Dear Dave,
My wife and I don’t use the awning on our travel trailer much because we try to find sites that are well-shaded. This last trip we put the awning out and it seemed to go much slower than I remembered. We were on shore power.
When we retracted it, it would only go a short way before it stopped and the interior lights went out. After a few seconds it started again and repeated. Obviously, a self-resetting circuit breaker was kicking in and out. I plugged in the 7-way and started my truck and the awning next time came all the way in without stopping.
I realize there is a high current draw, but is it that much higher than the tongue jack? And shouldn’t the converter supply enough voltage and amps?
I’ve enjoyed reading your responses to others on this forum and learned a lot. I hope you might be able to shed some insight on this one. Thanks in advance. —George, 2019 Forest River Micro Lite 21FBRS
Dear George,
Thank you for your kind words. You did not specify what make and model awning you have. However, Forest River has used the Lippert Solera for many years, so I’ll assume it is that.
When you are connected to shoreline power, the converter should be providing at least 13.2 volts to the house battery. That is sufficient to extend and retract the awning even if the battery is weak or defective. According to the Solera wiring diagram, there is a 15a circuit breaker between the battery and the rocker switch. However, it does not seem to be a resettable type.
Possible cause of problem
What you might be experiencing is an overload or high amp draw in the motor that would cause it to stop and restart. It could be caused by resistance at the pitch arm, which can be adjusted. Or check to make sure the awning has not “flipped” over. This can happen if you leave the switch on longer than the extension and the tube reverses. You can tell this by the fabric flap, which should be draped over the tube and extending down, not inside.
What to check
I would suggest connecting to shoreline power and trying it again as the 13.2 volts from that should be just as adequate as your 7-pin provided. I think you have a “gremlin,” and possibly whatever caused the resistance the first time went away. When you are connected to shoreline power, verify there is 13.2 volt going to the battery, then check the voltage going to the control harness in the arm.
We had a problem with a unit on a 1996 Salem. After testing the harness, we found it had gone bad. If you have continuity at the harness and can verify 12-volt power, you can then verify 12-volt power at the motor. The wires run up inside the arm of the awning and can get pinched or even moisture inside. Lippert has a great troubleshooting video here that shows all these steps.
Here is a photo of the harness we tested and replaced.
I would suggest running through the operations again and see if you can duplicate the issue, then check voltage. Let us know what happens.
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Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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