Girard Awning

[John Dorrer]

Arrived at campsite, no measurable wind, light breeze. Tucked along a tree line.

 

Deployed the Girard and 2 minutes later it retracted. The remote stop button wouldn't stop the awning from retracting. Waited a bit to let the motor cool down. Deployed it a second time and after a couple minutes it retracted again.

 

Can the awning sense low battery in the remote, or will the remote do this if the battery is low in the remote? I have not changed the remote battery since our 3/10/22 pickup, nor have I changed the wind sensor batteries.

What size button battery?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

 

 

[John Dorrer]

UPDATE: Jason followed up and asked if the trailer was still plugged into the 7-pin. Yep. Only here for 2 nights so we kept connected

 There is a safety thing that results in the awning automatically retracting so you don't drive off with it out

The "Fire Drill is over"🙃

 

 

 

[jd1923]

@John Dorrer did Jason mention how it is sensing the 7-pin? Perhaps they pull a feed off the 12V black wire.

Edited June 4 by jd1923

[MAX Burner]

On 6/3/2024 at 3:52 PM, John Dorrer said:

 There is a safety thing that results in the awning automatically retracting so you don't drive off with it out

OK... that's just too cool for school!  Just say'n...

However, I'm thinking like @jd1923 - and might think about disconnecting the 7-pin hot wire (the black one) and seeing if the Girard still behaves that way.

[John Dorrer]

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

@John Dorrer did Jason mention how it is sensing the 7-pin? Perhaps they pull a feed off the 12V black wire.

Not sure other than he said there was some form of sensor that triggered the awning to close

 

[jd1923]

Thanks @John Dorrer, it’s got to be that the sensor reads voltage on the black wire from the 7-pin connector. Sorry for being an engineering-nerd! The other wires are all open, no voltage when the TV is parked, wires for lights, turn signals, brakes are all open (off) when parked.

Kind of a crazy precaution. Can you see driving away with an awning open? Check your mirrors is first rule of driver’s ed.  Much more likely and damaging is driving away with a stabilizer Jack down.

Like you, we very often camp with TV connected. It’s safer when boondocking in the mountains, as I want to stay connected on lose ground far up a dirt road. I don’t want to disconnect just the coupler EVER, since if you forget to recouple, you have bigger issues in having no trailer brakes and lights.

If you want to negate that feature, you could disconnect the black wire at the coupler (or at the awning, which may be harder to locate). I have already disconnected the black at the busbar, since I don’t want to be camped and have house batteries going low on SOC, sucking power from my starter battery (OTT does this only on LI installs). The awning would be connected either way. I’ll bet that will do it for anybody who would prefer to use this model awning with the TV towing coupler connected.

Edited June 5 by jd1923

[John Dorrer]

10 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Thanks @John Dorrer, it’s got to be that the sensor reads voltage on the black wire from the 7-pin connector. Sorry for being an engineering-nerd! The other wires are all open, no voltage when the TV is parked, wires for lights, turn signals, brakes are all open (off) when parked.

Kind of a crazy precaution. Can you see driving away with an awning open? Check your mirrors is first rule of driver’s ed.  Much more likely and damaging is driving away with a stabilizer Jack down.

Like you, we very often camp with TV connected. It’s safer when boondocking in the mountains, as I want to stay connected on lose ground far up a dirt road. I don’t want to disconnect just the coupler EVER, since if you forget to recouple, you have bigger issues in having no trailer brakes and lights.

If you want to negate that feature, you could disconnect the black wire at the coupler (or at the awning, which may be harder to locate). I have already disconnected the black at the busbar, since I don’t want to be camped and have house batteries going low on SOC, sucking power from my starter battery (OTT does this only on LI installs). The awning would be connected either way. I’ll bet that will do it for anybody who would prefer to use this model awning with the TV towing coupler connected.

Actually, someone with an E-2 and 2 awnings pulled out of a campsite with an awning out and ripped it nearly off. They had to completely remove the awning to be able to leave. This was maybe 2 years ago. So then why didn't it retract.g guess it was already out, so did that prevent the retraction? I will look for the post. B

 

Being an engineering nerd, gives people reasons to dive deeper into an issue. Not all bad

 

 

 

[Steph and Dud B]

I wonder if the safety override still works for those of us with lithium batteries? The 12V feed from the truck isn't connected to the batteries. Is it still connected to the awning? Will have to try it sometime.

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

I wonder if the safety override still works for those of us with lithium batteries? The 12V feed from the truck isn't connected to the batteries. Is it still connected to the awning? Will have to try it sometime.

I believe OTT disconnects the black 12V at the + busbar, not in the coupler at the hitch. That’s how I did mine. Therefore it still has +12VDC down the wire. Somewhere along the path the wire to the awning sensor must be connected.

OTT uses 3M Skotchloks, at least they did on our older hull. They are prone to fail over time with vibration. I worked for an aftermarket automotive installation co in the early 80s. The boss upset one morning re excessive warranty repairs said any installer using these vs hard crimps would be fired. @John Dorrer that could be the case in the awning staying open or the sensor failed.

We all know we should not count on sensors for our safety and care of our expensive Olivers! Besides the basic driver’s ed rules, Always walk around your rig, looking under, do all 8 tires look right, eyeball all hitch connections, stabilizers up?

Leaving an awning open is operator negligence! Or instead of system failure, maybe they disconnected the coupler and drove off that way.

Edited June 5 by jd1923

[SNY SD UP]

Is that only on the Girard or does this happen on the earlier 'Dometic' awnings.

None the less, I will ask the question, 

If you stay 'Hitched', but disco the 7pin, would that make a diff for the above issue?

One could hang a (pre-made) tag "RECONNECT 7-PIN" from the steering wheel.  We have/follow the OTT (modified) Checklist for normal pre-tow check.

However, if something happens in the middle of the night and waking up from somewhere between REM & Deep Sleep you have to leave immediately.
i.e. Ranger comes thru with the siren wailing, on the speaker blaring that the CG has to evacuate. 

Edited June 5 by SNY SD UP
Because i never remember everything the first time...

[Mike and Carol]

2 hours ago, SNY SD UP said:

i.e. Ranger comes thru with the siren wailing, on the speaker blaring that the CG has to evacuate. 

That happened to us.  It wasn’t a Ranger it was the city police.  2am.  Mike