Used it a couple times and very quickly realized what a total pain in the backside it is.
It has 2 positions - in, or out. Period.
There is no tilt, no sloping it, no adjustment whatsoever,
Was out Memorial Day weekend camping in BC's Okanogan Valley and wasn't paying attention in the rain.
Awning filled up with rain, I get out a broom and stand in the doorway trying to push it up to ditch the water, suddenly the cylinder collapses and down comes one end. All the water comes right in the door, floods the TT, half an inch of water on the floor. What a mess.
Get it all mopped up and I'm cussing this piece of brown stuff awning. I hate it!
Time to rip it off and put the good old full manual awning on so I can tip one side and let the water drain.
Now every time it rains I have to pull the awning in so it doesn't fill up with water. Every night I have to put everything away so it doesn't get wet in the rain.
This really defeats the purpose of having an awning...... Grumble grumble..... Can't leave my nice zero gravity chairs out, table or anything.
Piece of junk. Who designed these non adjustable pieces of junk anyways?........
Grrrrrrr.
Rant over.
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What awning do you have....brand/model?
Thought that the electric had a dump/pitch feature OR at least a manual pitch
Is it time for your medication or mine?
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Had to read your post aloud to my Significant Other. So funny!
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BobsYourUncle wrote:
Piece of junk. Who designed these non adjustable pieces of junk anyways?........
Piece of junk. Who designed these non adjustable pieces of junk anyways?........
Interesting rant but pointless when you don't tell us the make / model of awning you have.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/rolleyes.gif "rolleyes")
I too had a non-adjustable, zero tilt Carefree of Colorado power awning with dump "feature" ... swapped it out with a good ol' Dometic 8500 manual awning with full tilt BUT it did require filling in the mounting holes for the original awning as the manual awning mounted entirely differently. Our current Coachmen has Dometic 9100 power awning that tilts nicely and I have no complaints at all, works just fine even in pouring rainstorms so I now wouldn't want to go back to a manual. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
Would help if the OP could post a picture of the awning. Baffled as to how water coming off the end of an awning went in the door.
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belairbrian wrote:
The picture in the OPs signature shows a manual awning so not sure what awning he is talking about. My electric has both the dump feature and the manual tilt. i just tilt it as I think the water accumulates too much befor dumping.
Would help if the OP could post a picture of the awning. Baffled as to how water coming off the end of an awning went in the door.
The picture in the OPs signature shows a manual awning so not sure what awning he is talking about. My electric has both the dump feature and the manual tilt. i just tilt it as I think the water accumulates too much befor dumping.
Would help if the OP could post a picture of the awning. Baffled as to how water coming off the end of an awning went in the door.
Likewise on ours. and the dump feature is just that, I tested that once. It's like Niagra falls when it dumps!!! not something you want to be under or near!
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It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
Instead of a manual awning, maybe the OP needs an upgrade?
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JoeTampa wrote:
My awning is a Dometic 9100 - came with my TT.
It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
Instead of a manual awning, maybe the OP needs an upgrade?
My awning is a Dometic 9100 - came with my TT.
It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
Instead of a manual awning, maybe the OP needs an upgrade?
Funny - good one.
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This recall had to do with the motor improperly installed on a specific number Dometic 9100 power awnings and has nothing to do with this discussion.
TakingThe5th wrote:
What I hate is that I no longer have that awning rod that was so handy for all sorts of things. I seldom needed a ladder when I had that rod :-)
What I hate is that I no longer have that awning rod that was so handy for all sorts of things. I seldom needed a ladder when I had that rod :-)
So buy another.
SoundGuy wrote:
So buy another.
TakingThe5th wrote:
What I hate is that I no longer have that awning rod that was so handy for all sorts of things. I seldom needed a ladder when I had that rod :-)
What I hate is that I no longer have that awning rod that was so handy for all sorts of things. I seldom needed a ladder when I had that rod :-)
So buy another.
Then I wouldn't have a rant!
JoeTampa wrote:
My awning is a Dometic 9100 - came with my TT.
It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
My awning is a Dometic 9100 - came with my TT.
It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
Or both sides ... just make sure the entry door doesn't push too with too much force against the awning fabric. I set my own Dometic 9100 like this when it's raining heavily so we can still use the under awning area.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/grin.gif "grin")
Don't ask how I know about this scenario.
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Quote:
Well, the manual awnings are nice because you can adjust them, but only if you know they need adjusting. For example, what if you are from Southern Calif where it never rains, and you go to the Northwest, and you don't tilt your awning because you don't know you need to and it rains and the awning fills up and you try to re-tilt it and it dumps water all over you?
Don't ask how I know about this scenario.
