retractable step

"so put an air switch on the door... when the door opens, the step extend=
s... when the door closes, the step retracts. Could put an over ride on i=
t so when you are camped, it stays out, and an over ride on the over ride=
that retracts it when you start your engine to move or leave. Gad, too m=
any scenarios are starting to crop up in this old grey head."

Boy I'll say...
So when the engine is running, the step retracts....gad!!! Do you realis=
e that with that scenario if the motor stops, you not only don't have bra=
kes, but your step is out....;)
--
Larry :)
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Asleep in Menomonie, WI.
 
That's where you won't fall when you try to get out in a hurry. jof

----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry"

> So when the engine is running, the step retracts....gad!!! Do you realise
> that with that scenario if the motor stops, you not only don't have
> brakes, but your step is out....;)
 
>
> Boy I'll say...
> So when the engine is running, the step retracts....gad!!! Do you
> realise that with that scenario if the motor stops, you not only don't
> have brakes, but your step is out....;)
> --
> Larry :)
> 78 Royale w/500 Caddy
> Asleep in Menomonie, WI.
>

Not really -- because if the door is closed the door jamb switch will
prevent the step from going back out. It really depends on how you
construct the step. Obviously, if it is extended by a spring system
and the vacuum has to be on all the time to keep it withdrawn then you
are correct. But that would not be the best way to design the system.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM
 
The other way I have been considering is an electric drive wired into the
ign switch so that the step retracts when the door is closed AND the engine
is running. The nice thing about the vacuum is that "at rest" is with the
step extended. If I was barreling down a hill with the engine not running
and no brakes maybe I could hook the step on a guard rail and slow myself
down. Suppose??

Terry of Tacoma

* -----Original Message-----
* From: owner-gmclist [mailto:owner-gmclist]On
* Behalf Of Larry
* Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 7:32 AM
* To: gmclist
* Subject: Re: RE: [GMCnet] retractable step
*
*
*
*
* "so put an air switch on the door... when the door opens, the
* step extends... when the door closes, the step retracts. Could
* put an over ride on it so when you are camped, it stays out, and
* an over ride on the over ride that retracts it when you start
* your engine to move or leave. Gad, too many scenarios are
* starting to crop up in this old gray head."
*
* Boy I'll say...
* So when the engine is running, the step retracts....gad!!! Do
* you realize that with that scenario if the motor stops, you not
* only don't have brakes, but your step is out....;)
* --
* Larry :)
* 78 Royale w/500 Caddy
* Asleep in Menomonie, WI.
*
 
> The other way I have been considering is an electric drive wired into
> the
> ign switch so that the step retracts when the door is closed AND the
> engine
> is running. The nice thing about the vacuum is that "at rest" is with
> the
> step extended. If I was barreling down a hill with the engine not
> running
> and no brakes maybe I could hook the step on a guard rail and slow
> myself
> down. Suppose??
>
> Terry of Tacoma
>
Probably depends on whether you make it of aluminum or stainless steel!



Emery Stora
VP Administration
GMC Motorhomes International
505-660-9507
 
The P.O. used a power window motor to extend and retract the step on our=
s. A linear actuator would also work and have more power. You can find th=
ese on ebay.
You could add a switch wired to a light and/or buzzer on the dash to sho=
w if the step is retracted. This is what I use for my front leveling jack=
s to show if they are retracted when the coach is started.
Jim Wagner
Brook Park, Oh
 
Boy I'll say...
> So when the engine is running, the step retracts....gad!!! Do you=20
> realise that with that scenario if the motor stops, you not only don't=20
> have brakes, but your step is out....;)
> --
> Larry :)
> 78 Royale w/500 Caddy
> Asleep in Menomonie, WI.
>


Says Emery:
"Not really -- because if the door is closed the door jamb switch will=20
prevent the step from going back out. It really depends on how you=20
construct the step. Obviously, if it is extended by a spring system=20
and the vacuum has to be on all the time to keep it withdrawn then you=20
are correct. But that would not be the best way to design the system."

Emery Stora

Ahhh....Emery...;) ;) wink...wink.. ( you know...just kidding??)
--
Larry :)
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Asleep in Menomonie, WI.
 
