Weather Pro Awning

[Jim28730]

Has anyone used tie downs on their Weather Pro? I'm wondering if its "no harm - no foul" as long as the sensor is switched off. We will be oceanfront for a week and the inboud breezes create alot of awning flap. Obviously I wouldn't leave it tied down and unattended.

[two2go]

Yes, I have thrown a nylon web strap over each end and staked them down. Keeps the arms from springing back and the fabric from billowing up much, but I would not do it in stronger winds. I would prefer also having a stiff vertical strut from roller to ground at each end or in the middle to add support for the down forces, but haven't done it yet. Another problem is no way to use de-flappers on the WP, so the edges still flutter. Unfortunately, the WP is not a good design for wind conditions. My wind sensor is always off since it never worked reliably.

[vegascouple]

We have the same awning and I'm guessing the tie downs would work. However, we don't bother with the awning when we are ocean front for more than a day or two. We use one of the pop up 10X10 canopies and tie it down. If it blows away it's only $100. Winds can be so unpredictable so why take a chance? I've seen too many awnings blow ripped off on the beach.

[Old Rv'er]

In the company video we watched in the awning segment of RVTC training, the parent company specifically prohibited hold downs for this type of awning. The wind sensor cannot be disabled, unless you power down the awning completely. That being the case, you also could put too much stress on the arms of the whole assembly and bend them out of shape so they may not retract properly when you are done using it. My suggestion is to not do what you are thinking. You can also check the owner’s manual for the weather pro, and I believe you will read the same thing.

This is not to say people have not done it with success, but the cost of replacement or repair might be more than the convenience is worth.

[dshogman]

Monty, don't know what you mean. I've never use the sensor on my awning - it would retract as I walked by the coach - guess I create a big wind. So the sensor is off but I use the inside switch to bring it in and out, therefore, not totally disabled. Wind blowing, I bring it in. And I never leave it out when I'm away from the coach.

[Old Rv'er]

I am going to assume you know where the little control box is located so the wind speed can be changed to a higher number so when you walk buy it does not retract. We hardly ever put the awning out, because of the wind and unless the sun is shining on that side of the coach it stays in. When we choose to eat outside, we put it out. In Florida, the wind blew a lot this past winder, it was always in.

[golden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Rv'er I am going to assume you know where the little control box is located so the wind speed can be changed to a higher number so when you walk buy it does not retract. We hardly ever put the awning out, because of the wind and unless the sun is shining on that side of the coach it stays in. When we choose to eat outside, we put it out. In Florida, the wind blew a lot this past winder, it was always in.

I've adjusted my wind sensor from the control box until I'm blue in the face and also cleaned the roof sensor - all to no avail. The slightest wind causes the awning to retract. So, I just put the switch at the control box on disable and either use the remote or the switch in the MH to put it out or retract it. I would not recommend this awning to anyone for any reason other than the mechanical drop caused when too much water accumulates during a rainfall. This is the only feature I like about it.

[Old Rv'er]

If I remember correctly, the sensor plugs into the control box via an RJ-11 jack (like a phone), I would try to unplug it, reset the computer, then plug it back in, to see if the brain has a tumor in it. If that does not work, the wind sensor might be bad; both ends have modular plugs, so changing it would not be too bad. I would also have some help and check the continuity of the wires between the control box, and the sensor. You will need long leads for your meter. Or if I could get the manual from Dometic's web site (cannot find them) I would make up a jumper cable color coded like the wires in the cable, so I could check the continuity from the ground.

Maybe you don't want to go to all this trouble either, and just disabling the thing is easier. Hope you are not in Vegas, high winds today.

[Chuck 1935]

I have replaced the whole control unit in the bay and on the roof and checked all the wires for continuity all to no avail. THE DAM THING DOESN'T WORK. The warrenty is worse than the product.

[Old Rv'er]

Wow, I take it you are not please with it. I think I would have the factory take a look at it, if I was near there, (assuming you have not) I'm sure their engineers would love a challenge. But then maybe nothing would fix it and its possessed.

[Riverside]

I installed a Weather Pro on my old Sea Breeze with the same outcome. I had the wind sensor warrantied and still it was questionable if it was or wasn't ever working. I had a motor failure and ordered a new one. It came with the sensor so I swapped it as well again. It was a little breezy at the time and as soon as I plugged it in the awning retracted. I tested it twice and it closed the awning both times. I was in wind a couple of other times and it never seemed to work again. I'm a bit sceptical as well to the function of the sensor and or the electronics. I am in dire need of a front door awning on my Alpine but am trying to decide which brand to order as I'd like to replace my patio awning with it to match them up and share electronics. I'm tempted to leave the A&E manual awning and just do something else due to the wind sensor problem. With the design of the Alpine "A" pillar you can't run an armed awning so A&E is one of the couple of options available. Being an armless awning I think some sort of auto close feature would be vital to both keeping the entry dry durring rain and making the awning last when the wind picks up when the rain stops.

[zinom]

I watched factory mechanics repair a couple of wrv "sensors" at fmca in Minnesota; in both cases the problem was that the telephone wire fron the sensor to the control box had been terminated incorectly into the modular plug. The wires were reversed (or not reversed) when the plug had been crimpted on.

[takepride]

Riverside. I would most definitely keep my electric, but manually operated main awning. The electronics you mention would not be interconnected anyhow, though they could certainly share a power source.

[Jim28730]

Well I haven't had to "restrain" the Weather Pro yet. I came fully prepared to disable the auto-retract if necessary and strap her to the ground. To my pleasant surprise, she has behaved admirably. We have had consistent coastal breezes between 8-12 knots and the awning remains open and stable. On Wednesday, it rolled up once automatically during a heavy gust, but I suspect it was called for.