Well, the manual awnings are nice because you can adjust them, but only if you know they need adjusting. For example, what if you are from Southern Calif where it never rains, and you go to the Northwest, and you don't tilt your awning because you don't know you need to and it rains and the awning fills up and you try to re-tilt it and it dumps water all over you?
Don't ask how I know about this scenario.
I once witnessed such an event, in a Michigan state park. The victim was a newbie on the site next door, who had already has a couple of other minor misadventures stemming from his lack of experience. He stood next to--rather than under--the awning, and when the arm released he almost drowned.
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In fact I went and bought one just to have.
It's about $7.00. Well worth it.
TakingThe5th wrote:
What I hate is that I no longer have that awning rod that was so handy for all sorts of things. I seldom needed a ladder when I had that rod :-)
What I hate is that I no longer have that awning rod that was so handy for all sorts of things. I seldom needed a ladder when I had that rod :-)
Huntindog
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First, awnings are designed for shade, not rain, although they do shed water. Remember that and you'll never have problems with an awning.
Second, when you took delivery of your camper, didn't you get a full explanation of how the awning works? When taking delivery, the dealership should have explained in detail how the awning works.
Third, even after you took delivery, didn't you try the awning sometime before it rained, to understand it's limitations, or its abilities, or lack of ability? Pull, tug, shake, extend, retract, inspect it for knobs, set screws, anything that might enable a way to tilt it or lower it? If you did and nothing truly does exist to tilt or lower, then you should have retracted the awning when it rained. Having had previous campers and using previous awnings, you were aware of the potential for the awning to "pool" with water, and stretch the awning material out of shape (which happened with one of my previous trailers and it was a manual awning, but I wasn't thinking. When I went to dump the thing, the arm collapsed, breaking it, and I got a thousand pound bucket of water right on my head. Luckly, the arm that collapsed missed me.) I can't blame anyone but myself for that miss fortune. It wasn't bad design, it was user error.
As far as 'tipping' an awning thinking it won't break when it rains? I've personally seen 4 so far where people left their awning tipped on one side left and come back to a destroyed awning. Tipping it doesn't guarantee squat.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/awink.gif "awink")
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
If the weather is extremely good, put out the electric awnings.
If the weather is extremely bad, bring in the manual awnings.
rockhillmanor wrote:
As far as 'tipping' an awning thinking it won't break when it rains? I've personally seen 4 so far where people left their awning tipped on one side left and come back to a destroyed awning. Tipping it doesn't guarantee squat.
As far as 'tipping' an awning thinking it won't break when it rains? I've personally seen 4 so far where people left their awning tipped on one side left and come back to a destroyed awning. Tipping it doesn't guarantee squat.
Tipping just one side of our Dometic 9100 power awning does shed rain pretty well but lowering both sides is even better so no matter how hard it rains I've never had an issue with water pooling on it as that's what I normally do if rain is imminent. No question, this Dometic 9100 power awning doesn't tilt down as much as the Dometic 8500 I installed on our previous KZ Spree in place of the awful zero tilt Carefree of Colorado power awning that came with the trailer but tilting both sides of the 9100 is certainly steep enough for it to shed water efficiently.
SoundGuy wrote:
Or both sides ... just make sure the entry door doesn't push too with too much force against the awning fabric. I set my own Dometic 9100 like this when it's raining heavily so we can still use the under awning area.
JoeTampa wrote:
My awning is a Dometic 9100 - came with my TT.
It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
My awning is a Dometic 9100 - came with my TT.
It extends/retracts to any degree required, and has the "auto-dump" crylinder that lowers the awning towards the front of the trailer and dumps. It also has locking nuts to keep either side lowered.
Or both sides ... just make sure the entry door doesn't push too with too much force against the awning fabric. I set my own Dometic 9100 like this when it's raining heavily so we can still use the under awning area.
I can't really because I have a slide under it. I extend mine about 4/5ths of the way and just let it dump as it sees fit. One nice thing - as mentioned - is that if we get a thunderstorm with decent winds, it's simple to retract from inside the dry TT.
I looked around and found a sticker with the part number and serial number but couldn't see the model.
And it isn't on the TT in my sig. Old pucture, should update one day
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DutchmenSport wrote:
First, awnings are designed for shade, not rain, although they do shed water. Remember that and you'll never have problems with an awning.
Being from a not so dry climate I use the awning a lot to shed water and so I can leave chairs and such out without them getting soaked.
Of course, when it gets really bad and wind blows, everything gets put away and the awning comes in
Second, when you took delivery of your camper, didn't you get a full explanation of how the awning works? When taking delivery, the dealership should have explained in detail how the awning works.
I've never been able to buy new off a dealers lot. I wasn't smart enough to secure my financial future when I was younger.
Every RV I have ever bought has been used, some of them very well used!
