I have a Dometic 17’ automatic awning on my TT, and it now extends and retracts very very slowly, and sometimes stops alltogether. My wife will have to hold the button down while I manually help it along. I am not sure if this might be an issue with the awning motor or not. I do know the battery is not very good and doesn’t hold a charge well...but I am plugged in most of the time, so I haven’t replaced it. Anyone know if a weak battery will affect the awning even if plugged into electric? Other suggestions?

Yes. My awning practically came to a standstill because my battery was dead. New battery and it worked just fine again.

If you're uncertain, hook up 12 volt power directly to the motor. From a known good battery.

Have you tried cleaning and lubricating the hinges and sliding parts?

Yes. I lubricants all of those twice each year. To listen to the motor, it just sounds like it is running out of gas. That was why I wondered about the battery.

Connect a voltmeter right at the motor terminals and watch the voltage during retraction. On mine the voltage was 9.1V during retraction with a fully charged battery due to inadequate wiring.My Carefree had terminals at the motor for emergency retraction.

Automatic awning issues | Good Sam Community

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jun 24, 2018
Yes. My awning practically came to a standstill because my battery was dead. New battery and it worked just fine again.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 24, 2018
If you're uncertain, hook up 12 volt power directly to the motor. From a known good battery.
wildtoad
Explorer II
Jun 25, 2018
Have you tried cleaning and lubricating the hinges and sliding parts?
Trumpeterb
Explorer
Jun 25, 2018
Yes. I lubricants all of those twice each year. To listen to the motor, it just sounds like it is running out of gas. That was why I wondered about the battery.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jun 25, 2018
Connect a voltmeter right at the motor terminals and watch the voltage during retraction. On mine the voltage was 9.1V during retraction with a fully charged battery due to inadequate wiring.

My Carefree had terminals at the motor for emergency retraction.
MFL
Nomad II
Jun 25, 2018
Sounds like battery issue, lack of voltage, rather than motor failure. Try using truck battery, with jumper cables, hooked direct from truck to RV battery.

Jerry
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jun 25, 2018
There are two or three suspects depending on how you count. actually one more but rare it is

1: Voltage.. 1A low battery or bad connetion (Are you plugged in when moving the awning this helps 1B bad connection (Circuit specific) on the Awning system

2: LUBRICATE, LUBRICATE Alas. I do not know the lube points on your awning but and they make it hard to find a few points that might need 'em (As in impossible) but Lubricate. where possible

3: Brake not fully releasing (rare)
ScottG
Nomad
Jun 25, 2018
Is there any chance someone has rolled it up backwards? They will readily do so if one goes past full extension and they operate more slowly afterwards.
IB853347201
Nomad
Jun 26, 2018
Definitely a low voltage problem caused by the condition of your battery. Your 12 volt converter's output alone is not enough to power the awning properly. In addition, the condition of your battery will result in your converter working overtime to keep it charged which will eventually lead to your converter failing. For the price of a new battery, I would replace it now.
Trumpeterb
Explorer
Jun 28, 2018
Ok, replaced the battery with a brand new one...fully charged. The awning will still not move. I hear a metallic “clanking” when I press the retract button, and the awning motor tries to do something, but nothing happens. Bad motor?

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