Awnings pooling on SlideOuts

[ocbms]

I have searched for this but found my answer. I have 2 of 3 CareFree awning that pool water. The 7 foot awning is OK but the 13 & 15 feet length both collect water even on light rains.
What is my options to eliminate this problem . Is there a replacement.

My dealer says the same as the Service Manual says:

Pooling
When water collects on the top of the fabric, this is known as pooling". This can occur during inclement weather or if a running air conditioner discharges over the awning. The water is dumped when the awning is retracted. It is recommended that if water accumulates on the top; retract the room in steps (8"-12") to dump the water. This will help prevent the fabric from stretching or distorting.
IMPORTANT
NOTE: If the room must be closed during wet weather (rain), close the room in increments (approximately 6-8"). This is to allow water to run off while the room is closing and prevent sudden pooling.

I removed my signature as I replaced the Montana with a Mobile Suits

[ocbms]

I finished writing the post above and within a hour most of the moisture unloaded over the side one one slide. I betting some of the moisture evaporates and the rewind tension takes some slack and watch-out as somethings getting wet. Monday morning was the last rain and lots of sunshine since.

[ocbms]

wilber1 wrote:
We just let them pool and they dump when the slide is retracted. Just make sure you aren't standing beside the slide when it is being retracted.

That is my plan but I did have the pool unload after a week a week of sunshine with no wind or any other unusual activity. It spilled over the the side, where I have set in the prior week, then came off the end on to the steps. I have done some measurements and with my interpretation,the installation is correct.
Moving the slide in 11 inches does not start any drainage and I'm not re-positioning the couch every time I have a pooling. Playing withthe leveler is a better solution at some locations
Clay

[Rollnhome]

gdweb wrote:
beachball at the door end to keep it from dumping on me. barely inflated, just enough to hold the awning up so water goes the other direction.

I have seen some use a plastic gallon milk jug.

[gdweb]

beachball at the door end to keep it from dumping on me. barely inflated, just enough to hold the awning up so water goes the other direction.

[fj12ryder]

wilber1 wrote:
We just let them pool and they dump when the slide is retracted. Just make sure you aren't standing beside the slide when it is being retracted.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Been working for us for about 10 years. No muss, okay a little muss, no fuss. 🙂

[wilber1]

We just let them pool and they dump when the slide is retracted. Just make sure you aren't standing beside the slide when it is being retracted.

[Allworth]

In and back out.

No reason for anything like 6" at a time.

Just run them in (and they don't have to come all the way in) and back out.

We have had toppers on all three of our trailers over the last 12 years and have never done anything else.

[Rollnhome]

fj12ryder wrote:

Rollnhome wrote:
Shove a beach ball under it to "tent" the water off.

I can see this could cause the same problem with the topper fabric stretching as allowing the water to pool.

If it sounds like a bad idea don't do it

[Dick_B]

Search for `awning' then search the results for `pooling' for a few posts.

[GaryWT]

I do not have toppers but as soon as I started reading I thought, just close them and open them, takes about 30 seconds of pusging a button. Seems pretty simple to me.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

The topper for my 42 inch deep 12 ft long slide collects water (6,048 sq in). The other two do not collect water, one is 33 inches deep 14 feet long (5,544 sq in), the other is 42 inches deep, but only 5 ft 5 inches long (2,730 sq in). My guess is the combination of depth and length is why the one collects water.

The mounting side on the trailer is about four inches higher on each slide topper. There appears to be equal tension on all three factory installed toppers. There is almost no flapping noise in strong gusty winds.

I took a little 3/4 inch PVC and made a 12 foot long 'ridge' that I insert between the top of the slide and the topper. Since I have a bumper pull TT, I can easily reach the top of that slide from the trailer door and the rear ladder to insert the ridge assembly (yes it's is in three pieces so it is easy to store). It would be an unacceptable pain to do that if I have a 5er or motorhome that was higher above the ground.

I don't put it out all the time, only on long stays, or if heavy rain is forecast.

[bighatnohorse]

Having installed a slide topper awning from scratch, I can tell you that the camper mounted edge of the fabric is supposed to be higher than the roller. Higher by as much as three inches if I recall correctly.
And the roller should be snug so that there is tension on the awning. A properly installed and properly operating slide topper should shed water.
Not all manufacturers make proper room to allow a topper to be properly mounted!
And not all dealers install them correctly.
Tensioning the topper will probably require removing the awning to start with. . .it will be a two person job.

[fj12ryder]

Rollnhome wrote:
Shove a beach ball under it to "tent" the water off.

I can see this could cause the same problem with the topper fabric stretching as allowing the water to pool.

[ocbms]

fj12ryder wrote:
I just let them pool. I bought the slide toppers to lessen my work load, not add to it.

Precisely. I Had a Shoulder Rotator Cuff operation and couldn't sweep off the top plus I'm getting older, thus the solution was slide awning.

Stuffing something under the slide is out of the question as it is 11 feet to top of the slide.

With hydraulic levelers the dropping either end does help as is definitely better than moving Furniture to close the slides.
The 303 product sounds like a possible solution (maybe with snow & ice) but these slides were installed about Dec 1 and through difference rains and after the fifth, I knew I had pooling. I now know that I have pooling when I see the takeup reel bowed in.

The bad thing with letting the pool stay is, we had the door side slide unload while was quite. That was no wind, only two people setting inside the RV. Down came several gallons of water over the side were I often Grill and often may set. My wife heard it and looked out to see the water then come off the end landing on the steps. Thank God no one was at the door to blame the act of unloading. This happened about a week after the last rain.

If I can't find a solution the awning will have to go as I doubt the pooling water would wash the leaves, twigs, nuts and other trash away and I don't that to be a 20 pound piece of ice plus I don't have the surprise unloading.