Well, after getting the awning working again last time, things slowly took a turn to the point where the awning would stop about halfway deployed, then blow a fuse. Not very relaxing as the name of the Zip Dee awning suggests.
I now have a large bag of 10-amp red, blade fuses (#ad) to at least get the awning to close once the fuse blows.
After some online research and reading the Airstream forum posts, I read how VERY important it is to maintain lubrication. While I had silicone spray and WD-40, I didn’t have white lithium spray grease. I was using the silicone spray lubricant in the tiny hole of the awning arm while it was deployed (see red arrows).
Now I know to use lithium spray grease (#ad) in these holes, since the arms were binding about halfway out and blowing the fuse. The only way to get the awning to deploy (when it’s over 100 degrees, the awnings really help keep the aluminum skin cooler) was to help push the awning open as it is opening.
To assist the power awning, I stood at the awning arm closest to the front of the coach with my back to the Airstream. I use the Connect app or press the Open button inside and run outside, and as it is opening and with my back to the Airstream, I put my right forearm about halfway up on the moving arm and pressed downward. Sometimes the overworked arm motor would blow a fuse, so I replaced it, unlocked it (press both tilt buttons simultaneously), closed the awning, then started over being sure to put constant pressure on the arm (in the direction of the red arrows in the picture above).
Once the deployment cycle reached the point where it goes up a bit, I let up pressure on the arm. After doing this every morning for a week. The arm was able to open without assistance. I tried to speed up the process by opening and assisting several times just after lubricating but the arm motor still blew a fuse. This assisted opening just became my normal morning routine and finally worked.
Rather than going through my painful experience, just spray lithium grease in the hole of each arm when the awning is out. The Relax Power Awning is finally living up to its name!
Previous steps taken… a “Relax” Power Awning Resolution
Nomad Nexus 