Electrical Awning reinforcement

[rich.dev]

Has anyone with an Ollie and electric awning tried this (or similar) awning reinforcement? 
 

https://saveawn.com/?fbclid=IwAR2f3ebhrjdGssRpOqtx-2mRkBYKwpYqmuNQPY2jf5_KTw_NFzYttYX8TWA_aem_AQz__Z-7Q8LGD0s_1fXsEvOWhDAIWCzEgS9bttplOpLfif_6IHQJM5eS9lQR2zmQXeI4aApiJmOu0ILaTps1TIkU&mibextid=WC7FNe

Edited April 20 by rich.dev

[topgun2]

No - I have not tried it nor do I have an electric awning....

But, I scrolled down to the "products" page and the first thing I saw was what appeared to me as the entire system in a bag for only $19.95 and immediately thought about getting the system and converting it to be used with my manual awning.

Duh!  that is only for the storage bag.  The system starts at $229.99.

Guess I'll stay in the dark ages for awhile longer.😊

Bill

[Patriot]

If you add any additional awning supports be sure and turn off the automatic wind detection/retraction sensor on the awning. 😎

 

[rich.dev]

47 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

But, I scrolled down to the "products" page and the first thing I saw was what appeared to me as the entire system in a bag for only $19.95 and immediately thought about getting the system and converting it to be used with my manual awning.

Duh!  that is only for the storage bag.  The system starts at $229.99.

Guess I'll stay in the dark ages for awhile longer.😊

Bill

😂😂 …. wish I had a manual awning!

Edited April 21 by rich.dev

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, rich.dev said:

😂😂 …. wish I had a manual awning!

Trade ya!? 🤣

We are new to being Oliver owners, so I will wait this out a bit...

Had a Class-A with electric awning, we used it once, but only had it for two seasons. Class C over 4 seasons, didn't use it once (manual).

I'm actually thinking of pulling it off the Oliver for wind resistance and aesthetics. I will never again wrench my neck under a manual awning, what a PITA (and we live in 300 days of strong sunshine out here in the GREAT SW)!

[topgun2]

9 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Trade ya!? 

Nope!  🤠

[Mike and Carol]

6 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

Nope!  🤠

Nope, nope.

[Patriot]

Nope. 😊

[Wandering Sagebrush]

12 hours ago, topgun2 said:

<snip>

Guess I'll stay in the dark ages for awhile longer.😊

Bill

There are times when the simplest solution is far better than the elegant solution, and I think this is one of them.  Nothing wrong with being a retro grouch in the dark ages.

My only frustration with the manual awnings is when I don’t pay attention to which way the support leg guide goes when stowing the leg back in the cover.  

[CRM]

7 minutes ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

There are times when the simplest solution is far better than the elegant solution, and I think this is one of them.  Nothing wrong with being a retro grouch in the dark ages.

 

I'm with ya.. and one less motor is one less thing to go wrong.

If using a manual awning ever becomes too taxing for me I probably shouldn't be out camping any more..

[topgun2]

But, then again, I remember saying that I would never own a vehicle with an automatic transmission.  My reasoning was that the "standard" transmission forced the driver to be more "in tune" with the vehicle.

I also remember an hour's long discussion with Scott Oliver regarding the decision to make these "automatic" awnings standard on the Ollies.  Certainly there are some good arguments on both sides of that discussion, but, I'm still glad (almost always) that I've got my "simple" manual awning.😇

Bill

[rich.dev]

42 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

I also remember an hour's long discussion with Scott Oliver regarding the decision to make these "automatic" awnings standard on the Ollies.  Certainly there are some good arguments on both sides of that discussion, but, I'm still glad (almost always) that I've got my "simple" manual awning.😇

Bill

We've had 5 travel trailers, the Ollie is the first with electric awning, I'm not sure what type manual awning the older Ollies have, but I definitely prefer a manual awning with support legs, more rigid in my opinion. But, don't tell my wife, she loves the lectric awning! And as @CRM mentioned, one less piece of electronics/motor to deal with that can go wrong.

[Cameron]

I spent a week in the desert earlier this month where wind is common. I couldn't keep my awning out for even an hour before a gust would sent it into retraction mode. And that was with the awning out only a foot or two. With me for a couple days was a friend with a Lance trailer, also with an electric awning. He had this product and it seemed to work well even in the desert wind. Of course he disconnected and retracted his awning at night.  I'm thinking about getting it and trying it out. 

https://www.amazon.com/Carefree-R019399-001-Awning-StabilizR-Kit/dp/B00NS7YIMS/ref=sr_1_35?crid=E0FJU2M7UHWC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SFBo6fI7vJjKWZfis5zs18LMsXXYkNMjNGnbwtWcuGFYVO9SYr8vnnra1zsydo0Y1fKeBkwt1LnanhIr9dGrLTka1-mIq1se7Y0j8y1E_i0w_iXKMhuGYWSF6dGyzqlaHB-ue6B5we2_aOGY5d8QVWk2rft5QzC2fSJY7b9NtSMjxJ8Pfe7SuTGEmzP0i70g5P2My_tadhuSwli0Oau9HdjftMhctJj9dOIEzYT76nRS0Rcv1XuwfxddYohhwH6y_DQmI8ibAJJHm5lGCm4zS0uAeOl_MOlGpP5MBylfXKs.AD1UZ4H2jKStSX3aFTaVnOBi_75hkMDHrpNP_DH4tOM&dib_tag=se&keywords=rv%2Bawning%2Btie%2Bdown%2Bkit&qid=1713721713&sprefix=rv%2Bawning%2B%2Caps%2C545&sr=8-35&th=1

[rich.dev]

Thanks for the link @Cameron, looks like a winner to me, especially the price! 

