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Awning Fabric Wrinkles


LongStride

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Thank you for your response.  I have the new Girard and the fabric is relatively thin and very flexible.  When fully extended the wrinkles disappear.  I am just curious to know if other new owners are experiencing the same thing.

Mike and Yasuko

2021 Legacy Elite Hull #820 

 

 

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2 hours ago, LongStride said:

By the way Overland, thank you for fixing my photos.  What did I do wrong when attaching them?

It would seem that the forum software doesn't understand the .heic photo format, which is used for HEIF photos.  I believe iPhones now default to HEIF photos, but will export photos as jpegs, which are compatible with the forum, unless you specify otherwise.  For example, if you're on a Mac, and export from the Photos app using the "Export Unmodified Original" option, you'll end up with a .heic file, assuming you took the photo with an iPhone.  If instead, you choose "Export", or just drag the photo from Photos directly into your post, which is the easiest way, then you'll end up with a jpeg and your photos should post fine.  

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Awning Wrinkles:

Suggest contact Girard :: " May I please speak to someone in technical support"

No good reason to have such wrinkles . . . . fabric was not pulled tight when installed on/in the roller.

 

To try and understand what's up . . . 

See excerpt below from pp43 of manual for our Girard GG750 , which is the cheaper of the 2021 Oliver awnings. 

Note that the fabric on the GG750 is apparently different from the fabric on the fancier model.

Different Awning Issue: Our fabric is bagging and because of the water ponding it so far seems nearly unusable in any rain at all unless extended fully so as to better drain, which is scary with out a method to secure/support in case of wind gusts. It was my fondest hope that the awning could be used in the rain when extended about 3 to 4 feet of the 7 ft total extension but even with such a modest extension it creates heavy ponds that stretch the fabric and when it is rolled in the pond dumps right at the front door. I need to call Girard 'tech support' myself and have my expectations calibrated.

*********************************************

Awnings: 949-259-4000 . 800-382-8442 

The Girard Group
1361 Calle Avanzado 
San Clemente, CA 92673

*********************************************

Manual for GG750 Girard pp43

C. INSTALLING THE NEW FABRIC
IMPORTANT: REPLACEMENT FABRICS ARE 
ROLLED AND FOLDED FOR SHIPMENT. THE SEAMS MUST FACE DOWNWARDS AS THE FABRIC IS INSTALLED. THERE IS A SMALL WHITE POLY (POLYESTER) ROPE INSERTED IN THE FABRIC THAT WILL SLIDE INTO THE LEAD RAIL.

  1. The old fabric's trim insert will need to be removed from the roller tube, it is held on by clear tape along the length of the tube and black duct tape on each end. Take note of how the trim insert sits in the channel of the tube as the new fabric trim insert will need to be inserted correctly and then taped in the same fashion as the existing insert was attached.

  2. With the new fabric attached to the tube, roll up the fabric as even and tight as you can in the correct direction. (The fabric should roll from the bottom of the tube when the awning is extending) Slide the tube with the motor and fabric assembly back into the case of the awning as it came out. Confirm the non motor side of the roller tube is correctly in the bushing that is mounted on the non motor side endplate.

3. Repeat steps 1-10 of motor installation section B.

*********************************************

 

 

80194661_ScreenShot2021-06-17at8_07_03PM.thumb.png.72e824123e760272657e37afe957061a.png

 

 

 

 

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'There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us,it doesn't behoove any of us to speak evil of the rest of us'

> 2021 OTT EII , TAB Teardrop has good home after 10,000 miles of pleasant learning <

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I talked about this, in another thread. 

Rv awnings are principally designed only for shade, not rain.

The old school manual awnings can handle some light to moderate rain, but even those stretch over time.

We stretched ours, an older dometic made by fiamma, manual awning, using it in the rain. . I take full responsibility.  We replaced it three or four years ago. 

Because the manual awnings can achieve more pitch to spill the water, we still use ours in light to moderate rain. I know it may suffer the same stretch as the old one. And, I'll live with the consequences  if/when it does .

I wouldn't do that with an electric awning. The rvs we deliver to Alaska have electric awnings. We Always roll it in if it rains .

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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I think it largely comes down to the fabric.  I can’t say enough good things about the Recaril fabric that we special ordered for our Carefree awning, as it has far exceeded our expectations.  It stays taut and doesn’t pool water in even heavy rains and we don’t even have to slope it to the side for it to do so. So far it’s shown no sign of fading or stretch. It’s unlike the sunbrella fabrics that I’ve had experience with, in that has the look and feel of a very stiff, tightly woven canvas. 

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Overland, thanks for the helpful tips on attaching photos.  You were spot on with your assumptions about my phone and laptop (iPhone and MacBook).  I think I will check and see if Recaril is available for my model of awning.  Sounds like good stuff.

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Mike and Yasuko

2021 Legacy Elite Hull #820 

 

 

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georgelewisray, thanks for the detailed info on the GG750.  I think the problem is with the fabric.  It was partly sunny with scattered clouds on delivery day when we deployed our awning.  Did not notice any wrinkles or creases then.  The issue appeared yesterday under hot blistering sun.  The fabric is black and I believe it sagged from the heat causing slack when rolling it back up.  Cool out this morning with cloud cover (thunderstorms last night).  I deployed the awning and now that the fabric is cool, when I retracted it the creasing was minimal.  Much much better than when it was hot.

Given that the primary function of the product is a sunshade, it seems that a fabric that does not sag under its own weight when it get hot may have been a better choice.  Minor annoyance that is of no urgency, but I will investigate fabric options. 

