Electric Omnistep will not retractby switch or starting engine: CI Carioca 644

[al68]

This retracting sliding step has been temperamental for some time. Sometimes only coming out halfway and other times retracting halfway. It normally retracted fully on starting the engine.
It is now out and moves a few millimetres on activating the interior switch. Almost appears to be jammed.
I have had it off the van and apart in the past but could find nothing amiss.
I will be on the case tomorrow but if anyone has any experience of these steps I would be grateful for any help. I am on the Ferry on Sunday so have to make haste. Have a small plastic step in reserve so not critical.
Thanks

 

[al68]

Appear to have a solution. I took the step off the motorhome but left it connected electrically. Removed a few cover panels to see what happened inside. The step was running out too far and leaving the bearing pads on which it slides. It is then jammed so no amount of switching will lift it back on to the bearing pads. fabricated a restraining strop from an old bike brake cable to limit the travel. It now works perfectly. But why does it travel too far, I cannot locate any switches to control travel. The omni-step is controlled by a box of tricks manufactured by Arsilicii - the ES803.

Watch this space

 

[TonyJones]

You're my kind of motorhomer Al!
Loved the idea of using a bike brake cable. Reminds me of my ancient Mk1 Transit Glendale: the battery shelf under the bonnet rusted through in the S of France, leaving the battery hanging by its leads, but I found the baking tray out of the oven was just the right size, so managed to wedge it in place.
On the same trip, the air filter kept falling off and getting carved open by the fan, so I had to bend a metal strip to hold it in place, then repaired its casing with gaffer tape. Those were the days!

 

[al68]

I spoke too soon, shortly after fixing the step it took to it's old tricks. I spent 2 weeks in Brittany helping it manually! Push the button with one hand and pull withe other.
I spent yesterday afternoon investigating again. I stripped the step right down and took the motor out, even took out gears on the drive module. I found a number of dry bearings which I surmised might be generating friction. Oil and grease were applied. I reassembled and fixed it back in its cradle on the motorhome.
While fitting I realised that the stop I created out of the bike cable was not necessary. The step is prevented from going out to far by a plate on the step striking the mounting cradle on the van. My earlier assumptions were based on testing the step off the van!!!
It worked perfectly yesterday, too soon to rejoice after pervious experience.
I now believe that the electronic control unit measures resistance to travel by monitoring current to the drive motor. If the bearings on the mechanism are dry it thinks the step has reached the extended or retracted position and cuts the supply.
If it continues to work I will have saved myself around £350 or more. Essentially it justed needed a little oil on the gear drive mechanism. You have to take the omnistep out of its mounting cradle to do this but it only involves 4 screws and two bolts all of which are easy to access.
I have also learnt that these steps are controlled in different ways. When I pulled it off the van and stripped it down I was a little bewildered by a rocker switch with two wires connected to nothing!!!! I believe that it is used as a stop switch if the electronic control box method is not used.
Watch this space!

 

[al68]

It's still working!