A word of caution on the new "self-dumping awning

[Bakes99]

Originally Posted by blhvet

Bakes99 - don't panic. It's a great, slick little awning and I was really loving it. Just treat it with the same caution as you would any other awning and "ignore" the self-dumping and self-retracting claims. Sure a lot easier to "set up" for one person than a manual awning!

Nah, it's all good. Just hope you get it resolved is all. Don't believe you should be out of pocket.

[cpaharley2008]

Every awning I have ever owned, on every trailer, more than 10, with an awning, state that it is a shade device, not an umbrella. The literature warns about water pooling and resulting damage.
Yes it is nice to use in light rain but it is use at your own risk, so to speak. Unfortunate but it does happen, sorry.

[Bakes99]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Every awning I have ever owned, on every trailer, more than 10, with an awning, state that it is a shade device, not an umbrella. The literature warns about water pooling and resulting damage.
Yes it is nice to use in light rain but it is use at your own risk, so to speak. Unfortunate but it does happen, sorry.

I've only owned a couple trailers, but for a very long time. Nowhere close to 10. To be honest, awning was the part I worried about the least. It was always there, in all its awning glory, wide and open when I returned from an outing, rain or shine . I never read the manual on them.
That being said, I'm still excited about this new awning, but to say I'm not a little worried about it, would be lying. I will say, I'll never leave it unattended and will bring it in with minimal amount of rain or wind. There's enough real world warnings not to.

[cpaharley2008]

good, sage advice....

[blhvet]

No satisfactory outcome yet. After exchanging several emails and photos with Dometic, they made it clear that none of the damage was covered under warranty.

I emailed ETI last weekend with this news and told them that, given what I had been told, I felt that they should fix or replace the awning. (It does still work, but the front sag is worse and now hits the door.)

So far, no response. I sent another email yesterday. I'm disappointed.
Brenda

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by blhvet

No satisfactory outcome yet. After exchanging several emails and photos with Dometic, they made it clear that none of the damage was covered under warranty.

I emailed ETI last weekend with this news and told them that, given what I had been told, I felt that they should fix or replace the awning. (It does still work, but the front sag is worse and now hits the door.)

So far, no response. I sent another email yesterday. I'm disappointed.
Brenda

Brenda,
No matter the outcome of your awning issues, I'm still very sorry you have had problems. I'm in complete sympathy that these issues have come up on your new trailer. I'm sorry for you and wish that I could help. I guess I have been lucky not to have had one single issue crop up on my 17 but I have every confidence that ETI will stand behind there product should the unexpected happen. Yikes my warranty is up this coming February!

Maybe it would be a good idea if ETI would offer a "first 100 day warranty - no questions asked. Free repair / replacement - no mater what. There are a lot of inexperienced (I was one) owners who might - using you as a presumed example, not realize the complexities of trailer ownership and could use a back up.

Well that said .... should you discover me out camping ... dinner and drinks are on me for you and yours. We are all family aren't we? Circle the wagons ....

No coupon required ...

Tom

[blhvet]

Thanks, Tom - I appreciate the support. I've actually owned several trailers with awnings, and I've always been really careful. The frustrating thing is that I was specifically told it was safe to leave it out in wind and rain. Wait and see, I guess...

[allanmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Marry

If I am not mistaken, ETI still has the option of a manual operating awning.

I was told by ETI that manual awnings will not fit onto the new body design.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by allanmacdonald

I was told by ETI that manual awnings will not fit onto the new body design.

There maybe some misinformation here, the old style manual awning will not work but there is a newer style manual awning available as well as the new style power awning.

[lchris292]

Our 21 starts production in a few weeks, should I be contacting ETI to switch to the manual awning??

[gocamp]

Brenda,
Appreciate the update, keep us posted. It sure has been a long saga for you. The sag hitting the door, I'd think it would get worse as time goes on.

Chris,
just follow this and you are good to go with the electric especially in that Utah wind.
"Just treat it with the same caution as you would any other awning and "ignore" the self-dumping and self-retracting claims."

[phalaney]

Originally Posted by lchris292

Our 21 starts production in a few weeks, should I be contacting ETI to switch to the manual awning??

