Zip Dee power awning-problem

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Zip Dee power awning-problem

January 08, 2013, 05:59:05 pm

Here in san carlos at friends I am helping him with a few things on his Country coach Magna 630 and one of them now is the main power awning. He has the Zip D -new century model-roof mounted and what is happening is that it blows the 15 gfi breaker when trying to operate it. All others work fine and you can wind it in and out with the wheel easily but as soon as you try power-zap. So I guess it is a motor problem and was wondering if any of you smart folks have this model and had problems , before we tear into the motor and see why it trips. I told marcell we have mainy brilliant problem finders on the forum and to let me see if we can get an answer.
Thanks
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #1 – January 08, 2013, 08:27:07 pm

The first thing to check would be the junction box on the roof. Many times I have found the box on the roof to be nearly full of water. If that is dry and the wiring looks ok, you could disconnect the wires in the box and try the awning to see if the gfi trips. If it does not trip the motor would be the suspect.

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #2 – January 08, 2013, 08:50:38 pm

Thanks, we will try that in the afternoon as we have to go out at 7 am fishing. Going for the big ones and if no luck then bottom fishing at 500 or so ft. Supposed to be very calm till noon.
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #3 – January 09, 2013, 01:52:07 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – January 08, 2013, 05:59:05 pm

Here in san carlos at friends I am helping him with a few things on his Country coach Magna 630 and one of them now is the main power awning. He has the Zip D -new century model-roof mounted and what is happening is that it blows the 15 gfi breaker when trying to operate it. All others work fine and you can wind it in and out with the wheel easily but as soon as you try power-zap. So I guess it is a motor problem and was wondering if any of you smart folks have this model and had problems , before we tear into the motor and see why it trips. I told marcell we have mainy brilliant problem finders on the forum and to let me see if we can get an answer.
Thanks
John H

I ran across this Foretravel Bullitin that might help.

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #4 – January 09, 2013, 04:05:35 pm

I was not aware that Foretravel ever put the next generation zip dee awnings on coaches. It was my understanding that for auto awnings from about 2005 forward, FOT only used Girards.

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #5 – January 09, 2013, 05:15:53 pm

Due to being out on the water fishing today we will look at it in the morning. Thanks barry for the extra info. Caught too many fish so it has taken a few hours to clean etc
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #6 – January 09, 2013, 10:51:41 pm

Not sure if this awning has arms which could can get water into them as mine did. The guy at zip dee instructed me how to drain the water out of the arms and after that it working perfectly. DAN

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #7 – January 09, 2013, 11:10:01 pm

Dan,

Oh, I can't remember how that is supposed to be done for the Autoawn. Something about the bolt on the arm?

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #8 – January 09, 2013, 11:17:37 pm

Quote from: txforetravel – January 09, 2013, 04:05:35 pm

I was not aware that Foretravel ever put the next generation zip dee awnings on coaches. It was my understanding that for auto awnings from about 2005 forward, FOT only used Girards.

Yeah, that's what I recall as well. The ZipDee Next Generation series John is asking about is similar to the Girard in that there are no side arms and it's all electric, not air.

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #9 – January 09, 2013, 11:26:36 pm

Hi Michelle,

Great, another outdated feature. Just another reason to trade coaches?? I'm not serious, but the newer coaches do have lots of improvements.

Maybe someone will suggest how to drain the water from the Zijp Dee arms because mine do misbehave after a rain.

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #10 – January 10, 2013, 08:50:24 am

. Caught too many fish so it has taken a few hours to clean etc
John H
[/quote]

John, you really know how to hurt a guy...

