Airstream 2001350 XL, Owner'S Manual

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350 XL SERIES 2001 OWNERS MANUAL
C-10
General Service Notes
If the power wire to the step is disconnected from its source and reconnected, a spark is common. This is
caused by the momentary charging of the control unit and does not necessarily indicate the system is
staying on, which would cause a drain on the battery. If battery drain is suspected, observe the understep
light (if so equipped) while the step is extending. The power switch must be on for the understep light to
operate. When the step locks into the down position, the understep light should become noticeably brighter.
If it does not, the control may not be shutting off. Turn the power switch off and unplug the four-way plug
between the control unit and the vehicle to prevent overheating the step motor.
To further determine that the control is not shutting off, remove the 2 screws from the connector on the step
motor leads between the step motor and the control unit. Remove the seal assembly. (See Figure 6 in the
Step Test Procedure). Place a voltmeter between the red and yellow motor leads than reconnect the four-
way plug. Turn the power switch on. If any voltage registers on the meter, the control is not shutting off
and may be defective. When doing this test, switch the voltmeter leads back and forth between the red and
yellow motor leads to be sure no voltage registers. If any voltage does register, disconnect the four-way
plug to keep the motor from overheating. If zero voltage is present, the control has shut off and is normal.
If the step does not work or operates erratically, such as extending part way and shutting off, the first item
that should be checked is the vehicle's battery. The voltage supplied to the step should be at least 12.7 volts
DC for well-charged batteries. A battery that registers below 12.7 volts DC may drop as low as 8 volts DC
when a load is drawn, such as engaging the step motor. The control unit will shut off if the loaded voltage
falls below 9.5 volts DC. The control unit will remember which function it was performing. It will wait
between two and five seconds (time depends upon temperature) and will try again to complete the original
function. If the supply voltage is still below 9.5 volts DC, the control will go into another delay state. If the
supply voltage remains above 9.5 volts DC, the original function will be completed. Should the supply
voltage again fall below 9.5 volts DC the system will go into another delay state. It could take a couple of
minutes to complete the original function. Low supply voltage may cause erratic operation of the step. Poor
ground connections may also cause erratic operation of the step.
The step may also operate erratically if the step is being operated directly from a converter, and the output
from the converter is not adequate or properly filtered for clean DC voltage. The converter must be capable
of producing a minimum of 30 amps for proper step operation.
If the control unit is hooked up reverse polarity, the step will not operate. If the ground to the control unit is
lost, either between the step control unit and the vehicle chassis (the long 10 ga. green ground wire) or
between the vehicle battery and the ground (negative battery cable) the step will not function. Make sure
the battery terminals and all wire connections are clean and tight. Be sure all wires are of proper gauges or
heavier as specified in the wiring diagram.
These general service notes and the Step Test Procedure cover the most common problems associated with
Kwikee electric steps. Due to the number of variable conditions available, you may experience symptoms
other than those covered. Please feel free to contact the Customer Service Department at I (800) 736-9961
for further information or assistance.