replacing electric awning - Dutchmen Owners
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Dutchmen Owners > Dutchmen Brand RVs > Travel Trailer
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-13-2016, 06:11 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Albany
Posts: 11
New York
replacing electric awning

I am looking to see if anyone has ever converted a electric awning to a manual awning. the place we camp at is very windy & I'm afraid that the electric awning is going to bend, at least with the manual awning I can tie it down.
Thanks for any input.
__________________

copper5839 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 07:17 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
hddecker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: kamloops
Posts: 2,152
British Columbia
Quote:
Originally Posted by copper5839 View Post
I am looking to see if anyone has ever converted a electric awning to a manual awning. the place we camp at is very windy & I'm afraid that the electric awning is going to bend, at least with the manual awning I can tie it down.
Thanks for any input.
It certainly can be done, you'll most likely have some screw holes to repair and the wire to insulate.

As a manual awning user both at home and the camper. If it's windy enough that you can't deploy the electric awning, the manual awning isn't going fair a whole lot better. Even when tethered there is still alot of pressure put on to the awning structure and mounting rail on the roof.

It's like a sail everything pulling up. Somewhere, sometime that pressure will have caused enough damage that it will let go.
__________________

__________________
Jim

When I was a kid I was going nowhere fast, now I'm an old man I'm going everywhere slow.
hddecker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 07:36 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Minden
Posts: 707
Nevada
On real Windy days, I use one of those 10X10 Instant Canopy, I picked one up from Big 5, they cost around $70 dollars, you can tie it down to your RV and the ground, They cost a lot less then replacing your awning
Rich
__________________
Rich and Angela, Lab Dogs, Ruben, Ace
2015 Voltage V3895
2006 Lance Truck Camper 1181
2019 GMC 3500HD 4X4 CC DRW LB Bags Husky 26K Hitch Can Am Commander 1000 ATV
RVNevada is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 07:40 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Posts: 1,761
California
Quote:
Originally Posted by copper5839 View Post
I am looking to see if anyone has ever converted a electric awning to a manual awning. the place we camp at is very windy & I'm afraid that the electric awning is going to bend, at least with the manual awning I can tie it down.
Thanks for any input.
All the new electric awnings have shocks in them that allow them to flex in the wind. I will take a electric awning over a manual any day. Once the wind starts blowing hard it's way easier to put a electric awning in then a manual one.
__________________
Mike
2002 42' Monaco Signature Triple Crown tow 2014 F-150
2014 Voltage V3605 Sold 5/3/17
2012 F-350 6.7l CC 4X4, Sold 10/10/17
DesertRat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 10:07 PM   #5
Site Team
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Sprung Leak
Posts: 3,157
North Carolina
My current awning is a Dometic 9100 power awning. Prior to this one I have always had some form of manual awning. If the wind is gusty, sustained under 20mph I will anchor the awning using the straps and springs. Over that it gets put away. I don't see any problem with converting from power awning to manual, however you will end up replacing most of the awning, the only common part may be the roller and fabric. The only one that I am aware of that uses most of the same hardware is the ZipDee and they are expensive, even the manual ones. But they are a solid product and the company stands behind them. I have been able to source parts for a 30 year old Zip Dee.

Aaron
__________________
There is madness to my methods
2015 Coleman CM16FBS(traded) 2016 Concord 300DS
2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid following along
wahoonc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 12:46 AM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Albany
Posts: 11
New York
Thank you everyone for the reply's may rethink this one. LOL
copper5839 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 02:34 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
nineoaks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Graceville, FL
Posts: 148
Florida
Many of the newer electric awnings close automatically when the wind gusts up...
__________________
Roy & Mary Fralick and our 5 camping Chihuahuas, Gypsy, Sammy, Delilah, Pebbles and Mitzi
nineoaks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 09:09 AM   #8
Site Team
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Sprung Leak
Posts: 3,157
North Carolina
Quote:
Originally Posted by nineoaks View Post
Many of the newer electric awnings close automatically when the wind gusts up...
That is only on a very few as an option. It can also be turned off it you want to stake the awning. The Carefree Latitude has it for sure. The Latitude is supposed to be the latest and greatest thing in awnings, it goes out flat and doesn't have support arms that hang down. There have been some reported issues with it.

