Awnings Forums

TheFoxes

Hi all, well we have had our van almost 1 week and have been playing with everything (mainly to do with the van). Most of it seems relatively straight forward (until it doesn't work and then the real problems will start).
The handover was reasonable and they answered all our questions but there were some we forgot to ask.
AWNING.....we started to unwind the Fiamma Awning, expecting it to be almost self supporting as would a patio awning but it seemed like it wanted to collapse onto us, pulling the side of the M/H off aswell, is this normal?? Eventually we managed to get the legs out and put it up 'properly' but is there a correct way of setting this up?
The other thing is a switch that turns on a red light next to it, it doesn't seem to do anything (other than light the red light and in that it works perfectly), but I will ask this in the Swift forum later.
As always your help advice will be gratefully accepted. Regards Paul

Smilo

WingPete

I have noticed that on the half wind out position, the awning takes up a saggy stance unless supported from the rail. I find that when that happens, it is time to unlock the supporting legs, and put them in the UP position, and finish the unwind with a final placement of the legs.
The red light maybe the alarm warning light, could be for the electric step, if fittied.

Smilo

pat1

I had a DVD showing how to put up a Fiamma Zip privacy room that I recently purchased. If I remember when I get home I'll try to upload to a site and post a link.

pat1

Found it on the Fiamma website. The first part of this may help.

premiermotorhomes

The Fiamma Awning as discussed above is not self supporting, neither are standard versions of the Omnistor range or Prostor. Prostor offer the B40 (I think it is) which is self supporting, but it is a large awning.

What you want to do is release the support legs as soon as you are able to to reach the awning. The sooner the better really. What you dont want to do is have the awning fully extended before you release the legs.

Regards,
Chris
Premier Motorhomes Chichester

some-where-in-oxford

IMPORTANT. If you have not used an awning before.

Buy a set of tie down straps.

A small gust of wind under the awning will lift it up and bend the brackets that it is bolted to.

A larger gust of wind will lift the awning more, possibly over the roof, this can rip out side of motorhome if bolted on side, or peal part of the roof.

I would not use your awning until you have the tie down straps, as a gust of wind can come up at any time without warning.

pneumatician

I have always been under the immpression that you are only supposed to wind the awning out a short distance ( ie: 1M ) before lowering the legs and then winding out in stages.
I have seen two awnings wrecked because of incorrect use, one due to wind the other rain. The former tried to loop over the van and the second collapsed and bent due to the weight of water it had collected.

I always use a tie down and make sure there is sufficient slope to displace all water. In high winds I retract the awning.

In all probability the Awning is only fixed to your van with four small bolts and these possibly go through the plastic/Foam/wood laminate side and into a wooden reinforcement.

Steve

Mikemoss

An Omnistor expert (he sold and fitted the things) gave me this as the best way to wind the things out:

1) Wind the awning out for about three feet (he called it The Magic Yard!).
2) Extend the legs and let them swing down vertically to take the weight. Secure them in position.
3) Carry on winding out the rest of the awning. The legs will adopt an angled position.
4) One at a time, move the legs into a vertical position so they support the awning at the angle you want (ie so the door can open without bashing into the arms).
5) Then it's time for the tie-downs that other people are very wisely advocating.

Putting the thing away is a simple reverse of the above.

Incidentally, we hired a motorhome in Oz last year and noticed a vast (and I mean vast) pile of twisted and otherwise b*gg*red-up brand new awnings chucked in a corner of the yard when we brought ours back. Our awning did not need to join them, needless to say.