Awning and Step Cover Questions - 2007 Camelot

[FishAR]

I have what I believe to be a carefree mirage door awning.

Not sure why the picture loaded upside down (fixed - SMH) Lately once in a while when I push the button to extend or retract I might get nothing at all, or a click. Then after a few more attempts it will work. Mostly it will work normal, a few times it's sounded like the motor is dragging for a split second then it goes back to normal.

Wondering what to look at first to track this problem down. The motor must be hidden very well.

 

My step cover sometimes acts in the same peculiar manner, although once it starts it goes, no dragging sound.

[Tom Cherry]

Awning

If you have the bolt on to the slide patio awning, Monaco, at least in 2008 and 2009 and beyond, used motor leads that were one wire size too small.  There is no, to the best of my knowledge, a "FIX".  Motors have been replaced and such. if the voltage was higher, as in 15 - 16 VDC, then odds are, it would work...as the amperage was lower.  But, the controls would have to be bypassed and an auxillary, like a power tool motor used.  The techs use a drill motor to test.  You can search and read more about it here.

Step Cover.  

Make yourself like a Boa Constrictor and get under there and tighten every fastener in the mechanism (screws into the sides) you can get to.  Use a dry lubricant, like TriFlo or a Teflon and lubricate the worm gear. That is a single drive motor....you can see the worm.  LUBE IT UP.  There are TWO relays in the FRB and they are marked.  Occassionaly, they go bad, so order a REAL BOSCH (not an off brand) pair of 5 pin relays and keep them for a spare.  You have a ton on them so having a spare is a good idea.  NOW....the trick.  Do NOT BUMP or partially start the step. If you bump and it doesn't move.....do NOT let off the switch....sometimes, they ARE SLOW.  Mine is a 2009 and I had it serviced and that was the final diagnosis.  Holding it down....and let it move.  You don't have to move it all the way....but it needs to move in the direction you intended for maybe a foot or so.  Then, when it moves back, it has momentum and fully seats.  If it EVER stalls, then HOLD the switch down in the direction you want it to move and gently, maybe a little bit of a "tug", pull or push under the front cover to get it going.  Mine has "stalled" when going out, but never really moved.  I then hold the RETRACT down and push gently on the cover to get it fully retracted.  There, as it gets older, is a soft spot and when fully out or in, it works....but it you bump it and say OMG....and then let off....it might stall or lock up there.

That's it...

[TommyL]

Mike we have 08Camelot ,yours looks like ours. The door awning motor is inside where awning rolls up. Left side, you pry the plastic end cap off, be gentle,it snaps on an off. I’ve replaced motors 3 times it still rolls up when it da!,, we’ll pleases, we just quit using it. I’m not a guru on 12volt, and limit switches tax me.Hope you have better luck than me. Tommy

[Tom Cherry]

3 hours ago, TommyL said:

Mike we have 08Camelot ,yours looks like ours. The door awning motor is inside where awning rolls up. Left side, you pry the plastic end cap off, be gentle,it snaps on an off. I’ve replaced motors 3 times it still rolls up when it da!,, we’ll pleases, we just quit using it. I’m not a guru on 12volt, and limit switches tax me.Hope you have better luck than me. Tommy

My post about the wiring comes from several folks with a lot of electrical savvy and they spent a lot of time on the phone to Carefree.  What happens is the lead from the controller should have been one size “lower” or larger.  When you have a cable or conductor that is undersized and gets hot when trying to carry a higher than rated current, you get a voltage drop.  The voltage drop then manifests itself into a higher current.  So, the motor is seeing a lower voltage, so it has to “work harder”…the physics or electrical result is it pulls more current.  BINGO…you subject the motor to more current….then the windings fail.  It took me years of having that simple principle driven into my head before it hit me.

The one solution, if you don’t want to abandon the awning is to make sure you are on shore power when using or start the Genny.  That kicks the voltage up to a higher level, maybe 13.5 VDC….SO, you have less voltage drop. No perfect, but you are not working the motor as hard.  When boondocking and your house is down to 12.0 or so….the inherent voltage drop to the controller is always there….that compounds it.  Start with a higher charging voltage, bingo, you have less drop.

[TommyL]

Tom , I do  comprehend the undersized wire problems,didn’t know Monaco didn’t!  When you say controller are you speaking of something other than the rocker switch? Ran a better ground just in case . Didn’t think about a better hot wire. I’ve never even tried the door awning without being plugged into 50amp.  It’s been a few years since we worked on it but I think I had to install the motor to test run. Otherwise we would have tried an external power source. Thanks as always,you guys are a goldmine! Even though half of what you guys post goes right over my head! TommyL 

[throgmartin]

The very first place to check is the switch. They are known to fail and sporadic operation is one tell tale sign of a bad switch.

