Community Forums

epj · 07-21-2015, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by head gamez

We had our manual awning replaced with a Carefree Electric awning over the week of the 4th. The guys came out to our site at Ocean lakes and completed the install in about 2.5 hours.

Ours does not have a wind sensor (not a problem as we don't leave with it out). For us, the upgrade was about making it easier for my wife or son to put it in if a storm came up and I was not nearby. Our awning has adjustable arms so you can raise it, lower it, or tilt it. Whatever setting you put it on, it will roll back in like normal and then come out as you left it. That way you don't have to keep adjusting it.

They used our roller tube and fabric, so we saved some money. However, our fabric is a little stretched so they will be replacing it for us in August when we go back. I wanted to replace it in July but it is the acrylic fabric with metal wrap and they didn't have it in stock.

Love our powered awning.

If you don't mind me being nosey, I'm curious as to the cost of the conversion. I'm considering doing the same thing.

head gamez · 07-21-2015, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epj

If you don't mind me being nosey, I'm curious as to the cost of the conversion. I'm considering doing the same thing.

It was right at $1400 installed the same day on our site. That included the arms, wiring, labor, etc. We were able to re-use our roller tube and make due with our acrylic fabric until our next trip.

gemini5362 · 07-21-2015, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

The power awning on our 2013 Adventurer is adjustable. the lower arms can be extended or retracted to change the angle. It does not retract when it rains. Rather it has a gas cylinder on the rear arm that will dump the water if it starts to accumulate. There is supposed to be a way to shut off the wind sensor. However we've never kept it out under windy conditions.

The salesman best described the potential operation by saying: Before the wind sensor has had time to react to the first gust of wind the second gust has already torn it.

I have a power awning and your salesman is wrong. I leave mine out in light wind and if the wind gets too heavy it self retracts. I have been doing that for three years the last two of them living in it full time and my awning is just fine.

You can turn the wind sensor off in mine. When i first bought the coach used the wind sensor had a problem and it would retract five minutes after you put the awning out so we had to have it turned off to use it. First time i had it in the shop under warranty I had them fix it. Turned out to be a bad cable on between the wind sensor and the control box.

I for the life of me cannot imagine why anyone would prefer a manual awning. I do not know anything they can do that i cannot do with my power awning and it is a lot easier to use.

stich · 07-21-2015, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by head gamez

We had our manual awning replaced with a Carefree Electric awning over the week of the 4th. The guys came out to our site at Ocean lakes and completed the install in about 2.5 hours.

Ours does not have a wind sensor (not a problem as we don't leave with it out). For us, the upgrade was about making it easier for my wife or son to put it in if a storm came up and I was not nearby. Our awning has adjustable arms so you can raise it, lower it, or tilt it. Whatever setting you put it on, it will roll back in like normal and then come out as you left it. That way you don't have to keep adjusting it.

They used our roller tube and fabric, so we saved some money. However, our fabric is a little stretched so they will be replacing it for us in August when we go back. I wanted to replace it in July but it is the acrylic fabric with metal wrap and they didn't have it in stock.

Love our powered awning.

I'd like to know what the cost was to convert yours, if you don't mind.

head gamez · 07-21-2015, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stich

I'd like to know what the cost was to convert yours, if you don't mind.

See post number 16.

Menendez · 07-21-2015, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemini5362

I for the life of me cannot imagine why anyone would prefer a manual awning.

Simplicity. Imagine that.

Lincolnboy2 · 07-21-2015, 10:15 AM

I liked the manual awning in the fact that it is more adjustable and it seems like it went out further away from the motorhome than the power (Dometic) one.

I upgraded and paid the difference in replacing the manual one for a power one, when a 60 mph gust of northerly wind blew in and broke the pins on the arms where they hook to the motorhome on my manual one, and blew the arms up and punched holes in the roof, had to have a whole new roof put on!!!

Now that I have had the powered awning a little over a year, I love it. The ease and simplicity are so much nicer than huffing and puffing around trying to deploy the manual one and tie it down.

Also I like the fact that if we stop and its raining, (in light to no wind) I can extend it out with the push of a button and give us some cover when letting the pups out for a walk while traveling.

I vote for a power awning! Won't go back to manual.

I know the Carefrees and Girards are a whole lot nicer and a whole lot more expensive too, mine does not have a wind monitor, but let me tell you, after what happened, if I'm not out there under the awning, it's retracted. At night, whenever I leave, etc. I learned my lesson.

OV Southwind · 07-21-2015, 11:29 AM

We have a power awning on our new MH, and had the manual on the old.

