New awning

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

How many owners out there replacing the manual tongue jack with an electric one and then opting for a manual awning?

Good point.

I don't fully understand the desire to eliminate the motor. That is one of the things I am most keen on with the new awning. If for some reason years down the road it fails, the worst case scenario is I have to fix or replace it.

How clean it looks when retracted is likely the biggest like I have.

[gbaglo]

Buy a car these days and almost everything has a motor attached. It's not just power windows, but power locks, power trunk lid, power seats, power back-up camera cover. It goes on.
Like anything else, something might go wrong, but those little motors appear to do a very good job.

[tractors1]

Curious - if one attaches screen walls to the new "smart" awning and the breeze increases - when the awning decides to roll up would this look like a roll of toilet paper run amuck, or can the auto-retract feature be negated by a switch somewhere?

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Buy a car these days and almost everything has a motor attached. It's not just power windows, but power locks, power trunk lid, power seats, power back-up camera cover. It goes on.
Like anything else, something might go wrong, but those little motors appear to do a very good job.

Don't get me started on how "poor" the power window, power door lock components are and how many I've replaced in our vehicles over the last 10 years.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Curious - if one attaches screen walls to the new "smart" awning and the breeze increases - when the awning decides to roll up would this look like a roll of toilet paper run amuck, or can the auto-retract feature be negated by a switch somewhere?

Simple,,,,You do not attach anything to the automatic awning...there are no side arms nor anything to attach, other than the fabric.

[Starbrightsteve]

The new Escape awning that extends straight out and automatically retracts if there is wind sounds nice but, what happens if there is 4" of wet snow that falls during the night. What happens if there is an unexpected downpour? With the Casita awning we always have one corner lower than the other for drainage. I don't think that's possible with the new awning. I don't like the idea that the outer most side of the awning has absolutely no support. Is this new awning so bullet proof that it can handle a load of precipitation of any kind from above. Have folks with the new awning experienced heavy rain or snow so they can see how it performes? If a motor on one side dies does the other side keep cranking?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The new style awning does not have any springs what so ever, just 2 small motor heads and looks a lot less weight than the older style with arms and springs.

It has springs - they just are not in the roller. It appears that the motor (or manual crank) turns the roller to pull the fabric and lead rail in, and springs at the joints of the arms push it out. The springs keep the fabric tight.

[cpaharley2008]

It is no different than the way you should currently use your manual awning, you put in at night or if rain storms are called for and snow....I expect you would definitely have the awning in because it would be very brittle if left up in freezing weather.
There is a "dump" feature for rain that may accumulate and the wind gust sensor closes the awning at the first gust of wind. One less thing to worry about...

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

It has springs - they just are not in the roller. It appears that the motor (or manual crank) turns the roller to pull the fabric and lead rail in, and springs at the joints of the arms push it out. The springs keep the fabric tight.

The two motors extend the arms which pull the fabric, but there is tension on the fabric so that when the motor reverses the fabric, like a roller shade disappears inside the case.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

The new Escape awning that extends straight out and automatically retracts if there is wind sounds nice but, what happens if there is 4" of wet snow that falls during the night. What happens if there is an unexpected downpour?

It flexes down, and my guess is that it then retracts.

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

With the Casita awning we always have one corner lower than the other for drainage. I don't think that's possible with the new awning.

True - it cannot be set with one corner lower.

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

I don't like the idea that the outer most side of the awning has absolutely no support.

It's supported by the lateral arms.

The installation manual does list these...

Optional accessories:
3313887.000 Kit, Support Leg
3313885.000 Kit, Tie Down Strap

In the very extensive previous discussion of the same issues (with less information, because none of the new-style trailers had been completed yet):

Originally Posted by freespirit

after further conversation with Dometic support, it appears the 9500 options as one other post mentioned for tie down straps and support arms is real. ..the additional info seems to indicate the arms are for support to the ground only and not to the rv.

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

If a motor on one side dies does the other side keep cranking?

