Awning de-flappers (1 Viewer)

[jezport]

I am currently working on designing some awning de-flappers.
I sell my own design awning products at shows and online and have been asked a number of times about de-flappers.

Does anyone here have experience with using de-flappers? What do you think about them, do you have any suggestions on improving them?

 

[bigfoot]

My last Hymer B544 had a GH awning,now re-branded as The Awning Company,it was 'bombproof' and stood up to a lot stronger winds than my current Thule/Omnistor model.
I think it was mainly due to it being of a more heavy duty construction especially the material was a lot heavier quality. My present awning is made of a very much thinner fabric and it is the edges that flap and lift, I have considered some sort of stiffener on the edges. The problems with these are if they are positioned horizontally they will have to be thin enough to do the job and also to roll within the cassette,if the are fitted along the edge,probably more effective they won't roll into the cassette unless they are removable.
A tie down strap put over the canopy can be marginally better and possibly the stiffeners could be fitted to that,but would that defeat the object.
I eagerly await your developments.:thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

Does anyone here have experience with using de-flappers?

Did not know they existed. Sounds like the Holy Grail. Nothing worse than lying there "shall I get up, will it last 'till morning, can I get to sleep, why didn't I put it away before, bollox".

To temp me:

Cheap(ish)
Quick to fit without steps.
Very light.
Fold into a small plastic bag.
Tested to gale force.
Totally silent.
Must look good.


PS....

Never noticed your web site before, nice site well worth a read.

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[TheDogMan]

My last Hymer B544 had a GH awning,now re-branded as The Awning Company,it was 'bombproof' and stood up to a lot stronger winds than my current Thule/Omnistor model.
I think it was mainly due to it being of a more heavy duty construction especially the material was a lot heavier quality. My present awning is made of a very much thinner fabric and it is the edges that flap and lift, I have considered some sort of stiffener on the edges. The problems with these are if they are positioned horizontally they will have to be thin enough to do the job and also to roll within the cassette,if the are fitted along the edge,probably more effective they won't roll into the cassette unless they are removable.
A tie down strap put over the canopy can be marginally better and possibly the stiffeners could be fitted to that,but would that defeat the object.
I eagerly await your developments.:thumb:

When I had my GH awning fitted they told me off for calling Thule/Omnistor awnings, they said they were sunshades :sin:, mine was made to measure and fitted while I waited at the factory and its bloody brillaint with the room on even in gale force winds, expensive though so you need to know you won't be selling in the near future
Dave

 

[jezport]

I am testing a couple of prototypes out at the moment. I should have a finished product soon.
Please keep the comments coming as they are all read and considered.

Cheers
Jez

 

[GJH]

The best I've seen are the Fiamma Clip System designed for the Privacy Room.

After seeing them fitted to Jaws' awning I investigated getting some for ours. Trouble is they are expensive and modifying them for use with an Omnistor wasn't certain enough for the expense.

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[jezport]

The best I've seen are the Fiamma Clip System designed for the Privacy Room.

After seeing them fitted to Jaws' awning I investigated getting some for ours. Trouble is they are expensive and modifying them for use with an Omnistor wasn't certain enough for the expense.

I am working on a simple clip system that will attach the rolled out awning roof to a side rafter pole to stop the roof flapping in wind, In not looking at a system to seal the roof to a side panel.

 

[Jim]

They work well on RV awnings as they already have a side arm and are twice as substantial as European awnings. Be interested in seeing your design; don't know if I'd want a de-flapper on mine, that flapping is my cue to get it stowed away.

 

[GJH]

I am working on a simple clip system that will attach the rolled out awning roof to a side rafter pole to stop the roof flapping in wind, In not looking at a system to seal the roof to a side panel.

They can be used without the side panel to stiffen the awning edge. Jaws had modified windblocker panels hanging from them rather than the Safari Room sides.

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[Phill D]

i guess there are 2 things that need sorting one has already been mentioned and that is some method of holding the awning edges rigid, the other would be tension in the awning roof itself, there is a fiamma cross rafter to take up such slack but its not good in warm weather as it stretches the awning.

good luck, if it was right price, simple to put up and light to carry we would be interested:thumb:

 

[Larrynwin]

There are proprietary brand awning de flappers aimed at RV awnings. I have some and they do work well in conjunction with tie down straps:thumb:

 

[jezport]

They work well on RV awnings as they already have a side arm and are twice as substantial as European awnings. Be interested in seeing your design; don't know if I'd want a de-flapper on mine, that flapping is my cue to get it stowed away.

It was the TV ones that made me think of making them. So I'm working on a similar design which will grip the fabric and safely hold it to a side rafter.

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[GJH]

I just did a search on de-flappers and found These on eBay - rather different from what I thought was meant.

We found that the poles sold with Windblockers worked loose so we bought a pair of sprung rafters to replace them. On one trip last year I experimented with some clingon type eyelet clips and some of those 10" bungees that are sold at shows. I attached the clingons to the awning fabric then hooked a bungee into one clingon, took it round the rafter and hooked the other end into a second clingon. It seemed to work OK but we only had a few clingons so couldn't do a complete job. We bought some more at Malvern but haven't had the opportunity to experiment again.

 

[jezport]

I just did a search on de-flappers and found These on eBay - rather different from what I thought was meant.