You can disable the wind sensor. Like many here, we rarely leave ours out when we are not using it and it's breezy, but when we do I disable the wind sensor. Learned that the first time it rolled up at 2 am with our solar lights hanging from it. It stopped itself when it started struggling so no damage other than my pride from popping out of the MH in my underwear to run it back out and remove the lights.

Our awning is super adjustable. You can adjust the pitch and like others said, it's really nice to be able to roll it out 2 or 4 feet only if trees or other obstructions are nearby.

Most notably, I have significantly fewer dents on my head. Some may see the height of the auto awning as an issue, I love it. With the old awning it would take all summer to condition myself to duck under the arms that were just above my line of sight and just below my max clearance, only to forget again after the winter, probably due to brain damage from smacking my head on the awning arms.

All in all, I prefer the auto.

ShapeShifter · 07-21-2015, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemini5362

I for the life of me cannot imagine why anyone would prefer a manual awning. I do not know anything they can do that i cannot do with my power awning and it is a lot easier to use.

I agree that the power awning has some handy features going for it.

But a big advantage of a manual awning is greater adjustability and flexibility. While my power awning can be adjusted from going straight out, to angled down, the most it can angle down is a couple feet. If I want to hang a screen or shade cloth from it, I have to get out a stepladder - with a manual awning I could lower it down for easy reaching, slide the cloth in the roller grove, and then raise it up again.

It also seems that a manual awning covers more area, and provides more protection and space, but that could be just because mine is mounted so high up and extends over the living room slide. If it were mounted on the slide, it might not be so much of an issue.

And while I have tied down my power awning while a shade cloth was attached, it seems like the manual awnings are more stable when in this mode.

But it sure is nice just pressing a button to put the awning out or back, especially when you are inside and the storm starts kicking up - not having to go out in the rain to put up the awning is priceless!

Jarhead1967 · 07-21-2015, 01:52 PM

I am reading all these comments on automatic verses manual awnings. I have an automatic on my '07 Fleetwood Revolution LE. very pleased with it. One question: does anyone know where the wind sensor is located should I decide to turn it off?
Thanks!

OV Southwind · 07-21-2015, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarhead1967

I am reading all these comments on automatic verses manual awnings. I have an automatic on my '07 Fleetwood Revolution LE. very pleased with it. One question: does anyone know where the wind sensor is located should I decide to turn it off?
Thanks!

Mine is in a cabinet near the door...it's a Dometic. The shutoff is done through the remote, instructions are on the back. I think you press the extend and retract buttons simultaneously.

EDIT: the instructions are on the back of THE REMOTE to be more specific...

Jarhead1967 · 07-21-2015, 02:48 PM

Thank you, OV Southwind. Mine is a Carefree. Remote? Don't have one. Maybe the previous owner has it!!!??? We use the button inside the cabinet over the door.

zmotorsports · 07-21-2015, 03:34 PM

We had Zip Dee manual awnings on our previous coach, 1991 Beaver Contessa, that had the full aluminum slatted wrap-around sheathing or cover when retracted, all window awnings were identical to the large patio awning. I LOVED THEM!!! Hands down the best awnings I have ever had on any of our RV's. Although manual it was a breeze to extend and/or retract even with one person.

Our current coach has the Girard power awning and it works as designed and advertised with no issues and has never faultered in its operation. It is nice to push a button and extend/retract. I don't leave it out over night or if we are leaving so I don't rely on the wind sensor, if anything over a light breeze comes up I retract it anyways. Even though the Girard works perfectly, there are just things I liked better about my old Zip Dee awnings, especially the ability to angle it down and create more shade as the sun sets late afternoon or evening and to angle it to disperse water.

Mike.

smlranger · 07-21-2015, 03:49 PM

I agree with the post that says it really depends on how you plan to use it. We had three manual awnings; one on a TT and two on motorhomes. We loved the manual awnings. They cannot be beat for shade, shedding rain, etc. They are more sturdy than the auto's. When we were younger we stayed in one place for longer periods, set up the manual awning, tied it down and let it stay in all but the worst storms. Now that we move more on trips and stay in one place for only a few days, the auto is just OK.

IMO, no auto awning will be as durable over time as the manual awnings. Yes, I did bang my noggin on the support arms more than once. Bottom line, if my current rig did not have the passenger side front slide or that slide was long enough, I would jettison the flimsy Carefree Eclipse auto awning wannabe and install a good manual on the coach. If I get too old and weak to deploy/store a manual awning, it will be time to hang up the keys.