Power awnings

[Wishing]

I'm so glad you posted! I'm thinking there must be something wrong with my circuit board as well as the status indicator says "open" even though it's closed. I will post an update once I get it looked at.


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[dkottum]

I'm beginning to think this is another moho gizmo messing up the simplicity of our Airstreams. That said, I'm not getting any younger. There may be a day when I decide it's the cat's meow.

[Landshark]

Those kinds of problems are exactly what I was afraid of with the electric awnings. As with the slide-outs: when they go out or in properly, they're great, but when they get stuck, YOU are stuck, big time! Putting the awnings up/down manually is not a big deal, why pay a lot extra for very little??

Vivian

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

I'm going to buy those aluminum handles that I've been too cheap to buy so far

.

Didn't I suggest that to you a long time ago ...

[cptfish]

We are on our way to pick up our trailer with a new circuit board and awning motor. Keeping our fingers crossed that the new board will solve the ZipDee problem. We have a friend with the same trailer who contacted us this morning. He had a new motor put in his a couple weeks ago while traveling through Boise. His unit failed again and he is now getting his second motor and this time also a new circuit board today. Small world…they are from the Bay Area…he saw our unit being worked on when he dropped his trailer off this morning in Portland, and recognized ours from when we met in California! We are very happy with the quick response and repairs done by Airstream Northwest and hope ZipDee has the solution now. Hoping this is fixed before our warranty runs out. When the awning works correctly we love it.

[switz]

Sure am glad I passed on the power awnings. I heard that starting in 2015 model year, they put a grommet at the base of each arm so the aluminum shell does not cut the wire bundle coming out of the trailer only wrapped in some electric tape and then going up the arm for the motors....

Quite a few units short out on the dealer's lots because of the cut wires from opening and closing the awnings on the lot. A $0.05 insulating grommet for each end of the awning for an over $3,400 option.

[cptfish]

Good point about the grommets. We need to check our trailer for them. Doubt the grommets are there because our trailer is onyx number 40 and our friends who own number 42 had that problem.

We picked our trailer up today from service at the same times our friends picked theirs up. Both of us got new circuit boards and motors, and for both of us it was our second replacement motor after burning out the original one. Airstream NW was great and the service tech Jim spent a long time with the four of us trying to figure out the awnings. My husband Charlie will post some trouble shooting thoughts for other owners when he has a chance.

There is a definite need for a better instruction book.





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[BoldAdventure]

The power awnings don't look any faster than the regular awning. Just less work.

[Msmoto]

Looks like I will be doing some trouble shooting/preventative maintenance. Actually, the awning is rather slow to retract, the big difference is I am inside out of the rain.

I suspect had I not been coming out of a motorhome, back into an Airstream, I might have passed on the power awning. But, now that I do have one, i will be looking closely at the issues of wiring harness, potential issues with cut wires, and in general how things seem to be working. Or, at the very least, have a thorough understanding of the method of retracting the awning if the motor or other electrical failures occur.

And, for sure, if problems do beset me, i will be reporting to you all on the Air Forum.

Thanks for all the info….

[cory_can]

I thought long and hard about spending money on this option....I believe I made the correct decision in NOT getting it. The manual awnings will work every time while I'm suspecting that I would be wondering just before I hit the button on the power awning if this was going to be the time that left me stranded. Stress averted

[lewster]

Zip Dee makes a very nice manual awning. They have a long history of problems associated with their attempts at making power awnings.

Their first version was an electro pneumatic device that had pistons in the arms and support rods from the awning ends to the coach center. These were generally found on Prevost conversions. Almost every one that I worked on was a repeat failure.

The next attempt, again for the high end motor home market, was a lateral arm type that folded completely into a box. Many problems with these as well, especially with the electronics and wind sensors.

When I saw this latest system, it was déjà vu all over again. IMPO (that's professional opinion), they should leave their mainstay product alone and stay away from re-inventing the wheel,as they seem so willing to do.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by mefly2

Didn't I suggest that to you a long time ago ...

Busted!

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by cory_can

I thought long and hard about spending money on this option....I believe I made the correct decision in NOT getting it. The manual awnings will work every time while I'm suspecting that I would be wondering just before I hit the button on the power awning if this was going to be the time that left me stranded. Stress averted

You sound just like me! I'd feel the same stress about pushing a button to retract slide-outs!

I think I would only buy a RV with such devices if I knew there were manual over rides.

Certainly not all people think that way. Our son in law just bought a fancy new fifth wheel trailer with 3 (or 4?) slides and a power awning - I asked him if they could be cranked in manually if needed - he didn't know and didn't seem to care! Just has faith in technology I guess!

My wife always says I am always such a pessimist and I reply by telling her that way I only have pleasant surprises!

Plan for the worst but hope for the best is a pretty practical philosophy in my books!

Brian.

[TavnAsh]

We like to hang lights on our awning, and as long as we are sheltered from any unexpected winds or major thunder storms, we put ours out at the beginning of a trip and bring it in at the end.... The convenience of pushing a button over the extra minute to put it in by hand does not seem worth the inevitable replacement and failure of an electrical component....