We found that the poles sold with Windblockers worked loose so we bought a pair of sprung rafters to replace them. On one trip last year I experimented with some clingon type eyelet clips and some of those 10" bungees that are sold at shows. I attached the clingons to the awning fabric then hooked a bungee into one clingon, took it round the rafter and hooked the other end into a second clingon. It seemed to work OK but we only had a few clingons so couldn't do a complete job. We bought some more at Malvern but haven't had the opportunity to experiment again.

We do better poles that don't drop out. My de-flappers will attach to them or any good rafter poles.

 

[TheBig1]

to my mind, an F shaped clip with a wingnut and screw to tighten could be designed to slide over the side rafter. slide 3 or 4 of the clips onto the rafter, then when fitted in place tighten the F clip trapping the canopy material. fitting and removing would take under a minute a side

if youre into inventing mechanical items, you will understand the concept Im explaining above. just a shame i cant draw it on here to show you

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[jezport]

to my mind, an F shaped clip with a wingnut and screw to tighten could be designed to slide over the side rafter. slide 3 or 4 of the clips onto the rafter, then when fitted in place tighten the F clip trapping the canopy material. fitting and removing would take under a minute a side

if youre into inventing mechanical items, you will understand the concept Im explaining above. just a shame i cant draw it on here to show you

I know what you mean. In fact my prototype is similar to what you're suggesting. I have tested number of clips and chosen one which will be grip on strongly but not damage the awning,

 

[jezport]

to my mind, an F shaped clip with a wingnut and screw to tighten could be designed to slide over the side rafter. slide 3 or 4 of the clips onto the rafter, then when fitted in place tighten the F clip trapping the canopy material. fitting and removing would take under a minute a side

if youre into inventing mechanical items, you will understand the concept Im explaining above. just a shame i cant draw it on here to show you

I know what you mean. In fact my prototype is similar to what you're suggesting. I have tested number of clips and chosen one which will be grip on strongly but not damage the awning, Finding the best one has taken me a lot of time.

 

[happypre65]

Awning deflappers

Hi,Interesting subject,i do find that flapping awnings is sometimes the person rather than the awning,as most of my camping is every weekend and in a field we do see lots of nightmares,mine is Orminster and we use ratchet straps to pull forward so the fabric is tight,and we also found that plastic pegs are a waste of time we use two big metal pegs for the straps so they are right into the ground,we did try deflappers from rv spares not good as they are heavy and damage the fabric,we then found some plastic round clips on ebay so they would fit over the fabric on the sides and clipover the side poles,the only problem now is it still flaps in the middle,so we then put a cushion between the middle pole and the roof so it just stops the movement,it would be nice if the awning had a long velcro piece in the middle so the pole would fit tight inside,so i am waiting to see what you can do,i also feel that a lot of campers would be safer if they could get a demo or instructions how to erect and what to use on an awning,last year in france we saw an awning go up with two little pegs in the legs only, all floppy and waiting for the wind to take it over the top.
regards H:thumb:

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[sedge]

LOL - we saw one try its hardest to go up and over, with bloody great sandbags attached to the legs, (on a tarmacced aire) until 3 ruddy great French blokes and Pete hung onto the legs. Was all they could do to stop it. Their Cavalier King Charles had meanwhile got as far away as she could on her extending lead, right under the middle of our van. Poor little thing looked terrified, must admit I wasn't very happy either! If I'd been any smaller I'd gladly have joined her!

The chap had cycled into the town, leaving his 4'10" approx. 6.5 stone wife and the dog at the van in the sunshine .....

They eventually got the legs up and stowed and managed to wind it nearly in, but the front rail was twisted. Scary. Ours only goes out at all when we are there, Pete's never ever just left it out. He treats van awnings the same as toddlers - must be supervised at all times! Used to drive me bonkers till I saw that.

 

[jezport]

De-flappers are not to hold an awning down they sare to stop the wind causing the fabric to flap up and down. I already have a range of tiedowm kits and awning leg securing plates in stock.

 

[grumps147]

I am with Jim and Jenny.

The only thing we personally need any addition to the awning for is to act as a sunshade, and given the price of manufactured products we will eventually get round to making our own.

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[s7ev0]

Hi Jez, d'you reckon you could knock up some de-flappers for this one while you're at it?

Steve

 

[Larrynwin]

LOL - we saw one try its hardest to go up and over, with bloody great sandbags attached to the legs, (on a tarmacced aire) until 3 ruddy great French blokes and Pete hung onto the legs. Was all they could do to stop it. Their Cavalier King Charles had meanwhile got as far away as she could on her extending lead, right under the middle of our van. Poor little thing looked terrified, must admit I wasn't very happy either! If I'd been any smaller I'd gladly have joined her!

The chap had cycled into the town, leaving his 4'10" approx. 6.5 stone wife and the dog at the van in the sunshine .....

They eventually got the legs up and stowed and managed to wind it nearly in, but the front rail was twisted. Scary. [HI]Ours only goes out at all when we are there, Pete's never ever just left it out. He treats van awnings the same as toddlers - must be supervised at all times! [/HI]Used to drive me bonkers till I saw that.

Me too, they fly too easily

 

[jezport]

Hi Jez, d'you reckon you could knock up some de-flappers for this one while you're at it?

Steve

No but I recommend tiedowm straps, lots of them

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