Watch Your Awnings

[Fish]

I'm probably the most careful person I know when it comes to putting my awning in even in a light breeze. The other day it was calm, I was chipping golf balls at a bucket about 10 ft from the side of the motorhome. A gust of wind hit, awning billowed up in the center, ripped the support out of the motorhome on the rear side, and flipped it up on the roof. Carefree Eclipse.

I was shocked. No wind was forecast for that day at all. Luckily no damage to side of motorhome or roof. Awning braces both look ok. I got it somewhat rolled in and the back awning support tied off where it can't beat against the coach. Called every mobile rv service on google for this area, only got 2 return phone calls. Busy time of year. One could get here in a week. One whose website advertises service in every town around me and towns even farther away said "well you're a little bit far for us to go". well ok don't advertise that you'll service stuff 30 miles further away than I am.

I had been helping the Michigan contingent put up a gazebo earlier and they wandered over. They've convinced me we can fix it ourselves so I'm waiting for the exploding rivets and roll of butyl tape to arrive via Amazon.

When I was cleaning up existing butyl caulk and the awning support I found the source of trouble. The paper tape was still on most of the butyl caulk. The bottom rivets were all corroded and broke easily.

 

[Neal]

Yikes! Surprises happen, just like me putting my $500+ Hughes Autoformer out by the power pedestal not aware of any weather in the forecast as I had no reason to look. I was tired, it was sunny when I arrived. Well, I woke up to it submerged half way in a puddle as the power pedestal was a low point in the ground. It was fried. But Hughes took care of me thankfully. That Hughes Autoformer is not internally mounted as a result of this lesson learned.

 

[Fish]

Yikes! Surprises happen, just like me putting my $500+ Hughes Autoformer out by the power pedestal not aware of any weather in the forecast as I had no reason to look. I was tired, it was sunny when I arrived. Well, I woke up to it submerged half way in a puddle as the power pedestal was a low point in the ground. It was fried. But Hughes took care of me thankfully. That Hughes Autoformer is not internally mounted as a result of this lesson learned.

I had a progressive ems fill with water and short out. Came back a week later to a bunch of spoiled food. Thought I was doing the safe thing by turning off the propane while I was gone.

 

[AbdRahim]

I had both the autoformer and watch dog secured inside the electrical bay, and changed the coach cord accordingly.

Prior to that I used to perch the autoformer and PI EMS on leveling blocks to get them well off of the ground, then enclose it all in a plastic garbage bag to keep the bulk of the water off, in the event of a storm. That system worked well for five years.

The awning always concerns me.