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Old 09-09-2019, 12:38 AM   #1
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Thor Tuscany 40GQ
State: New York
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THOR #16671
Carefree Awning Won't Work

We have a Care Free Awning on our 2016 Thor Motor Coach. It goes in sometimes and then it won't. We have to reset the battery , then it will work again. Well, now it will only click and won't do anything. Someone said something about a bad circuit breaker, that was located under the hood, but I can't find this post, now that I am registered. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated!! Thank you in advance for any help.

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Old 09-09-2019, 12:58 PM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 ACE 30.1
State: Alberta
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THOR #2631
Welcome to the forum. I see no responses to you so far, so lets see if the group can help out.
What do you mean by “we have to reset the battery” to get the awning to work originally?

It might also be best to advise the readers which specific coach you have because someone with your specific coach may have already had this problem and found a solution for it.
So now you operate the awning switch at the door and nothing happens? Make sure the engine is not running when you try to operate the awning (in or out) since there is a safety lockout relay which prevents awning operation. I have read some folks on the forum advise that there might be a fuse in the wall behind the awning switch, but I don’t know if that is what you will have.
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Old 09-09-2019, 02:31 PM   #3
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THOR #12698
You can also contact Carefree directly. I had an issue with my previous awning and they sent me the diagrams and part numbers. They also explained about how much labor should be involved in my particular issue a couple of years ago.
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Old 09-09-2019, 03:16 PM   #4
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THOR #16671
We a 2016 Thor Tuscany 40GQ. We will look for a fuse. Sorry I didn't tell you what our camper was!!
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Old 09-09-2019, 03:29 PM   #5
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Good start......we have a year and specific coach; on the forum it is best to provide as much info as possible so readers can better help you if possible. It does not matter if you don't use proper terms for things.....most of us learned as we went......and are still learning about RVs.



What do you mean by “we have to reset the battery” to get the awning to work originally? Do you mean disconnect and reconnect a certain battery cable; turn off and on a certain breaker? Pull a certain fuse and replace?


Anything else you noticed about the awning operation.....does it try to move at all? Any physical damage to the awning from wind storm or camping trips etc.
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Old 09-09-2019, 03:44 PM   #6
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THOR #16671
The house batteries have a switch to turn on and off. We used to be able to click it off, wait 30 sec. turn it back on and the awning would go in. We have only had the motorhome since July, and have had to do this a hand full of times. Friday, we did it, and it wouldn't go in. We used manually put it in. When we hit the switch, it clicks, but nothing activates. You can hear the click, but nothing moves. Hope this helps, we are going to look for a fuse behind the switch panel box. Thanks for all your help, we look hearing from you !
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Old 09-09-2019, 04:42 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Idltime4 View Post
The house batteries have a switch to turn on and off. We used to be able to click it off, wait 30 sec. turn it back on and the awning would go in. We have only had the motorhome since July, and have had to do this a hand full of times. Friday, we did it, and it wouldn't go in. We used manually put it in. When we hit the switch, it clicks, but nothing activates. You can hear the click, but nothing moves. Hope this helps, we are going to look for a fuse behind the switch panel box. Thanks for all your help, we look hearing from you !
relay circuit is working. power circuit is not. Find awning motor fuse.
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Old 09-09-2019, 05:25 PM   #8
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Hmmm, not sure what disconnecting/reconnecting the coach battery power would do unless there is maybe a thermal fuse in awning motor or power feed line (like a motor overload). Turn off the power and the thermal fuse cools and resets itself? If that does not work now maybe the thermal fuse has permanently opened......if in the motor; likely means a new motor perhaps?

If the awning has a control relay mounted in wall near the switch at the door......that may be the click sound you hear (I think that is what Cavie is getting at), or maybe it’s just the switch clicking?

I would also look for any blown fuses (marked awning) in your coach converter/inverter fuse panel......not familiar with your coach, so not sure where that is. You may have to do some voltmeter trouble shooting to determine where 12vdc is good and where it fails, if you can open up the switch plate without damaging the wall etc. The problem could even simply be a broken motor power wire inside the cable that exits the coach wall and runs along the awning arm to the motor.
Thor may also be able to advise you on where the awning fuse(s) and associated relay(s) may be located and provide a typical schematic. As PaulWadley advised earlier you may need to contact Carefree for tech assistance with your specific awning type so they can help you trouble shoot. They may provide a recommended wiring schematic too (although Thor may not have followed the vendor requirements).


