ELECTRIC AWNING OR NOT?

[zinger28bh]

Looking foropinions, if you were buying a new RV would you get anelectricawning or not and why. Camper will not be parked for more then a week at a time. Looking for some advice, never camped in an RV before and buying new. Buying a Zinger 28BH, if anyone has one are yousatisfiedwith it or have you had any problems. TKS.

[gball]

We have an electric awning on our current unit and I do like it. So far we have not had any issues with it. With the larger/taller units it is almost a necessity. Our previous trailer had a manual awning and putting it up and taking it down was never an issue. It only takes a few minutes for either procedure. An electric awning on a Zinger is not necessary and would, in my opinion, be more for convenience than a necessity. Just depends on whether you want to just push a button and the awning rolls out or take a few minutes and set it up manually.

[dalemac377]

We have had both types and currently have an electric awning. I like the convenience, but they are not as robust in windy conditions. You can tie them down as long as you don't have the wind sensor that automatically closes them in high winds. If we extend ours during the day we generally close it at nite before we go to bed, unless we have it tied down and weather isn't forecast for high winds.

[Hummer]

We have had a manual one on previous units and I loved the fact you could lower one end only if it was raining or lower it more if it was getting windy. My DH could close it himselft, but I had problems if you had to close it quickly. On this unit it is electric and it is very nice just to push a button and it is out or in.

[Kamper Dave]

We have had both types and now really enjoy the
convenience of the electric awning. The manual awning required finding the long
hook, unlocking, unrolling, adjusting and locking each arm, now all that has been
replaced with the push of a button. We could lock the arms of the auto awning but
haven’t yet. The manual unit would also hang up if we were not parked perfectly
level. I never did trust the locking mechanism that keeps the manual awning
from unrolling when traveling. We have seen several flapping in the wind as
their owners were heading down the highway. I don’t believe either type will
hold up if it becomes winding at camp although we see plenty of awnings extended
and tied down for the entire summer. We only extend ours when we are close by
or to dry it out after a raining day.

We did finally get a large soda bottle and cut the bottom
out and slit the side to fit over the forward end of the awning </span>so that the wind and water while traveling aren’t
attempting to unroll the awning. We noticed at the RV show this winter that
some of the awnings were now constructed with a wind/ water shield for this purpose.

I was just reading a post requesting opinions concerning
the purchase of a new RV and it got me to thinking about forums and human
behavior. It would be interesting to survey all of folks that own a particular
RV about their satisfaction. I know that I come to the forums when we have a
problem. I would suspect that it looks like some RV’s are junk when very
possibly there are plenty of folks that have had no problem with their unit.
There may also be folks that take their RV’s down roads that we would never
travel. We have seen plenty of rentals traveling roads that I hate to take with
our 4x4.

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my $0.02

[BourbonRam]

[QUOTE=Kamper Dave]

We did finally get a large soda bottle and cut the bottom
out and slit the side to fit over the forward end of the awning so that the wind and water while traveling aren’t
attempting to unroll the awning. We noticed at the RV show this winter that
some of the awnings were now constructed with a wind/ water shield for this purpose.

Good idea about the soda bottle. I am going to try this.

I have a manual awning. My telescoping hook did fall apart once while camping. The pin holding the hook on the end fell out. Luckily I had some odds and ends in my tool box and was able to temporarily fix it. Found the pin later lying in the storage compartment. Since I put the pin back in it's been fine. Have no experience with electric awning.Edited by: BourbonRam

[Kamper Dave]

Originally Posted by BourbonRam

Good idea about the soda bottle. I am going to try this.

Now you have me thinking that a plastic Bourbon bottle may have worked better. I am telling the wife that I need a big bottle of Knob Creek. Thank You!!

Edited by: Kamper Dave

[BourbonRam]

Think that comes in a glass bottle. Enjoy it anyway.

[Tricky]

I've got a 28BH and love it.

We have the electric awning, and would never go back to manual. You can still drop one end to allow water to flow off of it.

[denlor]

We have always had manual awnings but when we purchased our new Zinger 33FK we checked and the awning is power but has the option of allowing us to manually lower one of the ends to allow rain to runs off as required. This is an option you may consider.

[ewbldavis]

I am a big fan of my manual...BUT...

Friends have electric, and if it was standard I could deal. Both have slots with knobs that could be tightened to drop one end during rain. I like the idea of hitting a button to roll up when the middle of night storm rolls in (assuming you don't have knob tightened). Only down size is lights - you still have to go out in your jammies and take them down!

They are not as robust in wind - but my 2012 manual awning isn't half as decent as they were 25 years ago.

My opinion is I wouldn't pay extra for the electric, but I won't gripe if it is standard on next unit.

[Beamer5]

Well the Sunset Trail actually has the lights built in. Not if any other models do.

[Utahgoldrup]

We have also had both manual and electric awnings. The Sunset Trail is our first electric awning and I can tell you, not once have I not really appreciated how easy it is to use it by just pushing a button, even easier using the remote when you are outside.
We noticed the late 2013 models dohave awning lights built into the awning "tube" but to use them, the awning has to be fully extended. We would love to have this feature but not so sure we can add it, looks like the electrical cord may be built into the awning fabric somehow. Dometic has an LEDlighting kit you can mount to the side of your trailer at the bottom edge of the awning and that would allow it to be used even if the awning is not extended, thinking seriously about adding it before we start our camping season this year.

[ewbldavis]

I am intrigued with the built in light, but I geeeruntee DW will say "but thats not as cute as our tin hanging lights".

[BODERRVING]

Utahgoldrup, where did you find the LED lighting kit? Thanks.
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[longhauler]

Our neighbor we go camping with have electric awnings and he loves them. I think it would be nice just have to push a button to role them up, but the manual awnings do appear to be made better. I'm sure our next camper will have this option, but on the other hand by the time were ready to buy a new one manual awnings will prolly be a thing of the past.

[Utahgoldrup]

Bodderrving - Camping World sells them but if you google rv led awning lights you will find a bunch of info and people who have added them. We are looking at doing this upgrade within the next month or so. Next to an electric awning, this has got to be a pretty cool upgrade and useful too