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #11 – January 10, 2013, 10:07:52 am

Jim: To remove water from the arms you let the arms point down so the part with the black end is at the bottom, then loosen the four screws (do not remove) tap with end of screw driver to loosen and if any water is in the arm it will come out. The water will keep the awning from locking in the open position. DAN

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #12 – January 10, 2013, 10:21:20 am

Jeff, actually it is true as we did not expect to do so well. 2- yellow tail tuna at 9lbs each
11 bass at around 4 lbs
2 big groupers
4- salamon (not salmon)
20- cod (rock kind) small but 2 nice fillets on each one
and 2 others we do not know the name but look nice.
Mostly bottom fish, and now nicely packaged and in the fridge for dinners.
Lots of sun on the water.
Now back to work on awning.
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #13 – January 10, 2013, 11:02:05 am

Thanks Dan,

I didn't remember that the outer ends of the arms would go out and
down to lower than their pivot point mounting - thinking the awning cloth would prevent that. Or are you draining the bottom end of the arms where it is pivoted on the coach wall?

Quote

Jim: To remove water from the arms you let the arms point down so the part with the black end is at the bottom, then loosen the four screws (do not remove) tap with end of screw driver to loosen and if any water is in the arm it will come out. The water will keep the awning from locking in the open position. DAN

Dan & Shirley Stansel

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #14 – January 14, 2013, 10:19:43 am

quote from Red Tractor"The first thing to check would be the junction box on the roof. Many times I have found the box on the roof to be nearly full of water. If that is dry and the wiring looks ok, you could disconnect the wires in the box and try the awning to see if the gfi trips. If it does not trip the motor would be the suspect."
Well it was just as you said, although just condensation in the box, once dry did not make any difference so took motor assembly/tube off. Wow what a contraption. I took as much as possible apart and it was obvious that water had been getting in there for a long time as rust was everywere. Could not remove the actual motor from deep in the cylinder but all else came out after a lot of swearing. Will be ordering a new one today so that thing will cost a pretty penny. reassembled the old one so that at least the manual part works just in case there is problem geting new. One thing I was surprised at is the weight of the complete awning, it is heavy and is obviously installed with an overhead or scissor lift hoist. We left it on roof of coach while getting motor out. Learnt a few things on these auto awnings lately. Think I will stick with manual ones-less trouble and cost.
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #15 – January 14, 2013, 08:49:21 pm

Jim: I think to lower the arms you use the motor only button in the box in the bay. DAN

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #16 – January 14, 2013, 08:55:36 pm

The type of awing he is working on is like the girard awnings and we used a forklift to lift them from the ground to the roof. Sometimes it was quite a challenge to remove the slides holding the awning to the roof. You just have to be careful not to fall off the roof

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #17 – January 14, 2013, 09:24:16 pm

yes it was a bit of a challenge but the awning came out of the rear holding bracket ok and we could just lift it enough to get it over the main mounting brackets. I put it on some wood blocks to keep off roof and slid it at a angle as you need over 24" to slide motor tube out. I like these challenges but my friend did not like the $640 bill + shipping for a new one from Zip Dee. They are using another make of unit so hope all goes back ok. At least we are saving on the labour!!
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #18 – January 15, 2013, 08:07:57 pm

When you get the new one check that the wiring is the same. I had changed one out and the new motor had european wire code colors. They had forgotten to include the instgructions for the wiring. Hopefully you won't have any problems with the new motor

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #19 – January 15, 2013, 10:04:14 pm

we will see when it gets here. The make has changed to Nice!! The other was Sumli (i think) so there must have been an issue with the old make for them to change manufacturers. It is being delivered to Tucson so we need to drive 350 miles each way for it!!
John H

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #20 – January 22, 2013, 07:48:59 pm

well we attacked the awning with a new motor today and after install and a small wiring change got it to work-sort of- would go out but not in. So check the volage and found no 120 on the up part. Turned out a bad connection inside coach at sensing box, so fixed that and with some changing of up and down stop settings all is working nicely. There are a few places that would have allowed water in again so I fixed them. Good day but figured if it was done at a shop, would they have fixed these other issues-my guess not. That is why I like to do whatever I figure I can fix, rather than pay someone else, who does not really care if it lasts a year or 5 yrs.
This is a job for 2 people but really does not test the brain.
John H
Tomorrow I believe it is a Fantastic fan problem to solve-nice and easy!!

Re: Zip Dee power awning-problem

Reply #21 – January 22, 2013, 08:43:29 pm

Glad to hear that you got the awning fixed. Sometimes they can be a challenge, but in the end you were successful

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