Carefree Dealers
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Old 09-10-2019, 01:15 PM   #9
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Where would that be? Thanks Sue
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Old 09-10-2019, 01:29 PM   #10
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You mention problems with it “going in” but don’t mention any when going out. It it extends properly you can be sure there is nothing wrong with the fuse. My 2017 Freedom Elite had a Carefree awning that extended perfectly but retracted slowly or sometimes not at all. Calling Carefree was very helpful and they said it likely was a problem with the motor and they were quick to send me a new one. The tech I spoke with said that the awning extends more readily than it retracts because the gas struts are “helping” when it’s going out but working against it when it’s coming in. He believed a new motor would fix it. I never installed the new motor because I discovered that retracting with the coach on shore power or the generator always worked, albeit still slowly. Apparently the little bit of extra voltage was enough to do the job. I later traded the coach so never really got to the bottom of it. Good luck.
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Old 09-11-2019, 01:30 PM   #11
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THOR #16671
This last time, it won't go in or out. We had to retract it manually. We have checked all the fuses and everything we can find. We are having a Service Tech come next Thursday to look at it. I will keep everyone updated!!
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Old 09-11-2019, 04:48 PM   #12
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Very interesting. I had the same issue with my awning. I have a Thore hericane 20 17. Started out where it wouldn't retract. I tried using the remote and then it would retract but wouldn't extend again. Then the main toggle switch would extend it but not retracted. I took a broom and pushed up on the right side of the awning where the motor is and the control box and the wiring and all of a sudden it retracted. I figured the issue was in the control box so I ordered from Amazon a new control box and that came with a wiring harness and some other items. I installed the new control box but not the new cable because the cable they sent was a three wire cable not the five wire cable that I had. Ultimately it was a long process to test because it ended up being a bad wire of the three that would intermittently make contact and operate and then not operate trying to pull it back in. I ran a new wire outside of everything of the one that was bad continuity and then it worked with the switch both ways. However it was still intermittently working. Then I installed the new controller with the new wire and now it works all the time. So I've concluded that I had to electrical issues 1 the control box and to the bad wire that would have continuity and then not that was an intermittent issue. I found that the controller has a wind sensor in it that will cause the awning to retract if they're strong enough wind to blow the end of the awning up.
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Old 09-23-2019, 02:26 AM   #13
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State: Alaska
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THOR #8813
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Originally Posted by Idltime4 View Post
We have a Care Free Awning on our 2016 Thor Motor Coach. It goes in sometimes and then it won't. We have to reset the battery , then it will work again. Well, now it will only click and won't do anything. Someone said something about a bad circuit breaker, that was located under the hood, but I can't find this post, now that I am registered. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated!! Thank you in advance for any help.
Circuit breakers don't reset themselves , so it cant be that.
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Old 09-23-2019, 02:27 AM   #14
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State: Alaska
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Originally Posted by CHUCK52 View Post
Very interesting. I had the same issue with my awning. I have a Thore hericane 20 17. Started out where it wouldn't retract. I tried using the remote and then it would retract but wouldn't extend again. Then the main toggle switch would extend it but not retracted. I took a broom and pushed up on the right side of the awning where the motor is and the control box and the wiring and all of a sudden it retracted. I figured the issue was in the control box so I ordered from Amazon a new control box and that came with a wiring harness and some other items. I installed the new control box but not the new cable because the cable they sent was a three wire cable not the five wire cable that I had. Ultimately it was a long process to test because it ended up being a bad wire of the three that would intermittently make contact and operate and then not operate trying to pull it back in. I ran a new wire outside of everything of the one that was bad continuity and then it worked with the switch both ways. However it was still intermittently working. Then I installed the new controller with the new wire and now it works all the time. So I've concluded that I had to electrical issues 1 the control box and to the bad wire that would have continuity and then not that was an intermittent issue. I found that the controller has a wind sensor in it that will cause the awning to retract if they're strong enough wind to blow the end of the awning up.
Yes mine are exposed and can be easily pinched. I wrapped them and taped them out of the way.
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