Awning problems

[Annie3]

Hi can anyone advise

We have put our van on a site for the season and put up a full awning. The van is a bailey Senator and the manufactures details states an awing size of 1009. We bought a Dorema model with extra strength steel poles etc recommended for seasonal size 15 which is 1000 - 1025. The awnings looks fine but we are having rain collecting on the roof. We keep trying adjusting doing various things, added extra poles a couple of straps but still happening in the same place. The ground is quite uneven, someone told us to put some blocks under the wheels to raise the caravan to take up the surplus in the sizing but the only thing that did was raise the skirt from the ground?? really at a loss on how we resolve...used a large porch awing up to now that has been fine just at our wits end how to get this right??? is it the ground??? the wrong size???? any suggestions would be welcome!!! annie

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi Annie3.
the Dorema is a quirky awning because of it's shape although it looks the same as all the others it is not, the legs splay out triangular fashion away from each other and the van in a sort of spider stance if you understand, and the side skirts (down the sides of the van) follow the line of the legs. and not the van, thats why it seems to have surplus.and is baggy.
also the front of the awning should be much lower than the van side, with the extra poles fitted central between the main frame poles, it helps if you get the central pole in the centre of the van so it is not askew and tighten all the pole tight before it is pegged down.
it took me about 10 attempts on various outings before I twigged on to what was wrong it always looked fine just a little baggy, in the roof dept, but once sussed it was fine. it is nothing to do with the ground I had mine up on some very uneven pitches you just have to adjust the poles to suit.
oh I while I am at it, if the awning is new expect it to leak untill it has had a good soak and dry out,
hope this helps.