Electric awning

[donsantell]

Regarding my new 2018 Alpine 3501rl with an electric awning. When it rained with my old manual awning I merrily lowered one corner and the rain poured off. With the new electric by Dometic there doesn’t seem to be a way to lower a corner. So when rain is predicted I bring the awning in. This works fine; except I have to get the pine needles etc off of the awning before bring it in. Is that my only solution or can the awning be left in the out position when it rains? So far I have been playing it safe and bringing it in.

[JRTJH]

Most Dometic awnings have a "dump feature" that is, the arms are spring loaded and will "dip" to empty the canopy when a certain amount of water pools on the awning. On mine, there are also two "twist knobs" on the awning arms. I can pull the awning down, screw the twist arms to hold the awning in that position. So, if I wish, I can lower one side, very much like I did with manual awnings in the past. If I "lock an awning arm in a low position" I need to release the arm before rolling the awning to the travel position.

[cpaulsen]

What brand of awning?

[Canonman]

For some reason, I just can't trust the "Dump Feature". If it's looking like rain I'm just programmed to slightly lower one side manually as John describes. Sometimes that's towards the front, other times toward the rear, wherever I think it will affect the campsite the least.
Around here, when it looks like rain it also looks like wind. So in comes the awning:)

[JimSchwenk]

I have a bag of cheap rubber straps that I got at Harbor Freight.
I keep two in the front pass-through just for pulling down the electric awning arms. One hook goes around the bolt on the side of the TT and the other one on the "dump hinge" of the arm. It allows me to put the awning in the dump position on either end or both. You do need to watch that you don't pull both ends down at the same time so far that the TT door rubs the awning fabric, otherwise it works fine. I usually keep one end pulled down a bit so the rain and dew rolls off that end.
Just remember to take them off and extend the arms before you hit the retract button.

[donsantell]

Thanks for the info. I will check this out. Strange I couldn’t find this info from keystone or Dometic. Perhaps I didn’t look in the proper places.

[JRTJH]

Your awning is probably a Dometic 9100. You can download the owner's manual here: https://liferebooted.net/life-rebooted-rv-files/owners-manuals/Dometic%209100%20Power%20Awning%20Manual.pdf

The procedures to lower the awning arms and adjust the rain runoff allocated on pages 4 and 5 of the manual.

[flybouy]

Most Dometic awnings have a "dump feature" that is, the arms are spring loaded and will "dip" to empty the canopy when a certain amount of water pools on the awning. On mine, there are also two "twist knobs" on the awning arms. I can pull the awning down, screw the twist arms to hold the awning in that position. So, if I wish, I can lower one side, very much like I did with manual awnings in the past. If I "lock an awning arm in a low position" I need to release the arm before rolling the awning to the travel position.

I do this also. I've seen other campers when the awning (dumps) and it's a rather violent and loud affair that brings someone out looking. Fortunately mine has the black knobs so I dip one end of the awning to match the campsite grade. If the rain is a result of a thunderstorm then it gets retracted to prevent wind damage.

[sourdough]

Most Dometic awnings have a "dump feature" that is, the arms are spring loaded and will "dip" to empty the canopy when a certain amount of water pools on the awning. On mine, there are also two "twist knobs" on the awning arms. I can pull the awning down, screw the twist arms to hold the awning in that position. So, if I wish, I can lower one side, very much like I did with manual awnings in the past. If I "lock an awning arm in a low position" I need to release the arm before rolling the awning to the travel position.

This is what I do as well. The auto dump works, but the first time it did I almost jumped thru the ceiling it made such a noise. I also worry about how much it lets accumulate before dumping and possible stretching the fabric, so, I pull it down and turn the knob. If there is the possibility of wind, and some places it's always that way, I just bring it in to avoid damage to the awning. Mine is Dometic and I'm thinking yours probably is too.