Community Forums

daveinaz58 · 09-16-2023, 03:57 PM

My awning is acting up. First, it was retracting when there was NO wind. Then, it started stopping when retracting. My guess is that the motor is pulling too many amps when retracting so it trips the breaker. Then if you wait a few seconds, it resets and you can finish retracting it.

Since the wind sensor has been having issues I wonder if that could also be causing it to stop when retracting -- it usually comes in about 2/3 and then stops. Wait a bit, then hit retract and it'll finish retracting. So I'm wondering if it's possible to just bypass the entire wind sensor gizmo and wiring and just make it where the switch on the wall goes directly to the awning motor. I'm thinking I should be able to just open up that wind sensor box and find the 12V hot wiring and just bypass all that stuff.

Should I try that or is that no way that the wind sensor box and wiring could be causing it to pause when retracting.

Should I just go straight to wiring the motor up directly to a 12V battery and see what happens?

I've noticed that when the awning retracts, those arms that the gas struts attach to flex and bend a little. I'm not sure if that's normal or if it indicates that the struts the PO had replaced are too strong?

Since the retraction issue is an intermittent problem, that may make it harder to diagnose.

What would you guys do first? Would bypassing the wind sensor wiring be a waste of time or could that be the problem? The last time it only retracted part way, I turned the wind sensor box off and it didn't seem to make any difference in retracting. It eventually came in but it took longer for it to reset (if that is indeed what's happening).

Just debating whether to tackle this myself or just call a tech.

Thanks.

bentjm · 09-17-2023, 05:30 AM

What year model is it?

My 2005 had a switch on the side of the controller box to turn off the wind sensor.

daveinaz58 · 09-17-2023, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentjm

What year model is it?

My 2005 had a switch on the side of the controller box to turn off the wind sensor.

it is a 2004, and yes, it has the switch on the side to turn off the sensor. But I'm wondering if there could be a fault in the sensor or sensor box wiring, or if the wires there are too small to transmit sufficient voltage and could be causing it to have the problem retracting.

bentjm · 09-17-2023, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveinaz58

it is a 2004, and yes, it has the switch on the side to turn off the sensor. But I'm wondering if there could be a fault in the sensor or sensor box wiring, or if the wires there are too small to transmit sufficient voltage and could be causing it to have the problem retracting.

The wind sensor has nothing to do with the retraction issue. The sensor just signals the board to retract. BTW, the sensor will also signal based on cold.

The retraction problem could possibly be the solenoids on the controller board. They get weak with age. The switches by the door signal the controller board to extend or retract. They do not pass power to the awning motor.

You can jumper the 12v power to the awning at the controller board. You can also apply 12v power at the awning arm. This will tell you if the controller board is the problem.

The controller boards are no longer available. I tried replacing the solenoids on the board, but my soldering skills were not up to that task.

I ended up replacing the controller board with reversing relays from Amazon.

daveinaz58 · 09-17-2023, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentjm

You can jumper the 12v power to the awning at the controller board.

This is what I want to do. Have power going directly from the switch by the door to the motor.

The wind sensor switch is kept turned off anyway because it's so erratic and I don't need the remote so I want to just bypass all that entirely.

bentjm · 09-18-2023, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveinaz58

This is what I want to do. Have power going directly from the switch by the door to the motor.

The wind sensor switch is kept turned off anyway because it's so erratic and I don't need the remote so I want to just bypass all that entirely.

That won't work. The size of the wiring from the controller to the switches and back is not sufficient to carry the amperage load of the awning motor.

Pull the switch and look at the size of the wire compared to the size of the wire going up the awning arm.

You have to replace the controller board with reversing relays. I used these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0879...b_b_asin_title

daveinaz58 · 09-18-2023, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentjm

That won't work. The size of the wiring from the controller to the switches and back is not sufficient to carry the amperage load of the awning motor.

Pull the switch and look at the size of the wire compared to the size of the wire going up the awning arm.

You have to replace the controller board with reversing relays. I used these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0879...b_b_asin_title

Ok. So get that 12v F&R module and replace that controller with it. From what you said, am I correct in that you also had to run new larger wiring to/from the wall switch to the module (the wires that formerly went from the wall switch to the controller)?

Thanks

bentjm · 09-18-2023, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveinaz58

Ok. So get that 12v F&R module and replace that controller with it. From what you said, am I correct in that you also had to run new larger wiring to/from the wall switch to the module (the wires that formerly went from the wall switch to the controller)?

Thanks

You do not have to run any new wiring.

The reversing relays just replicate the main function of the controller board - taking the signal from the switches and sending 12v with the right polarity to the awnings.

Again, the switches just send a signal that tells the relays what to do.

You will lose the wind sensor and remote functionality.

You will need two reversing relays - one for your main awning and one for the small awning over your door.

Before you do all of this, you should run 12v directly to the connector at the end of the awning arm to make sure it is not your awning motor.

daveinaz58 · 09-18-2023, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentjm

You do not have to run any new wiring.

The reversing relays just replicate the main function of the controller board - taking the signal from the switches and sending 12v with the right polarity to the awnings.

Again, the switches just send a signal that tells the relays what to do.

You will lose the wind sensor and remote functionality.

You will need two reversing relays - one for your main awning and one for the small awning over your door.

Before you do all of this, you should run 12v directly to the connector at the end of the awning arm to make sure it is not your awning motor.

Thank you. I don't have the awning over the doorway, just the main one.

I'll run the 12V directly to the motor like you said first.