Forum Discussion

Curly2001's avatar
Curly2001
Explorer II
Jul 03, 2020

Electric Awning Locks?

I am not sure if I have asked this before but here goes...
I have an electric Dometic awning on the 5th wheel. Years ago I had a manual awning that had the fabric rip on top where the sun had eaten up the fabric. When the fabric started to rip, of course we were on the road and the arms started to unroll. Caught it just in time to zip tie them back in place and somehow secured it to the side of the trailer.
My question is on the electric awnings, most are mounted flat to the trailer wall with no space to zip tie them if this happens again. Are there any locks available to keep them in place or what do we do if this happens? I think that if the fabric lets go the arms will free fall.
Thanks,
Curly
  • tarnold's avatar
    tarnold
    Explorer
    Jul 04, 2020
    Something else while your at it. During a recent sudden high wind, went to roll in the auto awning. The U- shaped storage arms didn’t line up by about 1/4“ ,at the top. Had to use a large screw driver to force them in to line up. Once home unfurled the awning and saw it had shifted all the way to one end, causing it to skew and wind up crooked tugging the arms so that they didn’t line up. Lots of soapy water to lube and tug the 18’ awning back in place on the roller tube. 2 stainless screws on each end should now hold it from shifting again.
  • Durb's avatar
    Durb
    Explorer
    Jul 04, 2020
    I had an electric awning fail. The motor/gears output shaft has a flat where it is it is secured to the plastic roller cap. The plastic cap hogged out and gravity wanted the awning to stay in the open position. I rolled it up by hand an was able to tie it in place with some steel wire on the uprights to get me home. I also used some gorilla tape to hold it in place but feel it was overkill. This fail was the result of a poor design on a 2008 trailer. I'm hoping they have a solution installed by now.
  • Curly2001's avatar
    Curly2001
    Explorer II
    Jul 04, 2020
    Good idea, just looking at Murphy's law down the road sometime. I may look into the awning locks like mentioned above. Thanks again all.
    Curly
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 04, 2020
    Curly2001 wrote:
    I am thinking that the fabric is the only thing holding the arms up since it is attached to the top of the trailer. If the fabric rips what will keep the arms from falling if they are not attached to anything?
    Curly


    This is true. But, the likelyhood of the complete fabric ripping away from the rail on an Electric is almost impossible. If you look, you can sometimes insert a nylon wire ties behind the arm even tho it is mounted to the sidewall. AND, at the top you can sometimes run the Wire tie around the upper arm area and around the tube ends. Doug
  • Curly2001's avatar
    Curly2001
    Explorer II
    Jul 04, 2020
    I am thinking that the fabric is the only thing holding the arms up since it is attached to the top of the trailer. If the fabric rips what will keep the arms from falling if they are not attached to anything?
    Curly
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 03, 2020
    I have never seen a electric awning motor FAIL where it freewheeled. They always FAIL and lock up so the awning cannot unfurl or turn. Doug
  • RobWNY's avatar
    RobWNY
    Explorer
    Jul 03, 2020
    Electric awnings aren't going to open up if the fabric has ripped. The motors failing would be the only way the arms would open up or if somehow the button to open the awning was pressed while traveling down the road. That issue you describe would be unique to manual awnings.
  • Curly2001's avatar
    Curly2001
    Explorer II
    Jul 03, 2020
    Thanks very much. I had hoped there was something out there.
    Curly

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