wind out awning, colour / length / style (1 Viewer)

Feb 24, 2013
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Morning all (edit by the time I had finished typing it was well into the afternoon, so afternoon all) (y)

Several things to ask about / for us to think about and chose

Our Hymer is champagne colour and has a wind out awning bolted on

I don't know if they are not available in champagne but ours is silver, not that bad but would look much nicer with a colour match

It is also IMO oversized, being a demo I think the dealer just did it for show, the carcase length is 5500mm with the canvas length being slightly shorter

We have a blow up Kampa air, one of the three section XL taller and wider (and heavier) this has slightly bent or possibly simply aggravated a natural bow on such a long awning

The Kampa fits into the awning bead which means the awning has to be partly extended to expose the bead and get it low enough to reach, again probably aggravating the weight issue. That channel is made from aluminium and no thought can have been given to passing a canvas covered bead into it, the sharp edges have ripped the beading cover really badly, making it hard to get in now and needing repair

The Omnistor has never gone away fully since we got it, initially there was a problem with the canvas being slightly twisted sorted by @Terry at our first meeting of the great man (y)

So, (specially for @wigster :LOL:) I now have several choices decisions

get the awning serviced and sorted, maybe at the same time get it sprayed, but we would still have a very long awning that could distort again and the aluminium bead would not change although we might get it filed smooth

or change the awning

then comes a new series of questions

the current awning is attached to a rail that is in turn attached to the MH, are they universal? am I committed to an Omnistor awning without changing the rail?

that rail is about 5m long, would it look wrong and maybe unsightly to have some exposed length if I fitted a shorter awning

Can you get champagne coloured awnings without having a special paint job (not out of the question)

What about a powered awning, I really fancy that idea, then do you go for a DC or AC option, if AC not sure if they cant be used without mains or you just have to wind it

Probably far too many questions, but any input would be gratefully read :)

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Last edited:

mike mcglynn

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Hi david why don't you try a kador strip beading into your awning and some fig of eight connectors this will stop any damage to your awning :)
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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not long enough
Hi david why don't you try a kador strip beading into your awning and some fig of eight connectors this will stop any damage to your awning :)

thanks for that, we do that already but have found it slides around too much when windy and has come apart at the joints (y)

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Gellyneck

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You've missed the optimum option! Wouldn't you be better keeping the awning and getting rid of the Hymer given the dodgy headlamp?
:whistle2::imoutahere:
Ouch!!!
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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not long enough
Jul 29, 2013
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There was a thread on here recently about Kampa air go porches which spoke of the bending issue to the wind out and that the sales people advised using a broom to hold centre up whilst threading the porch to the wind out.
 

canopus

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Stick with Omnistor/Thule if you're changing. Chances are their fixing holes won't be the same as Fiamma. IMO Fiamma awnings are inferior to Omnistor, plus ours is electrically operated and can be a right pita when its not been out for a while. It has to be coaxed out.

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Oct 24, 2015
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Helgas house
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hymer e650 battered!!
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None
Morning all (edit by the time I had finished typing it was well into the afternoon, so afternoon all) (y)

Several things to ask about / for us to think about and chose

Our Hymer is champagne colour and has a wind out awning bolted on

I don't know if they are not available in champagne but ours is silver, not that bad but would look much nicer with a colour match

It is also IMO oversized, being a demo I think the dealer just did it for show, the carcase length is 5500mm with the canvas length being slightly shorter

We have a blow up Kampa air, one of the three section XL taller and wider (and heavier) this has slightly bent or possibly simply aggravated a natural bow on such a long awning

The Kampa fits into the awning bead which means the awning has to be partly extended to expose the bead and get it low enough to reach, again probably aggravating the weight issue. That channel is made from aluminium and no thought can have been given to passing a canvas covered bead into it, the sharp edges have ripped the beading cover really badly, making it hard to get in now and needing repair

The Omnistor has never gone away fully since we got it, initially there was a problem with the canvas being slightly twisted sorted by @Terry at our first meeting of the great man (y)

So, (specially for @wigster :LOL:) I now have several choices decisions

get the awning serviced and sorted, maybe at the same time get it sprayed, but we would still have a very long awning that could distort again and the aluminium bead would not change although we might get it filed smooth

or change the awning

then comes a new series of questions

the current awning is attached to a rail that is in turn attached to the MH, are they universal? am I committed to an Omnistor awning without changing the rail?

that rail is about 5m long, would it look wrong and maybe unsightly to have some exposed length if I fitted a shorter awning

Can you get champagne coloured awnings without having a special paint job (not out of the question)

What about a powered awning, I really fancy that idea, then do you go for a DC or AC option, if AC not sure if they cant be used without mains or you just have to wind it

Probably far too many questions, but any input would be gratefully read :)

View attachment 102167 View attachment 102168 View attachment 102169 View attachment 102170 View attachment 102171 View attachment 102172

David,, I have an older Hymer and the original owner had a 4.000 awning ( wind out) attached, now he had a bracket fitted which is nearly the whole length of awning,, I just today had an omnistor newer year but used 4.500 mtre put on, and my fear was would it fit to old bracket? Well it was fitted in 5 mins and the bloke said the brackets are all universal, so by that he said either fiama or new omnistor would fit!!!
 
