I have been working on a Kwikee step that won't retract when the engine starts. I finally traced it down to what I thought was just a wire pulling out of a butt connector. That thread is HERE.I bought some new butt connectors and crawled under there to splice the wire, but when I took off what I thought was the old butt connector, I found this. What is it? What does it do? Is it necessary? Where can I get another one? It appears to have color bands around it. SILVER/RED/RED/BROWN or BROWN/RED/RED/SILVER. It is 3/4 inch long and 1/4 inch in diameter. It had a wire coming out of each end that was soldered inline to the switched ignition wire going to the step.

It is a 1.2K-ohm, 1/2 Watt resistor.Radio Shack or local TV shop.

I think its a 1200 ohm resistor

I don't think it should be there. Does it look factory or add on?

6 minutes to the answer. You guys are great.It is definitely factory. I bought the RV brand new.Is it reversable, or does the orientation matter?

What is this electrical component? | Good Sam Community

Fredzo
Explorer
Nov 01, 2014
It is a 1.2K-ohm, 1/2 Watt resistor.

Radio Shack or local TV shop.
gschecht
Explorer
Nov 01, 2014
I think its a 1200 ohm resistor
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Nov 01, 2014
I don't think it should be there. Does it look factory or add on?
Bobbo
Explorer II
Nov 01, 2014
6 minutes to the answer. You guys are great.

It is definitely factory. I bought the RV brand new.

Is it reversable, or does the orientation matter?
pianotuna
Nomad III
Nov 01, 2014
Hi,

Yes it is reversible.
Johno02
Explorer
Nov 01, 2014
OK, we told him what it is, My question is why is it there?? what does it do?? Usually they are for voltage drop, maybe to slow down the step motor?? I don't think mine has one, but have never looked.
Salvo
Explorer
Nov 01, 2014
That's an oh **** add-on. The step controller has problems with over voltage. There should also be a zener diode in the wiring harness where you found the resistor. The resistor/zener combo prevent over voltage. It's a kluge fix. Over time the lead to the resistor will break, resulting in your steps not working. Replace the resistor and you'll be good for another 6 years. You could add some strain relief to the resistor/leads.
Bobbo
Explorer II
Nov 01, 2014
There were 2 wires attached to the engine side of the resistor, one of them green. There was only one wire attached to the step side of the resistor. Could the green wire on the engine side be going to the zener diode?

On edit: I have this reversed. The single wire is to the engine and the pair of wires, including a green one, is to the step. The green wire does have a teensy electronic part inline.
Salvo
Explorer
Nov 01, 2014
One side of the resistor goes to engine power. The other side of the resistor goes to the diode and to the step controller for power input. The other side of the diode (which you haven't found) goes to ground. That's how my steps work. The resistor/diode network are located in a short connector harness. It's an add-on. In a pinch, you should be able to remove this short harness and re-connect.
Bobbo
Explorer II
Nov 01, 2014
How critical is the 1/2 watt part of this? My local radio shack had 1 ko and 1.5 ko resistors, but no 1.2 ko. They were also much smaller in size.

I have found online a source for a 1.2 ko, 12w resistor. Would that work?