Locks for Electric Awning Arms

[LBZ]

Does anybody know if they make locks for electric awnings? Buddy has a new trailer and the pivot part of the awning doesn't lock so even with it all the way open and the knob tightened it can still fold and the awning can come loose/fold up. Not ideal if it gets snow on it or if it's windy. He strapped it down to a couple trees but is looking for some sort of lock bar you can put in place to keep it from folding up.

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[tex78]

I straped them down on our trailer after tipping it to one side for water drain


Had rebar with a ring welded, pound the bars in and strap down

 

[LBZ]

I straped them down on our trailer after tipping it to one side for water drain


Had rebar with a ring welded, pound the bars in and strap down

Redneck fix.
Looking for a solution one can use in a KOA.

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[tex78]

Oh ya, should be fine for there too

 

[OnlyPolaris]

have never seen anything. They are designed to fold up. So when you get a large amount of rain it will dump it instead of the water just pooling. have had electric awnings on rv's for probably 10 years. when it gets windy enough we just roll it in. you can be sitting there during a rain storm and one arm will fold up and a bunch of water will poor out that side. then the arm just goes back to its normal position.

 

[LBZ]

That's just it. If it gets windy and your not around.....

Dumb design IMO. I've had a foot of snow on my old school awning with no issues. This design if you get snow on it, it folds up and you can't get your door open which are buddies concerns. Looks like we're going to have to engineer something but I was sure I saw something on another trailer once to lock them if you wanted.

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[OnlyPolaris]

well i am pretty sure the awnings are not designed to be out when it is snowing. I dont think that is the first thing on the engineers mind. and its pretty good practice to put your awning in when your not around. it only takes 10 seconds with an electric awning.

 

[LBZ]

Well I'm pretty sure living in Alberta anyone who camps on a may long has woken up to snow on the ground at least once so it happens.
Also, most people I know don't fold their awnings up when they leave because if it rains they want to keep their $hit dry and most awnings can take a little wind. Unless you are camping in Southern Alberta or Saskatchewan.
Obviously the engineers didn't think of these situations but that doesn't mean someone who has hasn't come up with a fix themselves. Which is why I am asking for my buddy. Looks like we are going to have to engineer our own fix.


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[TDR]

Best fix I have found is rip the electric off and install the old school manual one.

 

[ferniesnow]

I am surprised at how little wind will whip the awning up. I am only familiar with the electric awning. It happened to us twice; first and last. When we leave or go to bed, we put the awning up. Those fuggers would be expensive to repair or replace.

We erect a tarp on poles over our table in most cases and only use the awning to sit under in the shade or out of the rain.

 

[youngpolarisguy]

I hate the fact that that if flaps in and out bad as soon as any wind comes up, but i do like that it folds to dump water, my old manual awning was mother f'd from snow and rain not draining cause the way the trailer was you could never angle it enough and not hit the door. I was wondering if stronger shocks would help a bit or maybe just lock one side down then it still has the ability to dump one side.

 

[LBZ]

Never ever had my old school awning pool. I usually leave a pretty good angle and keep it tight.

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[TDR]

Stronger shocks won't help. It's when the wind gets under the awning that the damage begins. I will never buy another trailer with electric.

 

[LBZ]

Stronger shocks won't help. It's when the wind gets under the awning that the damage begins. I will never buy another trailer with electric.

Correct. It's actually the pivot behind that moves which is where a simple bar to lock this pivot point would fix the issue.

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