I have said this before on here and will say it again - start at the power source and work forward. In other words check the voltage to the switch. Next check the voltage going out of the switch with the button depressed. Next check the voltage at the motor. If the voltage is good then you probably have a bad motor. Twice in the last 3 weeks we have had customers come in with inoperative awnings. The owners swore they were bad motors. Both times it was the switch.

One of those customers started going off on me telling me the motor was bad and we didn't know what we were talking about and was wasting his time and money screwing with a switch. The conversation got heated between him and I and at that point I got PO'ed and ended up telling him we will go through " our " troubleshooting process or he can take his coach elsewhere to have it fixed. He agreed and stormed off. It was the switch. I have never nor will I ever allow my techs to just start replacing parts and take shots in the dark. Start with the simplest, stupidest thing first and work your way forward. Never assume the worst and go to the end of the system and work backwards. I could write a book on the failures of components I have seen on coaches that were attributed to the dumbest things you could imagine. Corroded terminals. loose wires. Bad grounds and the list goes on. Simple, stupid little issues that bring components down and make it inoperative. 

In regards to the Mirage OTD assembly, Carefree had a big issue with their 05/06 models. They never sealed the ends of the assembly to protect the motor from water. I believe in 07 they corrected that issue. It was not unheard of for customers to go through 2 and 3 motors that were all fried by water intrusion.

[Ron Shantos]

BOSCH RELAY for FRB?   Tom is the the correct Bosch Relay you recommend? 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bch-0332209150?seid=srese3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt4ePqKr4_QIVjd7nAx1qtgUmEAEYASABEgIU1vD_BwE#overview

 

[Tom Cherry]

3 hours ago, Ron Shantos said:

BOSCH RELAY for FRB?   Tom is the the correct Bosch Relay you recommend? 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bch-0332209150?seid=srese3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt4ePqKr4_QIVjd7nAx1qtgUmEAEYASABEgIU1vD_BwE#overview

 

Yes.  That is a 5 contact single pole double throw (can be used as Normally Open or Normally Closed….thus it is a Double Throw.  Bosh did or does make a 4 Pin.  It, like the 5 pin, uses 2 contacts for the coil.  But the switch is a SINGLE Thow…as in it is OFF with no coil voltage abs then turns ON when energized.

Monaco used mostly 5 pin…but I hesitate to say….always….as this was Monaco.  If you look at the majority of yours, odds are they are the most common 5 pin.  Not a bad price assuming it is a REAL Bosch…

Good Luck.

[Tom Cherry]

7 hours ago, throgmartin said:

The very first place to check is the switch. They are known to fail and sporadic operation is one tell tale sign of a bad switch.

I have said this before on here and will say it again - start at the power source and work forward. In other words check the voltage to the switch. Next check the voltage going out of the switch with the button depressed. Next check the voltage at the motor. If the voltage is good then you probably have a bad motor. Twice in the last 3 weeks we have had customers come in with inoperative awnings. The owners swore they were bad motors. Both times it was the switch.

One of those customers started going off on me telling me the motor was bad and we didn't know what we were talking about and was wasting his time and money screwing with a switch. The conversation got heated between him and I and at that point I got PO'ed and ended up telling him we will go through " our " troubleshooting process or he can take his coach elsewhere to have it fixed. He agreed and stormed off. It was the switch. I have never nor will I ever allow my techs to just start replacing parts and take shots in the dark. Start with the simplest, stupidest thing first and work your way forward. Never assume the worst and go to the end of the system and work backwards. I could write a book on the failures of components I have seen on coaches that were attributed to the dumbest things you could imagine. Corroded terminals. loose wires. Bad grounds and the list goes on. Simple, stupid little issues that bring components down and make it inoperative. 

In regards to the Mirage OTD assembly, Carefree had a big issue with their 05/06 models. They never sealed the ends of the assembly to protect the motor from water. I believe in 07 they corrected that issue. It was not unheard of for customers to go through 2 and 3 motors that were all fried by water intrusion.

Chris’ techs and he have a lot of experience.  I started following the “Camelot problems” when I started moderating in 2015….as a preventative in case I had issues.  Many of the 08 and 09 posters all, who seemed to be highly technical as well as dealing with the Carefree tech support, reported that they were told that the internal  (inside the slide wall) was one size too small and that was a major issue …specifically, to the best of my knowledge and recollection, to the 08 & 09.  If you look at the owners manuals for the 07, the dual switch and instructions are a repeat for all 3 years….and I’ll wager for the remainder of the Camelot’s life.

BUT…Chris makes an important statement.  Start as far upstream as you can and then exercise the “offending” component and measure the voltage across ever connection.  If the switches are failing and/or have issues….once that is repaired, the posters finally hit the wall and gave up…one even considered running new wire, but that was an impossibility.  I’d run the unit and check not only the voltage across the switch as well as to ground.  If you have good voltage coming in and then it drops markedly at the motor or elsewhere, then there has to be a heavy load or a high resistance (inside motor or bad wiring).