Aaron
__________________
There is madness to my methods
2015 Coleman CM16FBS(traded) 2016 Concord 300DS
2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid following along
wahoonc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 10:18 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Roselle
Posts: 1,292
Illinois
I use the "Aaron" method. Worked all winter in Florida. Discovered it after I lost an arm on the large awning in the middle of the night.
Rusty
__________________
2015 Black F-350 Platinum Diesel Dually Crew Cab
2019 Riverstone Legacy 38MB (Full Paint/All Options)
2015 Voltage 3990 (Full Paint, All Options) Sold 6/18
2005 Harley Ultra Classic w/too many miles
lcv800 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:14 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Posts: 1,761
California
Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
That is only on a very few as an option. It can also be turned off it you want to stake the awning. The Carefree Latitude has it for sure. The Latitude is supposed to be the latest and greatest thing in awnings, it goes out flat and doesn't have support arms that hang down. There have been some reported issues with it.
Aaron
Interesting how they saw it is a NEW design. MY 2003 Teton has one that is similar. Goes up automatically when the wind blows too hard. Has a metal casing over it. So after 13 year still looks like new.
__________________
Mike
2002 42' Monaco Signature Triple Crown tow 2014 F-150
2014 Voltage V3605 Sold 5/3/17
2012 F-350 6.7l CC 4X4, Sold 10/10/17
DesertRat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 04:09 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
hddecker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: kamloops
Posts: 2,152
British Columbia
Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertRat View Post
Interesting how they saw it is a NEW design. MY 2003 Teton has one that is similar. Goes up automatically when the wind blows too hard. Has a metal casing over it. So after 13 year still looks like new.
Mike,

How long is that awning? Does the metal cover stop the roller from sagging. I've been thinking about upgrading my awning, but I don't want to replace a sagging 21' awning with another one that's going to do the same thing.
__________________
Jim

When I was a kid I was going nowhere fast, now I'm an old man I'm going everywhere slow.
hddecker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 05:46 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Posts: 1,761
California
Jim
Here is a picture of my Teton. As you can see all the awnings have metal covers, even the ones over the windows. My guess is its about 16' long. The metal cover slides into the rail so no there is no sag to it.
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMAG0278.jpg
Views:	344
Size:	53.2 KB
ID:	3140
__________________
Mike
2002 42' Monaco Signature Triple Crown tow 2014 F-150
2014 Voltage V3605 Sold 5/3/17
2012 F-350 6.7l CC 4X4, Sold 10/10/17
DesertRat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 08:10 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
hddecker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: kamloops
Posts: 2,152
British Columbia
Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertRat View Post
Jim
Here is a picture of my Teton. As you can see all the awnings have metal covers, even the ones over the windows. My guess is its about 16' long. The metal cover slides into the rail so no there is no sag to it.
Attachment 3140
Thank you, Mike.

I'll have to start shopping.
__________________
Jim

When I was a kid I was going nowhere fast, now I'm an old man I'm going everywhere slow.
hddecker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 10:32 PM   #14
Site Team
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Sprung Leak
Posts: 3,157
North Carolina
Quote:
Originally Posted by hddecker View Post
Mike,

How long is that awning? Does the metal cover stop the roller from sagging. I've been thinking about upgrading my awning, but I don't want to replace a sagging 21' awning with another one that's going to do the same thing.
To the best of my knowlege all of them over about 16'-18' are going to sag in the middle. What I find interesting is that the ZipDee and the Faulkner (out of business) awning that were on my Airstreams both had a center rafter that you put in and tightened up. I think I have seen them on a Carefree on an Airstream too. But you don't see them today.

Aaron
__________________
There is madness to my methods
2015 Coleman CM16FBS(traded) 2016 Concord 300DS
2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid following along
wahoonc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2016, 05:01 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Meridian
Posts: 54
Idaho
Auto Retract

I've read on this and seems to be a good option. Some reviews says it's not real simple to install, but might be a good solution for you. ATCguy put a link to this in another thread.
Amazon.com: Carefree (SR0093) 12V Direct Response Upgrade Kit: Automotive
__________________

RickNTee is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dutchmen RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT. The time now is 07:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2020 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.
×