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Mike and Yasuko

2021 Legacy Elite Hull #820 

 

 

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Overland, recacril looks like an amazing fabric. I'm sure it was expensive, but so worth it. They currently show a ten year warranty on their fabrics. I think that's  unheard of.

https://recasensusa.com/producto/recacrilawnings/

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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I really don't think it cost us anything extra.  We were caught in the switchover from Fiamma to Carefree and Oliver kept the same price when they switched.  Since we were the first to get the new awning, we got to pick the color.  I do think the color was on Carefree's custom color chart, but I don't recall there being an upcharge.  Maybe that was a gift from Oliver, but Carefree mixed both Sunbrella and Recaril fabrics together on their color chart and the only way to know which was which was by the stock numbers (which began with an R for Recaril fabrics), so it could easily have been that they were all the same price.  I have an email where I asked Carefree what the difference between the Recaril and Sunbrella was, and their reply was a terse "Both are equal.  Just two different vendors."  So if I had to guess, I'd say both cost the same - at least within the specific lines that were offered.  Sunbrella make a wide range of different fabrics - it's not just one thing.  

The Sunbrella fabric that I'm familiar with is what has always come on patio umbrellas that we've had, which is a very flexible, soft, loose weave - and to me, that looks very much like the photos above.  From the swatches I got from Sunbrella, the ones that were 100% acrylic had a nice, tight weave just like the Recaril, whereas the looser, tweedier looking fabrics like what's on my umbrella were mixtures of acrylic and other things.  Of the 100% acrylic swatches, it would be very difficult for me to tell the difference between the Sunbrella and Recaril - perhaps the Sunbrella is ever so slightly thinner and more flexible.  

So, what I'd say is that if anyone is going through the trouble of replacing their awning, definitely take the effort to get some swatches to see for yourself.  I think I had to do some legwork to find the swatch books, and I think I even had to pay for the Recaril one (maybe five bucks or something).  The swatches I have are the Design Line Solids Collection for Recaril, and the Mayfield Collection for Sunbrella, and those covered most if not all of what Carefree was offering.  That was 2016, though, so no idea if those lines are current.

My recommendation though would be to select from the 100% acrylic choices if you go with Sunbrella.  

No doubt, eventually my awnings will stretch, fade, tear, whatever - but I've been impressed with how well they've held up so far.  

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I just looked up Sunbrella's warranty. I thought it was only 5 years, which it is on upholstery and lighter fabrics, but it is also ten on awning and marine. I'm most familiar with marine Sunbrella,  which has given us many years of service in sailcovers and boat covers. It does fade, but it really lasts. It's also solution dyed acrylic, like the recacril, and a water repelling but breathable coating. It, too, is tough stuff.

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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WRINKLE UIPDATE ::

(1) We have similar wrinkles when rolling up after full awning extension in hot sun. Hot Sun and dark thin vinyl coated fabric >> wrinkles  . . . . Who Knew ???  and so it seems I was wrong about it being an installation tensioning issue.

(2) Fabric: The dark brown fairly thin seeming vinyl coated fabric used on our Girard GG750 is nothing like the Sunbrella by Raven Mills that I have been around constantly over many years of sailboat deliveries.  I am encouraged to hear about more suitable/heavier fabrics and at some point we may upgrade to end up with a truly useable awning. Oliver in this case is just following industry common practice so in my mind, in this case they are off the hook and I will not grumble in their direction. I do wonder about ZipDee awning as a possible superior option. Airstream has stuck with ZipDee for decades and decades.

 

'There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us,it doesn't behoove any of us to speak evil of the rest of us'

> 2021 OTT EII , TAB Teardrop has good home after 10,000 miles of pleasant learning <

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According to Girard's website the GG750 is offered with a vinyl coated fabric or with a woven polyester made by O'Bravia.  I have inquired Girard to see if Sunbrella is available as a replacement fabric for the GG750 since they list it in their homepage dropdown menu under fabrics.  I will post their response after they get back to me.

The wrinkles and creases when retracted in the hot sun do not detract from the awnings performance as a sunshade, and I don't think that it should be of concern to someone looking to purchase an Oliver.  However, it would be nice if the O'Bravia fabric were an option on the build list.  Although not quite the caliber of Sunbrella or Recacril, I would imagine that it performs much better than the vinyl. 

If the vinyl causes a functional issue or begins to look unsightly I will replace it with 100% acrylic.  Until then, I will continue to enjoy my awning (wrinkles and all) now that I know that it is not an isolated issue specific to my awning alone.

 

 

Mike and Yasuko

2021 Legacy Elite Hull #820 

 

 

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I heard back from Girard customer service regarding replacement fabric for the GG750.  This is what they had to say:

First, I guess it is possible to make a Sunbrella fabric for a GG750 awning but we don’t have part numbers and  pricing for it. Second, I would need to know the case size to give you a price but you are looking around $800 to $1000. Third, you wouldn’t receive a 10 year warranty from us.  You would receive a replacement fabric warranty which is a one year warranty.

This was from their customer service manager.  Pretty disappointing.

Mike and Yasuko

2021 Legacy Elite Hull #820 

 

 

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I just did the configurator on Carefree's website for a replacement awning in the same fabric I have, and it came out to $592.00.

I wonder if they're basically interchangeable.  I mean, I think all you're buying is the fabric, and Carefree lets you specify the width to the inch, and I guess the length is what it is. If it's a bit short, then your awning doesn't extend quite as far, and if it's a bit long, then you just don't roll it out all the way.  

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