weather pro power awning

[paz]

Originally posted by SCVJeff:
(now come the questions)
Paz: This is part of the mod I heard about. Is this a silver reflector, white, or ?
Is this doc a .pdf or something e-mailable? I have a 2GB RAM that I keep every related manual I come across.
How did you decide you had a bad connection, and where was it? I assume this is an analog voltage coming down from the roof and wouldn't have a clue what I should be looking at vs. actual.

Jeff, when we first got our motor home the awning would not stay out without disabling the wind sensor. I called A&E and asked if the wind speed could be adjusted. They sent the manual only for the retrofit kit, I guess because it was the only thing they had showing the dip switch positions. So I can't answer your first question because I don't have the actual retrofit kit, just the manual. Since the sensor is white, my guess is the decal they refer to is probably something like aluminized Mylar.

To answer your second question, yes, I have a pdf file of the manual. I would be glad to email it to you if you PM me your email address.

The answer to your third question is a little more complicated. I called A&E back and told them I adjusted the wind speed to the maximum 24 mph and the awning still rolled up with the slightest breeze. They then told me the problem was likely a bad sensor or a bad wire from the sensor to the control box. They said the wires can sometimes be pinched when the RV is built.

The wire from the sensor looks like a standard 4-wire telephone cable, but it's not. On the the A&E cable, the wires are connected to the plugs at the opposite ends of the cable in reverse order. When checking out the cable for continuity with my ohm meter, I discovered Tiffin used a short pigtail from the roof to an overhead cabinet and a second wire from the cabinet to the control box. Combining 2 A&E cables with reversed wiring resulted in wiring being the same as a standard telephone cable, which is incorrect. I took the female/female coupler (same as standard telephone coupler) they used in the overhead cabinet apart and reversed the order of the wires inside the connector which resulted in the sensor working properly. Well, at least it almost works properly. It's still a little erratic, but it at least doesn't roll up for no reason. Maybe the retrofit kit is what I need because the erratic behavior seems to be worse in hot weather.

[GaryKD]

Mystery auto retractions in hot weather is caused by the thermistor high point being around 130 F. Part of the retrofit kit is to put a reflector on top of the wind sensor. For me this did not help. I still make my "cookie" and that works. My mystery auto retractions have gone away. Go to the following links to see the cookie. The cookie is made from bubble wrap enclosed in corragated cardboard and shipping tape.
Go here to see the reflector with glue applied and the cookie ready to be installed.
Go here to see the cookie installed. The view is from the top.
GO here to see a side view of the cookie installed.

[SCVJeff]

Paz: Thanks for the info. I think I can get to the bottom end of the transducer fairly easy. I sure hope I don't need to chase mine down in this detail, but the awning acts exactly as yours was.. Bad news for me.
PM coming your way

Gary: Thanks for the pix. Nothin' like a good visual aid! I hadn't considered bubblewrap as an insulator, although I did find some 2" polished Aluminum tape in the garage, so I think I'll try that 1st. What's a thermistor doing up there? Is it a temp comp for the pressure sensor?
BTW- It appears you have a summer storm building up over your shoulder (see reflection on cap).

[GaryKD]

Jeff,
The thermistor's primary job is to retract the awning at 32 F. For what ever reason this means the top end of the thermistor is 120 F. A&E says it's important to have the awning auto retract at 32 F so we are to live with the 120 F mystery auto retractions.

[SCVJeff]

Ah!.. That makes sense. Obviously this is budget driven, but personally I would have used a Klixon and be done. There's probably no chance of them issuing skematics either.

[Scott and Linda]

I have the Weather Pro Power awning and also have problems with it retracting after only 2 to 3 minutes on a calm sunny day. I have been to the dealer who has contacted Dometic but came up with no answer. There was one suggestion for the dealer to fabricate a metal box to cover the control box to shield from stray RF. I don't believe this is the problem. My control box has the wind speed adjustment on the outside adjusted by pressing a button until the LED next to the desired retract speed is illuminated. Many times the control unit is scanning through these speed LED's and then stops on the one I have set.

