Power vs. Manual Awnings

[RVer-Bill]

Originally Posted by nbhybrid

unlikely they are getting anything special for a power awning on a x19h featherlite. I am quite sure it will be a "sun shade" and need to be retracted during most rain events.

I'd have to look at one at the dealer to be sure, but it looks exactly the same as the one on my 2015 White Hawk from the photo on the Jayco site and some dealer sites. The one on the Pinnacle looks to also be the same.

[spoon059]

I'm confused...

Why do the power awnings have to be retracted during rain? Is it because of the possibility of high winds?

Are the power awnings on the JayFlight or Eagle series better than the Swift or SLX lines?

[RVer-Bill]

The awning on my 2007 Eagle was a Carefree awning. It didn't have any adjustments. The awning on my 2015 White Hawk is a Dometic awning and has the same adjustments as the previous manual awnings that I have had. Unlike the Carefree, I can also lock it so that wind doesn't try to fold it up. It appears that all the 2015 trailers have the same Dometic power awning, although I'm not sure about that. I'm just trying to tell from photos. You would need to check at a dealer to make sure.

[giddyup]

Originally Posted by RVer-Bill

Possibly because they've never seen one of the new power awnings?

I have not changed order as I am just reading all the replies. Guess I need a video or pics to understand some of the differences with configuration, but we usually like having options and the manual awning sounds more interesting than I would have thought.

In the meantime, we are driving our poor salesman buggy.

Thanks to all for the varied but good input.

[giddyup]

Originally Posted by RVer-Bill

The power awning on my new White Hawk can be adjusted for angle and made to tilt from one end to the other. Both sides are independently adjustable. It can also be tied down if I want to. The best of both worlds. It's much more adjustable than the one on my 2007 Eagle and much faster. I just went out and timed mine - 13.5 sec out or in. The only thing that I can't do is use deflappers.

Prithee - what is a deflapper. Almost sounds painful as in something that pulls flaps - whatever those are.

[nbhybrid]

the other thing is that it comes with a power tongue jack in the package. Another thing I definitely didn't want but maybe you do. I like anything that is manual. I am on vacation, the extra couple of minutes electric stuff does for me is irrelevant and will undoubtedly last longer with manual stuff

[nbhybrid]

Originally Posted by giddyup

Prithee - what is a deflapper. Almost sounds painful as in something that pulls flaps - whatever those are.

they attach to the sides of your awning material and the top support rails on manual awnings to keep the awning from "flapping". I don't use them but my awning is only 10 feet

[njdanmc]

I've had both and prefer my power awning hands down. it is fully adjustable so i can leave it out in the rain and lower both sides if if gets breezy. mine takes approximately 10 seconds to expand and retract as well.

[giddyup]

Originally Posted by spoon059

I'm confused...

Why do the power awnings have to be retracted during rain? Is it because of the possibility of high winds?

Are the power awnings on the JayFlight or Eagle series better than the Swift or SLX lines?

I absolutely KNOW that I am not the best one to be giving advice but I just watched some videos on this. If the awning is out and level, it can collect rain and the weight of the water can stretch the fabric and/or collapse the awning, which can cause damage in different ways. With the manual awning, you can tilt one side of the awning down a bit, and this allow the rain to run off, which is safer and also will allow you to keep the awning open during the rain and give you a dry spot for bikes, wood, etc. and allow easier and cleaner access to your TT.

My followup question is whether the newer manual awnings for the x19h allow users to adjust one side downward as you can do with the manual . . .

Maybe someone more knowledgeable will reply to our combined questions.

[RVer-Bill]

Originally Posted by giddyup

My followup question is whether the newer manual awnings for the x19h allow users to adjust one side downward as you can do with the manual . . .

Maybe someone more knowledgeable will reply to our combined questions.

The power one on my White Hawk can be adjusted downward, either together or separately. The awning owner's manual says to make one end 10" lower than the other for the reasons that you stated. From the photos I found on dealer sites, it appears that the X19H uses the same awning, but you need to confirm this with the dealer or Jayco to be 100% sure.

[mtn_bikers]

Originally Posted by RVer-Bill

... only thing that I can't do is use deflappers.

My friend said he has deflappers and they don't work! His wife still flaps her mouth!

[SecretCoveDave]

I have found that as I age that I 'flap' more, would these work for me?

[kjohn73]

I have a 2012 197. I'm not sure what brand power awning I have, but it is adjustable for height at either end. I'm not sure why it would have to be retracted when it rains??? Unless it was a torrential downpour maybe??

I had a manual on our 2008 197, and I know now that I wouldn't take a manual as a gift. I haven't looked at other awnings, but this one seems quite sturdy. Trailer came with it.

[giddyup]

Thanks to all who contributed. According to our dealer, the 2015 power awning is adjustable so that the awning can be tilted in order to allow rain to drain from it. Since what seems to be the biggest complaint about power awnings has now been resolved, we are tilting (no pun intended) back to the power awning.

