Manual Awning VS Power Awning - Page 3 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Me | General Topics > General Escape
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 02-22-2020, 02:26 PM   #41
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
I've had both & given the choice, I'd go with the manual awning. The electric is easy, but enough folks have pointed out the disadvantages. When I bought my 21 there was no choice...
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 10:33 AM   #42
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Honeoye Falls, New York
Trailer: 2019 Escape 19
Posts: 19
I'm in the "just glad to have an awning" camp. 2019 Escape 19 with manual awning. Easy to deploy, love the adjust-ability and sure we would like an electric one. I'm of the "more stuff you have, the more stuff will break" mindset so the cheaper manual decision was easy for us. I will say the one they use is of very high quality to others we have ha on other campers.


Take Care,
Steve
Steve NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 10:47 AM   #43
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: New Westminster, British Columbia
Trailer: 2020 5.0 TA
Posts: 11
On my former RV with electric awning, I found it failed to deploy in extreme heat conditions (100+ F) because the material becomes “sticky”. One side would unfurl but not the other. Not good for the mechanism and a bummer when you need shade. Have others had this problem?
Kenna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 10:51 AM   #44
Senior Member
 
tdf-texas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenna View Post
On my former RV with electric awning, I found it failed to deploy in extreme heat conditions (100+ F) because the material becomes “sticky”. One side would unfurl but not the other. Not good for the mechanism and a bummer when you need shade. Have others had this problem?
It doesn't get much worse than the weather in Houston TX and we haven't had any problems deploying our electric awning. The hottest I have used it was in Las Vegas where it was 117 deg f and it didn't have any sticking problems.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
tdf-texas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 12:49 PM   #45
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: San Diego, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21
Posts: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
It doesn't get much worse than the weather in Houston TX and we haven't had any problems deploying our electric awning. The hottest I have used it was in Las Vegas where it was 117 deg f and it didn't have any sticking problems.
Could be age related. When the plasticizers start breaking down vinyls start becoming very sticky.
jeffrow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 01:31 PM   #46
Site Team
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,122
regular treatment with 303 Aerospace Protectant will do a lot to prevent that stickiness. Also, keeping it clean, and promptly removing tree sap drips and such, prior to applying 303.
John in Santa Cruz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 02:09 PM   #47
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Plymouth, New Hampshire
Trailer: 2017 Escape 17B due August
Posts: 59
Love my power awning! We have had 2 manuals and it seems we always found an excuse not to put it out. The power awning is easy in and easy out! When we leave the site for the day we bring it in just incase of wind. Wouldn't have another manual if I had a choice.
blakebt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 04:30 PM   #48
Senior Member
 
Dave Walter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,634
All of this talk about awnings made me go out and look at my 2013 Escape. Yes, I do have an awning!
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad

"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
Dave Walter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 06:30 PM   #49
Bea
Senior Member
 
Bea's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Northern California, California
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21
Posts: 759
Our choice had little to do with functionality. For us it's all about storage. The overall sleek design of the electric is the only way we can squeeze it into our sideyard. Our gate would probably take out the manual one. I gain one grey hair with each take off and landing. But grateful to have it close. . -Bea
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_6992.jpg   IMG_6993.jpg  
Bea is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 06:45 PM   #50
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Walter View Post
All of this talk about awnings made me go out and look at my 2013 Escape. Yes, I do have an awning!
Me too Dave ! Pat
Patandlinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 06:46 PM   #51
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
Our choice had little to do with functionality. For us it's all about storage. The overall sleek design of the electric is the only way we can squeeze it into our sideyard. Our gate would probably take out the manual one. I gain one grey hair with each take off and landing. But grateful to have it close. . -Bea
Wow understand ! Pat
Patandlinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 07:47 PM   #52
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
Our choice had little to do with functionality. For us it's all about storage. The overall sleek design of the electric is the only way we can squeeze it into our sideyard. Our gate would probably take out the manual one. I gain one grey hair with each take off and landing. But grateful to have it close. . -Bea
Looks like a pea in a pod.....
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 07:59 PM   #53
Red
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 19 ft Escape
Posts: 78
We have a 2018 19 which came with an electric awning. So far so good no issues and if anything it could be adjusted to not retract so easy. It sheds rain just fine when partially retracted.

EI is located in the wettest part of North America. This is the right place for fiberglass RVs to be popular as leaks and water damage are a significant issue. The electric awning is great for short stays and quick setups. If we are staying here in a group for several days and its going to rain, tarps and ropes are common as it could be days before the sun returns.

Henderson Lake on Vancouver Island receives an annual average of 23 ft of rain. Yes that is feet of rain.

