Air step mercury switches

[ronmarabito2002]

Don: I haven't looked at my 92 step, but my 83 had two mercury
switches that were held in place by a simple little pipe clamp made of
plastic. They can be found at a good hardware store.

R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, TX 92WB40


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Don Bradner"
wrote:
>
> The light which indicates that my step is extended began staying on
last week. A bit of investigation shows that the part which should
contact the mercury switches has broken off. It is attached to the end
of the air piston rod, and a small piece of it remains on the other side.
>
> I don't think it should be too hard to fabricate, but I don't know
at all what it looked like - flat piece of metal, z-pattern, or whatever.
>
> After studying the air step wiring diagram until my eyes want to
cross I think it looks like, with neither switch working, I may be
having continous power to the step solenoid in both extended and
retracted positions. Not a good thing.
>
> I put in a call to Earl, but didn't get a callback. Anybody have any
idea what that part looks like?
>
> Don Bradner
> 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> Eureka, CA
>

[Don Bradner]

There are parts of the electrical drawing that simply don't compute. Calling the
switches "mercury" is only part of it.

I went ahead with a fabrication, and it is working fine.
http://www.arcatapet.net/travel/bluebirds/steel.jpg

The original was about 20 gauge, and I replaced with 12 gauge. I had to make two
attempts at it to get the length just right; after that it was just a matter of
releasing the switches and moving them to make a solid contact with the plate at
each end of travel.

On 3/30/2007 at 3:45 PM Leroy Eckert wrote:

>I printed off the picture. I honestly do not remember seeing that kind
>of set up on mine but I will tell you for sure tomorrow night. Those look
>more like travel limit switches than mercury switches to me. The drawing
>on my system is difficult to understand, for me anyway.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

[Leroy Eckert]

I know, the drawing goes around in circles and has different functions with
that switch in the footwell in different positions. My stepwell light has very
faint feedback with the step extended when the switch on the dash is in the
extended position and the small step light outside never goes off until the bulb
burns out. It has been burning for 1 1/2 years, the last time I changed the
bulb. Hey, I can't see it in the daytime anyway. Other than that, my only
problem has been with the wiring inside the upholstery strap in the door. When a
wire lets loose in there nothing works right.

I'm still gonna look at mine tomorrow and see if it is configured the same.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors"
Niceville, FL



----- Original Message -----
From: Don Bradner
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 6:36 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Air step mercury switches


There are parts of the electrical drawing that simply don't compute. Calling
the switches "mercury" is only part of it.

I went ahead with a fabrication, and it is working fine.
http://www.arcatapet.net/travel/bluebirds/steel.jpg

The original was about 20 gauge, and I replaced with 12 gauge. I had to make
two attempts at it to get the length just right; after that it was just a matter
of releasing the switches and moving them to make a solid contact with the plate
at each end of travel.

On 3/30/2007 at 3:45 PM Leroy Eckert wrote:

>I printed off the picture. I honestly do not remember seeing that kind
>of set up on mine but I will tell you for sure tomorrow night. Those look
>more like travel limit switches than mercury switches to me. The drawing
>on my system is difficult to understand, for me anyway.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[jim riordan]

Don,

Those are mini cherry switches. I do not think there is any Mecury in them.
they can be seen in the Wanderlodge quick reference catalog. I had problems with
these and replaced them both. had to adjust the contact mmetal strips so that
they hit but didn't bend. I assume that combined with sutting off air this will
fix the light problem!

Jim Riordan
88 WBWL XXV
Stuart, FL.

Don Bradner wrote:
Where I'm parked, I had trouble getting in to see the backside, so
just now I used a camera to give me a view:
http://www.arcatapet.net/travel/bluebird...tended.jpg

It looks like the metal may have been forked, with two different pieces to hit
the switches, since they are not in line with each other. That would allow
separate bends to match up.

On 3/30/2007 at 11:55 AM Leroy Eckert wrote:

>Don: I'll be at my coach this weekend. I have had a couple of gremlins
>in my step but have not looked closely at the mercury switch set up. I'll
>do so this weekend and let you know how mine works, and what the brackets
>look like.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA






---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Leroy Eckert]

I'm happy you got her going. My setup does not look anything like yours.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors"
Niceville, FL



----- Original Message -----
From: Don Bradner
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 6:36 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Air step mercury switches


There are parts of the electrical drawing that simply don't compute. Calling
the switches "mercury" is only part of it.

I went ahead with a fabrication, and it is working fine.
http://www.arcatapet.net/travel/bluebirds/steel.jpg

The original was about 20 gauge, and I replaced with 12 gauge. I had to make
two attempts at it to get the length just right; after that it was just a matter
of releasing the switches and moving them to make a solid contact with the plate
at each end of travel.

On 3/30/2007 at 3:45 PM Leroy Eckert wrote:

>I printed off the picture. I honestly do not remember seeing that kind
>of set up on mine but I will tell you for sure tomorrow night. Those look
>more like travel limit switches than mercury switches to me. The drawing
>on my system is difficult to understand, for me anyway.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tom Warner]

They are not mercury switches. The original switches were made by
Micro switch and were model # BZ-2RDS5551-A2. You can buy comparable
ones at grainger , model # #XG30 for $10.59 or model # 3XG49 at about
$12.88. Go to http://www.grainger.com


Tom warner
vernon center,ny
1985 PT 40

At 03:55 PM 3/31/2007, you wrote:
>Don,
>
> Those are mini cherry switches. I do not think there is any
> Mecury in them. they can be seen in the Wanderlodge quick reference
> catalog. I had problems with these and replaced them both. had to
> adjust the contact mmetal strips so that they hit but didn't bend.
> I assume that combined with sutting off air this will fix the light problem!
>
> Jim Riordan
> 88 WBWL XXV
> Stuart, FL.
>
>Don Bradner wrote:
> Where I'm parked, I had trouble getting in to see the
> backside, so just now I used a camera to give me a view:
>http://www.arcatapet.net/travel/bluebird...tended.jpg
>
>It looks like the metal may have been forked, with two different
>pieces to hit the switches, since they are not in line with each
>other. That would allow separate bends to match up.
>
>On 3/30/2007 at 11:55 AM Leroy Eckert wrote:
>
> >Don: I'll be at my coach this weekend. I have had a couple of gremlins
> >in my step but have not looked closely at the mercury switch set up. I'll
> >do so this weekend and let you know how mine works, and what the brackets
> >look like.
>
>Don Bradner
>90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
>Eureka, CA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
>Need Mail bonding?
>Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users.
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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