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DJP

Lunar MH has roll up blinds and fly screens.
Took MH back to dealer today for more work and as he stepped in the back asked if I always kept the blinds down when travelling or in storage? I said yes.
He said blinds not under warranty, DON'T leave them down all the time (closed) as the recoil spring will weaken.
So the question is

Do you keep yours up or down? Open or closed?

If up/open do you put anything else up at windows (other than cab) to keep prying eyes and sun out (to stop upholstery from fading?

bill

Yo DJP

I put some light plastic sheeting (forget the name) in all windows, as suggested in Practical Motorhome recently.

This saves fading as you say.

bill

Jeanann

Hi DJP

For the reasons you were told, we keep the blinds open when in storage. What I have done is to buy some of those cheap 'silver screens' for use in car windscreens and cut them to size. I them push them into the window recesses, this has worked well for us. Keeps the light out and heat out in summer and helps keep the cold out in winter.

autostratus · Moderator

I have heard of some people cutting cardboard to size and slipping the cut-outs into the window openings while the motorhome is in storage or parked up at home.

MOTORHOMER

Hello

This topic keeps popping up. We used to keep the blinds closed to keep sun & prying eyes out till one night the van was broken in to at 3.00am. Van alarm woke everyone else up but us. The thief got in throught the window closing the blinds/curtains behind him while he was in the van. When he exited he pulled them back into place so no one would notice. The neighbour rang us the following morning. Pity she didnt ring us in the middle of the night when it happened. I now leave the curtains open & blinds open.especially at night. During hot weather if I am home I put the necessary blinds closed for protection but always go and open them up when the sun Has gone down.

Motorhomer

haylingchrist

Even if the springs sag, it's easy enough to take the blind out and put a few more turns on.

You also find the springs rust and a _bit_ of WD40 helps them run easier. The other tip for smooth-running blinds is to treat them (and the runners) with silicone spray occasionally.

Chris

BarryandSue

Chris, it would help a lot of us on here enormously if you could explain (in simple terms!) how to remove/replace the blinds/springs, and how to retension them. I know that it is probably 'product specific' and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the principles will probably be the same.

Thanks.

DABurleigh

I use a close-weave fabric light in colour and weight, velcroed across the windows.

Dave

Paulway

Barry, the Seitz cassette type are easy to re-tension if a little time consuming to undo all the screws, not too bad with electric jobby. As I said undo all the screws under the little covers, that need to be prised out, and carfully without pushing outwardly pull off the frame conplete with blind/ net. Do not push on the window at this stage as it will fall out, but will happily remain in position with the mastic if you don't push it, clearly you have to take care not to push when replacing the frame as well.
Inside you will find two rollers with the blind and net rolled on them, one at the top and one at the bottom. If you look at each end of the roller you will see that one end has a spindle and the other has a flatened rod. It is the flattened end that is attached to coiled spring within the roller. I found the easiest way was to undo the SPINDLE end leaving the flatted end in place and turn the whole roller in the tightening direction a couple of turns before replacing the spindle into the frame, it doesn't need many turns to add sufficient tension. Now remember that what you do to the blind spring you must do to the net spring or one will pull the weaker one down/ up accordingly, basically you need more or less equal tension on each. Once you do one you will get the idea and be able to do any others more quickly and accurately.
When the roller is repositioned replace the frame to the window and carefully replace the screws, without cross threading as they are self tappers going into plastic!
The only snag I found was that I had to remove one of the pelmets to get to the top screws on our Autostratus.
I would , if anybody knows where, like to replace one of my blind materials (damaged by an errant teenage toe!!) but have been unable to find a supplier of the blackout material, so if anyone knows of a source please let me know.