Awning extended whilst driving !!!!!!

[OldCoot]

Just like Popeye, "I calls em like I sees em."

[jk31668]

i have an electric awning on my 2010 sunseeker 3100 and learned that the awning switch somehow is disabled when the engine is running?? wont go out or in while running.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by jk31668

i have an electric awning on my 2010 sunseeker 3100 and learned that the awning switch somehow is disabled when the engine is running?? wont go out or in while running.

Thats a new one ? I wonder how they wired that ?

[youroo]

Originally Posted by dimurrrw

Do you have an electric awning or a mechanical one?

He said the front arm with the wind sensor stayed on the R/V. Unless he works for the (Weather Channel) he would not have a wind sensor. I think auto. Youroo!!

[The Limeys]

Well people thanks for the replies but it does seem as if some of you were on the falling down water last night so let me go over the awning details again:-

Weather Pro POWER awning (fitted with a wind sensor and 12v tubular motor) these two items I think makes it an automatic awning although I still have to push a button to operate it or should I say I did as it is no longer on the coach.

The awning could be operated by a remote and this was hanging in the key safe, this key safe is attached to the rear wall well away from my pocket.

Interesting point about not being able to operate the awning whilst the engine is running, I was not aware of this myself but at the moment I do not have the facilities to verify this i.e. awning.

How this awning managed to extend itself still remains a mystery to me but having spoken to the insurance repair shop it looks as though the motor has pulled out of the front arm because there is very little damage to this arm, the bolt that holds the motor shaft to the arm is missing, this is the bolt that you remove to roll the awning up in cases of power failure but replace when the awning is rolled up, this bolt was in place when it was last stowed as I assume without it the awning would not roll up.

We can see no other reason for this awning to operate itself other than this bolt becoming loose and detaching itself from the awning arm allowing the motor to free roll, it might be wise to check this bolt on your awnings, please let me know what you find. When I get a new awning fitted I will certainly be looking at a switch to isolate the awning motor when not in use and some kind of mechanical lock to stop the awning unrolling when driving.

OK you bunch of loonies you can go back to your falling down water now.

John

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by The Limeys

Well people thanks for the replies but it does seem as if some of you were on the falling down water last night so let me go over the awning details again:-

Hazard of the job I suppose.

John,

If the bolt that holds the manual override came loose, road wind would unroll the awning and "make a parachute" tearing it off the coach.

Did you actually see it "unrolled" or just the noise and it was gone?

[The Limeys]

Hi Lou,

I heard a loud "POP" and by the time I looked in the passenger mirror the awning was fully extended and by the time I had bought the coach to a standstill it was fully detached and a tangled mess in the middle of the road, it happened very quickly and with no warning.

John

[The Limeys]

Originally Posted by jsutherl

How did you get your Georgetown to the UK? Was this posted on April 1st?

We bought our Georgetown from an RV dealer in the UK, it was originally imported to the UK for a race team but was only used a few times before being put into storage for a year and I assume it was transported on board a ship as the awnings are not strong enough for it to fly over theAtlantic
John

[Wichitalineman]

Had this happen on a manual awing. Once was not enough I lost two awings at 55mph. Nver was sure what caused the problem but I am now very careful to make sure every thing is in the propre position before the coach moves.

[camper_Lucy]

May want to consider adding one of these clips

RV Awning Clamp - Product - Camping World

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Wichitalineman

Had this happen on a manual awing. Once was not enough I lost two awings at 55mph. Nver was sure what caused the problem but I am now very careful to make sure every thing is in the propre position before the coach moves.

why not just before you leave the camp ground for the weekend just hook one end of a rope to the awning arms and the other end to your truck and pull like a mother trucker . That would save the trouble of picking it up off the hi-way after each trip ~!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by The Limeys

Hi Lou,

I heard a loud "POP" and by the time I looked in the passenger mirror the awning was fully extended and by the time I had bought the coach to a standstill it was fully detached and a tangled mess in the middle of the road, it happened very quickly and with no warning.

John

Wow, that had to be scary.