Automatic awnings......IMO useless

[csrrsr]

We're parked in Surprise, AZ and the last few days it's been pretty breezy, but nothing to bring the awning in. Those around us with auto's are having the same issue as you.....which makes sitting in the sun pretty uncomfortable. We have a very long manual awning, but it doesn't come off a slide which I know is problem with the two slide living room MH's. I was kind of envious of those that just pushed a button....but not any more.

[cpaulsen]

On my electric awning....I made PVC adjustable poles for it. Run the awning out....put up my poles...couple of rachet straps and it does not move. Had it over 40 mph winds and never a problem. Any higher and it comes in.

[indiandog]

ez-up with tie downs works great 200.00 gets a real nice one

[Walt Bennett]

Originally Posted by cpaulsen

On my electric awning....I made PVC adjustable poles for it. Run the awning out....put up my poles...couple of rachet straps and it does not move. Had it over 40 mph winds and never a problem. Any higher and it comes in.

Are you using the poles and straps on the awning ends straight to the ground?

[adonh]

Originally Posted by cpaulsen

On my electric awning....I made PVC adjustable poles for it. Run the awning out....put up my poles...couple of rachet straps and it does not move. Had it over 40 mph winds and never a problem. Any higher and it comes in.

Can you give us more details and pictures if available so we can see how this is set up, thanks.

[Walt Bennett]

Originally Posted by indiandog

ez-up with tie downs works great 200.00 gets a real nice one

We've an old EZ-Up (used to have two, but one got destroyed in a 45 mph gust) since we vend at art & craft shows. Have a Light Dome for them, but could use the old guy for shade as long as it doesn't get too windy.

[brobox]

Adjust your wind sensor, turn it off, or disconnect it, that should end the problem. I disconnected the one on my last MH. If this one can't be turned off, I will unplug it too. They are more trouble that then are worth IMO.

Some of the Auto awning can be adjusted down. I have the new Girards coming and there is an adjustment at the top that will tip them about another foot. That will be done on mine.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by cpaulsen

On my electric awning....I made PVC adjustable poles for it. Run the awning out....put up my poles...couple of rachet straps and it does not move. Had it over 40 mph winds and never a problem. Any higher and it comes in.

I bought a set of these in aluminum for my 5th wheeler from a fellow who sold them in the classified section here. I sent them out to be powdercoated and by the time they returned, I sold the rig.

I just might try them on my auto awning - after I turn the wind sensor off.

Two good tips. Thanks

[mowin]

purchased a new TT last yr and I never thought about the awning. I really don't like the power awning, and it does not have a wind sensor on it either. I ready to swap this out for a manual.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by cpaulsen

On my electric awning....I made PVC adjustable poles for it. Run the awning out....put up my poles...couple of rachet straps and it does not move. Had it over 40 mph winds and never a problem. Any higher and it comes in.

If too many people with automatic awnings do this, isn't there a serious risk of flipping the entire campground upside down?

Bruce

[UFO Pilot]

My electric awnings work just fine and the wind sensors work as designed. Guess I am just lucky?

[Jupiter]

I completely agree that the auto awnings are less desirable than the manual counterpart. The wind sensor has worked well for us in the Florida winds. But, overall, there are a few points that make the auto awning undesirable for us.

1) you can't attach a sun shade unless the power is switched off for the auto-retract. If you do turn off the power and have a sun shade or anything else attached, a swift and unexpected gust period can cause serious damage.

2) the extended height is too high to be most effective in terms of shade. Ours can be lowered by utilizing adjustment holes on the arms, but not lowered as far as a manual.

3) We occasionally attached lights on to our manual awning but thats not practical on the auto because it's too high to reach w/o a ladder, and more importantly it eliminates the auto retract feature.

4) the entire support assembly seems to be too fragile to stake down with tie-downs. However, I like the idea of adding PVC poles with tie-downs. I may give that a shot.

Bottom line…… I would gladly go back to a good ol' manual awning.

cheers,
Joopy

[cpaulsen]

Originally Posted by Walt Bennett

Are you using the poles and straps on the awning ends straight to the ground?

Yes! I used 2" pvc and 1 1/2" pvc for the inside that adjusts. Cap on the bottom of the 2" so I can drive a tent stake at an angle thru it. The 1 1/2" inside pipe I drilled about 20 holes thru the pipe at about 1 1/2" spacing....from the top down. That way I can adjust for the height I need. Used a 2 1/2 hitch pin...1/4" diameter to slip it thru the hole in the 2" pvc and align the holes in the 1 1/2" pvc. I set it up...only take few minutes....and use a rachet strap over the outside ends of the awning tube......which hooks to the tent stake or whatever I find to use as an anchor(picnic table works also). Only takes about 1 minute or so if I need to take it down in very high winds. Push the release on the strap.....pull the pin and the pipe collapses into itself. And my lights are leds mounted under the awning on the 5th wheel itself.
Will try to get some pics. And....on my electric awning....I tilt the one side so the rain runs off when tied down even though I have the auto-dump feature.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by brobox

Adjust your wind sensor, turn it off, or disconnect it, that should end the problem. I disconnected the one on my last MH. If this one can't be turned off, I will unplug it too. They are more trouble that then are worth IMO.

Some of the Auto awning can be adjusted down. I have the new Girards coming and there is an adjustment at the top that will tip them about another foot. That will be done on mine.

brobox,
I don't like countering people on here but, in my opinion, your advice of "turn it off" is a bad idea. While there are some, like the OP, that have problems with auto awnings and their sensors, disconnecting or, turning it off could have some pretty serious consequences. The older, manually operated awnings, usually have longer and more stable arms to act a "strut" to form, along with the upper rafters, a triangular effect which, makes the whole system quite a bit stronger which, in most situations, allows that type of awning to be able to widthstand higher wind factors.

But, many auto/electric awnings, such as ours and maybe the OPs, do not have the structural integrity when fully deployed. And so, not having such strength built into it, and, the fact that the "only" way to deploy it or, retract it is, electronically, the insertion of a wind sensor is sort of, mandatory.

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because our Carefree units, along with Dometic controls, are pretty dependable. Yes, we have the "Low, Med, High" switch which, actually works. We've sat under it and, with a constant lower speed breeze, it's gone in, automatically with the switch in the "Low" setting. But, I re-deploy it, put the switch on "Medium" and, only when we get some higher gusts, does it auto-retract. I've only set the switch to "High" a few times and, even then, the awning seems to adhere to higher wind gusts before auto-retracting.

And, there's been quite a few times when, we were using the awning, then decided to leave camp for what ever reason and, left the awning out. But, upon returning, the awning is in. So, with that being said, I'm glad ours works. I don't disagree with the manual style, they are by far, much stronger in structural integrity. But, it sure is nice to be in for the evening and, if we forget to put it in, all we have to do is, push a button momentarily and, it retracts all by itself.
Scott