Electric awning

FRANANDTOMMY · 12-15-2012, 01:48 PM

we were told by our service advisor not to put tie downs on our awning while camping. Is this correct?
We messed up our old (non electric awning) last year by not having tie downs and while we were fishing a storm came through and before we got back to the campsite our awning was bent.

just want to do the right thing....

f6bits · 12-15-2012, 01:54 PM

Everybody tells me that mine (electric) had better not be out if its windy, so I comply. With tie downs, the wind is really going to jerk the awning around, and I don’t want that kind of stress on the awning system and mounts.

Festus2 · 12-15-2012, 02:17 PM

I'm not that familiar with electric awnings and perhaps that caution might apply to those. However, we almost always secure our manual awning with tie-downs. By doing this, it does reduce the strain on the awning and its supports and I would recommend that people use awning tie-downs for the manually-operated ones.

If we are just going to be in a site for 1 day/night and want to get away early, we sometimes leave the awning retracted- one less thing to do in the morning.

If it looks like the wind will be picking up and pose a threat to the awning, we put the awning in. We do this before going to bed as we don't want to be wakened up by the awning flapping about at 3 am in the morning. If we are going to be away from the campsite for an extended period, we also put the awning down.

twstdpear · 12-15-2012, 05:05 PM

The sales person we were working with when we bought our TT said that the electric awnings are designed to withstand wind gusts, and that he personally has been in some pretty serious wind with it open and was surprised to find he had no issues or damage. He further explained something along the lines that the way the arm is designed with the gas props allows the awning to stay deployed while absorbing the awning assembly bouncing up and down.

Camping World's description for the Dometic 9100 Power Awning (looks similar to mine) says, "Knee Action design lets the awning fabric and hardware flex in moderate wind to prevent damage."

Needless to say, I'm a slight bit skeptical. Although given his stated experience and the bit about the Dometic awning above, there may be something to it. I still would err on the site of caution, though.

**JRTJH** · 12-15-2012, 05:23 PM

We have a manual awning so I can't address the "survivability" of the electric awning system, but I'd be somewhat skeptical of Dometic's statement regarding "MODERATE WIND" sounds to me like "lawyerese" for their way out of having to accept responsibilitly. All they have to do is be flexible on what moderate means and they're covered. Like you, I'd much rather err on the side of caution.

ktmracer · 12-15-2012, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twstdpear

The sales person we were working with when we bought our TT said that the electric awnings are designed to withstand wind gusts, and that he personally has been in some pretty serious wind with it open and was surprised to find he had no issues or damage. He further explained something along the lines that the way the arm is designed with the gas props allows the awning to stay deployed while absorbing the awning assembly bouncing up and down.

Camping World's description for the Dometic 9100 Power Awning (looks similar to mine) says, "Knee Action design lets the awning fabric and hardware flex in moderate wind to prevent damage."

Needless to say, I'm a slight bit skeptical. Although given his stated experience and the bit about the Dometic awning above, there may be something to it. I still would err on the site of caution, though.

I agree. I pull ours in when away or if there is any chance of wind at night. Believe me, even in a low wind (5mph??) it WILL wake you up at night unless your a real sound sleeper. Yes, the gas props work but it makes a big racket as if moves up and down

richf28 · 12-16-2012, 02:29 AM

Last year I bent two arm supports on my Dometic electric awning. The first time it wasn't anchored the second time it was. It cost me 260.00 the first go around and the second time it was 500.00. Both times it was an unexpected gust of wind and I wasn't the only one in the park that happened to. From now on it's in at night, in if I leave away from the camper and in if it gets breezy.

byrdr1 · 12-16-2012, 05:24 AM

Wind will affect the electric awning. tied or not. I have had both experiences with mine. Tied out with straps and springs it will bounce with gusts of winds, I worry about it pulling from the rail at the top . Without tie outs it will flex the awning and it can pull the two poprivets on the right hand side that hold the rails to the body of the camper out of the wall... Easy repair!!! if you can find the large poprivets (got 4 extra now they come packed 6 in a box) and have a friend who just happens to have the right tool for the job. Nice to camp with buddies who do HVAC for a living.
I have tied mine out and will continue too as long as I take it down if we leave the camper and at night. It just is not worth it to leave it out. ITS not as strong as the older manual ones in my opinion.
Randy

camper 2010 · 12-16-2012, 05:38 AM

A few weeks ago someone had a post with pictures of his electric awning and had made some leg supports for the outside edge. With these supports, it will withstand about the same wind as non electric awnings. The electric ones will not stand as much wind.

therink · 12-16-2012, 06:17 AM

I have been tying my electric awning down with ratchet straps for 3 yrs now with no issues or damage to the awning or arms. The key is to make sure the tensioner knobs are good and tight and that the tie off points in the ground are good and tight/secure. I use 12" rebar spikes. I have only brought the awning in a few instances when big storms rolled in or were forecasted while leaving the rig unattended. I see no point in having an awning if it needs to be brought in everytime it is breezy or raining.
Steve

