Why are my electric steps making weird noises?
Unfortunately, the gears in the motor are plastic and it doesn’t take much extra weight to strip them. Once that happens, the motor will make all kinds of weird noises and the steps may only go out part of the way or may move in an out in confusion. At that point, it’s time for a new motor.
Why are the gears on my electric steps not working?
It could be that the gears are stripped on the motor (they’re plastic), so it only extends to where the bad spot is on the gears. If you can hear the motor spinning when the steps are stopped, that’s likely the problem. You could still have a bad controller, but in my experience, that’s the least likely possibility.
Why do electric steps know to open or close?
The steps know to open or close because a magnet on the door opens or closes the reed switch on the door frame. If the magnet has fallen off or moved significantly, that’s your problem. If that’s not it, you may need a new reed switch, a stronger magnet, or a new controller, though these are not a common problems.
What is the trigger for the automatic step?
Automatic steps are triggered by the opening and closing of your entry door (or screen door). There are two switches that control the expanding and retracting of the step. Switch #1 (step trigger) is magnetic. It triggers the step to open when the door is opened and it closes the step when the door closes.
Unfortunately, the gears in the motor are plastic and it doesn’t take much extra weight to strip them. Once that happens, the motor will make all kinds of weird noises and the steps may only go out part of the way or may move in an out in confusion. At that point, it’s time for a new motor.
It could be that the gears are stripped on the motor (they’re plastic), so it only extends to where the bad spot is on the gears. If you can hear the motor spinning when the steps are stopped, that’s likely the problem. You could still have a bad controller, but in my experience, that’s the least likely possibility.
Automatic steps are triggered by the opening and closing of your entry door (or screen door). There are two switches that control the expanding and retracting of the step. Switch #1 (step trigger) is magnetic. It triggers the step to open when the door is opened and it closes the step when the door closes.
What should I do if my electric steps are not symmetrical?
Make a note of which way the pin goes because it’s not symmetrical. If the steps move freely with the linkage disconnected, you probably need a new motor, though some people have reported success with just rotating the white plastic gear 180 degrees inside the motor so that the bad spot never gets used.
What to do if your coach steps don’t move?
If the steps don’t move at all, ever, you have 12V power in the coach, and you hear no noise from the step motor, the first thing to check is the reed switch and magnet on the door. The steps know to open or close because a magnet on the door opens or closes the reed switch on the door frame.
How can I tell if my electric steps are moving?
The best way to check is to pull the pin out on the gear linkage (you’ll have to do that anyway to pull the motor) and see if the steps move freely in and out with the motor unattached (disconnect the power plug at the motor first and watch out when you pull the pin because the steps can move quickly and it’s easy to get a finger caught).
What’s the best way to deal with noisy neighbors?
You don’t want to upset your neighbors, but you also don’t want to with perpetual noise, unable to sleep. Polite and friendly communication is generally considered the best way to address the noise problem when your neighbors are the cause. Don’t come banging on the door while the noise is happening.