Places With Highest Total Yearly Precipitation Averages in the Contiguous States
Aberdeen Reservoir, Washington, 130.6 inches (3317 millimeters)
Laurel Mountain, Oregon, 122.3 in. (3106 mm)
Forks, Washington, 119.7 in. (3041 mm)
North Fork Nehalem Park, Oregon, 118.9 in. (3020 mm)
Mt Rainier, Paradise Station, Washington, 118.3 in. (3005 mm)
Port Orford, Oregon, 117.9 in. (2995 mm)
Humptulips, Washington, 115.6 in. (2937 mm)
Swift Reservoir, Washington, 112.7 in. (2864 mm)
Naselle, Washington, 112.0 in. (2845 mm)
Clearwater State Park, Washington, 108.9 in. (2766 mm)
Baring, Washington, 106.7 in. (2710 mm)

After owning campers, trailers and motor homes the Escape is the best and driest for the Pacific Northwest. The style of awning is a personal choice for where you live and how you camp Thank you EI for giving us a choice.
Red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 09:55 PM   #54
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Bryan, Texas
Trailer: 2018 21’ Escape
Posts: 22
Upper support arm mount issue

We have the manual Carefree awning on our 21. The year is 2018. I still prefer the manual option as I have had several travel trailers before the Escape and am quite used to manual awnings. When setup with a slight tilt to one side and anchored with guy ropes, they can withstand pretty strong wind and rain.

The ETI installation of the manual awning is incorrect. The trailer is setup for the power awning with the indentation for it molded into the trailer. And with the indentation for the power awning, the upper mounting point for the manual awning arms are set lower than they should be. The upper mounting point should be on the same plane as the awning. With the ETI installation, the awning does not remain taut through various height adjustments due to the support arms upper mounting point being lower than the mounting point of the awning itself. So, the length of the support arms need to be adjusted anytime you change the elevation.

This is not a deal breaker for me in choosing the manual awning, but it would be nice to have some type of mod available to correct this issue.
Cowboy Doug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2020, 11:19 PM   #55
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Colusa, California
Trailer: 2019 escape 19' with 2012 Chevy 1500
Posts: 62
I have had 3 previous trailers with manual awnings and they were all great. I really wanted to get another manual on our 2019 escape but thought of all the times that I didn't use it because of the set up and take down hassle. So we went with the power awning and just love it. We use it every time we go camping and there are no support bars or posts to walk around or deal with.
j3cub is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2020, 12:10 AM   #56
Senior Member
 
sclifrickson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowboy Doug View Post
We have the manual Carefree awning on our 21. The year is 2018. I still prefer the manual option as I have had several travel trailers before the Escape and am quite used to manual awnings. When setup with a slight tilt to one side and anchored with guy ropes, they can withstand pretty strong wind and rain.



The ETI installation of the manual awning is incorrect. The trailer is setup for the power awning with the indentation for it molded into the trailer. And with the indentation for the power awning, the upper mounting point for the manual awning arms are set lower than they should be. The upper mounting point should be on the same plane as the awning. With the ETI installation, the awning does not remain taut through various height adjustments due to the support arms upper mounting point being lower than the mounting point of the awning itself. So, the length of the support arms need to be adjusted anytime you change the elevation.



This is not a deal breaker for me in choosing the manual awning, but it would be nice to have some type of mod available to correct this issue.


The second gen trailer molds were designed specifically for electric awnings. For awhile manual awnings weren’t even an option. Once ETI brought them back, optionally, they had to adapt their mounting to the electric-awning-shaped shell.
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
sclifrickson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2020, 01:26 AM   #57
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Santa Rosa, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 15B sold, 2019 Escape 19
Posts: 367
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenna View Post
On my former RV with electric awning, I found it failed to deploy in extreme heat conditions (100+ F) because the material becomes “sticky”. One side would unfurl but not the other. Not good for the mechanism and a bummer when you need shade. Have others had this problem?
No problem so far, a week in Moab and another in Joshua Tree NP, worked fine at temps. above 100.
Effie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2020, 09:29 AM   #58
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21'
Posts: 280
With the manual awning, it is easy to use a sun screen. We often use a screen the length of the awning or on the side to provide shade. I'm not sure if you can use a sun screen with the electric awning?
__________________
Tom & Linda
ATHiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2020, 12:57 PM   #59
Senior Member
 
Ronn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Trailer: 2019 5.0 TA
Posts: 864
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eggscape View Post
Four: it has been know that the little brush attached to the awning box may not clean the twigs and stuff off the top well enough when closing. Someone had an acorn enter the housing and completely destroy the material. So if you are camped under trees you might want to use your ladder and inspect the top before each time you close it.
We have the power awning and love it, yes we would buy it again.

We did have an acorn get by us, it didn't do much damage, just a small pin hole. We have the 5.0 and the awning is quite high, I do have a telescoping ladder but seldom use it, if we did we would lose the "convenience" of having a power awning.
__________________
The Sweet Suite
Ronn and Colleen
Ronn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2020, 07:02 PM   #60
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Southwest, Ohio
Trailer: Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 34
Thumbs up

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
... The overall sleek design of the electric is the only way we can squeeze it into our sideyard. Our gate would probably take out the manual one. I gain one grey hair with each take off and landing. But grateful to have it close. . -Bea
WOW!!!

Having had my Casita for two years and having used it for 17 trips, I still consider myself a “backup rookie”. Looking at the pictures in your post, you clearly qualify to change your User-ID to “Dr. Bea” as you most certainly must have a post doctorate degree in “trailer backing”.
__________________
LarryB(Tweaker's Casita Spirit Deluxe)
Private Message: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/p...=newpm&u=10666
email: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/s...member&u=10666
LarryB. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:37 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.