Troubleshooting - Causes and Solutions – Steelcase

To download the troubleshooting guide, click here.

Included in this Article:

No power to Desk or Bench
Digital controller does not work of illuminate
Desk or bench will neither go up nor down
Desk or bench goes up, but not down (or vice versa)
Desk or bench does not go through full range of motion
Lifting columns not synchronized (one is higher than the other)
Desk or bench movement is not smooth; Lifting columns jerk or hop while raised or lowered
Error code displayed on digital controller

PROBLEM	POTENTIAL CAUSE	POTENTIAL SOLUTION
No power to Desk or Bench	No power at wall outlet	Check outlet with another device; check circuit breakers/fuses/wiring.
	Power Cable not plugged into wall outlet	Confirm proper cable engagement into wall outlet.
	Power Cable not plugged into Control Box	Check that Power Cable is fully seated into Control Box. (see Fig. 1)
	Faulty Power Cable	Inspect the Power Cable for damage; replace any damaged cables
	Desk or Bench wiring not properly assembled	Check that all cables are connected per the Assembly Directions. When first plugged in, the Control Box will click twice to confirm proper connection
Digital controller does not work of illuminate	No power at wall outlet	See above
Digital controller does not work of illuminate	Control Box has wrong firmware	Control box firmware must be 1.9 or later for Digital/Preset Controller compatibility. (see Fig 4)
Desk or Bench will go neither up nor down	No Power	See above.
	Desk or Bench is severely overloaded	Maximum weight capcity is 220 lbs (99.8 kg). Overloading the Desk or Bench could lead to damage that would not be covered by warranty. ERROR CODE E24/25/26, E48/49 = Over Current Tip: When calculating lifting capacity, subtract the weight of the worksurface
	Control Box requires reset	Perform initialization procedure. (see Common Procedures) Lower Desk or Bench all the way down, and perform synchronization procedure. (see Common Procedures)
	Damaged pins inside multi-pin connectors (Low-Voltage Cable/connector)	Ensure the Desk or Bench is in ‘Standby’ mode. (>20 seconds of inactivity) Unplug each multi-pin connection point and inspect the pins in the Control Box connector. Are they all straight, and making good contact? If not, try using a push-pin to straighten them. (see Fig. 2) (Otherwise, replace necessary components with undamaged versions.)
	Damaged Lifting Column Low-Voltage Cable	Carefully check the condition of the Low-Voltage Cable of each Lifting Column. (see Fig. 3) If any Low-Voltage Cables are damaged, the entire Lifting Column must be replaced.
	Faulty Lifting Column	To prevent further damage, the Control Box will shut the whole Desk or Bench down if one Lifting Column is faulty. Test Lifting Columns (see step 4 of Troubleshooting Steps), and replace any faulty Lifting Columns.
	Faulty Controller (or) faulty Controller receptacle in Control Box	Swap with Controller known to work (and/or) check operation.
	Outdated Digital Controller software	Control Box firmware before version 1.9 is not compatible with the Digital/Preset Controller. (see Fig. 4) Replace with a new Control Box with firmware 1.9 or later.
	Faulty Control Box	Swap with Control Box known to work.
Desk or Bench goes up, but not down (or vice-versa)	Damaged pins inside multi-pin connectors (Low-Voltage Cable / connector)	Unplug Power Cable from wall. Unplug each multi-pin connection point, and inspect the pins. Are they all straight, and making good contact? If not, try using a push-pin to straighten them. (see Fig. 2) (Otherwise, replace necessary components with undamaged versions.)
Desk or Bench does not go through full range of motion	Re-synchronize Desk or Bench	Refer to Lifting Column synchronization procedure. (see Common Procedures)
Desk or Bench does not go through full range of motion	Faulty Lifting Column	Test Lifting Columns per step 4 of the Troubleshooting Steps, and replace any faulty Lifting Columns. Be sure to test all Lifting Columns! Why? Because another Lifting Column may have the same problem at a different height.
Lifting Columns not synchronized (one is higher than the other)	Re-synchronize Desk or Bench	Refer to Lifting Column synchronization procedure. (see Common Procedures)
	Faulty Lifting Column	Test Lifting Columns per step 4 of the Troubleshooting Steps, and replace any faulty Lifting Columns. Be sure to test all Lifting Columns! Why? Because another Lifting Column may have the same problem at a different height.
Desk or Bench movement is not smooth; Lifting Columns jerk or hop while raised or lowered	Faulty Lifting Column	Test Lifting Columns per step 4 of the Troubleshooting Steps, and replace any faulty Lifting Columns. Be sure to test all Lifting Columns! Why? Because another Lifting Column may have the same problem at a different height.
	Lifting Columns are not parallel with one another, causing them to bind	First ensure that glides are properly adjusted, and the Desk or Bench is level. Lift one side of the Desk or Bench off the floor and reposition so that both Lifting Columns are parallel to each other.
Error Code displayed on Digital Controller	Refer to Error Code listing	Follow instructions on error code listing; is Desk or Bench functioning normally anyway? Try initializing the Control Box. (see Common Procedures)