I don't see a need for separate motors for each side - that wouldn't make sense, because both would be attached to the same fabric roller. Both arms (or all of them if you have a longer awning) have springs to push the rail out, and only one motor is needed to pull it in, just as the manual version only needs to be cranked in one place. Are there really two?

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

The new Escape awning that extends straight out and automatically retracts if there is wind sounds nice but, what happens if there is 4" of wet snow that falls during the night. What happens if there is an unexpected downpour? With the Casita awning we always have one corner lower than the other for drainage. I don't think that's possible with the new awning. I don't like the idea that the outer most side of the awning has absolutely no support. Is this new awning so bullet proof that it can handle a load of precipitation of any kind from above. Have folks with the new awning experienced heavy rain or snow so they can see how it performes? If a motor on one side dies does the other side keep cranking?

You could go with the manual and it looks like you will have your support arms like a Fiamma
Awning attaching down the sides . No motors to worry about . We played with a new one , All I can say we would go with the manual option . I would suggest you go to a RV dealship to help with your decision . Pat

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The two motors extend the arms which pull the fabric, but there is tension on the fabric so that when the motor reverses the fabric, like a roller shade disappears inside the case.

So you're saying that motors run the arms and the roller is spring-loaded? Still has a spring... and that's not consistent with the installation manual, but I haven't had a chance to look at one in person yet.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

I would suggest you go to a RV dealship to help with your decision .

Good idea... but be sure you're looking at the same models of awning. There are several brands and many models, with lots of difference in operational details.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Don't get me started on how "poor" the power window, power door lock components are and how many I've replaced in our vehicles over the last 10 years.

Not sure what vehicles you are buying Greg, but I have never had an issue with the electric window or door locks on any vehicle I have owned. I did have to replace the winding mechanism on a couple cars when I was young.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Not sure what vehicles you are buying Greg, but I have never had an issue with the electric window or door locks on any vehicle I have owned. I did have to replace the winding mechanism on a couple cars when I was young.

I did have to replace an electric window mechanism on my Honda Civic. Of course, it was over fourteen years old at the time.

[Starbrightsteve]

If you google "dometic 9500E" , the awning model used on the 2017 Escapes, there are comments from folks that think the awning is junk. Most of the problems are related to the "wind sensor". One owner said if he farts, the awning retracts. While I am a grandfarter, I hope not to be troubled by my new awning constantly retracting and I think I am going to opt for the manual awning.

[Jim Bennett]

The wind sensor can be adjusted, or likely replaced if defective.

I am definitely giving the motorized version a go. I don't like going out in the middle of the night to retract an awning in the wind and rain. Either it does it by itself, or I push a button from inside. I am tough enough to handle lots of weather conditions, just not when I am cozy and sleeping.

[cpaharley2008]

Well we all know whom we do not want to camp next to, those with the manual awning selection due to the methane gas issue.... watch our for the campfires....

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

If you google "dometic 9500E" , the awning model used on the 2017 Escapes, there are comments from folks that think the awning is junk. Most of the problems are related to the "wind sensor". One owner said if he farts, the awning retracts. While I am a grandfarter, I hope not to be troubled by my new awning constantly retracting and I think I am going to opt for the manual awning.

Discussions in this forum (this thread and others) have already gone through this in great detail. I think if you do a Google search for any product you're more likely to find the vocally dissatisified than the quietly happy. The Dometic-made (but different brand and model) power awning on my motorhome never retracted undesirably.

If you Google search for problems with the electronic systems on modern cars and light trucks, then apply this reasoning, you may consider shopping for a Model T.

There are now a few new-style Escapes in owners' hands, and all of them have the Dometic 9500 power awning (the point of Canadark's post #41, showing the first manual awning unit in production)... so are any of them retracting when they shouldn't?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Well we all know whom we do not want to camp next to, those with the manual awning selection due to the methane gas issue.... watch our for the campfires....

Just pour me a couple glasses of bourbon. Be a good test for the auto retract sensor.