Power Awning Beware

[Joe Dengler]

My wife and I purchased a 2016 Canyon Star 3953 and are on our first trip to Florida. We arrived in early January. About 2 weeks after we arrived our awning collapsed{the tube]. We had put it out in light rain in early PM. About 6:00 I had just finished cooking our dinner on the outside grill and was in the stepwell of the MH handing my wife the food when the awning collapsed. If I had been outside another 30 seconds I could have been seriously injured!

After several weeks of dealing with the awning manufacturer, their local authorized service techs and Newmar the awning has been replaced at no cost to us! If we would have had to pay it was estimated to be an approximate $4000 cost to us.

It turns our that the power awnings tend to over-extend causing water to pool in the center of the awning and not allowing the auto dump to work! The new awning also over-extends so I have to bring it back to the correct position. The correct position is determined by the awning flap, it should be straight down and the awning itself should be tight with no bowing in the middle.

We are very grateful to our Newmar Customer Rep and the Dometic Authorized Service Tec for assisting us in this matter!

[tdelisle]

Thanks, me and my wife have a canyon star 3712 on order. I will look at this when we pick it up.

[GaryKD]

Yep, this has been known for years. It should be part of every PDI.

[TonyDi]

When there is rain, I always retract the awning. Too often rain is accompanied by gusty winds. That can play havoc with the awning. Don't ask how I know. Better safe than sorry.

[Joe Dengler]

TonyDi- There was little or no wind when this happened! This is our 3rd MH over a twenty year period and never had an awning issue, first two had manual ownings though.

[Selah]

The awning should also have an adjustment so that when extended there is a slight slant toward the rear. This will help water to drain off and reduce the size of any pooling.

[gtsum2]

I don't count on auto dump. I have mine titled a bit (never more than three holes difference) so water runs off

That being said, glad nobody was under it and glad they are taking care of it for you. That would be a pricey repair for something (relatively) minor

[hes4all]

The auto dump is a joke. Its not if it will get you but when it will get you. I went to Shade Pro and had new arms installed where I can adjust the angle up or down. Second best up grade I have ever done!

The first was to throw away the auto dump!

[normandlegra]

I have a 2010 Dometic Weather Pro electric awning and never had an issue with any water accumulation; there is a wind sensor that can be ajusted from 12-26 MPH and I ajusted it to the lowest and when it gets kind of windy, it just retracts by itself automaticaly.

[Electra 225]

The wind sensor is one thing I do not have much confidence in personally. Neither my Dometic on the Newmar, or the Care Free on the Itasca are consistent in this operaton.

The dumb things seemed to retract with almost no wind at all, then doesn't when the wind is clearly above the mph I have it set for, and then at times works as it's supposed to.

I leave the sensor on and set, but I don't trust it by any means.

2 cents....

W.D.

[Boomer]

DW and I have a 2015 CS3953 we picked up last June, spent a couple of weeks on west coast of FL and Myrtle Beach. We left the awning out most of the time and noticed water dumping fine and steady wind retracting the awning just fine (set to 12MPH). After reading this I am now greatly concerned. Does anyone know if this over extension is just a part of initial PDI, or can this extension issue happen over time.

Also, has anyone asked/received feedback from Newmar.
bob

[Joe Dengler]

Boomer- ours is a new 2016 CS3953. This is our first trip in it. Our original awning nnoverextended and so does the replacement awning. You have no problem apparently. I did not intend to say all will overextend but wanted to caution others that it might happen and how to check it!