Power Awning

[SuGar_Shack]

We have had several different kinds of awnings on various motorhomes including Girard which we liked. We now have manual and are going to replace it with electric. I saw the 9100 listed (A&E, Dometic) and also Carefree, which in reality nothing is. What kind of awning would you recommend if price was not an obstacle and why? Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[DSDP_Don]

My first coach came with the Carefree awning and worked well for 10 years. It had 5 holes for angle adjustment. I now have a Dometic on my new coach and it's not adjustable.

Here's something I think is important and might have to do with model levels. When I had my Carefree awning, it had the metal cover that consisted of about five aluminum panels (slats) that when the awning was closed, the slats rolled up to cover the awning. The end slat attached to the roof, so no material was exposed when the awning was closed.

On my Dometic, it has the metal cover, but it's a sold tube that the awning rolls up into. The problem is that there is about 4" of exposed awning material, where it attaches to the roof, that could be problematic.

[MrWizard]

All of mine have been manual
IMO. They are stronger aka sturdier and less problematic
If your RV is so tall that manual is a problem to use
Or
There are health reasons to use the electric
Then that is a choice

I have never had electric, I can't say which one is best

I think it is the proliferation of slideouts , that have made electric so popular, and in some cases the only real user option

A manual awning would need to be extended and raised for clearance before putting out the slides, unless it was attached to the slide instead of the RV roof line

[Stefonius]

After losing a manual awning to a sudden freak storm, I'll never go back to manual. By the time I unstaked the poles, unlocked the adjusters and side poles, put the feet into the stirrups on the side of the coach, found the Stick of Turning and cranked it shut, the wind had caused enough damage to necessitate replacement.

My power awning is closed in less than 10 seconds in the event of a sudden storm.

[Retired_JSO]

Never another electric awning. I went through 2 power awnings in 3 years. The first a Carefree, the second a Dometic. I replaced it the last time with a manual dometic and have been worry free.

[Hokiehall]

After having to manually close my electric awning today because it all of a sudden decided not to roll back in, I am going to look into replacing it with a manual one. Every trailer I had before this one had the manual one and they always rolled out and rolled back in. When we bought the current trailer I was not crazy about the electric awning, and now I know why.

Stick to manual. They always work.

[bid_time]

SoundGuy wrote:

Fast forward to when we bought our current Coachmen, also a brand new dealer lot model with a Dometic 9100 power awning, except this one does tilt significantly so we thought we'd go ahead and chance it. Three years later now and we have no complaints at all about our Dometic 9100 - even pouring rain just rolls off so it never accumulates, angle is fine for protection from the sun, I can even pull it lower to attach awning lights if I wish, but it's so easy to retract if the wind really begins to blow, otherwise we just leave it deployed, no issues at all. :B

Same with me, my power awning tilts nicely (I don't know what brand it is) but I love it. Used to be when it started to storm in the middle of the night I would have to get dressed, get my shoes on, and go outside to put the awning in. Now I hop out of bed, push a button, and done.

[SoundGuy]

Stefonius wrote:
I have had both manual and electric and I will NEVER go back to a manual. Mine is a Dometic electric, and like others have said, I use it far more often than I ever used the manual awnings on prior coaches. It's just so much more convenient to deploy and retract.

Same here. Our previous KZ Spree was a brand new dealer lot model that was already equipped with a Carefree of Colorado power awning. Having owned a Dometic A&E 8500 manual awning and knowing what a great awning it is I asked my dealer to swap out the Carefree for a new Dometic ... he agreed, only asking me to wait until the fall when he wasn't quite so busy, probably hoping we'd also change our minds by then. We didn't, if anything I couldn't wait to get rid of that Carefree power awning that had no tilt but did have an automatic dump when enough water had accumulated on the awning - but you had better not be standing anywhere near it when it did dump! :M He did swap out that awning and we had no regrets.

Fast forward to when we bought our current Coachmen, also a brand new dealer lot model with a Dometic 9100 power awning, except this one does tilt significantly so we thought we'd go ahead and chance it. Three years later now and we have no complaints at all about our Dometic 9100 - even pouring rain just rolls off so it never accumulates, angle is fine for protection from the sun, I can even pull it lower to attach awning lights if I wish, but it's so easy to retract if the wind really begins to blow, otherwise we just leave it deployed, no issues at all. :B

[ependydad]

fj12ryder wrote:
OTOH what you go through to set up is not much different than having a manual awning, by the time you're finished with supports and tie-downs.

Yep. But my poles are optional and I still get the magic button to extend/retract the awning. Heck, if I want to get nutty- it's only a very few dollars, a little time, and I can make it remote controlled! 😄

The support pole concept definitely goes back to manual awnings. This achieves the same strength as they had, but with the convenience of electric.

[fj12ryder]

ependydad wrote:
Electric WITH support poles and quality tie downs. I generally deploy my awning when I arrive somewhere and setup the poles + tie downs and then don't close my awning until I leave (1-3 weeks later typically).

I can count on one hand the number of times that I had to close it due to inclement weather in 400-some nights since having the support poles.

OTOH what you go through to set up is not much different than having a manual awning, by the time you're finished with supports and tie-downs.

[ependydad]

chiefward wrote:
ependydad. 'Electric WITH support poles and quality tie downs.'
Did you buy or make your support poles? Does the side edges do much flapping in the wind without deflappers?

I bought them. There is a small fab shop (read: 1 man and his dog) that makes and ships them. If you're on Facebook, here is his page (it's not me- I don't get anything from sharing this!):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1241046255925079/

It doesn't flap much, but it can happen. I know a few people who have taken manual awning deflappers and modified it for use with a power awning. I haven't felt the need and have had my awning out in up to 30-35 mph winds (though, truthfully- once it hits 25mph, I'm looking for a lull to bring it in).

They're a game changer with using my awning. As I said, a majority of the time- I setup my awning when we arrive and leave it deployed until we depart.

[Stefonius]

I have had both manual and electric and I will NEVER go back to a manual. Mine is a Dometic electric, and like others have said, I use it far more often than I ever used the manual awnings on prior coaches. It's just so much more convenient to deploy and retract.

[Chris_Bryant]

I would love to see if anyone has used the Zip Dee electric- unlike any of the others, in that the arms are adjustable.
http://awningsbyzipdee.com/2773/115112.html
While it is shown on an Airstream, straight arms are available.

[chiefward]

ependydad. 'Electric WITH support poles and quality tie downs.'
Did you buy or make your support poles? Does the side edges do much flapping in the wind without deflappers?

[ependydad]

Electric WITH support poles and quality tie downs. I generally deploy my awning when I arrive somewhere and setup the poles + tie downs and then don't close my awning until I leave (1-3 weeks later typically).

I can count on one hand the number of times that I had to close it due to inclement weather in 400-some nights since having the support poles.