Awnings and Rain?

mtbbrewer74 · 09-30-2018, 02:15 PM

What do ya'll do with you awning if it is raining, or looks like it is going to? My new camper has an electric Carefree of Colorado awning. It has selections to lower one side. Does each side have to be in the same location to roll in in and out?

Years ago I had a manual awning that I left out when me and a friend went out scalloping. This was obviously before I realized that you should have it lower on one end. It stormed while we were out, and it was destroyed when we got back. The canvas was ripped and the main tube was bent in half like a straw. Thank goodness for zip ties. I had to zip tie it to the camper for the ride home.

WinnieView · 09-30-2018, 02:28 PM

Our Carefree electric awning can be positioned for runoff and remain that way when opened or closed.
We generally close ours if heavy rain is expected.

Cannon · 09-30-2018, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbbrewer74

What do ya'll do with you awning if it is raining, or looks like it is going to? My new camper has an electric Carefree of Colorado awning. It has selections to lower one side. Does each side have to be in the same location to roll in in and out?

Years ago I had a manual awning that I left out when me and a friend went out scalloping. This was obviously before I realized that you should have it lower on one end. It stormed while we were out, and it was destroyed when we got back. The canvas was ripped and the main tube was bent in half like a straw. Thank goodness for zip ties. I had to zip tie it to the camper for the ride home.

I lower one end for run off. Never had a problem. On mine it said if you stay with no more than three holes different you can roll it up that way.

Woodworker · 09-30-2018, 02:42 PM

I have mine tilted as well. Depends on how hard it rains if I leave it out. If I see any red or yellow on radar I roll it up.

mtbbrewer74 · 09-30-2018, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cannon

I lower one end for run off. Never had a problem. On mine it said if you stay with no more than three holes different you can roll it up that way.

I saw that in the manual, but it applies to awning 12 feet and over. I have a Hummingbird that only has a 10 foot awning.

Witt74 · 09-30-2018, 03:31 PM

I tilt my awing by 2-3 holes for run off. I understand it is supposed to self dump in heavy rain. Having lost one awing to water pooling, I'm a little gun shy, so I rool it up for heavy rain.

wags999 · 09-30-2018, 03:34 PM

Rain my not be a problem but wind is a different bird. Any high wind and I put mine away...

Chet & Marie · 09-30-2018, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Witt74

I tilt my awing by 2-3 holes for run off. I understand it is supposed to self dump in heavy rain. Having lost one awing to water pooling, I'm a little gun shy, so I rool it up for heavy rain.

I go with Witt on this. Better safe than $700 worth of sorry.

Witt74 · 09-30-2018, 04:14 PM

Yeah, it's no fun to get up the next morning and can't get out the door cause the awing is sagging from a big puddle of water. I tried to work the water off the awing, was doing ok until the awing tube buckled in the middle. Wound up having to disassemble the awing at the campsite. After I replaced the awing, I used a product called Awnbrellas to keep water from pooling. They were a series of bows that kept the fabric tightened up and greatly helped with runoff.

RAurand · 09-30-2018, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wags999

Rain my not be a problem but wind is a different bird. Any high wind and I put mine away...

X2 here.
I slant my awning when I know it's going to rain. If heavy rain, I slant it even more.

mtbbrewer74 · 10-01-2018, 08:31 AM

Thanks for all the info. I guess my only option will to tilt it, but un-tilt it before rolling it back in.

michael.g · 10-01-2018, 08:51 AM

Our Greyhawk had an 11' Carefree Colorado awning. It self dumped in rain, but didn't trust it with heavy rains. We pitched the awning the same on each side. Our awning had 6 position holes. We put the awning in the lowest position, for the most pitch. Never had trouble with rain.

Our awning would not retract if the pitch was different on each side. I have read that some awnings can be pitched differently side to side and still roll up if the pitch difference is only minor. Our awning was not that way.

