Awnings

[MidMOTraveler]

We've been having moderate winds 5 - 12 mph
Awning seems to move a lot. Do any of you tie down these things?
If so what do you use. We're in a site wit NO shade and really need the awning in the afternoons. Moving is not an option at this time.
Thanks for the ideas.

[jeffba]

Without having legs at the extended end, I do not think think you can anchor these electric awnings.

[Mikendebbie]

I can't see how tie downs would help. These things seem to be all hinges without the rigid structure of my previous domestics and carefree Colorado awnings. I would love to know what the design engineers had in mind for resisting moderate winds. My answer to moderate winds is to push the button and roll it in quickly. I don't trust its ability to resist winds - even when tied down. Maybe someone will chime in with real life experience and teach us how to do it.

[mlh]

I do tie mine down on both ends. I just don’t trust these electric awnings. I much prefer the old manual ones. I never leave my camper with the awning out while I’m away and if the wind gets up or a storm is coming I put it in.
Lynwood

[BuilderBob]

I tie mine down all the time! Here in the NW in the mountains you need to! I use one of the brackets that slide into the rowel for DW lights and a tent stake works great. If the wind get to bad then we pull it in.

[DQDick]

We spend a lot of time in KS and NM where there is a lot of wind. We use these on both awnings: https://www.amazon.com/Cajun-Tie-Dow...+awning+straps

[1retired06]

I never strap down electric awnings. Prefer to push the retract button.

[DQDick]

If you look back in the history a couple of years you'll find I was firmly in the never tie down camp. Then we spent a poop load of money to replace the awning fabric on an awning that was almost never used because of the wind where we are. After that I decided that wearing them out and risking tearing them up was better than replacing them for sun damage while rolled up.

[cpaulsen]

I made adjustable poles out of 3" pvc pipe and use rachet straps with screw down anchors......this is my 2nd 5ver with an elctric awning and have never had a problem with wind.

[waynemoore]

I also tie mine down with spring loaded straps made for this. I also have a sun screen on it. If we know the wind is forecasted to come up or we see a thunderstorm comming our way up it goes.it stays down in winds to about 25 mph with no problem. Never leave for an more that a few hours with it left down. Or for that matter with the water on.

[team bradfield]

I always tie mine down, 20 years never had a problem, it takes me maybe 5 minutes. If in high wind areas, if we leave to go hiking, i always retract. storms can damage even tied down awnings. think about it, its a large sail

[Kyle and Lisa]

Unlike fishing, the wind is not your friend in this case. We normally pull ours in when it starts to get windy, but 70 MPH straight line winds across the lake caught us off guard and cost us $1300.00 Now if it lifts with wind, it comes in ! I always extend on a regular basis long enough to let it dry out from moisture.

[richfaa]

We do not tie down. We do not leave the RV with the awning down. One of the selling points on this 13 3402 was the automatic awning that can be retracted with the toggle of a switch.

[Half Fast Rusty]

We use tie downs most of the time. I got caught in a heavy wind situation (30+ mph) last year and the tie downs worked great. I wanted to roll the awnings in but was afraid that the wind would take em out before I got them all the way in so I waited it out. The awnings with the tie downs came through fine. My nerves on the other hand...

I now roll em in if there is any chance of significant wind. Especially if I'm not around camp that day. I use tie downs that can be unhooked from the awning very quickly so it isn't any kind of chore to hook or unhook em. I also noticed that the awnings hold a bit more breeze when you put some tension on them by pulling them down and tightening the wing nuts.

[Steve and Susie]

I must be missing something here, I don't see where it is an electric awning. Mine was not, so I put the legs down, put a screw dog run holder in the ground and put a rope down from the roller to a trampoline spring attached to the dog tie down. In over 20 years of camping, and having a shop those trampoline springs were my best friend, and have 6 of them still hanging in the shed.

[whutfles]

I had a blacksmith make me two 1/2" dia rods about 18" long with about 2" on one end bent back to about a 60 deg angle like in a #7. The other end was ground sharp to a point. I just take a ball pene hammer and drive them into the ground at each outer end of my awning when it's fully extended. Then I take 2 cargo tie downs that I use on my truck that have a hook on each end and throw one end over the outer edge of the awning tube and hook it back to the strap. I connect the other end of the strap to the 1/2" rod in the ground. Repeat for the other end of the awning.

I have a 2010 Mountaineer with the electric awning. I had the awning out one day when the wind started gusting. I watched the awning go up over the camper like a sail and then come back down. I pannicked, grabbed the remote and tried to retract it. The wind caught it a couple more times before I got it in. Then the awning arms would not match up so it could fully close. I thought I had sprung it. The next day when the wind went down, I brought it out and figgured out that the awning slides sideways in the tube. I noticed it was slid more to one side so I slid it back and retracted it and the arms alighed OK.

I watch the weather forcasts closely. If the wind is going to be above 20 mph I bring it in. If we're going to be gone from the RV for any duration, it comes in. If it's out and tied, and the wind works it, you're just going to stretch it and ruin your connection at the roof.

[Wyatt Earp]

Why don't 5'ers mfg do what some motor home mfg do by adding wind sensors to the rig? Wind get up, awning comes in.

[jeffba]

Originally Posted by Wyatt Earp

Why don't 5'ers mfg do what some motor home mfg do by adding wind sensors to the rig? Wind get up, awning comes in.

money.

[phillyg]

I retract the awning when 15mph+ winds are forecast.

[Denny and Angie Miller]

I drive nail type tent stakes in the ground. A short piece of rope is attached to the tent stake, with a loop in the other end if the rope. The ratchet end of a ratchet strap is hooked to the loop in the rope, and the other end of the strap is hooked around the roller tube on the awning. We have the 'water dumping' feature arms on our new camper....I pull the arms down and tighten them in that configuration and I have zero wind issues. Because our awning has enough slope to it with both 'water dumping' arms pulled down, I haven't had any issues with water run off. We have had some heavy rain, but not real heavy, so i have a little more testing to do before I'm completely confident in the water shed capability with the dump arms pulled down. If I find this will not work in a heavy down pour, then we will have to do something else.