[Galway Girl]

We use the carefree tie down poles

 One caution:  if it’s windy enough even those poles cans be lifted off the ground.  

Also, with the awning rail tied down, the awning material still billows up and stetches a bit. The longer term outcome is that the awning material slides toward the center from both ends after prolonged use with poles.  Our awning is now 3” in on each end of the outside rail.

Here’s our article on the topic:   
 

https://4-ever-hitched.com/ggs-blog/f/furnishing-the-oliver-campsite?blogcategory=Camping+Equipment

 

 

Galway Girl - Hull 505

Edited April 21 by Galway Girl

[Coastal Aggie]

i have thought about setting up something similar because it seems to me that the auto retract is way too sensitive even for light winds. However there was one time i had gone over to my parents house and left the awning out and that auto retract saved me a big chunk of change when a freak 30 minute storm with golf ball size hail came out of nowhere while we were eating dinner. after that im not sure id want to do something that eliminated the use of the auto retract, maybe just find away to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor.

[Geronimo John]

On 4/21/2024 at 5:53 AM, rich.dev said:

I definitely prefer a manual awning with support legs, more rigid in my opinion.

Ditto!  

Out west we generally have stronger winds and storms during the summer are common.  Best not to leave an awning unsupervised.....  We leave, I roll-er-up.

If we are boondocking somewhere for an extended period of time I pull my milk crates (One in Basement storing parts, one in the basket that holds our "blocks"), and our Anderson reciever to sit next to our awning poles.  I have yet to be at a camp site where rocks are not plentiful.  They provide ballast for the milk crates.  Three pre-cut and looped sets of 550 milspec para cord tie downs and we are good to go for moderate winds.  A recent upgrade was to add three carabiners so I could unconnect quickly and "roll-er-up" in a hurry.  

End of stay and the rocks go onto the access road in a low spot/washout.  

Nothing basically to buy.  No added space taken.  No added weight to be carried.  = 3 wins!

Edited April 22 by Geronimo John

[jd1923]

On 4/22/2024 at 11:49 AM, Geronimo John said:

We leave, I roll-er-up.

Y'all are very convincing. Yes, always keep it rolled up. 🤣

We nearly lost an awning, years ago, on a 26' race car trailer in a New Mexico sandstorm. Pulled over, strapped it up and pushed on to Arizona. I don't use them for the pain involved, and I like to sit in the sun!

[johnwen]

On 4/21/2024 at 4:06 PM, Galway Girl said:

We use the carefree tie down poles

 One caution:  if it’s windy enough even those poles cans be lifted off the ground.  

Also, with the awning rail tied down, the awning material still billows up and stetches a bit. The longer term outcome is that the awning material slides toward the center from both ends after prolonged use with poles.  Our awning is now 3” in on each end of the outside rail.

Here’s our article on the topic:   
 

https://4-ever-hitched.com/ggs-blog/f/furnishing-the-oliver-campsite?blogcategory=Camping+Equipment

 

 

Galway Girl - Hull 505

Nice blog GG :)

John

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

I recall a previous post that some folks use cargo straps and tent stakes for securing the awning. We were in Chaco Canyon recently enjoying the awning shade when the wind suddenly picked up dramatically. The Girard auto-retract did work but I popped up and grabbed the awning to stabilize it. Had we not been sitting under it, it may have done some damage.

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI said:

The Girard auto-retract did work but I popped up and grabbed the awning to stabilize it. Had we not been sitting under it, it may have done some damage.

THIS is a good time to remind everyone that is attending the Rally that a few years ago one of these sudden wind gusts came up and it destroyed 4 Oliver awnings.

As I understand it, Oliver was gracious in dealing with this situation such that they provided new awnings at cost to those who lost their awnings.  Even on sunny days - if you leave your Oliver for any reason, be sure to retract that awning.

Bill

[MAX Burner]

We were at Eagle Nest Lake SP near Red River last summer when we heard a major "CRASH!" in the middle of the night - sounded like somebody ran into our TV.  Got up the next morning to find that the couple next to us did not retract their rather huge awning before turning in.  A wind gust came up over the lake and took out the massive sun shade:

Oops!  Don't leave an extended awning unattended...

[Geronimo John]

1 hour ago, DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI said:

use cargo straps and tent stakes for securing the awning

Yep, such countermeasures are not compatable with wind sensor auto roll up systems.  Gotta pick your poison.  

This one works for us:  "Leave, roll-er-up" seems to work every time.  For this purpose, I consider sleeping or not in use is the same as leaving.

GJ