Community Forums

nineoaks2004 · 09-05-2016, 07:23 AM

If the wind gets up I usually close mine, but when I tie down I also use springs on the tie down rope, this absorbs the sudden shock. I also use this method (always) when canoe camping and my canoe camp has withstood some large winds I also use rubber bands cut from tires and place these in the tie down ropes, does the same thing as the springs.

znt1186 · 09-05-2016, 07:44 AM

Kinda like the question about boxers or briefs. Depends!! I have had my old manual awning lifted up by a sudden gust from a thunderstorm rolling in and had to get it rolled up in a downpour. This spring, we were at Pensacola Beach RV Resort parked directly on the sound. This is with an electric awning now. The weather was beautiful, so I dumbly left it out overnight. Got woke up at 6:00 AM by a steady wind off the sound estimated at 20 mph. I mean steady. Not gusty with breaks between. It blew a big cabin cruiser off its anchor and grounded it such that it had to be towed back to deeper water. I could not get the awning rolled up because the wind lifted the awning when it got high enough that I could no longer reach it. Ended up tying it down until the wind subsided about two hours later. The safest thing is to roll it up when away or at night. However, the wife loves the sunshade and rope lights on the awning. Sometimes, you just have to choose between the lesser of two evils.

Kinda like politics!

rkresge · 09-05-2016, 04:22 PM

Tie down or not? That seems to be the question. My previous TT had a manual awning, with struts that clipped to the TT, or you could detatch them and stand them on the ground. For that, I got tie-downs and deflappers. Only pulled it in when expecting REALLY high winds. Never a problem.

My new TT has a Colorado Longitude electric awning; I checked directly with Colorado Carefree, and was specifically instructed NOT to use tie-downs with this awning. Instead, always retract it in windy weather. Also, there's no place to mount the deflappers. Having said that, I do tie it down in normal weather. Friend of mine had a sudden storm destroy his very similar awning a couple of years ago; now he ties it down.

Last year my son's pop-up awning got blown over the roof during a surprise windstorm. One of the poles was sticking in the ground like a javelin, 15' feet away from the TT on the other side. That to me would have been a dangerous situation. Luckily no one was hurt. Now he ties it down.

Roger

Gordon Dewald · 09-05-2016, 04:32 PM

Since we have electric awnings we tend to close them when we leave for extended periods of time.

When we had manual awnings we staked them down without issue.

We full time in an RV park where there are huge fichus trees than enable us to have most of the unit underneath. As a consequence we are in a fairly calm environment even when the wind is seriously blowing.

If you in a location where there is the possibility of serious gusts it is better to close an electric awning if you anticipate bad weather. It is possible for a sudden gust to do damage to the awning before it can automatically close.

jacwjames · 09-05-2016, 04:53 PM

We have a One Touch Carefree of Colorado awning which in simple terms is a POS. We solved the problem by just not using it that much. It is so flimsy that the slightest of breezes will damage the arms. On a good note >> I've gotten really good at fixing them, have to because Carefree stopped supporting with parts a short time after the model was discontinued.

We did have a Class C with a manual awning, it was pretty much indestructible. We could leave it out and really not worry about it, sometimes it would be tied down, most of the time not.

CampDaven · 09-05-2016, 05:07 PM

If you time the gusts of an average rain squal, electric awnings don't have nuff time to retract beween gusts. This I know from experience. A neighbor in PA needed a new awning AND a new roof!
In AZ, our neighbors never had a problem with their tied down awning. One 50mph gust convinced them. $8000 damage.
Insurance is great. The wait time is truly a booger.
We all make choices and choose our risks.
I'm with the "no risk" crowd that is ever growing in membership.

