, you need to fool the sensor into thinking the door in is. That's what the magnet applied to the frame sensor does - takes the place of the magnet in the door....
I understand.
But I need to fool the brain box so that when the ignition is off the steps will stay in if wanted..
The only reason the steps should go out with the ignition off is if the door is open. If you apply the magnet across the sensor it should prevent the sensor from detecting the opening of the door.
I will try the magnet trick tomorrow. But, longer term I am also interested in a switch to control the step. Thank you
Next time I get a chance, I will see if I can figure out how Rance wired the switch for our Kwikee series 42 steps to stay in. But one quick and dirty way to make sure it doesn't come out (at least on our 99') is to disconnect the chassis battery when the step is in. I am attaching a manual for a version of the 42 series which may or may not correspond to the way yours is wired. I think maybe Rance added the switch via a relay to activate the ignition override switch, but just a guess on my part based on very hazy recollection and a quick read of part of this manual.
Don
Here is an a paste of some text from an addendum of sorts to Kwikee electric step manuals that talks about a nomenclature change regarding the power switch. It is now called an override switch... may or may not be relevant.
I think I have the 32 series steps.
From Kwikee;
Lippert 372261 32 Series Electric Double Step (Kwikee 903209025)
Part #903209025
24" tread with Motor, Control Unit (#909510000) and Switch Kit (#905325000)
Double Electric Steps
Clearance from mounting surface to ground, 19-28".
Black, powder-coated finish.
Non-skid tread surface.
Safely supports up to 750 lbs.
Choose electronic or operator control.
Electronic control:
Door switch extends step when door is opened, retracts step when door is closed.
Power switch locks step in extended position.
Ignition override retracts step when ignition is turned on.
"Last out" feature extends step when the door is opened.
Operator control:
Self-centering rocker switch, manually operated extends or retracts the step.
Includes:
Steps with Pre-IMGL Motor, Control Unit (909510000)
Door Magnets
Door Switch (905325000) (Rectangular Magnet Door switch is included with this step, which is the most popular switch. If your current switch is different please purchase accordingly)
Instruction Manual
Note: Lippert 372261 replaces Kwikee 903209025, Lippert 3722611, Kwikee 903209125
So after reading " Door switch extends step when door is opened, retracts step when door is closed" concerning the electronic control I have to say that my steps are always out unless the ignition is on, and then, and only then do they retract.
Boy am I confused! If the ignition switch is on, the steps are retracted. If I open the door the steps extend, and if I close the door the steps retract. If the ignition switch is off the steps are always extended, and the door has no effect on them.
It sounds like what I'm looking for in the description above. Door closed, ignition off, steps in. Ignition on, steps
always in, even if the override to keep them out is in use.
T-man,
More to add to the confusion, if your steps are the original ones with your coach, they are original Kwikee and are the old style control and the Lippert info won't necessarily match.
If they have been replaced, they could be more recent Kwikee or Lippert (Lippert bought Kwikee) with the new control.
Off-topic but if the latter, and replaced sometime between 2008 and maybe 2015, be aware that they have been recalled Lippert to Recall 47,350 Coach Step Electric Entry Steps (https://rv-pro.com/news/lippert-recall-47350-coach-step-electric-entry-steps)
I think mine are OEM, but I'm going to check with Kwikee/Lippert today.
Wow!
I think my Kwikee brain box may be bad.
My steps are always extended when the ignition is OFF.
Igintion ON and the magnetic switch on the door activates the steps, both retracting and extending them.
If I just put in a new brain then I will have steps that are the opposite of what I have now, activated by the
door at all times.............every time the door opens or closes the steps extend or retract.
Is that the way y'all's work??
I'm going to call Kwikee back now and talk with a tech-rep on how to determine if the brain box is shot. I
spoke to one earlier that didn't have the best interaction skills but maybe I'll get better help this time.
T man, that is the way mine work. Ign off step down, turn key on and up they go. I of course do have the overide that will keep them up even with ign off.
JohnH
Hi T-man,
It sounds like you have cross connected some wires to the brain box because it is working opposite of normal.
The wiring is OEM Jim, and it's been working this way since I got the coach. All I did was add the two power switch wires.
The RED wire is getting power, the brown door switch wire is correct or the switch wouldn't work and the yellow wire is providing power to the box when the ignition is turned on. That leaves only the white wire which never continued beyond the 4-way plug originally, but is now wired to the switch. The other leg of the switch goes to 12VDC.
I wish it was as simple a a crossed wire.
If I remember correctly it is the door magnetic switch that is controlled by the relay, which when the ignition is on is closed, but when the ignition is off is open so had to supply power to the relay, in install a diode in the ignition side of the relay power source to prevent the add dash switch from back feeding the ignition circuit. You can call me at 8one 3 2 one 5 3463 I doubt that the brain box is bad but only that the brain is not seeing the closed magnetic switch circuit. I think I could explain it better on the phone than by trying to have you understand my bad writing skills. Mine works as it should, it took me a while to figure it out and I was a rv tech for over 30 years, but the extra that Foretravel added in didn't make sense, so don't think that Kwikee Lippert will be of much help
Thanks Red,
I'll give you a call tomorrow.
Oh T-man,
I am not really familiar with the wiring of the Kwikee brain box nor its operation. Sorry, it just seemed like you might have had wires reversed because of its reverse operation.
You probably should go to a dealer.
First time posting on this forum. As lead moderator of LifeWithALazyDazeRV, I am studying ForeForums website layout because we are contemplating leaving Yahoo Groups and evolving to a FF-type website. While navigating through the forum, I discovered this thread about Kwikee steps. Recently, the Kwikee electric step (one step model with under-step light) on my '02 Lazy Daze began to work only intermittently and finally stopped working (in an open position, of course) on a recent trip. As we were one day from home (Denver), the step began operating. I have appreciated reading various speculations about what could cause this and also the posted electrical diagrams which will help me diagnose the problem when I crawl underneath to take a looksee. Part of me says if it ain't broke, don't fix it; however it's likely something is wrong. I'm hoping it's only a loose connection somewhere.
Chris
I will attempt to send a picture of the drawing of the wiring.
I forgot to label the diode so here goes again.
Ron,
Thank you for the drawings and all your help on the phone today.
I disconnected the harness to keep the steps out while working on coach, now I can't seem to get them to retract. Is there a reboot sequence? If I understand correctly any time ignition is on they retract.
The door also has to be shut as there is a switch by the door that tells the step when to close.
Service manual attached.
Several failed tries.
T-man see email
Did you blow the 10a fuse?
The red wire has constant 12 volts and the yellow wire is powered by the ignition, and also on some coaches there is a step switch by the door that needs to be turned on and if I remember correctly, that is a white wire.
I replaced my steps and the new controller doesn't allow for the entry door to be open with the steps retracted as per the modification
referred to in this thread.................so I installed the old controller and they're working again.
While researching the new controller I found this information, "Must replace door switch if you currently have a white switch - New control unit only compatible with Black Door Switch." I don't know which magnetic switch is normally closed/open, but apparently
that's the fix.
Kwikee Replacement Control Unit -New Style- 9510 909510000 379146 (https://www.makariosrv.com/kwikee-replacement-control-unit-new-style-9510-379146/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=ppc)