We owned a Casita with a manual awning and left it up in the rain, it ended up broken and twisted. I think manual or automatic you still need to make sure it is not left out in the rain or winds.

[jennykatz]

What would be the difference between auto /man if they didn't have support arms it would do the same twist and pool the water and then eventually break .
When we stayed in Tenn this Summer we had left the awning fully extended and rain and gusts of wind came up while we were away .Thank Goodness a neighbor camper came up and held our awning from breaking .When we got back we had to get rid of pooled water and by retracting in and out a few times it seems to work although one side is a few inches lower then the other .So now rain should fall off to one side . ( I wonder if the arms can be adjusted ?)
We now always retract the awning anytime we leave the camper and also at night .It seems to me the awning can be put out about 1/2 way and it seems very sturdy ? Not ever having an awning we did not know how delicate they really are . Although a friend had a 5th wheel and his awning broke in a rain shower down in the keys so it can happen to any awning .

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by jennykatz

What would be the difference between auto /man if they didn't have support arms it would do the same twist and pool the water and then eventually break.

The manual awning does have support arms that can go down to the ground or onto the trailer. It appears to be the Carefree Freedom WM. Pictures were provided in this thread:
www.escapeforum.org/forums/f7/manual-awning-pics-9859.html#post188581

Personally, I'm glad that ETI hasn't completely abandoned the Carefree line for Dometic. The original manual Carefree Fiesta awnings are bulletproof.

[Tisiphone]

Originally Posted by blhvet

Was out camping last week in a well-treed and protected campsite with my 2 month old 17B. We were going on to town for the day and I thought about retracting the awning, but recalled the claims of "wind sensor" and "self-dumping" features so I left it open. Bad idea.

I returned after some rain to find the awning full of water and sagging about 18". One of the arms is bent, the canvas is stretched and damaged, and the back side doesn't retract all the way.
...

The exact same happened to mine. 2017 21'. The water pooled in the awning and bent the arm. The canvas seems ok. I haven't taken it in yet. Summer has been too busy.

[wetzk]

Something else to watch for is leaves. There is a ridge on the front part and the leaves do not get pushed off. We had the back out about 3/4 of an inch due to leaves jammed in it. I had to open it and brush them off. The motor made a bogged down sound so I imagine that could damage it.

[gocamp]

Keep us posted Tisi on if it's a warranty fix or not, maybe it can help Brenda out.

[Starbrightsteve]

We sent in the signed options list for our 5.0TA a full month before the due date. On it we chose the manual awning option that was offered. A few sundays ago we got a call from Tammy saying that there was no way they could figure out how to mount the manual awning on the fifth wheel. Also they had to know what we wanted them to do right then on that Sunday afternoon. I told them I would let them know our decision on Monday morning. We decided to get the electric awning but I am not the least bit impressed with the organization.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

A few sundays ago we got a call from Tammy saying that there was no way they could figure out how to mount the manual awning on the fifth wheel. Also they had to know what we wanted them to do right then on that Sunday afternoon. I told them I would let them know our decision on Monday morning. We decided to get the electric awning but I am not the least bit impressed with the organization.

It's interesting how people can interpret the same chain of events differently. I am impressed with how ETI dealt with this, first by trying their best to install a non-standard piece of equipment, and then the owner calling on a Sunday afternoon as the trailer is in the production line. Of course, others will interpret this in a negative light. But as is often said on the forum...YMMV.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve

We decided to get the electric awning but I am not the least bit impressed with the organization.

Take a look at this photo, then tell me where you would put the mounting bracket for the right side support - and not have it behind the entry door when it's open, and also how you would lower the right side support arm and still be able to open the entry door.

My guess is that you were the first 5.0TA build that requested a manual awning, so the problem with fitment wasn't on their radar.

As you can see from the second photo, this one of a 21, the bracket isn't an issue there because the awning is further to the right of the entry door - a position which isn't possible with the 5.0TA.

And just as an aside, if an awning bracket oversight makes you "not the least bit impressed with the organization", I'd say you need to know more about them.