Do electric RV steps work off of shore power if plugged in?

[pwrchrd]

I know this is a silly question. Prior to a trip last year my step motor was humming like it was getting power but the step lamp was barely lit and the steps would not extend or retract. I was plugged in to shore power at the time and know my batteries were pretty weak. Do steps work off of shore power if plugged in?

I disconnect the power from the step/lamp and tried to manually retract the steps but couldn't. So I tried to remove the pin that was keeping them from retracting and have subsequently jammed it! Yea, not a mechanic.

[D_E_Bishop]

Snow man is correct about the failure to lube the steps being a major cause of problems. The step motors, however, are window lift motors used in Ford Products. A&M Industries made the motors for awhile but Lippert has changed the motors again.
the A&M motors have a phenolic gear housing all the Ford motors have an aluminum gear housing.

I think how they are wired depends on the RV manufacturer.

[mgirardo]

On our Greyhawk, the steps use the Chassis battery, not the house battery. We do have a Battery Disconnect for the house battery.

-Michael

[Gonzo42]

Our steps work off the chassis battery. When on shore power, the house batteries are kept charged, but since the chassis battery is not included, I keep a separate battery maintainer on the chassis battery using the cig lighter socket along with a voltmeter.

[YC_1]

If it is connected to your engine battery, and probably is, and your rv does not charge the engine battery when plugged into shoreline, you had a run down battery. Start the rv. If you have to use the aux/emergency start button then that is indeed your issue.

[Snowman9000]

There are some factory written troubleshooting charts online for the steps. From my limited experience, most problems are either bad ground connections, or needing to lube the steps per instructions.

If the motor ever burns out, it is the same as a wiper (I think) motor on a certain car. If need be, search this forum: Archives - Kwikee (sp?), then on the results, search motor, or wiper.

[time2roll]

What you need:

http://www.bestconverter.com/TRIK-L-START_c_210.html

[D_E_Bishop]

I'm not sure what make of steps you have and I do not have a schematic for wiring other than for Kwikee steps, which is now owned by Lippert. The CONTROL voltage come from the ignition switch side of the chassis battery and the OPERATIONAL power comes from the HOUSE batteries. At least that is the way they are supposed to be wired and it is for safety. Google, Kwikee Manual #888, for wiring diagrams.

[wearenh]

.


our steps work off the house battery, and is switched by the disconnect ... so when
we exit and want the step to retract before disconnecting, I have to close the
screen door and reach through its sliding door to turn off the house battery switch

🙂

[CharlesinGA]

All Winnebago Views work off the chassis battery. Steps retract when you start the engine, extend when you open the coach door (stand clear!!!!!!!!)

Charles

[pwrchrd]

Man I love the information on this site! Thanks All!

[DrewE]

Mine also run off the house battery. I do have a house battery disconnect, but the steps are connected on the always-on side of the disconnect, so they can still be used. (For that matter, the converter is also connected to the battery side of the disconnect switch, but that's atypical.) My steps aren't automatic, so they don't actually use any power unless the control switch is pushed one way or the other.

I suspect the chassis battery connection may be somewhat more common, particularly with the systems that have automatic retraction when shifting into gear. It's easier to wire up the controls and so forth when you don't have to worry about separate electrical systems, which may or may not be active or tied together at any given time.

At any rate, they're a 12V system, so they're not directly powered by shore power when plugged in. They may be indirectly powered via the converter (if connected to the house batteries) or, much less commonly, via some sort of a chassis battery charging system (if connected to the chassis battery and there's some sort of a charger for it on the rig).

[tpi]

Mine run off of house battery. Hypothetically if the house battery were dead, the steps wouldn't work. If it was then plugged in they would work-as the converter provides power.

[rjstractor]

pwrchrd wrote:
Chassis batter, not house battery?

That will vary by rig. On the Gulfstream I used to own the steps ran off the house battery, and it didn't have a battery disconnect.

[sch911]

Yes chassis. Most MH's have house battery disconnects. When disconnected how would the steps work? You need to get in/out with the house batt's disconnected...