2017 Awning

bsmoke · 10-17-2016, 09:51 AM

I probably missed it so I apologize in advance but what is final status of 2017 awning? Is a manual option still an option? If there is problem with the automatic can you manually crank it?

SFDavis50 · 10-17-2016, 10:58 AM

Dometic is the standard awning and is electric. They offer a Carefree manual awning if you don't want electric. I'm pretty sure the electric can be manually retracted but I haven't seen how.

cpaharley2008 · 10-17-2016, 11:30 AM

There is a 3/8" socket hole to manually retract if need be. Once you go with the automatic power there is no looking back.

freespirit · 10-17-2016, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

There is a 3/8" socket hole to manually retract if need be. Once you go with the automatic power there is no looking back.

since you have the new Dometic awning...sort of a question about awing droop and the door.
If your awing is extended and the door is open all they way can you still close the door without retracting the awning first..or is there positions of the door being open that the awning rests on the top of the door?...the reason I ask is at the RV expo yesterday most if not all the unsupported (no support arms to the lower part of the trailer) awnings were Carefree brand and depending on the trailer some awnings seemed to be mounted lower than others. Depending on the amount of awning extension and droop some seemed to interfere with the door open/closing. A sequence of door close/open and extended/not extend awning would have to be followed to prevent the door from damaging the awning. In fact on some trailers they even had a warning sticker to this effect on the side of the trailer near the door. For those that might have this issue , the automatic retraction feature may not have a clue what the door position is at the time of retraction.
any observations on the new Escape Dometic awning operation that a user might need to be especially cognizant of ?
Thanks

bsmoke · 10-17-2016, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

There is a 3/8" socket hole to manually retract if need be. Once you go with the automatic power there is no looking back.

Does that mean you like it?

Brian B-P · 10-17-2016, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freespirit

... at the RV expo yesterday most if not all the unsupported (no support arms) awnings were Carefree brand and depending on the trailer some awnings seemed to be mounted lower than others. Depending on the amount of awning extension and droop some seemed to interfere with the door open/closing. A sequence of door close/open and extended/not extend awning would have to be followed to prevent the door from damaging the awning. In fact on some trailers they even had a warning sticker to this effect on the side of the trailer near the door.
...

That sounds like bad planning.

If the top of the wall is not high enough for the awning to clear the door, brackets are available to mount the awning on the roof instead. Stickers don't fix design errors.

Reace designed the new-generation body to fit this type of awning, so my guess is that he took appropriate clearance into account.

The droop angle of these awnings (both Dometic and Carefree) can be set at installation, and changed later if necessary - it is not a routine adjustment. If the droop angle is set lower than necessary and causes intererence, that's a readily corrected installation error. If the droop angle needed for proper drainage is too low to clear the door, the design is flawed.

This seems like a good thing to check on a new trailer (of any brand), and get corrected if requried. I can't imagine tolerating a setup with this sort of interference between the awning and door.

Losangeles · 10-17-2016, 02:43 PM

possible awning droop / door clearance - added of list of things to check at pickup.

freespirit · 10-17-2016, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

If the droop angle needed for proper drainage is too low to clear the door, the design is flawed.

This seems like a good thing to check on a new trailer (of any brand), and get corrected if requried. I can't imagine tolerating a setup with this sort of interference between the awning and door.

on one trailer with a warning sticker the awning was extended and so low that the awning fabric was resting on the top of the door and the door was open about 130 deg but not 180. If the awning auto retracted the metal arm itself would also hit the door as it bent inward....was thinking maybe these critters needed an open door sensor in the door frame that would prevent auto retract operation when the door was open.

Brian B-P · 10-17-2016, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Losangeles

possible awning droop / door clearance - added of list of things to check at pickup.

I don't think it's a big concern.
It is possible that there is so much clearance in the Escape design that even at the lowest droop setting there's no interference - in that case there would be no reason to check. I just don't think we know yet.

davescape · 10-17-2016, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freespirit

If your awing is extended and the door is open all they way can you still close the door without retracting the awning first..or is there positions of the door being open that the awning rests on the top of the door?...

