A & E Weather Pro Power Awning retracting problem

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Jeff - I feel your pain  :p 

Our awning has (hopefully up to about noon today) has been a humongous disappointment.  A year or two ago, I was actively looking at replacing it with a Carefree (apparently not without its problems), or ideally with a Girard lateral arm awning.  I thought a Girard installation would be very difficult due to our curb-side slide.  Not enough room to install an awning on the slide and above the slide windows, and probably not an ideal situation to install it above the slide in replacement of the current Dometic awning.
 
I am still developing an opinion of our Carefree awning. It rolls in and out as designed, but due to the curb side slide out it is much higher than our Dometic awning. I adjusted the arms down 3 clicks  to put a little slope on the fabric, but it is still not enough to shed water. I may adjust the rear side a full 6 clicks to see if I get the water to run off instead of pooling. It does seem to operate a little smoother than the Dometic but the jury is still out.
 
And me, too.  My awning doesn't like to role up.  I find that if I don't put it out all the way to the stops, it will roll up when I push the retract button.  Otherwise, I take my awning rod and pull down on the "elbow" joint until it gets started and it will role up the rest of the way.  My wind sensor never worked.

All in all, I rarely use it anyway, so my work around is okay.

Best Regars! 
 
Winnebago discovered there were two few turns on the tube.  Two more turns were added for a total of seven and there is now an amazing difference; I suspect the control box had an issue as well.  The first time I operated the awning after we got the coach back from service, I could immediately tell there was a difference in the sound.
 
I agree the awnings mounted over the curb side slide are useless.  They're way to high to do anything at all with the exception of when the sun is straight above you and/or the rain is falling straight down.  Our Weather Pro when extended sticks almost straight out with very little tilt which means rain will always collect and based on the poor design hardly ever dumps by itself.  I've heard the Carefree can be independently adjusted for this problem, but I don't know if this is true, or if so how well it workds.  So far we've been pretty lucky and haven't had much in the way of problems, but if it ever needs to be replaced I'm going with a short awning and attach it to the side of the curb side slideout.  I believe part of the problem on these awnings is there way to long.  19 to 21 feet is really pushing it.  They're extremely heavy and the small motor on one end isn't enough.
 
Hello Everyone!  Glad I found this site and this conversation. I have had no problems with my awning for 5 years until today. I can hear the motor running but the awning will not retract or extend---had to roll it up manually.  :-X  Any ideas? 
 
I would look for a broken shear pin on the motor shaft.
 
Just found this topic, 6 years after it was started.  My 1999 (17 years old) has never had a problem with the WeatherPro Power Awning until this summer. I guess I'll look into lubing and see if cooler weather cures the stalling issue.  I just changed to motor, but no improvement, performed all of the tests in the service manual on the controller and it checks out OK.  My voltage is a low.  Specs call for 12.5 min, but I have 12.08VDC.  Awning hasn't been removed, so I don't think alignment is an issue.  An interesting comment about the gas in the struts.  It has been very hot this summer in Florida, so maybe that's a factor.  Mine has always dumped rain water and retracted perfectly with the wind sensor.
Ed
 
Welcome!!!

Please note that a 12.08V reading is very suggestive of a really dead battery!!! Either that or a bad connection along the way!
 
12.08V might just indicate a heavy voltage sag with a heavy load on a battery but if that's the reading with an at-rest battery, it ain't good  :).

A fast way to determine if the awning and motor are okay is to use the bypass cable that should have been provided with the new coach.  Near the motor end of the awning, find the push together connector (looks like a flat trailer light connector), unplug the motor, plug in the bypass cable and hook up to a good source of >=12.5 VDC.  If the awning acts normally then you need to investigate why there is low voltage out of the control box.  In my case, I went around and around with A&E and they finally agreed to replace the box which solved my problem of slow or no motor operation.  (I took the control box apart and started metering the output voltage when troubleshooting.)

The issue could be low input voltage to the box - that's the first thing to check.
 
I have a problem with my awning only moving about 6 inches in or out and then after hitting the button a couple of time it doesn't want to move at all.
What should I check first?
 
Mine does that too, If it's only reracting OR only extending ... the counter spring (The Rear End or as you face it left end) may be too tight/not tight enough) if it's both ways, Connections, Battery voltage and LUBRICATE points that rub against (both ends) (the end caps)

Sadly it's not a very proper design.
 
I have read on other strings on this topic, that some have replaced the awning controller with success.  I have also know people who have replaced the motor.
 
Resurrecting this topic once more................so I have a 10 YO weatherpro that exhibited all the typical problems last year. Ended up replacing both the motor and found a replacement control box (salvage) as Dometic no longer makes the control box with separate wind sensor.

In any case this certainly fixed the issue.......fast forward 12 months and now the motor hitting the thermal time out if I work it more than just a little.....1 full extension and one retraction. I lubed everything today and it is a little better but still worries me......sure wish I could just get this thing to work consistently ;)
 
Welcome to the forum.  It seems to me like the 12 volt motors overheat easily. When I was testing one on my last coach, I made a long jumper wire out of some heavy gauge and connected them right at the battery. The finicky motor jumped to life strongly.  I think the standard wiring used to run to the motors isn't quite heavy enough when the motors start to get older, they get more voltage sensitive and heat up faster.
 
WHen I get around to fixing mine.. I'm seriously considering a manual, or semi-manual options.

CAREFREE Pioneer line is a CRANK in/out awning. Runs on HUMAN power (or a Drill with an adapter)

Also their FREEDOM line.  Do not know about other lines Do not know if you can retro-fit the manual crank and do not know if it can be retro-fitted on an A&E but kind of hoping it can be cause I'd sure like to do that.

 
Carefully check the wiring connections. I had an issue with our last coach that was resolved by tightening  the connector of one of the wires coming out of the control box.
 
We are having issues with our power awning on our 03 Winnie. We manually opened awning since power switch did not work. I checked voltage at motor and have 13.7 volts but motor still didn't work. So I purchased new motor, installed it and it clicked when I hit switch but did not turn. So I figured bad new motor and got 2nd new motor. Instead of installing this motor I tested prior to installing it. Even though still 13.7VDC at motor connector top of awning when switch is pushed inside coach 2nd new motor just clicks. Just wondering if something else could be stopping both new motors from working since 2 new motors being bad seems illogical.
 

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