which awning to get
Which awning to get, need a 16ft burgandy manual Sunwave? Dometic? ETC...?
Forum Discussion
My experience:
We have an electric awning. Used to have a manual on another TT. The electric ones don't slope downhill as much and don't give as much shade. Ours is waay above the ground and is next to useless for shade. Rain can be a problem if you forget to tip it down at one end. Wind is definitely an issue and gusts can come up out of nowhere while you are out sightseeing. Carefree has an optional wind sensor. Our electric awning is a real b*tch to clean due to height and low slope. Currently have a bunch of tree needles stuck to underside and topside that I've been avoiding cleaning. Pffft...
Tilting our electric awning down is a PITA. If you don't have entry stairs next to the vertical track, you may need a stool or stepladder. Fortunately we have a bedroom entry door also and can reach either track by standing on the entry stairs. Hanging decorative lights off the track is a challenge due to height off the ground.
I *think* some electric ones are better than others. Can't beat manual anything for reliability, esp. an awning. Not entirely sure which I'd get again tho. Electric is so convenient for folks in the older age category. At least they're easy to retract late at night or when it's cold and rainy.
Our Carefree of Colorado electric awning has made a really loud moaning/groaning sound when it's retracted or extended for 2 years from new. Three trips to the dealer could not fix it. Contacted Carefree and no help there either and were kinda like "we dunno why it would do that". One gas strut is defective internally and I just recently bought a used one off ebay as they are expensive new. Not impressed with Carefree's support or our dealer. Replacing the gas strut is not exactly an easy job...
We have an electric awning. Used to have a manual on another TT. The electric ones don't slope downhill as much and don't give as much shade. Ours is waay above the ground and is next to useless for shade. Rain can be a problem if you forget to tip it down at one end. Wind is definitely an issue and gusts can come up out of nowhere while you are out sightseeing. Carefree has an optional wind sensor. Our electric awning is a real b*tch to clean due to height and low slope. Currently have a bunch of tree needles stuck to underside and topside that I've been avoiding cleaning. Pffft...
Tilting our electric awning down is a PITA. If you don't have entry stairs next to the vertical track, you may need a stool or stepladder. Fortunately we have a bedroom entry door also and can reach either track by standing on the entry stairs. Hanging decorative lights off the track is a challenge due to height off the ground.
I *think* some electric ones are better than others. Can't beat manual anything for reliability, esp. an awning. Not entirely sure which I'd get again tho. Electric is so convenient for folks in the older age category. At least they're easy to retract late at night or when it's cold and rainy.
Our Carefree of Colorado electric awning has made a really loud moaning/groaning sound when it's retracted or extended for 2 years from new. Three trips to the dealer could not fix it. Contacted Carefree and no help there either and were kinda like "we dunno why it would do that". One gas strut is defective internally and I just recently bought a used one off ebay as they are expensive new. Not impressed with Carefree's support or our dealer. Replacing the gas strut is not exactly an easy job...