Third, even after you took delivery, didn't you try the awning sometime before it rained, to understand it's limitations, or its abilities, or lack of ability? Pull, tug, shake, extend, retract, inspect it for knobs, set screws, anything that might enable a way to tilt it or lower it? If you did and nothing truly does exist to tilt or lower, then you should have retracted the awning when it rained. Having had previous campers and using previous awnings, you were aware of the potential for the awning to "pool" with water, and stretch the awning material out of shape (which happened with one of my previous trailers and it was a manual awning, but I wasn't thinking. When I went to dump the thing, the arm collapsed, breaking it, and I got a thousand pound bucket of water right on my head. Luckly, the arm that collapsed missed me.) I can't blame anyone but myself for that miss fortune. It wasn't bad design, it was user error.
The awning was attached to the rig and was not even close to a primary consideration for getting it. Awnings can be replaced as in the one in the pic in my sig. Floor plan, age, overall condition etc are more important to me than the awning.
I did run the thing out and in and didn't like it then either.
But that's ok, it does work and it does cover things.
First, awnings are designed for shade, not rain, although they do shed water. Remember that and you'll never have problems with an awning.
Being from a not so dry climate I use the awning a lot to shed water and so I can leave chairs and such out without them getting soaked.
Of course, when it gets really bad and wind blows, everything gets put away and the awning comes in
Second, when you took delivery of your camper, didn't you get a full explanation of how the awning works? When taking delivery, the dealership should have explained in detail how the awning works.
I've never been able to buy new off a dealers lot. I wasn't smart enough to secure my financial future when I was younger.
Every RV I have ever bought has been used, some of them very well used!
Third, even after you took delivery, didn't you try the awning sometime before it rained, to understand it's limitations, or its abilities, or lack of ability? Pull, tug, shake, extend, retract, inspect it for knobs, set screws, anything that might enable a way to tilt it or lower it? If you did and nothing truly does exist to tilt or lower, then you should have retracted the awning when it rained. Having had previous campers and using previous awnings, you were aware of the potential for the awning to "pool" with water, and stretch the awning material out of shape (which happened with one of my previous trailers and it was a manual awning, but I wasn't thinking. When I went to dump the thing, the arm collapsed, breaking it, and I got a thousand pound bucket of water right on my head. Luckly, the arm that collapsed missed me.) I can't blame anyone but myself for that miss fortune. It wasn't bad design, it was user error.
The awning was attached to the rig and was not even close to a primary consideration for getting it. Awnings can be replaced as in the one in the pic in my sig. Floor plan, age, overall condition etc are more important to me than the awning.
I did run the thing out and in and didn't like it then either.
But that's ok, it does work and it does cover things.
The 1/4 wrap left will make a flat surface for the water to drain off, instead of the ridge you get if you go all the way out. Having the flat surface makes the water run off instead of pooling.
Love my electric awning and the TIP works...saw it on a SABRE service bulletin.
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I cannot see any means to adjust it in any was.
I now understand the built in safety feature of suddenly collapsing of one side to shed water.
Past couple days it rained a lot where I was. I grabbed the arm and pulled it down regularly to dump the water.
Just wish it had a tip and tilt built in to the design. I haven't got a ladder out to look close but I see no adjustment of any kind on it.
Learjet wrote:
TIP...leave the awning with about a 1/4 wrap, don't go all the way out.
The 1/4 wrap left will make a flat surface for the water to drain off, instead of the ridge you get if you go all the way out. Having the flat surface makes the water run off instead of pooling.
Love my electric awning and the TIP works...saw it on a SABRE service bulletin.
TIP...leave the awning with about a 1/4 wrap, don't go all the way out.
The 1/4 wrap left will make a flat surface for the water to drain off, instead of the ridge you get if you go all the way out. Having the flat surface makes the water run off instead of pooling.
Love my electric awning and the TIP works...saw it on a SABRE service bulletin.
I actually figured that one out, I crank it in a bit to have a flatter surface. But it will still gather water if I don't pay attention.
We generally leave our's on the 3rd setting down. It's probably at about a 10 degree pitch. With the awning at the lowest setting, it is pitched at about 20 degrees, but then it blocks a good part of the view out the main window and the top of the door rubs against it.
To adjust our Carefree, there are 6 holes on the arm on each side of the awning. We have to push the button in and push or pull the awning arm down to move the button to the next hole. I have found that if both arms are in different spots, the awning is really, really slow to come in. It goes out fine, but is slow coming in. I have seen others (don't know the brand) where the arms don't have to be level to come in at normal speed. We always keep ours in the same spot.
The instructions that came with our awning were pretty vague about how to adjust it. It just showed a picture of the holes in the arms and said select the desired location. The first couple tries, the button was really hard to press, but after a few attempts it moved and now moves easily enough.
-Michael
Michael Girardo
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BobsYourUncle wrote:
Not sure where they hide the model number on it.....
