Owner Feedback on Electric Awning for E21C

[diannelgraham]

Originally Posted by Chamberman

Its my understanding that some frameless window customers have asked for a slider in the position where the awning arm would contact the frameless window. This gives you most of the benefits of the frameless window without the negative aspect of the arm contacting the rear PS window.

I asked for this in 2021 and was told they where no longer mixing framed and frameless windows. With the positive changes happening lately at escape they may have again started to offer this.

[brroberts]

Originally Posted by Chamberman

Its my understanding that some frameless window customers have asked for a slider in the position where the awning arm would contact the frameless window. This gives you most of the benefits of the frameless window without the negative aspect of the arm contacting the rear PS window.

ETI might do that, but when we bought, they would not mix window styles except for frameless on back if you chose sliders.

[LRL]

I understand that you’ve made your decision. And I’m sure you’ll be happy. We’ve had the electric awning on our 2017 E221 and now on our E23. Love them and wouldn’t choose manual. But the only right answer is what you like and want. And you will love your new trailer! Congratulations.

[Rockhead]

On our 21 with frameless window , I’ve put a thin rubber pad where the bathroom and dinette windows come in contact with the awning frame. Steel n glass don’t like each other. Gives one a little peace so to speak

[Beep]

Originally Posted by LRL

I understand that you’ve made your decision. And I’m sure you’ll be happy. We’ve had the electric awning on our 2017 E221 and now on our E23. Love them and wouldn’t choose manual. But the only right answer is what you like and want. And you will love your new trailer! Congratulations.

Thanks! I feel like there are some options on the camper that my mind is never quite made up on.
Beep

[eh2610d@gmail.com]

Hello, we did our maiden voyage this past weekend. The awning seems extremely sensitive to the slightest bit of wind. If rolls right up. Is there away to adjust the setting? I can’t find any information on it

[ofamily]

Originally Posted by Beep

Thanks. Good info. We are leaning, at this point, toward the manual.

We ordered our 2018 trailer with a manual awning and received the electric one instead. No extra charge, we weren’t told about it beforehand, and I was madder than a wet hen! We had a manual awning in our 1st trailer and found that it worked well for sun and rain shelter over our door.

The electric is convenient in that even our kids can put it in and out, but it is useless in the rain or in a small breeze. We would not knowingly pay for or choose an electric awning again.

We haven’t had any issue with its functions as of yet. We are concerned that it will be an eventual fail point as hubby intends to keep the trailer into our retirement. (That’s still 8+ years away.)

[bnorman53]

I have an electric awning on my 17B. If I had my time back I would have gone with the manual one. Easier to get the debris off and able to angle it in the rain.

[ofamily]

Originally Posted by eh2610d@gmail.com

Hello, we did our maiden voyage this past weekend. The awning seems extremely sensitive to the slightest bit of wind. If rolls right up. Is there away to adjust the setting? I can’t find any information on it

That’s the electric awning I am afraid. We haven’t found a setting to adjust the sensitivity. If you do, I’d love to know. Because it’s unusable in the slightest breeze or sprinkle, we rarely use our awning nowadays which is too sad.

[mfschu]

Yes, there is a setting to adust the sensitivity of the wind sensor. You can google the model of awning to find the owners manual and instructions on how to run through the process.

[bnorman53]

I just turn off the power button once the awning is extended when in camp

[bborzell]

Had a manual on a Class C MH. Chose an electric on our 21C and again on our E23. Much prefer electric because of ease of deployment.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I much prefer manual awning as I can deploy it in under a minute, tilt one side down for better drainage in wet weather, and general wind resistance

[DT6]

We have had both. A manual on our 19 and an electric on our 21C. The manual is nice in that you can tilt it to help get a bit more shade, and of course that helps with water drainage in the rain. However we got tired of having to duck under the support arms, and we did have some mechanical issues with ours that took me awhile to straighten out.
While overall we prefer the electric, because as others have mentioned all you have to do is press a button and there are no support arms you have to duck under. One important downside to note on the electric is that you need to ensure the switch for it that is mounted next to the door is turned OFF every time you tow. It is possible for the remote to come loose and move around and have something press on one of the buttons and have the awning deploy at highway speeds. That has happened before (not to us fortunately) and the results were not pretty.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by DT6

However we got tired of having to duck under the support arms,

There's always the option of having the arms vertical. Creates the same open space and provides an anchor point for a sun screen.

Ron

[Jim Bennett]

I have owned both, mostly manual until our latest Escape and that is electric. Both have advantages. Basically, like most things we purchase, when a decision is made justification in the buyers mind makes their choice the best.

I use my electric in the rain all the time. If just for a entry rain shelter I keep it no more than half way out and that works great in heavy rain. If I want to party underneath and have a picnic table set up, I use an adjustable pole with a foam covered T piece on top which shed the rain well. The manual works good in rain with any extension short of a torrential downpour in which I lost one before.

Setting up. The electric wins hands down, press a button for a half or full extension. Push a button to close it. Heck, with the electric my wife operates it. The manual is more work but really not too bad, I have set one up many hundreds of times.

Looks. In my opinion the electric wins this hands down having no big arms mounted on the trailer. Being housed in a case is really nice for looks and weathering of the fabric.

Cost. Manual wins this one big time.

I have never had an issue with my electric short of the housing getting a few dents in a golf ball sized hailstorm. To say they have more issues is just unfair as I have had lots of issues I had to fix on my manual awnings.

If I was buying again, I am not sure which way I would go, but I do like the electric now that I am used to it. If I camped mostly in an area with heavy rain a lot of the time, I would likely go manual.

Either type of awning works great for heading out and making memories. Pick one, any one, and go have some fun.

[Beep]

Thanks for all the input. Probably time to roll this one up.

[Ron in BC]

Unlikely, this is one discussion that's like the energizer bunny, it just keeps going and going.

Ron

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Beep

Thanks for all the input. Probably time to roll this one up.

"Roll this one up"

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

There's always the option of having the arms vertical. Creates the same open space and provides an anchor point for a sun screen.

Ron

Great suggestion. Now that you mention it, those legs are held on with pins, aren't they. Now I know why.

I must admit I have not looked at the awning manual. I presume putting the legs down like that is in the manual.

Thanks for pointing it out.