I hope the wife isn't standing on the step saying her good-bys when the c=
oach is started an the vacuum retracts the step.:>) :>)
Jim Wagner
Brook Park, Oh
 
>
>
> I hope the wife isn't standing on the step saying her good-bys when
> the coach is started an the vacuum retracts the step.:>) :>)
> Jim Wagner
> Brook Park, Oh


I love it!!! I can see you now trying to tell her "but Honey, it
really was an accident".

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM
 
Will only happen ONE TIME !

Dave Wilson
Still Stuck in the 70's -
In East Texas

>I hope the wife isn't standing on the step saying her good-bys when the coach is started an the vacuum retracts the step.:>) :>)
> Jim Wagner
> Brook Park, Oh
>
>
>
>
>
 
All,
I've posted an album of pictures of my electric step which I believe is t=
he Ken Rose Design. The album can be see here:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/gallery/showalbum.php?uuid rfletc h&aid 9=
00=20

http://tinyurl.com/45ag6

I bought the step used and it arrived with a broken drive gear shaft. I w=
as unable to locate a replacement so coerced a friend with a hobby lathe =
to make a new one. The original gear shaft was 1/2" dia. The lathe limita=
tions prevented us from making an exact duplicate so the replacement shaf=
t is about 3/4" in dia with a relieved section on the end which allowed t=
he original mount to be used. The actuator arm and the micro swith mounts=
had to be modified to accept the larger gear shaft. Timing the micro swi=
tch travel was interesting but successful.

I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions for improvement.

Rob
77E2
Sam Diego
 
""The other way I have been considering is an electric drive wired into t=
he
ign switch so that the step retracts when the door is closed AND the engi=
ne
is running.""

There's also a 12v feed off the neutral safety/back up light switch which=
is hot when the selecter is in drive--that way the step can stay out whi=
le you are warming up the coach or charging the batteries but as soon as =
you drive off, it will retract.
--
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Holly, Mi
 
That could be interpreted as a strong hint that it is really time to
leave!

Big Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmclist [mailto:owner-gmclist] On
Behalf Of Jim Wagner
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 2:55 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: RE: [GMCnet] retractable step

I hope the wife isn't standing on the step saying her good-bys when the
coach is started an the vacuum retracts the step.:>) :>) Jim Wagner
Brook Park, Oh
 
Rob,

Thanks for posting those photos. There are some useful ideas there that
anyone planning to make one from the design I posted should consider:

The extended brackets should eliminate the springiness I mentioned that
my swing arms have.

If you look at the tread on my step, you'll see a notch in the center
rear of it. I added that to clear the mounting bracket, enabling the step
to stow closer to the frame. Your step with the tread hanging from the
swing arms, which swing below the brackets doesn't have a similar
interference problem.

The electric motor control probably prevents the unintended movements I've
mentioned also -- the screw and sector I suspect those geartrains have won't
drive backward very easily.

All-in-all, yours is a better designed step than mine.

But, I wouldn't depend on the survival of microswitches in the under-coach
environment. I'd have to convert to sealed reed switches with magnets or
something else weatherproof. In fact, I think Ken Rose had troubles with
them. He told me a couple of years ago that he'd changed over to a
microprocessor control circuit. From his explanation, it controls the
step's travel purely by time. I presume the circuit does more than just
that, such as detecting "changed my mind", etc., or a microprocessor is
gross overkill.

Ken Henderson

-----Original Message-----
All,
I've posted an album of pictures of my electric step which I believe is the
Ken Rose Design. The album can be see here:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/gallery/showalbum.php?uuid=rfletc h&aid=900

http://tinyurl.com/45ag6

I bought the step used...

I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions for improvement.

Rob
77E2
Sam Diego

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.9 - Release Date: 1/6/2005
 
I have the same step, the micro switches went bad and I just eliminated
them, so now I have a push button by the door. when the door is open and
I push the button, the step goes out. When the door is shut, and I push
the button, the step comes in. I just time the step operation and listen
to the step operate.

not as automatic, but always works.

gene

>I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions for improvement.
>
>Rob

Gene Fisher -- 77PB/ore/ca
"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and -------
http://gmcmotorhomeinfo.com/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://gmcmotorhomeinfo.com/APC.html
 
No help there as our 84-88 Corvette beaters are electrically actuated.