Brantlaker · 12-16-2012, 06:49 AM

Here is Posts: 45
Power Awning tie down Poles
Here are the pictures of the poles I bought a set and they work as advertised they held up in South Carolina in high winds after Sandy went by on October 28th. This is not my RV. search in awing tie downs
Attached Thumbnails

__________________
Gary & Gail a copy of a post that I made in November about tie down poles.

n4qpcham · 10-24-2013, 11:56 AM

Let me tell you about my Carefree electric awning on my old Kodiak TT: We were tailgating at my son's college football game when a thunderstorm blew in. We had left the awning out, and even though someone was in the trailer at the time, they weren't able to do anything. The wind ahead of the storm did the damage. Our Carefree awning had the "breakaway" feature, but it was overridden by a quality of workmanship problem. There were supposed to be two screws holding the tube that the cloth wraps around, to the hub that is attached to the motor on the end. One of the screws apparentley went sideways between the hub and the tube, instead of through them, probably during a hurried assembly(on a Friday afternoon or the day before a holiday?). It was not removed or another screw installed, so now the system is being held together by one screw. By chance, the improperly installed screw was on the lower side of the tube when the awning stopped when it was opened fully. The high winds hit the awning from the opposite end, lifting it above the end with the defective screw. Since that screw was not installed correctly, the bottom of the tube pulled loose from the hub immediately as the other end of the awning lifted in the wind, pulling the good screw on top of the tube out of its hole in the hub, tearing the hole completely. The support arms on both ends were twisted badly, but the mounting rail stayed attached to the TT. I was able to remove the bad screw and install it properly, and with giving the awning motor some assistance by pushing hard on the twisted support arms, get the awning retracted and locked for travel. I believe the "breakaway" function would have worked if the screw had been installed correctly. I now have a Montana High Country, and even though my Good Sam Insurance fully replaced the 1-year old awning, I never leave the 5er with the awning extended.

billb800si · 10-25-2013, 08:21 AM

Simple:
Electric awning = only out when we are present. NEVER out when we are gone. It only takes a few seconds to retract an electric awning.

Back in 2006 lost a brand new awning on our brand new Jayco while I was inside when a wind came up. Threw the awning on top the roof and put two holes in it. Weather looks bad then retract!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rschad · 10-26-2013, 09:01 PM

I had a manual awning and I use tie downs so I have less worry about wind ruining my awning. I don't want to have to retract it all the time as that is a hassle. but if I had a power awning that retracts with a touch of a switch then I would just do that at night or if I was leaving the trailer for the day. I don't get the issue when u have only to push a button

mguay · 10-27-2013, 04:25 AM

Electric Awnings were designed to ease setup and tear down. When we had a manual awning...it didn't go out without getting tied down. There is no "quick" way to put one in when the wind kicks up. As I think about the CG's we visit, I don't think I've ever noticed a manual awning that wasn't tied down.

Here's what we do. When we want the shade and are at our site...we put the awning out. When we leave or go to bed, the awning comes in. It is all of a 10 second process to push the button.

As far as the weak link, IMO it is the fabric, not the hardware! On my Dometic 9100 the stitch was the issue. At the rail, they hem the piping in with a 5 stitch run. At the tube it is only a 1 stitch hem. The stitch makes holes in the fabric and is the easy spot to tear...like mine did.

rwjejits · 10-27-2013, 01:18 PM

Typical advertising job, but fun to watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vE-8-aU3cM

**JRTJH** · 10-27-2013, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwjejits

Typical advertising job, but fun to watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vE-8-aU3cM

Impressive, I've got a Dometic awning, but it's an entirely different arm support system than the one shown. I wonder if it's an "improved version" or a "meet Keystone's price version" ?????

billb800si · 10-27-2013, 06:21 PM

Here's a more detailed video of Dometic's Premium Electric Awning. This video shows not only the 100 KPH ( 60 MPH) but also the rain test. Finally it shows the retracting feature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1__99AuhT4Q

This truly is an amazing awning...
Happy trails,

audio1der · 10-28-2013, 05:44 AM

Nice awning. Our awning arms have no fore/aft give and would never live through winds above 35km/hr based on what I saw in those videos.
Our comes in every night and every time we leave. I see many others who leave theirs out their whole stay and we wonder if we're not being overly cautious, but better safe than sorry IMO.
My only worry is the added use of the motors, but at least that will be more of a planned event than a wind gust.

n4qpcham · 01-07-2014, 08:55 AM

If you hang parth lights or anything from your awning tube, I highly suggest the use of ROLLUMUP velcro party light holders. They fit the accessory groove in the awning and lay flat when you roll in the awning. Having a velcro loop, a slight tug pulls the party lights off the awning quickly when a storm rolls in.

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