[GaryKD]

Hi Scott,
Welcome to iRV2. Is the 12V power light flashing or solid? If flashing, is it flashing fast (more than once a second)? If so, this is a trouble indicator and the awning needs service. If you go here you'll be able to read the A&E manual. For me, it seems a bit tricky on which buttons to press and when to see and then change the wind speed.

If you have had the awning extended when the temp (at the wind sensor) is below 32 F or above 120 F earlier models will retract automatically. Lastly, has there been a rain "down pour"? Depending on how your coach was built water can build up in the sensor housing. If the hole in the roof was not sealed properly, rain water can travel down the cable and ruin the control box.

One can test the to see if the sensor is working. If you have a compressor, blow air through the sensor opening. After several seconds the awning should retract. It will not retract immediately, it takes maybe 15 seconds of constant wind to get it to retract.

You have the "latest and greatest" from A&E. From your profile, everything should be under warranty. Consider calling A&E (forget the dealer) and asking the question about the light cycling.

[Scott and Linda]

Gary,
I have contacted A&E by email but they will not supply info to retail customers, only dealers. The temperature when I was checking the unit was in the mid 60's and it was sunny. There had been no rain. The sensor is mounted on the motor at the end of the awning tube. The cable runs down the arm and into the coach side wall. The control box is in a storage compartment. When the awning is retracted, the sensor is protected by a cover integral to the awning mount.

[GaryKD]

The only time my awning retracted every couple of minutes, there was a defect in the sensor or the control board. Based on the information you have provided, you have a similar problem. I guesss you'll just have to "put your foot down" and be a sqeaky wheel to get it fixed. Is there another A&E dealer in the area you could have take a look at the problem?

[Hyall]

Originally posted by offshore:
We have a 2007 Pace Arrow with the Weather Prow Power Awning. We can set the wind speed with the inside unit. I have a slide on the curb side under the awning also. I would like to install one of those sun screens which slide into the tube of the awning. Here's my idea, do not slide the sun screen into the tube but attach it to the outside of the tube using Velcro strips. Secure the bottom of the sun screen to the ground as usual. When the awning retracts because of the wind setting the awning will separate from the sun screen at the Velcro. The sun screen will then fall to the ground and the awning will roll up. Of course you will have to attach the sun screen again. Any ideas???

Since our awning is so high to attach a shade screen without a ladder we had this done. We had the material cut in half full length the top half bottom we sewed on Velcros (male) and added three grommets center and each corner. The bottom half top section sewed on the (female ) Velcros and also added three grommets. Now the top section of the shade screen stay attached to the awning-roll all the time even rolled up. We just have to add the bottom section if we want additional shading (late in the day)

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

Since our awning is so high to attach a shade screen without a ladder we had this done. We had the material cut in half full length the top half bottom we sewed on Velcros (male) and added three grommets center and each corner. The bottom half top section sewed on the (female ) Velcros and also added three grommets. Now the top section of the shade screen stay attached to the awning-roll all the time even rolled up. We just have to add the bottom section if we want additional shading (late in the day)

So why did you attach gromments to the upper half that is attached to the roller tube? Also, what size (width) of velcro did you use? I assume you have tested it and it works okay, i.e., velcro separates okay when the awning rolls in?

[Hyall]

On the upper half at the bottom there is grommets to tie down to ground if want or tie to the bottom half as it may be tie down to ground for a little strength and Velcros is 2 inches wide commercial grade awning shop did the work (7 months now thru all kinds of Florida weather) great

hope this helps hard to explain lol

Russ

[offshore]

Hyall, sounds like a winner. If you have any pictures please post them. Gotta love the shade.

[Hyall]

I will b back to the RV in a week its parked in Lake Okeechobee on site will do w/ pic