--
Hardie Johnson "Crashj"
1973 26 foot Glacier, White Thing
Enola PA
 
Ken and Gene,
You are both correct. The 5A micro switches are very marginal for the lo=
ad especially since there is no blowout mechanism at all in this inexpens=
ive switch. The contacts are bound to take a beating even though the duty=
cycle is low. Gene gave me a heads up on that some time ago when I was t=
rying to obtain info prior to buying the step. I have an enhanced design =
using the micro swithes to energize relays which should extend the switch=
life considerably. Maybe Gene's solution is the simplest and most practi=
cal in the long run. Ken's comment about keeping the water out is especia=
lly salient with the deluge we're getting in Calif. Since I was unable to=
obtain any wiring info, I hope the sketch will be useful for others.

Gene, can you confirm this is Ken Rose's design? I congratulate him, this=
is a very clever applicaton.

Rob
77E2
Festina Lente
San Diego
 
Rob,

I haven't looked at the circuit carefully (and am not about to at 3:00 AM,
out of bed trying to correct hypoglycemia from an abortive lab test fasting
attempt) but it should be simple to just replace the microswitches with
sealed reed relays. They're not suitable to drive the motor, but there
waterproof. Just let each reed relay operate a standard automotive relay.
Be sure to put a suppression diode across the coil of each relay. Position
magnets to operate the reeds.

JMQ&DA (Just My Quick & Dirty Approach)

Ken H.

Ken and Gene,
You are both correct. The 5A micro switches are very marginal for the load
especially since there is no blowout mechanism at all in this inexpensive
switch. The contacts are bound to take a beating even though the duty cycle
is low. Gene gave me a heads up on that some time ago when I was trying to
obtain info prior to buying the step. I have an enhanced design using the
micro swithes to energize relays which should extend the switch life
considerably. Maybe Gene's solution is the simplest and most practical in
the long run. Ken's comment about keeping the water out is especially
salient with the deluge we're getting in Calif. Since I was unable to obtain
any wiring info, I hope the sketch will be useful for others.

Gene, can you confirm this is Ken Rose's design? I congratulate him, this is
a very clever applicaton.

Rob

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.9 - Release Date: 1/6/2005
 
yes this is his, it is the old design that used limit switches for the
power. He replaced my motor one time , and his new design is still
available I think.

His new design uses a different ckt design that I have not seen, but as
was said here I think, it uses a time limit for the extension and return .

I was looking into using a delay relay, but got lazy and just went back to
the switch.. one reason was, I did not want the step to draw power in any
of the conditions or positions, unless it was moving. ;>)

gene

>Gene, can you confirm this is Ken Rose's design? I congratulate him, this
>is a very clever applicaton.
>
>Rob

Gene Fisher -- 77PB/ore/ca
"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and -------
http://gmcmotorhomeinfo.com/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://gmcmotorhomeinfo.com/APC.html
 
* -----Original Message-----
* From Ken Henderson
* Hey, Terry, why did you go to all that trouble?
*
* http://gmcmhphotos.com/gallery/showalbum.php?aid=131&uuid=kenhenders
*
* is where I posted all 28 pictures on 23 Dec 02! :-) I know -- 28's
* overkill, but my camera was new at the time!

and Terry said:
Sorry about that. I couldn't remember where I got the pictures from and I
wanted to get some more input on this project. It has sat around long
enough. Besides it is warmer in the shop. Much better working in there than
on the cold, cold ground changing the radiator.

And Ken said:
* I still haven't learned what the vacuum cylinder came from. It's still
* operating well after about 3 years installed.

Me either. That was why I started this thread. I like the heftiness of your
step and getting the wiggle would just take a little fine tuning. On the
other hand I like the window motor used in Bob Fletcher's step. It would
just take mounting the motor far enough away to make a "brake away" arm
feasible.
As to the door switch, it would be neat to have the step extend when the
door opens and retract when it closes. I suppose some sort of a power switch
just inside the door would be the way to go. And maybe a flashing red light
on the dash that would come on when the ign was turned on with the step
extended.
Whatdoyathink??..............Terry of Tacoma
*
 
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