Reliability of legless elect awnings

[Snowy]

I get the impression from reading a bunch of B forums that the electric legless awnings have a lot of problems - they deploy when they are not supposed to, they get stuck open, they don't close fully without difficult readjustment, etc. Are there quality differences between brands (i think the Bs reporting the most problems have "Carefree" awnings)? Do people here think that these awnings really are problematic? Would you get one?

[Sensfan]

Originally Posted by Snowy

I get the impression from reading a bunch of B forums that the electric legless awnings have a lot of problems - they deploy when they are not supposed to, they get stuck open, they don't close fully without difficult readjustment, etc. Are there quality differences between brands (i think the Bs reporting the most problems have "Carefree" awnings)? Do people here think that these awnings really are problematic? Would you get one?

Nope. We have a mechanical legged version on our 2012 RT and use it all the time. There is more than one memory of having been lucky with no incurred damage from an unexpected and/or unmonitored wind gust. IMHO “carefree" electric legless awning reads like a paradox.

[Punkinhead]

I've never understood fixed awnings. Not only are they maintenance nightmares but they're usually in the wrong place to block the sun. I prefer a tarp or Moonshade that I can set up wherever it needs to be to block the sun.

[tarp]

I am either in the shade or where the Texas wind prohibits any use of an awing.

When I roll it out just a tad I usually never use the legs on the fiamma at all and now leave them at home.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by Snowy

I get the impression from reading a bunch of B forums that the electric legless awnings have a lot of problems - they deploy when they are not supposed to, they get stuck open, they don't close fully without difficult readjustment, etc. Are there quality differences between brands (i think the Bs reporting the most problems have "Carefree" awnings)? Do people here think that these awnings really are problematic? Would you get one?

I have one of those "Carefree" awnings and gotta agree that it rarely does much good. Even though it slides out pretty far, it's usually difficult to find a good space in the resulting shade. Not to mention that the sun over here constantly moves, how annoying. Or is it Earth?

The other thing is that the slightest breeze makes it impossible to use, no surprise here since it's basically a large sail.

Given wind-still conditions, it comes in handy sometimes to shade the sun-exposed side of the vehicle.

Have not used it much, but have experienced some difficulties with retracting once or twice. So far, extending it and then retracting again has put things right, but I am sure it's not a bullet-proof setup. Also, when climbing around on the roof I noticed that some of the screws attaching the awning were loose. Bit scary to imagine it flying off while going 70, taking the A/C and solar panel with it, killing a bunch of folks in the cars that are not heading safe following distances.

I wouldn't say it's useless, but much less useful than I had expected before owning the camper.

[avanti]

On our first rig, we had an old-school manual awning with legs. Worked fine but we literally never used it. So, when we ordered our GWV legend, we ordered it without one. But, they were so used to putting them on that we got one anyway. At least we got it for free. Haven't opened it in years. Our new van is most definitely not going to have one. After a rooftop A/C, nothing shouts "RV" louder than an awning. This time around, we will have neither.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by tarp

I am either in the shade or where the Texas wind prohibits any use of an awing.

When I roll it out just a tad I usually never use the legs on the fiamma at all and now leave them at home.

I had awnings on my three previous Class Bs and hardly ever used them. So I didn't have one installed on my current Class B for reasons that I don't need it that bad and for seeking a tad bit of stealth.

That Moonshade which I haven't bought yet intrigues me, the price is ideal and stores in 6" by 28".

I do have a custom awning that fits on the open back doors with four hooks for some outside shade if I want to sit there. That was a minor addition and I haven't used it yet.

[N147JK]

Perfect example of overengineering a device just to make it "cool". Other examples are everywhere. For an awning, simple, manual operation is the best design for many reasons.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by N147JK

Perfect example of overengineering a device just to make it "cool". Other examples are everywhere. For an awning, simple, manual operation is the best design for many reasons.

Agree, one of the key features of awning with legs is ability to tilt the awning to drain rain water. Automatic awning will retrieve during rain, hopefully, if not a heavy puddle of water can cause major damage to awning or even van’s roof.

[Davydd]

I've found in the fall and spring or south in the winter I don't need an awning for shade if I find a site with the sliding door on the south side with the van height blocking the sun. They are not great for rain anyway. That's easy to do in dispersed camping. I also carry a 14' screen tent big enough for a picnic table but that is more for bugs and mosquitos than sun in the north woods in the summer.

[Punkinhead]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Agree, one of the key features of awning with legs is ability to tilt the awning to drain rain water.

Not only for water, but to tilt it down to block low angle sun.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Punkinhead

Not only for water, but to tilt it down to block low angle sun.

Yep, we didn't use our awning for years but now have seem to use it a lot to block the sun. By angling it down you can get pretty decent shade no matter which side the sun is on. Only downside for us is that the front will interfere with the door on our 07 Chevy if we get it very low, the rear can go very low.

[Sensfan]

We often sit out under our RT awning during rainy evenings with a propane fire pit placed on top of the ground tarp. The adjustable legs are tweaked as needed to deal with wind and rain changes. When it is not raining, the propane odour also repels mosquitoes.

[Sleeping Dog]

We seldom use the awning and I'd add it to the list of things that I wish PW listed as options rather than standard. The awning, the generator, microwave and TV.

[InterBlog]

If I were doing it all over again, I would forego the fixed conventional awning and I would get a Dragonfly. Photo melange below from one of those off-grid conventions / meetups. I forget what it was called.

That, plus the Clam Venture, which is one of the coolest things ever invented.

EDIT: We do actually use our awning, but mostly to shield the sliding door from excessive sun and rain. Like the other users noted above, we tilt it to shed rain water. I cannot recall a single time in 8 years when I extended it fully, however. It’s always been too windy. But I can put it part way out like this:

[JonMN]

Our Coachmen Beyond came with a relatively huge awning. Works fine, has a nice wind-sensor with auto retraction (I tested that just for fun), even a row of LEDs at the end.

I think we have used this once--maybe twice. If I was building from scratch I would delete it, but it's certainly not worth taking this one off.

I can see where it might come in handy in some situations. For now I have the feeling that the two main purposes are: First, brochure photo highlighting parking on some beach somewhere (which is not legal on any beach I have seen) Second, the photo they always take when you pick up your new van!

[jnredwine]

Last month the electric legless awning on our 2022 Airstream Interstate 24X decided to depart from our van at 65 mph during rush-hour traffic. Besides causing us to wait three and a half hours for help removing what was left of it, we are now getting estimates of between $6,000 and $10,000 to replace the awning and repair body damage to the vehicle. If we had a choice we wouldn't have had an awning.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by jnredwine

Last month the electric legless awning on our 2022 Airstream Interstate 24X decided to depart from our van at 65 mph during rush-hour traffic. Besides causing us to wait three and a half hours for help removing what was left of it, we are now getting estimates of between $6,000 and $10,000 to replace the awning and repair body damage to the vehicle. If we had a choice we wouldn't have had an awning.

What was the reason?

[ilmor]

On any RV I've owned, regardless of awning type, prior to putting it out I check the weather and if wind gusts are predicted to exceed 20 mph I don't put it out. I do have on of the new legless awnings now, a Fiamma.

[ilmor]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

What was the reason?

I'm guessing "Carefree". I've read of several instances of this happening on Facebook in the Winnebago forums. There is a recall to address this issue.