girard patio awning dead

[Jim Skatzka]

Has any one had their Girard patio awning die?  Never had any problems before this.  I put the awning out about four days ago (not all the way) left it out until yesterday, and it would not respond.  Ended up manually retracting it.  Any thoughts?    

Thanks!

Jim.

[Gerald Farris]

Jim,
It is very rare for a Girard Awning to "die", however with anything electrical it does happen. The most common reason for a Girard failing to operate is loss of power to the awning. Since the awning is a 120V system you need to be plugged into shore power, have the generator running, or have the inverter on for the awning to operate. The other reason for the awning not operating is a tripped breaker. If these reasons are not applicable, you will probably have to call Girard for troubleshooting help.

Gerald

[Tom Kaye]

My awning is having the same issue. I spoke to the dealer and he advised me that the awning motor runs off of the chassis battery, and after being parked for a long time the awning would fail, as the batteries are not charged through the inverter system.  He recommended that I get a battery tender for this.  I remain unconvinced that this is the problem, but it continues to be very slow retracting or to stop completely.  I did some other research and people on other forums have said that the plug needs to be cleaned with emery cloth or some other sand paper to get the greenies off the plug, and that this would fix it.  I have not tried that, but its next on my list as well.  I have a 2009 Monterey.

[Gerald Farris]

Tom,
The 2009 Monterey does not have a Girard Awning. Your awning is operated by 12V battery power as opposed to the 120V power that the Girard uses.

Your "Bird System" should be keeping your chassis batteries fully charged when you are plugged into shore power, and if not, you should fix it. If the chassis batteries are starting the coach engine without a problem, they are adequately charged to operate the awning, and installing a battery tender would be a waste of time and money.

To properly diagnose your awning, you should take a volt meter and check the voltage at the motor when it is operating. If you have 12+V at the motor when it is operating, the problem is in the awning.  If you have low voltage with the awning operating, you need to correct the wiring, switches, or battery charge state.

Gerald

[Jim Skatzka]

Gerald, thanks for your ideas.  We are plugged into shore power and everything else is working in the coach. Guess I'll need to snoop a little deeper.  I might look at the activation switch, as I was messing in that area pulling some hdmi cables through for a new TV the other day, and maybe something got bumped.  The coach is about a hundred miles away in its summer home so I won't get to it till Sunday.  Guess I'll pine over it till then.  Lol  

Jim

[Tom Kaye]

Thank you for the help Gerald. I am crossing the border next Thurs to head for camping world to get the coach serviced and the awning was one of the items on the list. If I am parked for a period of time the chassis batteries will not start the coach without the boost from the coach batteries. I suspect that the chassis batteries need replaced and the dealer is just trying to run the warranty clock out. I will have it checked and replace the batteries if need be. If I understand correctly the bird system is a charging system for the chassis batteries? If I may can you run another by you? My rear slide on the pass side bedroom has a gouge out of the bottom of it where the roller runs it out and in. it looks like it has had some repairs done to it using a sticky tape but that has been chewed up now as well. Can I screw a piece of tin along what would be the track that the rollover runs in and out on to cover the damage and fix the problem? thanks for the help. Tom

[Gerald Farris]

Tom,
Your chassis batteries may not be bad yet. They are just being discharged and not being recharged until you start the engine, from the way that your description sounds. However your chassis batteries will be bad soon if you keep discharging them so much.

Your coach should have a way to charge the chassis batteries when you are plugged into shore power, but still isolate the two batteries from each other. SMC used an Echo Charger to accomplish this and Monaco used the "Bird System" to accomplish it. Since I have never worked on a 2009 Monterey, I can not say how your coach is set-up, but what ever system it is equipped with, it is not working if the inverter is charging the house batteries.

The "Bird System", if equipped, is a system that ties the two battery banks together when either one of the battery banks is being charged. That is a simplified explanation because there are voltage thresholds that need to be meet and time delays, but that is basically how it works. The "Bird System is not a battery charging system, it is a battery isolation system that allows both battery banks to be charged if either bank is being charged.

If your coach does not have this type of system, you need one because the engine computer will ruin you chassis batteries by repeatedly discharging them. There are similar systems that are used in the marine industry that are probably better, but I will let the boat people on this forum handle that. If the system is there it needs to be repaired.

As for your question about the bottom of the slide, metal reinforcements are done, however they need to be done right by someone who is knowledgeable about the slide or you can cause slide and/or seal damage.

I know a lot of people like Camping World for service work, but someplace like Beaver Coach Sales is so much more knowledgeable about your Beaver coach that you will probably end up with better service at a lower price.
 
Gerald

[Tom Kaye]

Thanks again Gerald for there advice.  I purchased the coach from a dealer used, so they are not a dealer in Beaver coaches.  At this point I don't know of a Beaver coach dealership in Ontario, Canada and none down at the art end of the province where I live. Crossing the border into upstate New York takes only about 45 minutes from my home, and the Camping World in Syracuse is about 2 hours from here, so I figured that was my best bet. If anyone knows of a dealership for Beaver coaches in the areas described I would appreciate hearing about them.
Thanks again.
Tom

[Jim Skatzka]

gerald, i fond the culprit!  ME.  i didn't realize the rocker switch for the door awning needed to be in the center position to activate the small spring loaded momentary switch for the patio awning.  all is well now!     jim

[Robert Mathis]

Gerald, my carefree awning didn't want to retract yesterday. It would start in and then stop. I eventually pulled down on the front arm and it came on in, but slower thatn ususal. Any thoughts.

[Jim Nichols]

I use silicone spray at least twice a year on our Carefree awning arms.  If I don't, it gets jerky and squeaks to remind me.

[Robert Mathis]

Sounds like a plan to me.

[Gerald Farris]

Robert,
The Carefree awning is operated by the 12V system (probably chassis batteries), so a common reason for the condition that you described is discharged batteries. Other than that the highest probability is binding arms (need lubricating) or a bad motor.

Gerald

[Robert Mathis]

I'm going over to the West Coast today and will try lubricatiiing the arms. The batteries should have been fine, since I just drove three hours to take it over to the other side of the state for a month.