Nasty f1 Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Hi all. Have a problem with electric slide out step. It is only coming out about 6 inches. Have checked for obstructions. All OK. When I stand on it and quickly press it twice and get off it comes out the last 6 inches. Could it be a relay or control from the sargent psu. Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 I'm aware you own an Autocruise Accent model, but not how old it is. The symptoms you have described suggest a 'mechanical' problem, rather an electrical one. These slide-out steps are often fitted in an exposed position where muck from the road can find its way inside and obstruct the step's sliding action or cause excessive wear. You could try spraying a dry lubricant (eg. WD-40 DRY PTFE) liberally into the step's interior when it is fully extended and on to every part of the step's 'slides' you can get at, and see if that improves matters. However, if lubrication is ineffective because the step is full of gunge, or if internal parts are worn or loose, you'd need to access the step's interior - and achieving this may be relatively easy or a real pig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Hi remember to remove the fuse before working on the step. It would be easy to lose fingers if it operated unexpectedly. I have removed and repaired two steps over the years. It has been crud inside the gubbins ( a technical term) that caused the problem. On the first occasion I gave it a bang to close properly and that caused bigger problems so the moral is don’t force it. peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty f1 Posted March 8, 2023 Author Share Posted March 8, 2023 5 hours ago, Nasty f1 said: Hi all. Have a problem with electric slide out step. It is only coming out about 6 inches. Have checked for obstructions. All OK. When I stand on it and quickly press it twice and get off it comes out the last 6 inches. Could it be a relay or control from the sargent psu. Cheers Tony have had step off no crude or damage to cogs etc. is there a limit swich on extening the step. it is on a2011 model, but not sure if this is the original step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 When the step is being extended, I don't think any sort of 'limit switch' is involved - one just presses the extend-step button and holds the button down until the step has fully extended. I did a GOOGLE-search on thule sliding step not fully extending, but nothing was retrieved that seemed to match your problem's symptoms. Did you try extending the step electrically when you had it off the vehicle? If it extended properly when off the motorhome, you'd know the step itself was OK and that the problem lay 'upstream' of the step (eg. with the control or the Sargent equipment. If the step did not extend properly when off the motorhome, you'd know the problem lay in the step itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 6 hours ago, Nasty f1 said: Hi all. Have a problem with electric slide out step. It is only coming out about 6 inches. Have checked for obstructions. All OK. When I stand on it and quickly press it twice and get off it comes out the last 6 inches. Could it be a relay or control from the sargent psu. Cheers Tony Your statment which I have highlighted in italics above, suggests that you have the electronic push for out, and push for in system, rather than the more basic lever type of switch. The basic Thule slideout step has a single limit switch which is operates when the switch is fully retracted. This limit switch is used for step out warnings, and to release any auto retract relay, which is commonly the only relay associated with these steps. Such a relay would not be the cause of your problem, and relay failures are rare. If you do not have the electronic single button control system, then further explanations are required. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty f1 Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 thanks for that, i have been thinking that it is not a mechanical problem or electrical, but something to do with the software . as the motor only runs for about half the time it should. Operating from a Sargent ec400. Which i have had repaired by them ?(different problem) looks like its not right. Anyone think these could be the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Step-related advice in the Sargent instructions for an EC400 system reads as follows 3.10 Electric Step Operation On vehicles fitted with an electric step, this is operated by a button near the entry door. Press and release the button to move the step in or out. One press of the button will move the step out, a further press will move the step in again. If the engine is started the step will move in automatically, after a short warning buzzer. If this operation fails due to an obstacle a buzzer will sound continuously to warn that the step is still out, and therefore requires your attention. 3.11 Warnings and Alerts Step operation (motorhomes only), if the engine is started with the step in the out position, the step will move in automatically, after a short warning buzzer. If this operation fails due to an obstacle a buzzer will sound continuously to warn that the step is still out, and therefore requires your attention. If your motorhome does have the 'one push for out, another push for in' step extend/retract button, there must be a means for the system to identify that the step is fully extended, so the problem might be due to a fault with the button or (as you've suggested) with the Sargent system. If the step extended OK before Sargent carried out the repair, and the problem you've described showed up immediately (or soon after) the repair had been done, the Sargent equipment becomes the prime suspect. Suggest you contact Sargent to see if they are aware of this issue and how to tackle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty f1 Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 thanks , yes the problem immediately after the Sargent unit was reinstalled . Will get in touch with them cheers. will keep you updated thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty f1 Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 got in touch with Sargents, needed to change the step time told me how to do it , working fine touch wood. thanks for all your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 That is interesting, in that the Sargent system contains the step control system. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labby Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 On the Sargent EC400 series PSU in my van the settings for the step operations are in the advanced settings that are located in the display on the unit (In with the smart charging settings and pump run times) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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