electric awning

Dennis Smith wrote:
Has anyone changed from a manual to an electric awning? I have had two RVs and nothing but problems trying to get the awning out or back in. So for Christmas we are going to buy an electric one. Push a button and it goes out and push a button and it comes back in. Where is the best place to get one and what prices have people paid to have this done? My present one is 16 feet wide. Thanks for any help or advice in advance.

When we were at the Good Sam Rally last year the TT parked behind us had his manual switched to electric. They used the same awning and swapped the arms out and added the electronics. I think he said it cost him $1000.00 to convert it.

Never would I go back to a manual I push the button and out it goes I push it again and in it comes. I usually have me trailer all set up in the time others spend just putting the awing out.

I view my power awning as a fair weather device. Anything more than a slight breeze and it needs to be rolled up. A manual awning can be used in most summer storms. What good is a device that cant be used to protect your outdoor accessories?

looks like its 50 50 on manual or electric. I hate my manual and like the idea of being able to extend it by my self and not needing any help. We use it for a sun shade and would keep it rolled up unless we are sitting under it.

If one uses awning support poles along with awning tie downs then an electric awning would be just as stable and robust as a manual awning, so that one would have the best of both worlds.

I would never have a manual awning.

Over Labor Day weekend, at the Indiana State Park we were at, a bad storm came through on Saturday evening. Wind gusts were 60+ MPH and were enough to shake our trailer. They were strong enough to rotate a popup in the campground and bend the stabilizer jacks it had. Strong enough to topple a tree onto a trailer's slide, completely crushing it.

Low and behold, there was a family across the road who had a manual awning out when the winds started kicking up. The wife and daughters were the only ones at the site at the time (the husband was gone) and did not know how to put it up. I ran over and helped them get it up before the wind tore everything to shreds. An electric awning could have been closed by the six-year-old. Yes, it would have been nice if the wife had known how to close it, but she didn't.

We can pitch our awning any way we need to so water can run off. If it gets bad, as it did Saturday, we can retract it in about five seconds.

Basically, anything that makes my camping life easier and my setup/tear down time shorter, I want. Give me power.

wmoses wrote:
If one uses awning support poles along with awning tie downs then an electric awning would be just as stable and robust as a manual awning, so that one would have the best of both worlds.

Since you install manual poles and manual tie downs, I guess that you have the worst of both worlds.

Lynnmor wrote:

wmoses wrote:
If one uses awning support poles along with awning tie downs then an electric awning would be just as stable and robust as a manual awning, so that one would have the best of both worlds.

Since you install manual poles and manual tie downs, I guess that you have the worst of both worlds.

Were you at Charlestown State Park by any chance??? We had a bad storm roll through there. I think I saw your rig (it was almost indentical to mine!!)

Anyway, I saw a couple awnings flipped back over rvs. Hadn't heard of it moving a popup though. We got some pretty good hail with that one.

Retired Alex wrote:
There are 2 types of electric awnings.

One type just extends and has an automatic dumping feature that allows one end of the awning to collapse when there is a rain water build up on the awning. The problem with this type is that you never know which end of the awning is going to drop and allow the water to run off. Many of my friends, with this type, have been soaked when the awning dumps. Also you cannot adjust the height of this awning to compensate for the sun's angle, it just extends straight out.

My preference is the Dometic 9100 electric awning. There are two adjustable arms on it that permit you to slope the awning so rain water drains off the end you choose. Also these arms allow you a 24 inch adjustment on the height of the awning so when the sun is low you can lower the awning to get more shade.
The Dometic is available from Camping World for $982.

Yes......get the adjustable pitch awning if your gonna go to electric.

Lynnmor wrote:

wmoses wrote:
If one uses awning support poles along with awning tie downs then an electric awning would be just as stable and robust as a manual awning, so that one would have the best of both worlds.

Since you install manual poles and manual tie downs, I guess that you have the worst of both worlds.

And in a word I guess you would be wrong. ;)

With the poles / tiedowns you have the option of putting them up and resting easy, OR you have the option of not putting them up and standing with your finger on the button wondering when to push.

If you know that you are in calm / gentle breeze conditions you can opt to not put them up at all.

Either way you have more options and more time to get on with camping. You might want to do a search on the subject (hint - look in the FR forums) and maybe you will have a different opinion.