But as for most things, however, this seems to be a matter of personal choice and we all have different criteria. As for the deflappers . . . well, that was the most fun of all and (for now) I won't worry about them.

Thanks!

[nbhybrid]

But unless it can get securely anchored to the ground you may have to retract it when you leave for the day and retire for the night as a wind event could come up at any time. Since storage is very limited on smaller trailers I keep a lot of stuff under the awning that I would hate to pack away every night.

Good luck with your purchase

[SouthCo]

On our 2014 we can tilt either end downward. I like the electric and I open when we get to the campground and don't close it until our trip is over. We had one trip where it rained heavily the 1st evening. We sat out under it and had no issues.

[Bassdogs]

The risk of damage is from gusty wind, not rain as long as the awning is properly lowered and tilted to one side. Manual units may be more secure if teathered to the ground but are still subject to damage from high winds and or accumulation of rain on a sagging awning.

Camper awnings, manual or powered, do not have the same level of design for outdoor use as do most other outdoor RV equipment. I stand on my original post that you are more likely to use your power awning because of its easy opening and closing at the push of a button. I will challenge anyone who says they can open or close a manual awning in even 2X or 3X of the time I can operate my power awning. You won't have the stakes out of the ground by the time my awning is secure against the side of the TT.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

The risk of damage is from gusty wind, not rain as long as the awning is properly lowered and tilted to one side. Manual units may be more secure if teathered to the ground but are still subject to damage from high winds and or accumulation of rain on a sagging awning.

Camper awnings, manual or powered, do not have the same level of design for outdoor use as do most other outdoor RV equipment. I stand on my original post that you are more likely to use your power awning because of its easy opening and closing at the push of a button. I will challenge anyone who says they can open or close a manual awning in even 2X or 3X of the time I can operate my power awning. You won't have the stakes out of the ground by the time my awning is secure against the side of the TT.

+1

Even if you could stow your manual awning as quickly as I can my power awning (which I find very hard to believe), you can't do it from the comfort of being inside, holding a hot cup of coffee. My power awning is fully pitch adjustable and capable of being tethered to the ground if I ever wanted it to be.

Under the awning or not, everything that stays outside is fully capable of being rained on, and is always stowed in preparation for a storm, however rare they are around here...

[nbhybrid]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

The risk of damage is from gusty wind, not rain as long as the awning is properly lowered and tilted to one side. Manual units may be more secure if teathered to the ground but are still subject to damage from high winds and or accumulation of rain on a sagging awning.

Camper awnings, manual or powered, do not have the same level of design for outdoor use as do most other outdoor RV equipment. I stand on my original post that you are more likely to use your power awning because of its easy opening and closing at the push of a button. I will challenge anyone who says they can open or close a manual awning in even 2X or 3X of the time I can operate my power awning. You won't have the stakes out of the ground by the time my awning is secure against the side of the TT.

Where do you want to meet? Besides since I am camping the extra 2 minutes it might take me to set up my awning will not matter too much. I stand by my opinion that a well secured awning with a gradual tilt will survive most if not all wind and rain events. I have no interest in ever retracting my awning after I set up and haven't had to in my 36 nights so far this year.
Another "point" ,pun intended is the side arms on the new electric units have a low point where the arms hinge that I have seen people have had to hang streamers from to avoid a head collision. I am tall and do not like smashing my head while camping. No worries with my manual awning.

[RVer-Bill]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

The risk of damage is from gusty wind, not rain as long as the awning is properly lowered and tilted to one side. Manual units may be more secure if teathered to the ground but are still subject to damage from high winds and or accumulation of rain on a sagging awning.

Camper awnings, manual or powered, do not have the same level of design for outdoor use as do most other outdoor RV equipment. I stand on my original post that you are more likely to use your power awning because of its easy opening and closing at the push of a button. I will challenge anyone who says they can open or close a manual awning in even 2X or 3X of the time I can operate my power awning. You won't have the stakes out of the ground by the time my awning is secure against the side of the TT.

+2

I totally agree. I've had 3X as many manual awnings as power awnings, but I will only have a power awning since my first one 7 years ago. I had a lot of practice setting up a manual awning over the 17 years that I had manual awnings and I can say that it takes considerably more time to set up a manual awning. This is especially true when compared to the power awning in my new White Hawk.

Even when I'm at a campground for 1 or 2 weeks, I want to stow the awning when high winds are forecast. Sometimes there are overhanging trees and it doesn't matter how well any awning is secured, a falling tree branch will rip the awning material. I remember one time that I had the awning tied to the ground and we had a bad storm in the middle of the night. The trailer was shaking and the awning was making all kinds of noise. I got soaked storing that awning. I'd rather stow it before the storm comes then have to be outside if it is worse than expected. With winds and rain, the ground will be wet with the awning out or in.