HobbyTalk
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I got this idea from someone else here but figured I show how I did it. From my blog.
I really like awning lights that hang from the awning. I have some rope lights that give off just enough light to give a nice glow to the patio without attracting bugs. The problem is the can be a pain to take down quickly if you have to retract the awning I got this idea from someone on the Woodalls forums and thought I show you how I did it.
I took two pieces of aluminum angle and cut them about 2" long. I then drilled two 1/8" mounting holes in the aluminum angle and a 5/16" hole in the other leg for the wire attachement point.
I then pop riveted the aluminum angle to the outside of the awning arm. The 2" length is long enough to give a good stable base for the mount. What you have to watch here is the placement. It needs to be high enough so your entrance door will not hit it but low enough so it will not get caught by the awning material when the awning is retracted. For me this was having the wire support hole about 2" below the empty awning roller.
I then purchased 25' of 1/16" stainless cable (I have a 21' awning), a small turnbuckle and a couple of cable clamps. On one end I looped the cable through the turnbuckle eyelet and used the cable clamp to secure it. I then used a Carabiner hook I had laying around on the other end of the turnbuckle and attached it to one of the aluminum angles.
On the other end I just made a loop so the length of the cable was just long enough so I could use another Carabiner on it and hook it to the opposite angle mount. Once both ends are hooked You can then use the turnbuckle to tighten the cable.
I then used tie warps to attache the rope light to the cable. For now I have a couple plastic hooks I use to attach the rope light to the awning arms but am looking for another way to attach them to the arm so they won't get in the way when the awning is retracted.
You can now retract the awning without removing the lights. Nice for when you leave the campsite and want to put the awning up or if it gets windy. Before I pull out of camp I just loosen the turnbuckle, remove the cable with attached rope light and pack it away.
* This post was
edited 10/10/11 08:08pm by HobbyTalk *
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Old Blue
New York USA
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Nice...really like it..
Bill
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fivecodys
Central California
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I did the same thing. (we must have the same source) 
The only things I did different from the original was I painted my brackets white so they didn't stick out so much and I placed a turnbuckle on both ends.
It works great.
Bill
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dannytas
Pioneer, CA
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Thanks for this information. I did it a little different. On my automatic awning, it had a bolt on the each arms, that I replaced with eyebolts, double-nutted. Then I strung wire with a snap hook on one end and a turnbuckle on the other. Clip the lights on and tension them with little bungees. Photos show the awning open and closed. 
 
 
 
 
* This post was
edited 02/05/12 09:22pm by dannytas *
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11Southie
San Diego
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Your idea is nice, but I ran the rope light under the awning drip/gutter edge where the awning attaches to the roof. There is just enough space to wedge the plyable rope lighting under the drip edge. I used a few dabs of sealant at each end and in the middle to be sure it stays in, permanent!
I unscrew the 120v power supply between trips and leave the rope lighting in place. When the awning is rolled up, the rope light is undetected by the untrained eye. The awning also protects the rope lights from sun damage and wind while travelling. There's also absolutely no interference with the awning rolling in or out and the light output is about the same. The hardest part is getting the ladder out to screw in the 120V power supply. 
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lightfoot
Cary, Illinois
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You have some really great ways to attach rope lights to the trailer. I am waiting to get the unit out of storage and will use your ideas to add lights to our unit.
Thanks for the ideas.
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EMD360
Tempe, AZ
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Nice idea, thanks for the pics. I'm saying to myself, so THAT is the way you do it! Like the replacement eyebolts too. Would like to see a pic of that rope light installation. Sounds like the lights are above the awning when it is unfurled? (under the drip edge?)
We're hooked!
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dannytas
Pioneer, CA
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11Southie--do you have pics? Sounds like a great idea!!
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retired-tech
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sounds good to me. anyone else got some more pics of their way to take care of this.
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CincyGus
Cincinnati
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Don't have pics but here's how mine works.
I have lights that look like minature red coleman lanterns. They even have the flicker bulbs that look like little flames flickering at night. Wife loves them so I love them ;-)
I happen to work at a place that everyone has to wear an ID and when we order new ID's, they all come with the little plastic clips the run through a slot on the id and then snap. On the other end of the snap is a mini clip that you would use to hold the id on a shirt or belt loop on your pants.
I use about 10 of these to snap around the cord of the tacky lights and then use the clips to attach to the awning. Allows me to space them properly for a no sag string of lights and takes all of about 2 minutes to install or remove. Been using them for years on different awnings (Popup, Easy-Up and now Manual TT Awning) without any damage to the fabric. Guess the clips are that perfect balance of not strong enough to damage the fabric but strong enough to stay secured.
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Hope your travels are safe and the friendships made camping are lasting.
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