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Mcrid · 08-16-2019, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rig Rat

where is the box located and is it easily accessible?

For the Interstate Grand Tour, the FIAMMA Controller is located above the false ceiling of the rear locker.

Rig Rat · 08-16-2019, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mcrider

For the Interstate Grand Tour, the FIAMMA Controller is located above the false ceiling of the rear locker.

Thanks! I located the awning controller on our 15 Lounge model behind the control panel.

On the back of it is the control knob. It is set to 5 from the factory. I believe that changing it to a lower number decreases the wind sensitivity on the awning. I have yet to try it on a windy day after changing the setting but will report back if lowering the number does not work.

Pway1 · 10-30-2019, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgeurin

I have read several post about the Fiamma F65 Eagle awning deploying unexpectedly. I have had this problem myself, and have taken the thing apart and put it back together several times trying to find the problem. I have finally found it and fixed it. So many others have helped me on this site, that I have decided that it is time to pay back and post the repair.

You will need to call Fiamma at 407-672-0091 and order the Winch Assembly, part 98655-200 (supersedes old part number 98655-106). It cost me $93.00 plus $10 shipping. Ask for 5 of the little plastic clips that fasten the cover over the motor assembly, since you will probably destroy these. They threw them in for free with my order.

Hello - I no longer have my Airstream Classic but now have a Pleasure-Way "B' van camper - it has the same Fiamma F65 Eagle awning as used on teh Interstate with known problems.

Pleasure-Way has now issued a recall and is providing owners to strap the awnings closed as a temporary safety measure pending Fiamma's resolution of the unwanted awning deployments

We have not yet had a problem with our awning but of course I am concerned and have put straps on the awning.

I contacted Fiamma to discuss the two part numbers for the winch that were mentioned and was advised that the two parts are in fact completely identical and the change in numbers was only for inventory purposes - so unfortunately, switching to the new part number winch makes future failure no less likely.

There is no official fix yet, but the current thinking is that failures have been caused by misalignment of the microswitch that is supposed to stop retracting motion and the lead bar end cap that is supposed to contact the microswitch.

If no contact is made when the awning is in fact fully retracted, the motor continues to turn, over torquing the winch and breaking it - complete failure then allows the awning to come out unintentionally.

No fix has as yet been provided, but I expect soon will - perhaps helped by
Pleasure-Way's recall.

jgeurin · 10-31-2019, 06:47 AM

Thanks for the post Pway1. I am the original poster on this thread.

I have thought about possible causes for the failure too. If you go back and inspect posts 3,4, and 10 in this thread you can see that there is a metal mounting ring on the outside of the winch which attaches to the winch with 2 machine screws that mate with 2 nuts in a nylon ring inside the winch assembly. It looks to me like the engineers that designed this assembly meant to use 4 machine screws, based on the number of holes in the housing and on the number of hexagonal indentations (for seating the nuts) on the nylon ring, and also looking at the number of holes on the mounting metal ring outside of the assembly. When I tore into the thing to inspect the damage, I wondered if a lack of structural rigidity from omitting a couple of screws could have caused the gears to pull apart when stressed, allowing them to slip. The fact that a visible separation in the 2 halves of the housing is a sign of a damaged winch is another reason that I suspect this. Could this just be due to a shortcut of assembly of the unit by Fiamma at the factory?

I think that the misalignment of the switch that stops the retraction is a good hypothesis too. I took extra pains to make sure that I had good re-alignment and that the switch engaged properly when I re-assembled everything.

My awning still works great with the new winch.

Pway1 · 10-31-2019, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgeurin

Thanks for the post Pway1. I am the original poster on this thread.

I have thought about possible causes for the failure too. If you go back and inspect posts 3,4, and 10 in this thread you can see that there is a metal mounting ring on the outside of the winch which attaches to the winch with 2 machine screws that mate with 2 nuts in a nylon ring inside the winch assembly. It looks to me like the engineers that designed this assembly meant to use 4 machine screws, based on the number of holes in the housing and on the number of hexagonal indentations (for seating the nuts) on the nylon ring, and also looking at the number of holes on the mounting metal ring outside of the assembly. When I tore into the thing to inspect the damage, I wondered if a lack of structural rigidity from omitting a couple of screws could have caused the gears to pull apart when stressed, allowing them to slip. The fact that a visible separation in the 2 halves of the housing is a sign of a damaged winch is another reason that I suspect this. Could this just be due to a shortcut of assembly of the unit by Fiamma at the factory?

