Electric Awnings

[Fritz]

I’m curious about your experiences with the electric awnings that Oliver is using (I understand that 2020 awnings are Dometic brand, and that the 2021 models will have Girard awnings).  Do they provide sufficient shade, do they retract reliably, do they seem stable?  Do you use them in the rain, and if so, does water pool in the awning?  Given your experiences, would you prefer an automatic electric awning or go back to a manual awning with trailer-side support arms for stability?  Thanks!

Fritz

[Fritz]

Perhaps better stated, in your experience does the convenience of electric operation and auto retraction in wind outweigh  the stability that comes with older-style awnings having support arms and the ability to tilt for shedding rain (but that require manual operation)?

Fritz

[Ray and Susan Huff]

Does the Girard manual awning have support legs?  The Dometic manual did not.

[Fritz]

No, the Girard does not appear to come with support legs.  There was an earlier thread about adding support poles (e.g., adjustable REI poles) and guy lines to secure an awning, and perhaps this could somehow be made to work with the Girard. 

[Dean]

 

[Dean]

 

[Trainman]

I personally didn't get the electric awning for all the bad reasons out there. My thought is if you are not into cranking the awing in and out, how do you hitch and unhitch the trailer, much more effort then dealing with the awning. The wind sensor works, but it has to be ideal conditions, a sudden wind burst will not work fast enough to save your awning. Once again an accessory I scratched off my list.

trainman 

[Ray and Susan Huff]

3 hours ago, Trainman said:

I personally didn't get the electric awning for all the bad reasons out there. My thought is if you are not into cranking the awing in and out, how do you hitch and unhitch the trailer, much more effort then dealing with the awning. The wind sensor works, but it has to be ideal conditions, a sudden wind burst will not work fast enough to save your awning. Once again an accessory I scratched off my list.

trainman 

We are opting for the manual awning, too.  We like the fact that the Oliver gives you a choice of manual or power awning and also a manual step.  Simpler is often better.  Our current RV awning (Carefree motorized, non-wind sensing) has hardly been used because it has several bad traits: support arms that are hard to deploy and have locking mechanisms that break; awning hangs up on deployment and retraction; no manual override provided. 

We experienced a sudden wind event once, in Arco, Idaho.  It was all the two of us could do to hold the awning down, and the retract switch was just out of reach.  We finally managed to get it in . . . . . . . . would have made a great video! 

It seems today's RV awnings are overpriced sunshades that work only in the best weather conditions. 

[Jairon]

14 hours ago, Fritz said:

I understand that 2020 awnings are Dometic brand, and that the 2021 models will have Girard awnings

Fritz, did someone at Oliver tell you they are switching to Girard awnings? If so, did they say why and which models they will be using?

[SeaDawg]

We've used two different manual awnings on our trailer, and several electrical awnings on delivery rvs.

I'm very happy with a manual awning on a smaller trailer. I will say, pushing a button is nice. 

[Fritz]

8 hours ago, Jairon said:

Fritz, did someone at Oliver tell you they are switching to Girard awnings? If so, did they say why and which models they will be using?

Yes, I understand they are going to Girard, but I don’t know which model. I also understand that there will not be a manual option; the only options will be electric or auto-electric with wind sensor. 

[Jairon]

3 minutes ago, Fritz said:

Yes, I understand they are going to Girard, but I don’t know which model. I also understand that there will not be a manual option; the only options will be electric or auto-electric with wind sensor. 

Thanks! If I get specifics, I'll update the thread.

[Overland]

I’m curious - on the electric awnings is it possible to just turn them off and use them manually or does the motor prevent you from opening and closing them with a wand?

[SeaDawg]

 That's a really good question.

On the deliveries we've done, if there was a manual option, I didn't see it. 

No wand by the door.

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by SeaDawg

[Fritz]

While it may be possible to manually retract the awning in an emergency, I believe that extension and retraction of the Girard awning is intended to be done electronically with the remote.  
 

Although Oliver or  those of you with electronic awnings might still convince me that the electronic awnings  are better, I think my current preference would be a simpler, manual awning with side support arms.  Seems like it would be more stable in wind, could be set at more of a tilt to shed rain better (to provide cover for a least one partially open window in the rain), etc. 

[Dean]

33 minutes ago, Fritz said:

Yes, I understand they are going to Girard, but I don’t know which model. I also understand that there will not be a manual option; the only options will be electric or auto-electric with wind sensor. 

