Awning has 12 volts going out only 7 volts coming in

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Right. And the voltage drop is relative to the power draw. Most powered awnings extend out under spring or gas strut, so the motor merely freewheels to let it extend. Retracting requires overcoming the pressure that extended it, so the power draw is higher.

Exactly!

[clane]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Not if it's pinched between non-conductive materials.
My point is pinching a wire does not slow the flow of electricity.

Good point

[GypsyR]

Another way of looking at it is that the pinching may have damaged the wire. You can take a wire with 100 copper strands, cut 99 of those strands and still get a measurement of 12 volts at the end. But that tiny remaining wire will certainly not be able to carry the load of an electric motor. So say the pinching has frayed 25% of the wiring. Power still flows, just not like it should and not enough to fully power the motor.

Just talking examples, drawn from some real world experience. I'm not saying this IS your problem just trying to illustrate how it could be.
Also in the real world the theoretical single strand of wire would likely just burn in two like a fuse with any real load applied. However a somewhat frayed section of wires that is still working will get warm with a working load applied. An infrared camera is a slick way to find such problems before cutting anything open.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

Another way of looking at it is that the pinching may have damaged the wire. You can take a wire with 100 copper strands, cut 99 of those strands and still get a measurement of 12 volts at the end. But that tiny remaining wire will certainly not be able to carry the load of an electric motor. So say the pinching has frayed 25% of the wiring. Power still flows, just not like it should and not enough to fully power the motor.

Just talking examples, drawn from some real world experience. I'm not saying this IS your problem just trying to illustrate how it could be.
Also in the real world the theoretical single strand of wire would likely just burn in two like a fuse with any real load applied. However a somewhat frayed section of wires that is still working will get warm with a working load applied. An infrared camera is a slick way to find such problems before cutting anything open.

We understand that the pinched wire can suffer damage.

My point is that a reversing DC motor uses 2 wires that have the polarity switched to reverse them. There is no chassis ground wire on an awning motor.
If you pinch one wire, damaging most of the conductors, it will effect both directions of operation.

[GypsyR]

Probably would IF the load was equal both ways. As folks have already observed, awnings generally go out (and downhill) a lot more easily than they come back in. Even the manually cranked ones.

[scenic route]

If you haven't already, try what jacwjames suggested.

We have a Carefree of Colorado Eclipse awning that was acting like yours. Out with ease, in with laboring. The next season, no power at all. Disconnected the outside sidewall connector, cleaned and put some di-electric grease on the contacts and voilà.