[Msmoto]

Well, as much problem as I have posting on the forum, i might have problems with the Power Patio Awning…. LOL

But, I came from a huge motorhome, power everything, bath and a half, four televisions, outside power awning with sunshield, satellite, eight huge tires/wheels, yikes, five electrical systems 12 & 110 v on shore power, 12 & 110v on generator power and the 12v of the chassis. Auto start everything….

So, I think in view of the very minimalist approach on the Airstream in relative terms, I have only about 2% of the worry now vs. a motorhome…

And, if I had read the thread before ordering my new Serenity, I might have opted for the manual patio awning, but, with no data, I have one, and now we will follow along to see if I have one with problems or maybe Zip Dee has gotten it figured out.

In about a month I will be driving by on I-294 in Chicago, and might just stop in at Zip Dee to chat….. of course if I have problems, this will be a certainty. But, i am confident that if problems develop i can most likely get it rolled back in following the directions and then deal with the issue in a relaxed manner.

Thanks to all for the information, now I am off to see my therapist for some supportive psychotherapy…..

[Racheli]

Glad I got the manual awning after hearing all the glitches (sorry if you're having problems), although I'm still rethinking the ducted air (would be so nice). Oh well I'm happy with my Sterling!


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[Racheli]

Originally Posted by Landshark

Hi Rachel! Welcome to Airstream ownership! Have you been out in it yet? You must have--who could wait with such a cool rig. It looks great, hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed ours!



Vivian

Hi Vivian!
We've been out camping a couple times. Our first big trip was a bust. My dog died driving back to camp from Old Faithful. Really sad, she wasn't even sick, had a weird episode in June after going to get groomed and vet attributed it to a bad back. Anyway same thing happened and then she passed away a couple hours later. So our trip was cut short, only one night. Don't think I'll ever go back to Yellowstone... So hopefully our next trip out will be better.

RIP. Flower Beauty


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[dmnichols]

I love the concept of the electric awning and we have enjoyed ours until recently. There are several weak points that Zip Dee needs to address if it is going to continue to offer it.

When deployed and a sudden rain storm come up the tilt feature isn't sufficient to drain the water and the horizontal arm doesn't keep the fabric taut enough for the water to take advantage of the tilt. The fabric sags and when this happens and you will have 50 gallons of water bending your horizontal roller!!! Don't deploy it if rain is in the forecast!

After a time the struts will start failing to deploy or retract properly. I have had the motors continue to run after it is stowed and not extend when deploying. The problem has a mechanical and electrical issue. I have fixed it each time by cycling the awning, which reset the computer or manually helping the strut deploy.

The front tilt is non-functional because it blocks the front door from opening. if you could tilt both the front and the rear strut the drainage might function properly.

Anyway I love the concept but I question it's longevity in lieu of the mechanical awning. I wish mine had come with the mechanical unit.

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by Racheli

Hi Vivian!
We've been out camping a couple times. Our first big trip was a bust. My dog died driving back to camp from Old Faithful. Really sad, she wasn't even sick, had a weird episode in June after going to get groomed and vet attributed it to a bad back. Anyway same thing happened and then she passed away a couple hours later. So our trip was cut short, only one night. Don't think I'll ever go back to Yellowstone... So hopefully our next trip out will be better.Attachment 219176

RIP. Flower Beauty


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I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Remember the Rainbow Bridge--that always comforts me when I think about our sweeties who have passed on.

I understand about your Y'stone memories: we were in Disney World for a conference and had boarded our two Dobies with our vet. After two days there, we got a call from our vet that our female had died overnight in her kennel. Faerwen was only 6 yrs old and had been healthy--just one of those awful things. We couldn't get a flight home early so had to remain at the conference as specters at the feast. Horrible. And talk about guilt! Well, at least she was with you when she died.

I hope you will feel better about Y'stone as time passes, it would be a shame to miss out on such natural beauty forever. I have no wish to go back to Disney World, but that's a whole different kettle of fish! Let me know how you're doing.

Vivian

[Racheli]

Originally Posted by Landshark

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Remember the Rainbow Bridge--that always comforts me when I think about our sweeties who have passed on.



I understand about your Y'stone memories: we were in Disney World for a conference and had boarded our two Dobies with our vet. After two days there, we got a call from our vet that our female had died overnight in her kennel. Faerwen was only 6 yrs old and had been healthy--just one of those awful things. We couldn't get a flight home early so had to remain at the conference as specters at the feast. Horrible. And talk about guilt! Well, at least she was with you when she died.



I hope you will feel better about Y'stone as time passes, it would be a shame to miss out on such natural beauty forever. I have no wish to go back to Disney World, but that's a whole different kettle of fish! Let me know how you're doing.



Vivian

Hi Vivian!
Thanks for the reply. So sorry to hear about your dog. What a bad vacation. It's so hard to lose a pet, especially that way. We went to Disney world but actually had a better time at universal. Yep I hope to go back to Yellowstone again or even glacier, its so close to us.
Hope your air streaming is going good this summer! We may take her out for Labor Day, plus it's my birthday! Yay!
Take care!
Rachel


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