Defective Girard Wind Sensors (2)

[Dick Simonis]

My awning has been giving me fits but it's slowly coming togeather.

I had to replace the controller and switch but found a good ones at a salvage yard from a 2002 Monaco Executive.  The box was a bit soot covered from a fire but the board easily transplanted to my existing box.  That took care of the operation but the new wind sensor (old one was decapitated by a power line) never worked.

Finally figured out that the sensor was not pulsing just an open circuit so called Girard and the sent a replacement with no hassle.

Got it this week and confirmed with the ohmmeter that it was pulsing properly so installed.  Surprise, when I used my air compressor to spin the cups not only did not retract....the whole cup assy including the shaft came out of the body.  Girard is sending another.

Today, I opened up the first one and found that the magnets had not been glued in place properly so I pulled it all apart and used a dab of epoxy to reattach them to the spinner thing.  It's pulsing now so I might stick it back in place and check it out.

I do like the new sensors (if they ever work) since you can replace the whole assy without taking the base of the coach.  I now found out that you also can pull the sensor (the part with the reed switch) out of the module as a separate item.  This means that I can replace the cups, shaft, and magnet spiner thingy without disturbing the wire connections.

Upshot is that these are easily repairable.  Fingers crossed that one of the three will actually work.

[Dick Simonis]

Just about had an aw shucks.

I installed one of the repaired wind sensor but when I went to test it, the fool thing extended instead of retracting,  But because we're pulling out this weekend for a little trip, I figured that I could get back onto it next week when I have a bit more time.  Than I got to thinking, it couldn't possibly extend while driving....could it??  The more I thought about it the more it became a worry seed so, back out to the barn and hit it with the air compressor.....out it came!!!!  This could have been very expensive.

After due contemplation but resisting the urge for an adult beverage to calm my anxiety I figured the only thing that could do this was to have the motor in/out leads reversed so back into the cabinet where the controller is located.  That took care of the problem but still a bit un-nerving.

So, just a word to the wise......the awing will come out while moving if you don't have the polarity correct on the motor controller.  Trust but verify.

Now for the beverage.

[Lee Welbanks]

Dick,

With my 06 PT if the ign is on the awning, slides, tv and a few other things will not function. Last year I had a problem with mine coming out just by itself, found a problem with a solder connection on the board, re-soldered and good to go. Before I found and fixed the problem I would turn off the breaker at the 120 panel just to be on the safe side.
I have actually seen some poor devil cleaning up the mess after his awning came out while driving down the hwy,,,,not real pretty, guess he didn't notice it until the contact with a power pole.

[Dick Simonis]

I believe on the older models there was only the one outlet for the TV that was switched by the ignition.  When Fred built the new TV cabinets I agreed to eliminate the relay that controlled that outlet.  If I remember the Girard manual correctly it was mentioned that the wind sensor would keep the awning from extending while driving but that may have just been for the B-25 rather than the B-2000 in the later models.

As a practical matter this issue would only occur if someone miswired the controller .....or, like you, had a board malfunction.  I am considering putting a power switch in the panel now that I'm sufficiently concerned.  Of course simply leaving the inverter off while driving would do the trick but my ice would melt.

Oh well, at least the awning if operational which is a good thing.

[Lee Welbanks]

Dick,
I thought about adding a simple 120 V switch to the front cabinet panel to turn off the awning circuit. All the control boards and in the front of the upper cabinet in the passenger side side. I'm not sure but I don't think the circuit is powered with the ign key on, never checked that.