Dometic 13' Main awning

[Bauernfeind]

I'm on my 3rd awning in 12 months. A moderate rainstorm will cause the water to pool in the center and break the awning arms. I've thought about using a brace to pull down on the awning to give it more of a tilt but it worries me that if I do that I'm stuck with no way to take it in should the rain get to be too much. Anyone else with similar issues? Solutions?

[Mopar_Earl]

Do you put it in rain dump though the adjustable arms? If I have to have mine out in the rain I drop both arms so it's got more pitch to shed water.

I pull mine in when it rains/storms/leaving the site/when sleeping to prevent damage.


Earl

[Bauernfeind]

I'm not sure I understand what "rain dump" is? The arms flex a little, nothing like the arms used to on my motorhome when I had it. Is there an adjustment?

[Mopar_Earl]

Each arm should have a black knob on the arm when out. Loosen it pull the arm shorter and tighten the black knob.

In the pic if you look on the lower arm just above the window is the knob. You might have to zoom in on the pic. Each arm should have this adjustment knob.


Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

This video shows how to pitch the awning. I always pitch both sides to make it less possible for rain to pool.

https://youtu.be/y_9QUgGynTs


Earl

[vcbice]

Pitch the awning at an angle so the rain runs off one side. If it is a heavy rain the awning won't be out since I retract it in any kind of big storm (like tonight ).

[Bauernfeind]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

Each arm should have a black knob on the arm when out. Loosen it pull the arm shorter and tighten the black knob.

In the pic if you look on the lower arm just above the window is the knob. You might have to zoom in on the pic. Each arm should have this adjustment knob.


Earl

Yes that's the knob I had on my old awning in the motorhome - these new awnings do not.

[Bauernfeind]

Originally Posted by vcbice

Pitch the awning at an angle so the rain runs off one side. If it is a heavy rain the awning won't be out since I retract it in any kind of big storm (like tonight ).

"Pitch" as in tie one end down tighter than the other?

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Bauernfeind

Yes that's the knob I had on my old awning in the motorhome - these new awnings do not.

You do have a dometic electric awning, correct? If so, it should have the pitch adjustment knobs on each arm.

Carefree electric awnings have pitch adjustment but use a different method.


Earl

[Fire_Instructor]

My North Point 5'er has the Carefree awnings. On the Carefree, there are spring-loaded adjustment pins on each end of the awning, I set one end at the highest pin to provide maximum pitch, and the outer side three holes lower, so that water pitches away from the door. The Carefree manual has BOLD CAPITAL LETTER WARNINGS to not exceed more than three holes difference, as it can damage the awning arms when retracting, and for awnings less than 12', both arms must be at equal settings....

[jloco]

Originally Posted by Bauernfeind

I'm on my 3rd awning in 12 months. A moderate rainstorm will cause the water to pool in the center and break the awning arms. I've thought about using a brace to pull down on the awning to give it more of a tilt but it worries me that if I do that I'm stuck with no way to take it in should the rain get to be too much. Anyone else with similar issues? Solutions?

3 awnings in a year?? I destroyed an awning in 2015. Went to dinner not realizing a major t-storm was going to roll through. I came back to a mess.
Lesson learned. I will now never leave my awning out unattended. Roll it up when it rains or gets windy or at night at bedtime or if unattended. Better safe than sorry. Especially with these electric awnings. My Dometic electric is much more flimsier that my old Dometic manual awning was.

[Bauernfeind]

Originally Posted by jloco

3 awnings in a year?? I destroyed an awning in 2015. Went to dinner not realizing a major t-storm was going to roll through. I came back to a mess.
Lesson learned. I will now never leave my awning out unattended. Roll it up when it rains or gets windy or at night at bedtime or if unattended. Better safe than sorry. Especially with these electric awnings. My Dometic electric is much more flimsier that my old Dometic manual awning was.

I agree. The manual awning arms and related equipment on my old awning were made much sturdier than this electric model. I too take it in when we leave or if a large storm is brewing. But we lost two awnings in just a simple rain, nothing major. It is 13ft span, the largest we've ever had and it causes rain to pool in the middle. An earlier post told me about adjust the pitch and where to do that so I've made the adjustments and now I'm waiting on the rain