You’ve driven into a perfect camping ground with your friends and your families, all of our lovers. We are looking forward to having a wonderful dinner outdoors under your RV awnings. But found that your electric RV awning could not be opened, and everything was ruined. It was so frustrating. Please do not be angry! Here are some simple ways to check and solve the problem first.
Open the awning manually.
Most electric awnings have with manual control system. Let’s open the awning manually. For example, open the awning simply by turning the open/close bolt with a drill and socket.
But here is a simpler way: if you have an Awnlux electric awning W5700 with a manual crank handle, it will help you to open the awning in minutes.
After the picnic, let’s check the awning and find the solutions. Please note, the following steps require someone with electrical experience. If you are unsure, please go to the local RV repair store or ask a qualified technician for assistance.
Normally, if an electric awning cannot be moved, here are three main reasons
1. Insufficient Power
2. Motor failure
3. Mechanical failures
How to check and fix
1. Insufficient Power
1.1 Blown fuse or tripped breaker,
Find out your power supply box. Normally, it is located near the control panel or in a storage cabinet. Check if the fuse is blown; if yes, replace it with the same AMP fuse. If it is a breaker, see if it has tripped ( switched off), and switch it on. Then, test the awning again.
1.2 Check your power battery.
According to some customers’ feedback, the RV battery degradation is normal over time. Especially 3-5 years of use. Many RVs are equipped with basic voltage monitoring displays, but they usually show open circuit voltage, not the actual voltage on the RV awning. The actual voltage on the RV awning may be less. Open the awning by hand maybe 10-20 cm, find the awning wire, test the actual voltage with a voltmeter, if it is less than 12V, try to add the power supply voltage to 13-15V, then test the awning movement. If it does, it means you may need to have a better battery or get thicker wire for awnings, but it all depends on your choice.
1.3 Check your wire
If the power supply is working, but no voltage at the motor side. It might be a wiring problem between the power source and the motor. Extend the awning 20-30 inches manually, until you can find the RV wire that connects to the awning motor. Use your volt meter to measure if you’re getting 12 volts from inside. If not, it needs to repair the inner wire of the RV. Since the wire often hides on the RV body and is hard to access. It is better to go to the local repair store to get professional assistance.
1. Motor failure
After verifying that the power and wiring are in good condition. It is reasonable to suspect the motor. Maybe it is damaged or jammed. Connect the motor wire to an external 12V power supply. If it is not moving, it is time to replace a new motor. When you replace the motor, please use the tape to tie down the awning arms on both sides. Because once the old motor is removed, there is no pressure on the air spring, the awning arms will extend out quickly. Use straps to prevent this from happening and any hurt or damage. If the motor is moving, but there is no response when you turn on or of the switch. Connect the switch, motor, and power supply directly to test if the switch is broken or not.
1. Mechanical failures
1.1 Awning arm jammed or seized joints.
It is your first trip after a long, cold winter, or the awning was exposed to heavy rain, dust, or sand. The arm joints may seize up or become stiff. In this case, the motor might be running, but it cannot move the arm to work. If so, please inspect the arm joint if there is any noise or resistance. Or apply silicone spray lubricant to the moving parts to keep the arm working smoothly. Besides the motor, some awning arms are also driven by an air gas spring; if the spring loses internal pressure, and cannot extend the arm. It must be replaced.
1.2 Fabric misaligned or roller tube jammed.
If the awning is not properly maintained, it may be out of shape, misaligned, or not retract. So this may cause jamming or uneven rolling. When you turn on the switch, the roller cannot move with the jammed fabric, even damage the motor. Please inspect the edge of the awning fabric for wrinkles, misalignment, or debris before closing the awning. For misaligned fabric, it is better to pull it into the correct shape and set it again. If needed, please take off the fabric and reinstall it.
1.3 End cap or roller bearing failure
The motor is working, but the roller shaft is loose or disconnected from the arm. The force from the motor cannot drive the arm. So the awning doesn’t move, even though the motor is running. In this condition, the motor operates without a load, and the RPM will be higher. May cause the heart to build up and damage the motor. The motor is running without any resistance; it may damage the rotating parts and shift. Please remove the end cap of the roller tube to inspect the bearing or plastic end plugs on both sides, and if any parts are dislodged, cracked, or damaged. If yes, please contact your awning brand’s local service for replacement.
Conclusion: A stuck awning can feel like a disaster when you're enjoying your camping life. But in most cases, inspecting the awnings with the above steps, it will be easier to find the problem and fix it, no matter whether it is the damaged motor, power issue, or a hidden mechanical snag. Save your camping life on time.
But protecting and maintaining the awning is more important than repairing it. Protect your awning, protect your trips.
At Awnlux, we design our RV power awning with real-world reliability and field-tested backup systems, like manual crank, faster fabric replacement, and LED channel design. We try our best to minimize your travel risks.
Need more help?
Check out our support resources or contact our team at admin@awnlux.com — we’re always here to help keep you covered, wherever the road takes you.