The standard features lists “Standard Powered Awning“.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/travel-trailers/legacy-elite-2/standard-features/

 

[Ray and Susan Huff]

1 hour ago, Fritz said:

Yes, I understand they are going to Girard, but I don’t know which model. I also understand that there will not be a manual option; the only options will be electric or auto-electric with wind sensor. 

The 2021 build sheet I received shows manual as standard.  I hope we can still get it.

Has anyone every asked for no awning?

[Ray and Susan Huff]

46 minutes ago, Dean said:

The standard features lists “Standard Powered Awning“.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/travel-trailers/legacy-elite-2/standard-features/

 

I see that, now.  I guess we'll live with it . . . . don't use the awning much.  I hope it has the ability to open partially.

[SeaDawg]

Every electric awning we've had on deliveries could open partially.  And was adjustable for slant.

That said, I'd prefer a manual awning. No power draw. For us  

[Dean]

The Girard awnings seem have a lot of complexity.  They had a recall in 2018 for awnings extending on their own.

Edited August 3, 2020 by Dean

[Jairon]

2 minutes ago, Dean said:

The Girard awnings seem have a lot of complexity.  They had a recall in 2018 for awnings extending into their own.

I was afraid of that. I wonder if they switched due to supply chain issues.

[Dean]

For what it’s worth, the model they had problems was not the model Oliver likely selected.  I suspect they are installing the new for 2020 GG750 - assuming they made a change.  LED Lights sell.

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Dean

[Ray and Susan Huff]

11 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

Every electric awning we've had on deliveries could open partially.  And was adjustable for slant.

That said, I'd prefer a manual awning. No power draw. For us  

The Girard site says the motorized awnings have crank "handle/manual override".  I wonder if manual operation is the same as a non-motorized awning and, if so, could be treated as a manual awning simply by not using power? 

Waiting to hear which model Oliver is installing

[Brian and Maria]

On 8/1/2020 at 9:47 PM, Fritz said:

I’m curious about your experiences with the electric awnings that Oliver is using (I understand that 2020 awnings are Dometic brand, and that the 2021 models will have Girard awnings).  Do they provide sufficient shade, do they retract reliably, do they seem stable?  Do you use them in the rain, and if so, does water pool in the awning?  Given your experiences, would you prefer an automatic electric awning or go back to a manual awning with trailer-side support arms for stability?  Thanks!

Fritz

This is our first travel trailer so our experience is limited to a few trips in our Ollie, totaling about three weeks. We have the curbside power Dometic awning. Oliver advised that a streetside awning is not available on an Elite I, related to structural capacity if I remember right. We use the awning every day after having adjusted the wind sensor so that it doesn't close with just a whiff of wind. Unless the wind is strong we keep the awning out during rains and find that it is tilted enough to efficiently drain the water off the lower end. We also had the awning out during a snow: big rookie mistake. Luckily we noticed in time for me to clean off the snow that had accumulated and retract the awning to prevent it from collapsing. We typically retract the awning when the winds pick up rather than relying on the sensor, though it does do its job. We haven't bought the support poles/tie downs. I'm not ruling it out but at this point we're happy without them. The look is clean, there are no poles/tie downs to trip over and it extends and retracts with the push of a button. If I had to do it again I'd stick with the power awning. - Brian

[WhatDa]

We have dual Dometic 9500 power awnings.  What I do wish we had was an easy screen room option like some of the other awnings. It extends and retracts with no problem, it can be stopped in any position (except when the wind sensor goes off, then it comes all the way in unless you cut the power).  Wind sensors - when properly set - work as desired and we really haven't had many unintended retractions.  We have had a save when a microburst hit the campground.  The flexibility to deploy the awning from inside is pretty awesome.  Sitting at the dinner table and sun is in the eyes? tap button.  Pouring outside and you need to get the shoes you stowed under the stairs and put them on? tap button.  Sounds too windy and you're already in your PJs? tap button.  Time to go in the morning? tap two buttons and work on everything else while they come in. It drains as intended, the angle is adjustable.  Zero regrets vs the manual offered.

If the motor dies, you can still crank it with a 3/8" socket (which is I think the only SAE measure on the awning - everything else is metric.

If the choice were between this and something that could support a screen room and clothes line or something like that, I might have a different story.  But for 2019/2020 the difference is just whether you are the motor or Dometic is the motor (and some snazzy LED lights).