-Michael

rkresge · 10-01-2018, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbbrewer74

Thanks for all the info. I guess my only option will to tilt it, but un-tilt it before rolling it back in.

Tilt it, easy to do - assuming your awning has the capability. I really miss the manual awning on my previous camper, just plain dislike the flimsy construction of the electric awning on my 23RLSW. So consider these - I got them at the beginning of the season and don't worry about my awning any more except in the worst storms.

https://www.carefreeofcolorado.com

Good luck!

Roger

Camper_bob · 10-01-2018, 09:54 AM

I have ours tilted all the way down on one side (the rear), and three holes up on the other side; it can be rolled up this way. Last time I had the rig out, it rained for the entire time we were out, and no pooling at all; it all ran off just fine, even in pretty heavy rain.

Now as others have mentioned, wind is another beast entirely. It doesn't take much wind to throw that awning around. I'm going to look into awning tie-downs for when I just HAVE to have the awning out, but if it's going to be windy, we roll it in.

SloPoke · 10-01-2018, 09:55 AM

We left our Carefree electric awning in the steepest tilt it could be set at - water would run right off the end at least a 25degree angle. We were in the Seneca when a heavy rainstorm arrived with no wind at all.

We had to replace one of the support arms that apparently can not support the awning weight with some rain running off of it.

Now that we have learned how little weight these arms can actually carry - we roll the awning in, not knowing how hard the rain might end up being. Yes it is a disappointment, as we hoped the awning would provide a little more shelter than just a sun-shade.

mtbbrewer74 · 10-01-2018, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

I have ours tilted all the way down on one side (the rear), and three holes up on the other side; it can be rolled up this way. Last time I had the rig out, it rained for the entire time we were out, and no pooling at all; it all ran off just fine, even in pretty heavy rain.

Now as others have mentioned, wind is another beast entirely. It doesn't take much wind to throw that awning around. I'm going to look into awning tie-downs for when I just HAVE to have the awning out, but if it's going to be windy, we roll it in.

How long is your awning? Mine is 10 feet, and according to the manual awnings under 12 feet have to be pitched the same to roll them in and out.

mtbbrewer74 · 10-01-2018, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SloPoke

We left our Carefree electric awning in the steepest tilt it could be set at - water would run right off the end at least a 25degree angle. We were in the Seneca when a heavy rainstorm arrived with no wind at all.

We had to replace one of the support arms that apparently can not support the awning weight with some rain running off of it.

Now that we have learned how little weight these arms can actually carry - we roll the awning in, not knowing how hard the rain might end up being. Yes it is a disappointment, as we hoped the awning would provide a little more shelter than just a sun-shade.

So you had problems in a hard rain with both sides pitched all the way down?

Camper_bob · 10-01-2018, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbbrewer74

How long is your awning? Mine is 10 feet, and according to the manual awnings under 12 feet have to be pitched the same to roll them in and out.

I don't know. When I read the instructions (a long time ago) it said the max differential between ends on a certain size awning was 3 holes (which is where mine is). I don't recall reading anything about what the differential requirement is to roll it in though. Either way, our awning rolls in fine set up this way.

It is sometimes painfully slow, but I think that is a power issue. I haven't trouble-shot that yet.

I will try to remember to look at the instructions and take a measurement next time I have the rig out of storage.

SloPoke · 10-01-2018, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbbrewer74

So you had problems in a hard rain with both sides pitched all the way down?

YES... We wrongly assumed that if we had the awning sloped as steep as it would go, it would survive. There was no wind, only lots of rain - we watched the rain run off the awning freely - as we had our main door open during the storm.

hoppers4 · 10-01-2018, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

It is sometimes painfully slow, but I think that is a power issue. I haven't trouble-shot that yet.

Nature of the beast. Mine also rolls in and out very slowly.

My manual calls for no more than a three hole differential when rolling up. You can slope it all the way (6 holes) when deployed, just don't roll it up with that differential.

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