Blow up awning

Yell
Yell Forum Participant Posts: 1
edited September 2016 in Parts & Accessories #1

Recently purchased a Trigano Luna 280 awning after careful research, reading reports, comments etc. seemed just the awning for my 'age' and need.

I would appreciate any comments on the following:- the pump, connections, gauge and the fitting. I could not get one side of the awning 'flush' to the van however much I tried, moving the awning along the van, deflating poles, reinflating, for hours I tried
without any idea of the pressure I was putting in because the gauge did not register anything.

Next morning, everything in the awning that had been placed on a table up the front of the awning was sopping wet (not condensation). I have contacted the supplier and have been now informed, the caravan has to be on a perfectly flat surfice for the awning
to fit.!  No mention can I find anywhere about this, neither the manual or any reviews. I can hardly believe that any of the pitches, say,  for example Setthorns in the New Forest are 'bowling green' flat.

Please if anybody has any useful comments I really would appreciate it as it would seem we "are lumbered with this awning if the above is true, re the flat surface so the supplier is telling me.

Comments

  • jennyc
    jennyc Forum Participant Posts: 957
    500 Comments
    edited September 2016 #2

    I'm afraid that not pitching on "flat" surfaces, or nearly flat, is the bugbear of inflatable awnings. Poled awnings allow you to adjust the leg length to compensate for slopes. We've got a Kampa air as well as a Kampa poled awning. Both have their merits, but if you frequently pitch on sloping sites, then maybe the polled version is for you. We've stayed at Sethorns in the past but never had such aseverely sloping pitch that an air awning wouldn't work, though we didn't have one back then. I guess that any more than 3" slope will start to give problems with an air awning, or at least a long Kampa one.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #3

    Do inflatable awning designers not appreciate the environment in which their products are used? Surprised

  • MJ730
    MJ730 Forum Participant Posts: 184
    edited September 2016 #4

    We've got a Vango air awning and are on a fairly slipping pitch it's not perfect but it fits pretty good.

    Mike

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2016 #5

    I apologise for sounding dumb but does not the awning material slot into the awning rail? That would surely be a pre-requisite of the manufacturers to ensure a snug, watertight fit?

    Then having pegged out the 'groundsheet' the poles, being inflateable, would surely adjust to fit?

    Glad I only have a sunshade, Fiamma, type of awning.

     

     

  • jennyc
    jennyc Forum Participant Posts: 957
    500 Comments
    edited September 2016 #6

    There's no slotting to be done with an air awning, it's stitched together as one piece. CY I guess that manufacturers make products for their specific markets - Most CC sites are pristine, clinical almost, in their quality, so I wouldn't expect problems
    on one. But wilder camping sites may have difficult to deal with slopes, hence Kampa offer poled variants of their awnings.

  • Fozzie
    Fozzie Club Member Posts: 550
    500 Comments
    edited September 2016 #7

    One tip Yell,before you inflate, slid awning into rail,and peg the rear of the awning slightly under the van in the corners.Keep these side walls tight and adjust for level here.Then inflate awning.It took me a couple of times to find the best way to use
    awning,and probably did not follow supplied instructions.Mine has only an "arch" to inflate.

  • Mr H
    Mr H Forum Participant Posts: 356
    100 Comments
    edited September 2016 #8

    Totally agree Fozzie, that is the method we use, and so far over two and a half years have had no problems. With regards to the seal, we did buy some additional poles (Kampa) to use to 'improve' the seal but to date have not needed them.