Putting annexe walls on an electric awning
Submitted: Sunday, Dec 29, 2013 at 10:16
ThreadID:
105610
Views:
8203
Replies:
5
FollowUps:
8
This Thread has been Archived
Shaz'n'Baz
Hi All, Just wondering if anyone has an electric awning they have annexe walls on. We have just bought a van with a carefree elite awning that has a kind of concertina arm that comes out (sorry I dont know how else to explain it!) and would like to have an annexe made. Thinking the doors have to go on the long side and not the ends? And that it would need poles of some kind for stability at the corners as the arm don't detach to make the leg? Kinda wish I'd thought this through before we bought it!
Any help greatly appreciated. :)
Reply By: Dennis Ellery - Sunday, Dec 29, 2013 at 14:13
Sunday, Dec 29, 2013 at 14:13
I have had the same electric awning on my 24 foot caravan for 5 years - I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
For
mine I have made 2 end rails and 2 end posts plus 2 racketing tension straps.
If you use these, then you must then add 3 or 4 intermediate cambered roof beams to shed the water.
This is because an electric awning can’t have one corner dropped to shed the water.
AnswerID:
523619
Follow Up By: Shaz'n'Baz - Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 14:33
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 14:33
Thanks for your reply Dennis. Kinda stuck with it now! The awning is a carefree eclipse and apparently has 6 setting so you can set it up with one end lower than the other to address the water run off issue. With yours by end rails do you mean like the aussie traveller anti flap type set up?
FollowupID:
805191
Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 16:23
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 16:23
I can't drop one end of my awning - must be a recent enhancement.
I made up the end rails out of 20mm tube inserted into 25mm tube with a tensioning device made from I/2 inch threaded rod.
A 6 mm spigot was welded to each end.
Close to underside of awning about 50mm in from edge, 7 mm hole drilled into caravan through a 3mm aluminium reinforcing plate.
Then 7 mm hole then drilled into awning roller.
End rail spigots fitted into the 7 mm holes and tensioned up tightly.
FollowupID:
805198
Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Sunday, Dec 29, 2013 at 20:28
Sunday, Dec 29, 2013 at 20:28
We lived in a 'van for 6 years back in the early '80's and had an annexe(not electric of course) and a full set of walls. As we were shifting
camp every 3-5 days, we only ever put up the annexe roof, and the end wall, on the western end.(we always parked the van east-west)
Wind.......or storms, were always a worry, so the less canvas we had unfurled the better. Also, the full walls provided little ventilation, so the roof and end wall were enough to provide some shade, and keep the entry side of the van cooler.
Ha ha, we'd just been to Mt Isa to do some shopping for new baby we had. Wife had washed all the new gear, and it was hanging on the line. Huge whirly-wind went straight through the
camp, folded the annexe over the roof of the van, and the newly washed items were spread all over the place, bar a few pairs of pilchers which went with the whirly-wind, never to be seen again.
So I'd say keep it to a minimum, and keep that simple.
Bob.
AnswerID:
523627
Follow Up By: Shaz'n'Baz - Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 14:47
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 14:47
Thanks for your reply. We live in Tassie so the majority of our caravanning is here. Keeping the heat out isn't so much of an issue. A full annexe is really a must for us for extra space (extra fridge, teenagers etc) and somewhere out of the weather if need be. At this stage we usually go somewhere for a couple of weeks and set up there for the duration.
I didn't mention before but we have had a van for about ten years so this new (second hand) one is just an upgrade. We've always had annexe walls that attached to our roll out awning and we are kinda used to having one I guess. Hopefully we can sort something.
Oh and I'm guessing you didn't leave
camp with washing still on the line any more!
FollowupID:
805193
Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 19:29
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 19:29
Shan n Baz,
Definitely horses for courses then, didn't realise you were down on that little island, just north of Antarctica :-)
Yeah, I'd be opting for all the walls too, and a wind sheet along the bottom of the van as
well. We were working/living on Barkly Tablelands in NT, so real cold wasn't an issue.
Hope you work out something suitable,
Happy new year,
Bob
FollowupID:
805209
Reply By: Member - mike g2 - Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 12:47
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 12:47
Hi Shaz, I know what you mean as I have a power annexe on my fiat jayco MH. do you really want to "weatherproof" enclose with doors/windows as
well? try local c/van
shop for opinion, when not built for that may be in too hard basket.
you could look at DIY with some C channel att to outside and some shade cloth on a runner if that would suffice. fit base plates ( click ins)for both ends to van and extendable poles to go out and complete the square. fit same extendables as verticals . fair point about water shedding also. most annexes subject to weather /wind .
all the best!
M.
AnswerID:
523656
Follow Up By: Shaz'n'Baz - Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 14:55
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 at 14:55
Thanks mike g2.
We are in Tassie so a 'weatherproof' enclosure is kind of necessary!
We've always had and used a full annexe on our van that attached to our roll out awning. We are just upgrading to a Jayco Sterling that has a Carefree Eclipse motorised awning. It apparently has 6 setting so one end can go lower for water run off. Would you think fitting the aussie traveller anti flap system to the roof to attach walls and then using your idea for the verticals would give it enough stability? Just wondering about having enough structure on the long roller edge of the awning once the walls are on.
FollowupID:
805195
This Track Log is locked and does not belong to you