Theater seating ... 1 of 2 seats stopped working

[KirbyRVA]

Update.

I took the theater seats apart, hooked up the power supply from the right side (non working side) to the left side and it worked fine = power supply ok.

I removed the control box and when I hooked it back up the lights flashed for a second and went out = probably the control box. I opened the control box and unplugged and re-plugged each of the connections to make sure they were seated well, no joy. I didn't see any pinched or cut wires. I also tried to hook up the control box from the left seat to the right seat (I didn't remove it from the left seat) but there were still a couple of small connections on the back of the seat that I couldn't extend to the the left seat. When connected the right seat tried to recline. After all this analysis I concluded it must be the control box that went bad.

I just got off the phone with Lippert Customer service and they are shipping me a new control box.

https://www.lci1.com/support/#contact

I betting its the box as well. I've attached some pictures of the chair (yes we have dogs ... lots of hair under the seat) in case anyone is interested in what all the wiring looks like and what the control box looks like. I also removed some of the dust cloth so that I could make sure the connection to the cup holder didn't come lose and took a shot of that as well.

Once I get the new control box I'll do another update to let you all know if that fixed the problem.

Lippert didn't charge me for the part, just asked a few details about the chair to make sure they were sending the correct part, kudos to them.

Pete

Attachment 17727Attachment 17728Attachment 17729

Pete, is the recliner attached to the floor? Also, where is the control box? I don't see it in the pics.

Great and helpful post. Thanks.

[COLRetired]

Pete can you tell us where, in the first photo, we'll find the control box? And the second photo, I assume is the bottom view of the cup holder? And again I assume the photo on the right is the "control box"?

Thanks a bunch for being the explorer and posting the photos.

The control box is screwed into the outside arm rest on both the right and left seats. Really easy to get to once you unscrew the chair from the floor. Two screws in the front under the leg rest.

You can also remove the back of the chair. There are two slides that hold it on. You'll need to pull out on the tabs (I pushed in first but it didn't work) and then slide the back up and off.

Pete

[bertschb]

So are you guys working directly with LCI on repairs or are you starting with Grand Design?

[COLRetired]

So are you guys working directly with LCI on repairs or are you starting with Grand Design?

I called LCI direct. Figured I'd give them a shot and then call GD if I didn't get a good response from them. I told LCI i had a 2017 Solitude 384GK, used it about 35 day in 2017, and FT since Aug 2018. They immediately figured it was the control box. Asked a few questions about the cup holder design (round or square) and the features on it. They said there are 2 different controllers and were going to send me both to make sure I got the right one. They only had one in stock and think it's the correct one. They are shipping it out today. If it's not the right one, they said the'll ship the other = it's on back order but should be in stock in a couple of days. I'll update when I get it and hopefully it's the correct one and fixes the problem.
LCI never asked for payment, just shipping it direct to me. I can't complain about their service = they're sending the part free of charge.

Pete

[bertschb]

I called LCI direct. Figured I'd give them a shot and then call GD if I didn't get a good response from them....

Thanks Pete

I just sent Lippert an email explaining the problem with my failed seat heating. We'll see what happens...

[goldsp8]

LCI sells some crap and does not stand behind it. JMHO

[Rono97]

Thanks Pete, awesome follow up and posting. Brian keep us posted on your problem.. I'm currently not at the coach, I should be back there next week, and I hope to have your information before I start taking things apart.
Thanks gang this has been most helpful.

[Cate&Rob]

So . . . I did some measuring and calculating today . . .
(using some "rather rusty" basic electrical engineering)

Chair 1 has a little bit of heat, but far less than it used to.
At the heating pad connection under the seat:
Controller output is 12V
Heating pad resistance is 25 ohms
Current measures 0.5A (confirms I=V/R = 12/25)
Power =VI =12x0.5 = 6 watts . . . no wonder there is very little heating.

I have no idea what the specs are, but if the heating pad were to be as warm as a 60 watt light bulb it would draw 5A.
This would mean that heating pad resistance should be something like 2.5 ohms. R = V/I
My conclusion . . . the heating pad has far too high a resistance.

Chair 2 has no heat.
Heating Pad resistance is infinite (open circuit) . . . this makes sense too.
There is 12V at the controller output.

It would be interesting if someone could measure the resistance of a seat heater producing full heat.
The connector is easy to get to under the seat when it is reclined. (see picture)

Please feel free to check/correct my electrical math .

Rob

[KirbyRVA]

So I called LCI customer service and told them one of our chairs was heating only intermittently. She quickly agreed to send two control boards to me.

[Cate&Rob]

So I called LCI customer service and told them one of our chairs was heating only intermittently. She quickly agreed to send two control boards to me.

It will be interesting to learn whether a new control board fixes the problem. I can turn 12V at the heating pad connector on/off with the cupholder switch . . . indicating that the switch and controller are working correctly . . . I think the problem is the heating pad buried in the seat .

Rob