Author Topic: Slide over the steps.  (Read 8551 times)

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2020, 02:15:21 PM »
Thanks Mike, will try to get to that soon.  Going be be busy for a week or so and may not have any daylight hours, but thanks for a good direction to go in.  Carl
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #16 on: January 05, 2020, 05:38:29 PM »
Playing around with the old air valve I found that there is continuity between the top two terminals and not to the bottom one.
Hooking the to two together with a jump box I get 13.6 volts between those two terminals, but only 8.5 volts coming out of the bottom terminal.  I can hear the solenoid click when I connect or disconnect the jump box.  Does any one know of a reason for the reduced voltage?  Little reluctant to apply 12 volts to test it if is only supposed to get 8 for some reason.  Thanks Carl

I still can not get out and try to see where the wires are going. I do know that the red wire to the top front terminal gets 12 volts from both drivers switch and passengers.  It also has no voltage going to it if the switches are flipped in a different position.  I have no idea why there are two wires going to the top rear terminal.  Since there is continuity between the two it seems like it would be a ground, but why two wires?  Just looking for ideas to help fix this.
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #17 on: January 06, 2020, 04:04:39 PM »
Carl,
The red wire on the center terminal of the dash switch is the output to the solenoid. If either the dash or passenger switch is depressed it should have 12v on it. From your diagram the switch wiring seems correct. So, I'd suspect a bad switch.  With an ohmmeter check to see if you get continuity between the center post and the upper and lower posts depending on how the switch is depressed. You should always have continuity between the center and either the upper or lower post (orange or blue wires). If the switch is bad, try applying 12v to the red wire going to the solenoid from the center post. The slide should function.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #18 on: January 07, 2020, 12:10:07 AM »
Thanks Steve,
Checked out both switches and I do have continuity on both switches to either the orange or blue wires in whatever position the switch happens to be flipped.  Since it wasn't aired up I haven't tried just using the 12 volt directly to either wire.  I will be away from it for  about a week so won't get any more done until then.  That and like I said earlier I should have a new air cylinder in less than 5 weeks.  Hopefully this will keep my green needle form leaking down so fast and allow me to test things out a little less hurried.
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2020, 07:47:33 PM »
Just to follow up one more time.  I finally got back into town, but its raining today so I decided to try to figure out my old air control valve.  After taking it apart and inspecting it everything looked good inside.  I reassembled it and added a male air fitting to the top air in port and hooked it to a air compressor and a jump box to power the 12 volt connectors

With the air compressor turned on air would come out of the bottom port that opens the stair close out.  If you apply 12 volt power it still blows air out of the port that opens the close out UNTIL you block off that port.  It then diverts that air through the valve making the valve switch and then air comes out the other port that closes the close out.

There is a spring in the air control valve that makes it default to open without both 12 volts and air pressure.

In my case I believe that my air cylinder is leaking so much air that the air valve can not build enough pressure to make the valve switch between the open and close ports.  I should know for sure in about 4 weeks  when my new cylinder gets here.

Hopefully this will be able to help if anyone else runs across a similar issue.
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #20 on: January 30, 2020, 11:59:27 PM »
And my saga continues:

I got my new air cylinder in today and got it bolted in place and plumbed up to the air hoses.  Hit the close out switch after airing up and Nothing!

I get out the soapy water and the new air cylinder is not leaking so started spraying the other fittings.  The next weakest link in the line turns out to be one of the silver fittings on the bottom of the air control valve.  When I tried to tighten it up it the leak went from a minor leak to a major leak.

Without a air tight seal the air control valve won't work and the slide won't close as the default is always open.

Does anyone know what these silver fittings are called and where to get them?  They swivel at the connection to make lining up the air lines in different configurations possible.  I can see from one picture I have that they are stamped as "bimba"  same manufacturer as the air cylinder.  If no one knows what these are hopefully they will be able to ID them from a picture tomorrow. 

I have included a picture and there is a better picture in the 2nd post of this thread.

Thanks Carl 

With this leaking
« Last Edit: January 31, 2020, 12:10:08 AM by Carl Boger »
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #21 on: January 31, 2020, 03:25:36 PM »
It looks like these are still available, not sure what they are called though.  Bimba FCP2k.  It is a banjo type fitting and it looks like that is where mine is leaking.  It didn't seem to leak until I replaced the air cylinder which was leaking badly out of the end.
I will try to find someone who has some in stock today, otherwise I may be waiting another month for new ones to be made.  Thanks For everyone's help 
 
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #22 on: February 01, 2020, 07:00:46 PM »
A quick recap to catch up since this is so old.

The Close out over my stairs would not close and I started trying to find out why about 6 weeks ago.  It was initially suggested to be the air control valve, so when I saw a NOS one listed reasonably I bought it.  Put it on and it still didn't fix things. 

Next I found a serious leak in the end seal of the Bimba Air cylinder.  Ordered an new one and waited about a month while it was made.  Put it in and had no leaks in the air cylinder, but it still did not fix it.  Then I found a very minor leak on the bottom of one of the Bimba air fittings (FCP2K).

I bought two of them locally and replaced both.  Aired the coach up and no leaks, but still not fixed!

Then I took a small screwdriver and put it into the red slot on the side (see picture) and turned it counter clockwise until it stopped.  I could hear the air escaping and then the air valve switching.  The close out then extended to the closed position.  Turn it clockwise and the close out retracted to the open position.  This tells me that pneumatically the system is working.

So now I am thinking that this is electrical, or more specifically a grounding issue.  l am getting 14.4 volts to the  top front spade terminal on the solenoid looking box with the close out switches in one of their positions and no volts with the switches in the other. This is from the front spade terminal to the heavy negative ground stud at the front of the coach. I believe that the air control valve defaults to the close out open position by a spring inside the valve that has to be overcome by air pressure which only happens when 12 volts is applied and air diverted internally.

Now I want to try to test this out by jumpering a ground to the solenoid on top of the air control valve.  The problem is I am not sure which of the other two terminal connectors are grounds.  The top back terminal has 2 black wires going to it, but they disappear into a closed harness.  The bottom horizontal one has a single black wire going to it and also disappears into a closed harness.

Does anyone know which is the ground, or where the grounds terminate?  Does anyone have another direction to go in.  I think I have pretty much replaced most of the system, but that is ok with me since parts of it were pretty much worn out.

Thanks for any help, I am not giving up, but this one is making me work for it!



 
« Last Edit: February 01, 2020, 07:09:23 PM by Carl Boger »
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126

Carl Boger

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #23 on: February 01, 2020, 08:24:59 PM »
First off I would like to thank everyone who helped, this one had me chasing my own tail.

Finally SUCCESS!

The problem was the NEW solenoid that I got with the new Norgren Air control valve!  I took the old solenoid and jumped 12 volts to the top two terminals and I could hear it click.  I applied 12 volts to the new solenoid from the same 12 volts and no click, nothing!

I pulled off both solenoids and switched them and everything is working on the closeout.  Tested the new solenoid again and still nothing.   For what ever reason I have had more than my share of problems with brand new parts lately.  Not even upset about that just happy everything is working.
Carl

98 Beaver Patriot Savannah
330 hp Cat 3126
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LaMonte Monnell

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Re: Slide over the steps.
« Reply #24 on: February 01, 2020, 11:17:20 PM »
Great news Carl. I've been following your issues since you began.

I don't have an air slide on my Contessa but found your troubleshooting interesting. Thanks for sharing this!
Lamonte & Patti Monnell
2001 Beaver Contessa Naples DP 40' 2 slides
CAT 3126B
2021 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss

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