Awning won't extend

Macshane43 · 10-06-2021, 05:59 PM

Hello. I have a '16 Vista LX 35B. The electric awning was working fine until about a month ago. My wife brought it in due to closing up for a week. When she went to put it back out the following week, it wouldn't go out. Seemed like it wasn't getting juice. I checked & it was getting juice to the switch, but nothing after. I ordered a new switch & actuator & replaced them today. Now the motor clicks when toggling the switch to IN, but nothing when toggling to OUT. Test the motor next?

**creativepart** · 10-06-2021, 06:51 PM

Yes, those motors run two ways - in and out. Usually when it runs only one way the motor has an issue. I'm not qualified to say if it's fixable, or not.

Bones2003 · 10-06-2021, 07:28 PM

Macshane43, what kind of awning do you have? I have a Carefree, and was able to download a service manual online with pretty good troubleshooting info and wiring diagrams.

Macshane43 · 10-09-2021, 07:36 AM

My awning is a Dometic. I can see the connection to the motor, but I have to figure out how to extend the awning a little to get to the motor wiring

Ramblin Dan · 10-13-2021, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macshane43

Hello. I have a '16 Vista LX 35B. The electric awning was working fine until about a month ago. My wife brought it in due to closing up for a week. When she went to put it back out the following week, it wouldn't go out. Seemed like it wasn't getting juice. I checked & it was getting juice to the switch, but nothing after. I ordered a new switch & actuator & replaced them today. Now the motor clicks when toggling the switch to IN, but nothing when toggling to OUT. Test the motor next?

Had a similar issue with the awning over the door in my Meridian 36G. Turned out to be a low charge in the house batteries even though the voltage read good but very little capacity. Recharged the batteries, works fine. On my class A the big awning works off the chassis battery and the awning over the door works off the house batteries.

tperschb · 10-14-2021, 05:43 AM

I have 2017 Minnie Winnie 26a with a Dometic awning. My wife cleaned it and then pulled it in. Got ready to leave on a short trip and tried to extend it. Just a click. I checked the switch first which was ok so I figured it was the motor as the batteries were charged.
took the two screws out at the top of the front arm to try to manually extend and it was bound up so i figured the motor was frozen. I then connected the 12 volt battery from my drill to the electrical connections to the motor which are actually easy to get at and of course no movement so I headed to our local rv dealer.
He had a new motor and after about 20 minutes and $600 i5 worked fine. I had thought about replacing it my self until I saw it was held in by rivets not screws. Why do they do that?

Macshane43 · 10-14-2021, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramblin Dan

Had a similar issue with the awning over the door in my Meridian 36G. Turned out to be a low charge in the house batteries even though the voltage read good but very little capacity. Recharged the batteries, works fine. On my class A the big awning works off the chassis battery and the awning over the door works off the house batteries.

Thank you. Mine only has the one awning. Currently hooked up to shore power & still only getting a click on the "in". I will be testing the motor as soon as I get the chance

Macshane43 · 10-14-2021, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tperschb

I have 2017 Minnie Winnie 26a with a Dometic awning. My wife cleaned it and then pulled it in. Got ready to leave on a short trip and tried to extend it. Just a click. I checked the switch first which was ok so I figured it was the motor as the batteries were charged.
took the two screws out at the top of the front arm to try to manually extend and it was bound up so i figured the motor was frozen. I then connected the 12 volt battery from my drill to the electrical connections to the motor which are actually easy to get at and of course no movement so I headed to our local rv dealer.
He had a new motor and after about 20 minutes and $600 i5 worked fine. I had thought about replacing it my self until I saw it was held in by rivets not screws. Why do they do that?

Thanks for the info on getting it to extend. I will be trying that as soon as I get the chance. Looks like hex heads

Macshane43 · 11-14-2021, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macshane43

Thanks for the info on getting it to extend. I will be trying that as soon as I get the chance. Looks like hex heads

Well, finally got around to removing those two screws. They are 5/32 Allen ends. Next issue is that I can only get to one of them. The other faces the coach & because it's fully retracted, I can't get an Allen wrench in there. I have tried several

Macshane43 · 11-14-2021, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tperschb

I have 2017 Minnie Winnie 26a with a Dometic awning. My wife cleaned it and then pulled it in. Got ready to leave on a short trip and tried to extend it. Just a click. I checked the switch first which was ok so I figured it was the motor as the batteries were charged.
took the two screws out at the top of the front arm to try to manually extend and it was bound up so i figured the motor was frozen. I then connected the 12 volt battery from my drill to the electrical connections to the motor which are actually easy to get at and of course no movement so I headed to our local rv dealer.
He had a new motor and after about 20 minutes and $600 i5 worked fine. I had thought about replacing it my self until I saw it was held in by rivets not screws. Why do they do that?

Well, finally got around to removing those two screws. They are 5/32 Allen ends. Next issue is that I can only get to one of them. The other faces the coach & because it's fully retracted, I can't get an Allen wrench in there. I have tried several

Upinsmoke · 11-15-2021, 02:41 AM

Can you provide any pics of the screws etc.?

Have you checked any of the good RV repair videos i.e. MyRV works, AZ Expert, others?

As a side note, the motor on my leveling system went bad and the dealer wanted $600 for a new which is outrageous. I first called the company and said it shouldn't have failed so soon and they provided me one for free - "a one time only" deal.

Then, I took the old motor to a local small motor replace business and they rebuilt if for about $70! Sometimes we have to think of other ways around a problem.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.