Rick James Bish

I replaced the fabric on my awning and was attempting to slowly unwind the tension spring and it got away from me. Ate my hand up pretty bad. So needless to say I do not know how many times it was wound.

The 9100 has one tension spring on the left end (looking at camper) and motor on the right. I have read several posts and get conflicting information.

1.  Says with the roller in place, extended out about 1 to 2 feet from the camper, detach the spring end and wind 13 turns, pin it so it does not release, reattach to arm, remove pin.

2. Say 13 turns but sound like they are starting at the fully extended position, rather than 1 to 2 feet out from camper.

If I did the math right, or close, if you go by the first method, the spring is going to wind tighter another 6 turns or so when you extend the awning out fully. The second way its jsut a max of 13 turns fully extended.

So do I go by the first or second method.

On 7/6/2020 at 1:09 PM, mptjelgin said:

The number of turns depends on the length of the awning and how far away from the wall it is when you wind it.  I've done this one time and will say that you need to be very careful and know what you are doing before you start.  The spring will injure you badly it it gets away from you. 

It is easiest to wind it slightly away from the coach wall as it is under less (but still significant) tension and will give you a bit of wiggle room for moving it in or out to align pins, bolts, etc.  The guidelines for 2 feet out from the coach wall are:

up to 12 ft long awning = 8 turns
13-14 ft = 9 turns
15-16 ft = 10 turns
16.5 - 18ft. = 12 turns
19 ft-up = 13 turns.

The spring is prewound in a direction that places the awning under tension when retracted, and then tensions further as the awning is deployed. Dometic sells a tool to assist with winding the spring, but you can do it using "other" tools. 

Again, please be very cautious.  These things bite hard!

13 turns when it is just two feet out from the coach wall? That seems like a lot. Extending would wind it tighter. My math is not that great but based off the distance out (minus the 2 feet you mentioned) and the diameter of the tube, that would be another 6 turns tighter to extend fully.

I  am not saying you are wrong but I am in the process of replacing mine and have to start from scratch with the spring tension. To test this with no awning attached and zero roller tension. We pressed the extend button and I counted turns. We got to 7 revolutions and it sounded like the motor probably could not go any further. It seems to me that starting at a tension of 13 turns with the awning only extended two feet would make it impossible for it to extend based off the 7 turns I got in the testing.

And yes that do bite hard. My wrench slipped off and my hand caught most of the damage. My shirt probably saved me a little as it wound around the end of the mechanism and stopped the rotation early.

So I just want to be completely clear before I go winding this up.  I have a Dometic 9100, which from what i can tell has one spring oposite the motor end. It is 20 feet wide.  With the awning installed and extended just two feet, the spring should already be a tension of 13 turns ?

20 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Wow Rick, now that's an entrance to the forums I doubt anyone can top! Welcome to the forums and I hope to read more of your expertise articles. I've been contemplating installing an Ecobee 4 in our MH, but it's above my level of electrical knowledge.

The newer Ecobee EB-EMSSI is battery-powered. perhaps I can figure out how to install it instead of the ecobee 4.

Thanks. I just know how frustrated I got trying get this all lined out and figured a diagram and video would speed things up for the next person.  I think this same setup would work with any smart thermostat that is 24vac.

I did a video today of the install. I had hoped to go over the settings for configuring after the install but the display was blown out. I will record that part again and update the video. I have one installed up front and one in the bedroom.

Old topic I know but here is a diagram I made for using the Nest Learning Thermostat in a 12vdc source RV. Requires a 24vac transformer here  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C3J6PQX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share  and relay board here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DYLKH74?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share .  The cost of the transformer and relay board together is less than $40 and this setup controls AC with two fan speeds and heat.