Good Luck…

[Gweedo]

On my 07HR I found mine extended one morning. No question motor gave way, so prior to replacing I checked voltage.   Great from the switch but not at motor.  Connections dirty through wall cut and made new connections n volts good to motor.  Sealed the end cap. 

[Tom Cherry]

22 minutes ago, Gweedo said:

On my 07HR I found mine extended one morning. No question motor gave way, so prior to replacing I checked voltage.   Great from the switch but not at motor.  Connections dirty through wall cut and made new connections n volts good to motor.  Sealed the end cap. 

Great to know that….there may be hope….one never knows if Monaco had good harnesses and switched in 2008.  If you recall, what gauge wire went from switch to motor….next time a 2008 fails, that would be a good comparison…

Thanks….

[Gweedo]

Yes it was #14 gauge.  So hollowed out the plug a bit because knucklehead me cut the wires all the same. I should’ve cut different lengths to prevent the bulge.  Anyhow I used the black stretch tape n the original plug n cap.  Worked great.   

[747guy]

My problem is the motor runs but will not retract. I suspect it is a Carefree product on my 2006/2007 Camelot. The main awning is Carefree.

[96 EVO]

16 minutes ago, 747guy said:

My problem is the motor runs but will not retract. I suspect it is a Carefree product on my 2006/2007 Camelot. The main awning is Carefree.

Does it have the extend / retract switch on the bottom of the right arm?

[Tom Cherry]

48 minutes ago, 747guy said:

My problem is the motor runs but will not retract. I suspect it is a Carefree product on my 2006/2007 Camelot. The main awning is Carefree.

The MAIN (STOCK) Awning, if you pull the 2007 Brochure....and that has been confirmed more times here than I can recall, is the ECLIPSE (Carefee).  It is mounted on the side wall of the Slide.  It suffers, as the topic goes way back, from "Lack of a decent WIRE".  

The Optional Awning is the Apex (Carefree).  It is mounted on the side of the body and extends out and over the slide.  It is a Girard wannabe....as in it has two arms that extend, like your elbows, and as they pivot....the awning gets or extends longer.

The controller for this (Eclipse) awning is no longer available.... I THINK.  We have had so many controllers for so many "components" dropped or no longer made that it would take the a super computer and database to keep up with them.  There has been, maybe in this topic, a very good and informative discussion on HOW to install a simple reversing switch and eliminate the expensive controller.

The BEST THING...  Use a 20 Volt or so Portable Drill motor.  Then you manually hook it up to the motor leads.  If the motor is bad....it ain't gonna work.  If the motor is good....then it will extend and retract and you start troubleshooting up the line.  This is exactly how many have described a Mobile or Pro RV tech start....figure out if the motor is GOOD or BAD....then start working on what is BAD...

Hope this helps.  You CAN also run a #12 AWG Positive lead...probably also a Negative (fused of course) from the House bank and do the tests.  THAT IS THE FIRST STEP...

Good Luck.

[96 EVO]

1 hour ago, 747guy said:

My problem is the motor runs but will not retract. I suspect it is a Carefree product on my 2006/2007 Camelot. The main awning is Carefree.

Guess the first question is whether it's a step cover, or awning that won't retract?

[747guy]

Sorry about the confusion. It is the OTD awning and it is a Carefree Marquee.

the motor runs but the reel does not wind in the awning.

I got the information from the outboard piece on the right bottom corner.

no panic as I am not going anywhere till April

[96 EVO]

Ah.

Sorry, never had any issues with mine.

I'll be following though, cause the day will come!

[Happycarz]

The original door awning had a plastic drive that failed.  I replaced mine twice. The first one was still under warranty and I got to pay for the second one years later. By then Carefree change the drive end to metal. Now they are an available through Amazon. 

[747guy]

How did you remove the unit from the Coach?

Two screws at the bottom and then tip upwards to remove it from the track?

I read in another post about sliding the unit towards the front to get it out of the mounting track?

also my end caps have NO screws, so I assume they clip in place.

Do you remove the end caps before removing the unit?

thanks for your insight.

[Happycarz]

Originally the two screws were large headed rivets. In my case, I had three screws. Once they are removed the door awning lifts off the rail.  On mine, and I think yours, the wires enter the coach at the forward, windshield end of the awning. 
 

Inside the above door cabinet remove the forward wood panel to get to the wires. You will need to cut them. There is plenty of wire. The colors change between the Monaco wires and the Carefree wires, so make note of them. 
 

(The last picture says “See next picture.” The next picture is the one showing the gray wire coming through the wall. The pictures are just not in the right order.)
 

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Happycarz
Clarification