Awning Mystery

[MBsquare]

I’ve got a 2022 wildwood xlite, 24rlxl with a solera awning. We took our first trip of the season last weekend and had issues with the awning.

Once we were set up and connected to shore power, I tried to deploy the awning but nothing happened. No noise from the motor, no movement. Everything else seemed to be working on the camper.

I popped open the fuse panel and the fuse was fine. To be sure, I reset breakers and checked the voltage across the fuse terminals and found there was no voltage. Indeed, when the fuse is removed, no red light appears on the panel, Removing other fuses will cause those lights to come on, but not the awning.

We had issues with our battery at the end of last year so I went ahead and replaced it thinking that might be the issue. Several sources suggested that was a possible cause. Unfortunately the new battery changed nothing.

Finally, in a quest to check the motor, I tried to deploy manually, but didn’t have a tall enough step stool and couldn’t really get the socket seated. Maybe I turned it some, maybe not. Not totally sure, but it didn’t move.

On a whim, I tired the awning again and to my amazement it worked. The motor maybe sounded a bit weak and seemed to move a little slower than usual, but it worked.

Any idea what happened here? Electrical short? Seized mechanism that loosened when I tried to deploy manually? I’m a bit confused and assuming it didn’t really fix itself.

 

[Willhound]

Is your awning switch among a gang of switches by your door? We had the exact same issue with ours, I even bought a new switch because I thought it was failing but when I pulled the old switch out I discovered that all of the switches for awning, lights etc were piggy backed, that is, power and ground flows from one switch to the next and a couple of the ground wire connections had come loose, I think because of the patio door slamming shut all the time.
Even if your switch isn't among a bunch of others I'd start by pulling it out and checking the connections.

 

[Flybob]

Just an FYI. The red indicator lights in the fuse panel only illuminate if the fuse is open when there is a load on the circuit ( completed circuit). To check it. Pull the fuse then while watching the panel have someone activate the awning switch. If there is not an open circuit ( loose wire) the light should illuminate.

 

[MBsquare]

Thanks for the input. I pulled the panel but the switch connections seem fine and with the awing now mysteriously working, it's hard to troubleshoot.

 

[Willhound]

Contacts on the switch maybe git a little sticky over the winter. Happy it's working.