Retracing awning with sensor

[Fred Cook]

I just installed a new wind sensor from Girard yesterday. My coach sits under a shelter and I cannot extend the awning all the way out. So... I tested the new sensor anyway with the awning not fully extended using a hairdryer but the awning would not retract.  My question is, does the awning need to be completely extended before the sensor will engage to retract the awning?

[Mike Shumack]

The Awning should retract in high wind regardless of whether or not it is fully or partially extended.

Note that when testing, (1) you need to wait 5 minutes after using the "Up" button before the Wind Sensor will work, and (2) the awning needs to have power (120VAC and 12VDC) for it to retract in high winds. So be sure you are plugged into shore power or you're running the generator, or have the Inverter turned on.

[Lee Welbanks]

Was there any instruction for resetting the wind speed dial inside the control box? Open up the control box and set the wind speed dial all the way down and try again to see if the awning will actually go in. If that works start moving the dial up until you get to about the speed you want. Mine was set way to low and had to bump it up a bit, you just don't want to go too high, better to be on the low side.

[Fred Cook]

 Thanks very much guys. I didn’t know about the five minute wait and also did not know about being able to adjust the wind speed in the box. Another question though.... I splice the wires in to the old wiring and the wires were not color-coded the same. Does it matter how the wires are spliced to each other?

[Mike Shumack]

I don't think it matters how the anemometer is wired, but you can just swap the wire connections (at the controller - if that's easier to access than at the anemometer) to be sure.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

If you reverse the wiring on some models, the awning will open when wind speeds reaches the trigger point. http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,9381.msg64093.html#msg64093
Steve

[Lee Welbanks]

Fred, You can go to the Girard web site and download all the manuals for all of their awnings very helpful, you can also call them at their tech line and I'm sure they can help you. They have some real smart tech's over there.

[Fred Brooks]

   You are right Steve, I already made that mistake!, Fred

[Fred Cook]

Success! Got it working and it works well. Thanks to all!

[Lee Welbanks]

Fred, enlighten us what did you do to fix it? And there are no wrong answers just more info for future problems.

[Fred Brooks]

  Lee, As I recall, I was changing the anemometer and the wires of the replacement were blue and brown and the original wires were some other color so I guessed when I connected them. As the guy drove off, the awning started to extend. Fortunately his wife saw it and so did I. He stopped and I ran over to see what happened. He said he didn't do anything. He drove back to my service bay ( I was working at Beaudry RV in Tucson at the time) and I reversed the wiring I had just connected. Then I extended the awning and took my air chuck and blew gently on the sensor and the awning retracted. I think it was 2004 or 2005. Fred

[Lee Welbanks]

Fred, to many Fred's here I was replying to Fred who did the original post,  what did he do to fix the awning.

[Fred Cook]

Fred, enlighten us what did you do to fix it? And there are no wrong answers just more info for future problems.

I first called Girard  for guidance about the wiring. They told me it did not matter how the anemometer was wired because there is no polarity there, it just sends a signal. I then spliced the wires and soldered them together and covered each wire with heat shrink wrap. I put it all back together, anchored to the roof and then tested it by extending the awning and waiting about 15 minutes before  applying wind with a blow dryer. Worked like a charm.  After testing, I apply the Dicor self leveling sealant. Appears there may be a time delay between extending the awning and the anemometer working correctly.  However, the Girard tech was not aware  of it.

[Jeff Watt]

I don’t want to hijack this thread, and I  know it has been discussed before, just haven’t found it, I need to replace a wind cup - seems to have been knocked off or broke off - on one of the anemometer units. Where can these be sourced?

And, wrt whether awning needs to be fully extended before it will retract in wind, my experience is no - had the back awning partially out the other day and it went in after a gust.

[Lee Welbanks]

Here ya go, internet strikes again. There is actually a couple different ones, this is to a Girard unit.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U1SNPZI?tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1