rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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Quote:Electric awning VS hand operated?
Watched a fellow camper not be able to leave an event we were all at because her electric awning malfunctioned on her new Journey DL and she could not roll it back up.
Took them a day and half to come out and fix it. I stayed with her so she wouldn't be the only MH left alone in an empty field.
That was all it took for me to decide I most certainly don't want one!.
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 Blue Ox
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
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giblet
Newberry, SC
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Joined: 05/11/2003
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Our new Spree 261rks has an electric. I always thought I wanted one. Would watch the buses pull up and the awnings go out automatically...kinda sexy! Now that I have one, I wish I didn't. It goes straight out, no tilt so the sun comes in faster. Can't hang lights on it..it's too high up to reach. I'm really wondering how I'll even clean the darn thing. Supposedly it has some feature called a rain dump. I've contacted Carefree to get them to tell me how it works, but no response from them yet. I miss my manual. It had ALOT more flexability!
2005 Dodge Durango Yep, its got a Hemi!
2008 KZ Spree 261RKS
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bluwtr49
Green Valley, AZ
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I don't have one and thought I would but the manual is easy and the electric models seem to have a few more kinks to work out. I can't get straight answers on being able to adjust the tilt and how sensitive they are to various conditions so i'll set on ir for the time being.
Already have a tempermental DW, don't need it in an awning.
Dick
2008 Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited TRD
2009 Cougar 268 RLS ~8400 lbs road wt
Equal-i-zer 12,000 lb hitch, Prodigy BC.
2006 Jeep Liberty Turbo Diesel.....TV in Training
2005 Jeep GC 5.7 HEMI,(retired)
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jauguston
Bellingham, WA
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I just upgraded out Carfree awning to their Eclipse electric arms. They can be set an about six different angles. I have ours set at the steepest and can still walk under it anywhere and not hit my head (I'm 6'4"). I love not having any arms or braces to walk into like I always was doing with the manual. It has the ability to dump water if it accumulates. I am quite happy with the upgrade. We seem to use it a lot more than we did with the manual arms.
Jim
Jim, Sharon and Buddy the Yorkie
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Luvgoose
North Carolina
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We've had manual awnings until we got the new Eagle this spring. Surprisingly we do like the electric awning. Would I pay extra to get one? No...but I wouldn't decide against buying the TT of my choice just because it has one. Ours is tilted a quite an angle so keeping the sun out is no problem. Rain also runs off of it due to the angle and we have been able to sit under it during a light rain (no wind). We hang party lights using the Rollem Up straps so if we have to quickly roll it up, we just pull open the velcro straps and grab the lights, then the straps roll up with the awning. Takes about 2 minutes. We do use tie downs as a precaution but roll it up if there is any chance of stronger winds. Yes, there is always a risk that the motor may malfunction but there is a manual way to wind it back up. So all said and done, we are not displeased with our electric awning and since getting the manual was not an option on our Eagle, do not regret our decision.
2007 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison
2008 Jayco Eagle 322FKS
DH,DW,2 DD's, Charlie-Chocolate Lab and Chloe-Cocker Spaniel
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rockhillmanor
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Luvgoose wrote://We hang party lights using the Rollem Up straps so if we have to quickly roll it up, we just pull open the velcro straps and grab the lights, then the straps roll up with the awning. Takes about 2 minutes....
I just gave a fellow camper my set of brand new rope lights for under the awning. In my haste I didn't read the package carefully.Of course you have to remove them before you roll up.
I've been in too many storm situations where getting the awning up quickly is of the utmost importance.
Do you have a link for where you purchased your velcro straps?
Do they attach right to the roller itself and do they make an indentation on the awning fabric?
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Wiscampsin
Wisconsin USA
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Appreciate all your input. No it's not a deal breaker but I agree, sometimes the simpler things are better.
2006 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab
2007 TrailCruiser C243S (traded in)
2008 Jayco Eagle 314BHDS
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Luvgoose
North Carolina
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We bought the velcro straps at our local RV show back in February. Can't believe how much easier it makes hanging and taking down the patio lights. We have the big multi-colored globes and they support them without any problem. The tie down is also much easier to use than what we had before. Here is a link to the website http://www.rollumup.com/. They don't leave any marks being left rolled up in the awning.
* This post was
edited 06/21/08 11:57am by Luvgoose *
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robbie69
wauconda, il usa
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Joined: 02/22/2004
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best thing i have found are those metal cloths pin looking paper clips. i use em as chip clips, paper clips and yes, to hang my awning lights. i have several types of lights but like the x-mas looking black light ones the best. keep a clip at every 2nd light and they go up/come down real fast. i just start pulling on 1 end and load em right into a bag.
love those clips so much i buy 50 or so at a time. come in useful for numerious thing and are cheap enough that as you lose em, it really doesn't matter. probably have 20 or so in the house and about the same loose in the TT with 2 un opened containers of em in there too.
2004 silverado 2500HD crew cab 4x4 long bed 8.1L gas hog
2006 skyline nomad 3260 platium edition, prodigy, reese dual cam
1 very part time camping son and 3 full time camping, 4 legged fur balls
1 SU (spousal unit) who loves rv'in as much or more than me
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ScottandCathy
Liberty Twp, Ohio
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Wiscampsin wrote:DW and I are considering moving from our HTT to a TT. We've been looking at various makes/models the last couple weeks, some with electric awnings, some with hand operated ones. We really like a particular Jayco Eagle model, it has an electric awning as standard.
Salesguy said you should pull it in when it rains. Then why have an awning?? Won't the mat underneath get soaked. The thing I like about our hand operated awning is we leave it slanted and the rain rolls right off. IIRC the electric awning isn't capable of being slanted.
Looking for your thoughts.
If you are looking at the Eagle line, it should have the steep pitched model. I have used mine several times in the rain so far and have had no problems. With the steep pitched model, rain does not collect and there is no need to have it tilted to one side. If by chance it does collect, there is an auto dump feature, although from what I have read, it is anyones guess which side it will decide to dump too.
06 Dodge Ram 2500HD MegaCab 4x4, Cummins I6 5.9 CIT, 3.73 gears
Prodigy brake controller, Reese dual cam sway/WD
08 Jayco Eagle 314BHDS
Nights camped in 2008:24
Nights reserved for 2008:24
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