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deleted-member02

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@DavidG58 your awning looks the perfect size to me.
It's just long enough as to not obstruct the opening of your windows.
In my experience they all bend a little out of shape and/or don't work that well.. you could spend good money repairing/upgrading and end up with the same problems later on...
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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Bolsover, Derbyshire
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Hymer S800
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not long enough
David,, I have an older Hymer and the original owner had a 4.000 awning ( wind out) attached, now he had a bracket fitted which is nearly the whole length of awning,, I just today had an omnistor newer year but used 4.500 mtre put on, and my fear was would it fit to old bracket? Well it was fitted in 5 mins and the bloke said the brackets are all universal, so by that he said either fiama or new omnistor would fit!!!

Thanks for that Ian. I don't really want to get involved in changing the fixing plate, but do quite like the look of the Dometic electric options, but have also just seen Kens comments about his, knowing my luck it would just become something else to go wrong (y)

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
12,990
101,151
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
There was a thread on here recently about Kampa air go porches which spoke of the bending issue to the wind out and that the sales people advised using a broom to hold centre up whilst threading the porch to the wind out.

I read that thread and think I even added to the comment, trouble is it becomes a 2 person job, which it really shouldn't be, although we would normally only put it up if away together, in fact that is a for sure, on my own I wouldn't use the Kampa, but the awning distortion means we still need a broom or similar to put it away 'unloaded', it is even worse when the Kampa is attached
 

Techno

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A Burstner has just left here at SAP and it had a champagne 8000 series omnistor I think he paid 1200 at Mbee Motorhomes
Mine is electric too and 4.5 metres and as Ken said Thule is a better product IMHO
 

Theonlysue

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Not long enough!
If you speak to roses awnings, he will buy your old one from you.
See what he suggests for the replacement.

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Oct 24, 2015
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Thanks for that Ian. I don't really want to get involved in changing the fixing plate, but do quite like the look of the Dometic electric options, but have also just seen Kens comments about his, knowing my luck it would just become something else to go wrong (y)

Sorry David. If I didn't explain correctly !! The fixing plate I was told will be ok for all canopies,, at least mine is! Lol. Sorry to confuse the matter!!!
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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Bolsover, Derbyshire
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Hymer S800
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not long enough
@DavidG58 your awning looks the perfect size to me.
It's just long enough as to not obstruct the opening of your windows.
In my experience they all bend a little out of shape and/or don't work that well.. you could spend good money repairing/upgrading and end up with the same problems later on...

we only have one opening window on that side anyway, the one with our MHF name in it by the bed, but it pushes out from bottom anyway so awning will not be in the way, the other window bizarrely is fixed, even though it has all the fitting=s it would need to open, the TV drops down in front of it which might be the issue, but no idea really

my thought was reduce the length reduce the risk of dipping in the middle (y)

but I might just reduce by 500mm if I do change :)
 

MillieMoocher

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We have a Thule wind out awning too, but not as long as yours.

It was supplied with a pole that fits in the middle of the awning, so that the canvas is braced to stop it sagging. So I'm not sure whether you should have one and it's not been provided, or whether it's an extra piece that the dealer knew would be needed and automatically added it to our order of " wind out awning"

The photo below shows it, it's the cream coloured pole.

The pole is in 3 pieces, 2 are sprung together and the last bit slides on and is also spring loaded so the pole can be placed on the holder on the inside of the awning casing, then compressed so you can pop it on the the receiving bit on the inside of the leading edge of the awning cover.

It still sags a bit as you can see, but it would certainly be much saggier without it.


image.jpeg

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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thanks @milliethehymer that is not my problem, the actual front bar on mine is slightly bent possibly due to the weight of hanging an awning on it

We do have one of the centre bars for ours like yours, for when we just use the wind out bit on its own, but yours sags far more than it should, there is either a tension issue or you need to wind it back a half turn to tighten the canvas once the legs are down, we need to do that on ours (y)
 

Techno

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It's sagging because you have not deployed it correctly.
It should be wound out and then locked at the leader bar with the thumb turns, you then wind it back in slightly to tension the fabric
 

MillieMoocher

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Great forum this, had no idea about the tensioning bit, so many thanks @DavidG58 and @Techno .

Only had the van a month, and first time I managed to get the awning rolled out was Peterborough!

With any luck I'll be able to try the tensioning trick at the weekend...

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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Great forum this, had no idea about the tensioning bit, so many thanks @DavidG58 and @Techno .

Only had the van a month, and first time I managed to get the awning rolled out was Peterborough!

With any luck I'll be able to try the tensioning trick at the weekend...

Got to be honest I don't really understand the bit that Andy @Techno has added, will put mine out tomorrow and try to see what I am doing wrong as well (y)
 

Techno

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Just for you I nipped out setting my vanbitz alarm off :LOL: to take some pictures
image.jpeg

Locked position Do NOT forget to unlock before trying to wind it in fully
image.jpeg
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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Thanks Andy, but I don't have those on mine. But I do have to do the half turn back in to tension

I will check properly tomorrow but pretty sure I don't have them anyway, certainly never used them :LOL:(y)

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Techno

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Thanks Andy, but I don't have those on mine. But I do have to do the half turn back in to tension

I will check properly tomorrow but pretty sure I don't have them anyway, certainly never used them :LOL:(y)
I simply cannot believe yours was made without them :LOL:
 

Techno

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Thanks Andy, but I don't have those on mine. But I do have to do the half turn back in to tension

I will check properly tomorrow but pretty sure I don't have them anyway, certainly never used them :LOL:(y)
??

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