I cannot see any means to adjust it in any was.
Not sure where they hide the model number on it.....
I cannot see any means to adjust it in any was.
Awnings will often have a label on the roller tube, fabric, and hardware ... for those that are supplied new with the trailer documentation provided to the owner should also contain that information. Personally, whenever I buy a trailer I always take pics of any make / model / serial # / product # for the awning, fridge, furnace, water heater, etc, etc ... makes it a lot easier for future reference.
As for adjusting, earliest versions of the Carefree of Colorado power awning weren't adjustable for pitch, as was the case with the one installed on my 2008 KZ Spree. Carefree later offered a kit that could be retrofitted to this awning that would allow it to tilt ... my guess is you may have one of these early version awnings. Unfortunately Carefree doesn't have it's own Canadian distributorship as does Dometic so I'd suggest that once you identify the model & product number for your particular awning that you contact Carefree in the US directly and ask about the retofit kit.
Must be an early model as everything is permanently riveted together. I do wish I could drop it a bit. It sits at about ten degrees, lower would be nice.
If there is a retrofit or newer model, I may just change it out.
Fabric was really grungy and I tried cleaning it but still looks ugly. Don't like that, I like spotless clean everything!
SoundGuy wrote:
This recall had to do with the motor improperly installed on a specific number Dometic 9100 power awnings and has nothing to do with this discussion.
This recall had to do with the motor improperly installed on a specific number Dometic 9100 power awnings and has nothing to do with this discussion.
It could help some owners with the 9100 power awning made during that period and they didn't know about it. And after all this discussion is about power awnings.
And what did your post of a being a non moderator have to do with this discussion on power awnings or contribute to it?
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/doh.gif "doh")
Have a Good Day
SoundGuy wrote:
This recall had to do with the motor improperly installed on a specific number Dometic 9100 power awnings and has nothing to do with this discussion.
This recall had to do with the motor improperly installed on a specific number Dometic 9100 power awnings and has nothing to do with this discussion.
Triker33 wrote:
And after all this discussion is about power awnings.
And after all this discussion is about power awnings.
This discussion is about power awning tilt, not about an inoperable awing.
We have one of the early models that is not adjustable. After much research and measuring several adjustable models I settled on 24" between the lower rivets. you have to drill out the bottom rivets and replace with 1/4 20 bolts.
see here https://picasaweb.google.com/101217276011126966833/295TWeb#5811923527173726402 and several more following.
Housted
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Housted wrote:
Bob,
We have one of the early models that is not adjustable. After much research and measuring several adjustable models I settled on 24" between the lower rivets. you have to drill out the bottom rivets and replace with 1/4 20 bolts.
see here https://picasaweb.google.com/101217276011126966833/295TWeb#5811923527173726402 and several more following.
Housted
Bob,
We have one of the early models that is not adjustable. After much research and measuring several adjustable models I settled on 24" between the lower rivets. you have to drill out the bottom rivets and replace with 1/4 20 bolts.
see here https://picasaweb.google.com/101217276011126966833/295TWeb#5811923527173726402 and several more following.
Housted
Thanks for the description. your pics look good. Awning looks better like that.
I walked by another unit in the CG I'm in right now and saw another unit with what appears to be the identical awning. Theirs has about a 20 degree pitch to it. Looks a lot better. Mine is nearly straight out.
* This post was edited 07/12/16 08:24am by BobsYourUncle *
-- Chris Bryant
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Not sure where they hide the model number on it.....
I cannot see any means to adjust it in any was.
Not sure where they hide the model number on it.....
I cannot see any means to adjust it in any was.
If you extend the awning right out, there's a sticker on the roller tube at the forward end. Our Carefree awning has buttons on the arms that you push in to tilt the awning. If you got the original owners manual package there should be awning info. in it. As Soundguy mentioned, if it's an older Carefree awning, then maybe you can't set the tilt.
You need a stool or stepladder to reach the buttons on these things. Luckily we have two entry doors and can reach the buttons from either steps. Pretty sure the factory didn't plan it that way...
I love our electric awning because it's so convenient and looks cool.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
I hate our electric awning because it's so flippin' high off the ground and because it hardly tilts down. It just doesn't provide much shade, if any.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/frown.gif "frown")
Should look something like this:
![[image]](http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/dutchmensport/Outback/IMG_2030_zpswwm9qtx2.jpg)
On edit-
Carefree :
![[image]](http://bryantrv.com/images/temp/rvnet/carefreetags.jpg)
Dometic:
![[image]](http://bryantrv.com/images/temp/rvnet/dometicawntag.jpg)
* This post was edited 07/13/16 08:10am by Chris Bryant *
Now I just have to cut up a pool noodle to put on the edge of the galley slide so the awning doesn't get too chafed where it rubs.