I think that the misalignment of the switch that stops the retraction is a good hypothesis too. I took extra pains to make sure that I had good re-alignment and that the switch engaged properly when I re-assembled everything.

My awning still works great with the new winch.

Many thanks jguerin! Your write-up is certainly the most completeband interesting of any I have seen on this subject of interest to F65Eagle owners!

You have the advantage of me with all the work you have done as I have not yet delved into the actual motor/winch assembly on ours yet as we have not encountered any problems. Many folks have though, and so I am certainly concerned!

In accordance with the recall information from Pleasure-Way, I currently have safety straps on our awning to ensure it cannot come out on the highway - this as recommended by both Fiamma and Pleasure-Way, while we await a proper fix from Fiamma.

I continue to use our awning (carefully!) at campsites and carry a telescoping ladder to deal with the travel straps - a bit of a pain!

I looked at the pictures you referenced & think I understand what you mean about two versus four machine screws.

However I am looking at the pictures of the winch casing (Which I think, by looking at the pictures, seems to be plastic) and I see counterbores in each half of the casing that look like they are intended for machine screws and nuts to tightly clamp the two halves of the casing together - I can't really see what is in this location though in terms of fasteners.

In any event, it will be interesting to see what Fiamma come up with in terms of a fix for Pleasure-Way owners and if it includes any extra securement for the winch casing halves.

I did get a bit of advance info that I am not taking yet as official that the fix will
likely entail a modified end cap for the lead bar that will hopefully eliminate the possibility of misalignment between the endcap and the microswitch as the theory at present seems to be that has been the cause of winches being overtorqued and destroyed when the awning is already fully retracted but the motor doesn't know, and the operator keeps pushing the retract button!

It will be inteteresting to see the wording that comes along with the "Fix."

Personally I would think that it should tell whomever is doing the work (be it RV shop or owner) to at least open the end cover and see it there is any indication of separation of the winch halves to know if perhaps the winch has already been damaged and should be replaced even if it has yet to fail.

If Fiamma permits owners to do the work myself when the fix is issued, whether or not it says to do that, I will plan to do that!

While awaiting details of the fix, today I am making one small additional change to the wiring for the awning.

I am splicing a simple on/off toggle switch into the 12v+ supply wire to teh awning controller (red wire on Pin A3 of the connector) just as an extra precaution that some electrical glitch might cause an unwanted deployment.

This should really be redundant, as there is a relay fitted in our vans that cuts the supply to this wire when the van's ignition is on. I checked that today and it does work. Not sure if Airstream Interstates are wired the same way.

I gather Airstream vans have some sort of warning buzzer that we do not - I am guesing that it warns you if the awning is not fully retracted when you begin to drive?

I think I will leave my add-on switch in the circuit just for a bit of extra peace of mind even when Fiamma do come out with the "Fix!" Couldn't hurt!

May even continue to use the safety straps too after the fix since I bought the ladder! At least for a while !

When we bought our van I really didn't want the electric legless awning that is a potential source of extra problems and cannot be sloped fore and aft in light rain for run off. I wanted just a manual waning with legs!

Unfortunately I was told that the factory was too busy keeping up production to accept custom orders so I gave up on that! If ever I need to replace this awning that is what I would go for! Sometimes simple is best!

Cheers, and thanks again for your info ....... Brian.

Frankelcid88 · 06-28-2021, 09:07 AM

Great thread. It helped me a lot.
Last month, the awning on my 2016 Interstate started acting up. It would stop deployment/retraction and go "tink...tink...tink" until I pushed on the awning manually. The end came last week when I had it fully deployed and it wouldn't go back in...just the "tink" sound. Had to manually winch it in with the handle 1 turn and the motor started retracting it again. When I got home, I opened up the cover as described previously and extracted the motor and winch assembly. Attached is a picture of my winch. It was done for. I called some west coast suppliers in the hopes I would get the part faster. They seemed confused on the replacement part number. I found this thread and called Fiamma. They have been updating their parts and changed the stock numbers listed in the thread above. Apparently they did a recall and have a new and improved winch - Part # 98673-200. The new unit is not supposed to grind its internals into oblivion. Yes, the Fiamma guy said "Recall"...but not free, so I had to pay $86 + $10 shipping 2nd day USPS. I also destroyed the black rivets holding the cover together so they included 6 for free. They also sent me inspection instructions that I also included below. Seems other components in the motorized unit fight each other and tear themselves apart. So check them too.