On my unit the door can freely open and close with all positions of the awning. I think the power awning by Dometic is awesome. Easy set up. Easy take down. I can do it all day long

...of course then my finger might get a little sore.

rubicon327 · 10-17-2016, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freespirit

If your awing is extended and the door is open all they way can you still close the door without retracting the awning first..or is there positions of the door being open that the awning rests on the top of the door?

I suppose that only owners with the current awning are best to answer, but I can say that with the engineering and thought that is put into these trailers by Reace and his team it is very unlikely they would let interference like that happen. Based on the pictures of the new awning shown extended on the Escape website it does not appear to be a concern at all.

SFDavis50 · 10-17-2016, 02:57 PM

Pictures for the 17 and 19 on the Escape site show plenty of clearance between the awning and door.

NW Cat Owner · 10-17-2016, 04:08 PM

I just know that when I checked out one of their early 2nd Gen trailers at the factory, it was sitting outside with the awning deployed and I didn't have any problems opening and closing the door. Granted, the awning was extended straight out, but I didn't get the impression that clearance would be an issue if the awning was deployed at an angle.

I'm not worried in the least (yep, you read the correctly!) about the awning getting in the way of the door.

cpaharley2008 · 10-17-2016, 04:19 PM

No, there are no door clearance issues with the power awning, regardless of extension and it is really nice. When closing it cleans the debris off the awning automatically. It has a pitch adjustment and the automatic wind sensor for retraction. Between it and the windows, I can not pick which is the better upgrade over the classic.

freespirit · 10-17-2016, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davescape

On my unit the door can freely open and close with all positions of the awning. I think the power awning by Dometic is awesome. Easy set up. Easy take down. I can do it all day long

...of course then my finger might get a little sore.

That is what I was hoping for!

Thanks

freespirit · 10-17-2016, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The droop angle of these awnings (both Dometic and Carefree) can be set at installation, and changed later if necessary - it is not a routine adjustment. If the droop angle is set lower than necessary and causes intererence, that's a readily corrected installation error. If the droop angle needed for proper drainage is too low to clear the door, the design is flawed.

do not want to go off thread and this example IS NOT an Escape trailer but rather why I asked the question with regard to the new Escape awning.
one example of the warning label seen and also an example of at least one trailer (2017 Lxxxx) at the RV Expo of which there were several trailers/brands with this type Carefree awning. Perhaps being a trailer newbie I am missing something...
good to know a recent post on this thread indicates this is not an issue with the 2017 2nd gen Escape Dometic awning and the Escape door...thanks

freespirit · 10-17-2016, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

No, there are no door clearance issues with the power awning, regardless of extension and it is really nice. When closing it cleans the debris off the awning automatically. It has a pitch adjustment and the automatic wind sensor for retraction. Between it and the windows, I can not pick which is the better upgrade over the classic.

thank you

dkirk · 10-17-2016, 05:30 PM

We have the new power awning and can confirm it does not hit the door at any extension

Mountain_gal · 10-17-2016, 10:49 PM

I would also like to testify to the utility of the auto-retract. We were camping for 4 days in the same location for the Desert Trip music fest. The first three days went just fine with the awning deployed full time (it was HOT!). On the fourth day, the wind came up while we were away at the performances. When we came back to the trailer at 1 a.m., the awning had neatly retracted itself even though our outdoor rug was twisted out of place and the door mat was gone and never to be found.

Yes, I know that we should have retracted the awning before leaving but at 4 p;n. the winds were mild and the sun was hot, so it never crossed our minds.

I like having technology that saves me from myself.

CADreamin · 10-17-2016, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFDavis50

Dometic is the standard awning and is electric. They offer a Carefree manual awning if you don't want electric. I'm pretty sure the electric can be manually retracted but I haven't seen how.

So, if I understand you correctly, they are offering the automatic Dometic or the Carefree manual (the same awning that is on the "classic" Escapes)?

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