IC2 · 09-05-2016, 05:15 PM

Our '14 5er has a new Dometic electric awning. It for all intent is a piece of junk when compared to that A&E manual version on our '06 5er. It gets tied down as any breeze from a light 1-2 mph zephyr on makes it flap. It has a couple friction knobs to allow it to dip to shed rain, etc. that aren't much for holding anything if that zephyr turns into a breeze. It gets well exercised if it isn't tied down, i.e. such as today in South Utah where the wind has come and gone. If this awning goes to awning heaven from not being tied down or old age, hopefully a manual version will fit. The usual gloom and doom prevails - tie it down but be aware of changing weather and know what your insurance company will allow if it fails

lynnmor · 09-05-2016, 05:23 PM

I see that some are finally understanding that the electric awning is just a sales gimmick and are not of much use. I rarely use the stupid thing, it's just too much risk of having a trip ending failure.

wrvond · 09-05-2016, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dajomar

We have a 2012 Keystone Passport. We have considered tying down the awning just for added support when it gets a little breezy. We have an elec. retractable awning. We have been told both ways, no, you can't it will ruin the awning and yes it can be done with no problem.

Can anyone help with this problem? Who has experience with this please help us.
Thank you,
Darlene

Yes, I have experience with this. My old TT had a fully manual awning. The leg braces could be detached at the bottom and staked to the ground as a patio awning. I used ratchet straps and dog stake anchors to tie it down. Now I have an electric awning that I wanted to tie down. I bought two long adjustable painters poles, some boat deck hardware, and made my own tie downs. I still use the screw in dog stakes and ratchet straps to anchor with. I still tilt my awning to allow water to run off since I am defeating the auto dump function, but it works wonderfully well.
Here are some photos:

I just noticed the first two pics aren't my camper at all, they are of a friends Rockwood. But they are good so I'll leave them. The pic of the poles is mine, and this photo is mine as well:

I know of several other people that have down the same thing. I know of exactly none that have had a problem as a result.

CampDaven · 09-07-2016, 07:06 AM

When folks get to the windiest areas of the US and see no tie-downs, I hope they take it as an omen.
It is not always windy there, but the ones with experience know how quick a damaging blast can appear. Nobody nor any retract button has nuff speed!
Unless the sun is dead high, there is always shade near the RV, and the chairs are very lightweight.

Rodo824 · 10-08-2023, 12:17 PM

I live in Florida and I keep my electric awning tied down most of the time. I use a sun screen on the awning and use 5 bungees to secure it down to the ground. I also use tie down straps at each end of the awning. I put a 2” pvc pipe in each tawning track to prevent the awning from moving downward. It is good for winds of 25 to 30 mph. If the gusts are forecast to be above 40mph I take it down. Takes about 5 minutes to take down and 15 minutes to put back up. Have done this for 5 years on this 5th wheel and so far all good. Just a matter of preference. I like to keep it up as it helps block the sunlight on my patio.

**Camp CA** · 10-08-2023, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dajomar

.......Can anyone help with this problem?......

We never tie down the awning. Awning retracted anytime the wind comes up and we leave the rv unattended. Seen too many damaged awnings.

1stimerveer · 10-08-2023, 01:12 PM

So far we have had good luck with not tying down our awning. We simply roll it up if it gets too windy, but also give it a good slope to quickly drain off rain water, when extended. It is an electric awning, so it just takes a press of the button to retract it, if we're leaving the site for any length of time.

Others we camp with use extendable support poles with ratchet tie down straps. Since we've been camping with them for the last 6 years, they have never had a problem with moderate winds. They are also able to quickly release the straps and retract their awnings if things get too severe.

While going thru the park after serious weather he have seen many other RV'ers who use the tie downs with support poles successfully.

So I guess the jury's still out on this one.

Safe travels and all the best.

zrock2010 · 10-09-2023, 07:05 AM

i have the old manual awning and i always remove the legs from the trailer and tie it down. Only reason i do this is i hate walking around the legs when they are attached to the trailer. If i had a electric unit i would not be tying it down since i would not be walking into the arms, if i did have to tie it down would only do so if i had the support legs to go with it so im not pulling down on the frame.