Automatic Awning will not roll in or out

[Lynn Pruitt]

My 2008 Montana has the automatic awning and it has stopped working. It is stuck open and when you push the button to roll it in, it is making a popping sound on the left side (towards the bedroom) and will not roll in or out.

[1retired06]

That is the side where the motor is located. The brochure that should have come with your unit provides instructions on manual retraction options. That information is also available on line. Not in our Montana today so the reference not available to me, but one option is to power jump the motor directly if it is operable, bypassing the coach wiring and switch. By releasing a locking nut at the top of the awning arm it can be manually rolled up. Both of these options have to be done per the cited instructions for your specific awning model.

[YOPPER]

Put an 80 amp relay in

[Lynn Pruitt]

I can not find anything on the awning, we bought this 2008 Montana 5th wheel last year and I am missing a lot of paper work. Thanks for the help.

[jcurtis934]

What mike was talking about, ie, to test motor directly...if you look on top of the forward arm (step ladder needed) you will see a connector with wires leading into that end of the tube. Unplug this and then plug in a connector hooked up to another battery. If there is a motor problem, you will not get any movement. You change direction that the motor runs by reversing connections at battery. John

[Lynn Pruitt]

I am a little lost what kind of battery should I hook it to (car battery) And what kind of connector? Sorry I am new to this I appreciate all the help I can get. There is a mobile RV repair service that could come out to our RV but just to look at it is $95.00. I am trying to avoid this since I am Retired (Disabled) that kind of cash is hard to come by.

[snowbirds R us]

I had the same problem with my awning a few years back. I had the popping/clicking sound too. I had 12 volts to the motor, so just I replaced the motor. It's easy to replace with help from another person. After you replace the motor, put caulk or silicone glue in the opening for the wires to keep the water out. Don't be surprised and fall over when you see the cost of the new motor.

[jcurtis934]

Once you look at the connector on the arm and unplug it, you can see what the connector looks like that feeds the motor side of the connector. They can be found at auto parts stores for cheap. Yes, it would be a car battery...so you would have to add long wires to the connector you buy, plug it in, and then hook up one wire to battery and then touch the other wire to the other battery post. There will be sparks so you have to be comfortable doing this sort of thing. Yes, cost for mobile tech to come out is expensive...but nowhere near a new motor if that is the issue. John

[jcurtis934]

Forgot to say that the info on your awning is available on manufacturers website. Sticker on the awning tube will give model number, etc. There is usually another rv'r who has done awning work in most campgrounds and I would suggest seeking out this help if around. John

[DonandBonnie]

We had to have our motor replaced last year. We were told that the older motors were not waterproofed when they were made. In our case corrosion got into it and it failed. We had a mobile tech come out. He disassembled it and gave it a heavy spray of electrical contact cleaner and was able to retract the awning. He then said not to roll out the awning until after we get the motor replaced.