Awning issue

[Red rose]

We have a 2016 High Country 375FL. We had our awning out and secured with a ratchet strap. All of a sudden a big wind hit just ahead of a bad thunder storm. We pulled the awning in but now it will not go in or out. We put in new batteries because testing showed low. However, the awning still will not operate. I don’t know what brand awning it is. Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

 

[Carl n Susan]

Check for power at the awing switch. If it is there, there check for it at the motor on the awning.

 

[DutchmenSport]

I also have a 375FL. Check the wires that runs up the awning arm (front one) to the motor and make sure they have not broken or snapped at a splice. If yours is like mine, there is a plastic guard that lays inside the awning arm that's hiding the wires. A simple flat screwdriver acting as a wedge will pop that thing out. I took mine out completely and left them out.

With that cover inside the arms removed, you'll be able to see the wires. Track them and look for breaks. I bet thats what you'll find.

When the wind catches those awnings, they lift up and then can snap back down. Depending on how tight your wires were to start with, it's possible the forceful snap of the awning could have hyper extended the wires and broke them. I feel pretty certain the wire is broken and it's broken inside the arm of the awning.

Good luck!

Chances are good your awning is a Dometic. If you can unroll the awning, there should be a label on the roller that looks something like this:

 

[Red rose]

Check for power at the awing switch. If it is there, there check for it at the motor on the awning.

Thank you Carl n Susan. We were fortunate to get this figured out. We had put in new batteries and because there isn’t enough room to really see the battery it’s and cables, he missed one and when he tried to retract/extend the awning,, it caused the breaker to fail. We had checked the rocker switch and there was continuity. So he started checking again and found the breaker. Thankful it wasn’t the motor!!
Thanks for your input!!

 

[Red rose]

DutchmenSport— thank you! We will keep this in the back of our mind. Fortunately it ended up being a breaker after checking all these things. One cable had slid kind of the back and my husband didn’t catch it right away. It threw the breaker when pressing the switch. Before replacing the batteries, I could hear a clicking when we pressed the switch. But after putting in new batteries we weren’t hearing anything. So it was baffling. But finally figured it out. Thanks for the info !