Community Forums

Raining Star · 07-03-2013, 02:29 PM

No accounting for the freak occurrence, what's the generally accepted safe wind speed to keep a good quality awning left open?

DSL417 · 07-03-2013, 02:35 PM

Girards -- calm to 5 mph w/ no expected gusts. Pull in anyway if you don't need 'em out!

R1Kirby · 07-03-2013, 04:54 PM

When you're at the motorhome or camper you can leave the awning out. When you leave put the awning up. Never go away and leave it out. Weather and wind can change in a moments notice.... Better to be safe than sorry.

MSHappyCampers · 07-04-2013, 09:17 AM

I don't know of anything published on that. When mine starts flopping I put it in immediately! I too don't leave the awning out when away from the CG for any length of time. You may not get a second chance!

Dog Folks · 07-05-2013, 08:43 AM

This has been our experience in the past 7 years on the road. We have a professional grade weather station including wind speeds right at the camper.

Our awning is tied down with stakes and springs between the stakes and the tie downs.

We have found that when winds reach 25 MPH steady, it is time to roll in the awning as gusts are higher. We do often roll in earlier than that because it is physically easier to do with less wind.

Hope this helps.

Raining Star · 07-05-2013, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dog Folks

We have found that when winds reach 25 MPH steady, it is time to roll in the awning as gusts are higher. We do often roll in earlier than that because it is physically easier to do with less wind.

Hope this helps.

Wow, I would never have thought that you could leave one out with wind that high. I don't stake our awning down, and have been pulling it in when it starts flapping in the wind.

I've never seen (noticed) another RV in the parks we've stayed at that staked the awning down. How common is that?

Hikerdogs · 07-05-2013, 09:11 AM

The highest wind speed our automatic awning will take before it closes itself is 12 mph. I would think this would be a good giude line for any awning. When we bought the motorhome the salesman point blank said "don't trust the automatic awning. By the time it senses and reacts to the first gust the second gust has already torn it off."

Dog Folks · 07-05-2013, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raining Star

Wow, I would never have thought that you could leave one out with wind that high. I don't stake our awning down, and have been pulling it in when it starts flapping in the wind.

I've never seen (noticed) another RV in the parks we've stayed at that staked the awning down. How common is that?

IMHO Staking the awning down is not real common in short term parks,(14 days max.) We do a fair amount of campground hosting and are often stationary for a few months at a time, with the awning out.

Happy Camping

Triker56 · 07-05-2013, 10:06 AM

I stake mine down with the cork screw spring system and the flappers on the sides for up to 7 months at a time in FL.

At times it probable has taken gust up to 30-40 MPH and many days with a steady 20-25 MPH winds. I only put it up when a hurricane is forecasted within 24 hours of my location.

At that location awning is facing the East.

Flacamper · 07-05-2013, 10:27 AM

We stake ours as well. We have awning lights on ours and taking them down to roll it up every time it gets a little windy is a pain in the azz. So far, we've had no problems. I guess it's what you desire.

historyljc · 07-05-2013, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

I don't know of anything published on that. When mine starts flopping I put it in immediately! I too don't leave the awning out when away from the CG for any length of time. You may not get a second chance!

I use Joe's method.