does anyone know what this is

Sounds like an awning loop. Used to open your awning. Look for s loop of fabric near the middle of the awning.

Also handy as a fire poker.

For your awning strap

This is a awning rod

yes that is it, but i have a powered awning and the end caps are where the motor is. is this a manual pull down, and if so how do you get it back up if the motor doesent work

A Bay Star with a manual awning? I guess it could happen.

Edit - 3 minutes late with the posting. No idea how to get a power awning back in if there's a problem. Got a manual on my coach. First place I would check is the awning manufacture for a possible solution. There are procedures to retract a slide so I would hope there's something for the awning.

Yes, it is an awning pull rod, but there are a lot of other good uses for it. getting something that has rolled up under the coach, poking the fire, are just two.

It’s there as a “backup” incase the awning motor dies for what ever reason in the extended position. There should also be a fabric strap somewhere to slide into a channel just like the manual awnings. I forget the details, but there IS a procedure to disconnect the motor and using the strap and the rod raise the awning. Once the motor is disconnected the awning will try to close and you will want the strap and rod to keep it from slamming against the MH. At least this is my understanding.

On edit: You should have a manual for the awning that explains the procedure. If you need one, PM me with your email and I can send you a PDF copy. The manual talks about the strap but not the rod, so you may have gotten lucky.

One of those came in my DP also even though I have electric / automatic awnings also.

Keep it in case you get additional manual awnings installed over some other windows or the refrigerator.

Bill

The Awning pull rod will not do anything for a Powered Awning. That rod was installed because I will assume you have window awnings which require that rod to pull them down. Doug

mfredm wrote:
yes that is it, but i have a powered awning and the end caps are where the motor is. is this a manual pull down, and if so how do you get it back up if the motor doesent work

I have the same, and there was an awning strap in my docs folder when I purchased the RV. Think there are instructions on how to
disengage the awning motor so you can get it in, whilst holding the strap.