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 Topic: Watch out for your Spacelite...
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09/6/2008 at 4:41pm
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...or any of the Outdoor Revolution 'bag' type awnings, for that matter.
One of the selling points is that they can be left in-situ on the awning rail of the van, ready for use when you need it.
Well, it can - and it can't.
We had torrential rain at the weekend and didn't put the Spacelite up (I was wrestling with a wretched tent for most of weekend, but that's another story)
I'd always suspected that the Spacelite bag wouldn't be up to the task of keeping the awning dry if left on the van during rain and I was proved correct when I removed it today just to check.
Parts of it were pretty wet inside - presumably where water had found its way in via the stitching. OK, no harm done, just open it up in the garden and allow it to dry. BUT, if it was left in a wet state it would be a mildewed mess in a few days.
Because I suspected this would happen I'd already put an extra 'feed' point into the awning rail to enable the Spacelite to be easily removed for storage inside the van, and I'm glad I did.
So, fellow owners of Outdoor Revolution 'bag' awnings, if you leave yours in place during wet weather, open it up and dry it pronto.
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'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
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09/6/2008 at 6:44pm
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Quote: Originally posted by CezzaE on 09/6/2008
thanks at that I've been looking at those awnings. In your opinion are they a good awning ?
They are OK (just)
We paid £120 delivered - which, imo, is about the top end of what they're worth. Anyone familiar with cotton awnings will be horrified by the cheap nylon (forget all that 'Rev Tex' nonsense) construction, not to mention the almost complete lack of pegging point reinforcement.
On the plus side, they are fairly quick to put up and have no poles to damage the van (a big plus) They also fit quite tighly against the caravan wall - more tightly than I exoected,
Best to think of them as a two, possibly three, season purchase and not to be upset if the fall victim to the wind before that.
Zips are surprisingly good - but as I sais, they leak water into the bag when kept folded on the rail during rain.
I can't understand the posts that deny this - it's patently obvious that the bag is not going to keep rain out for very long, that's why I added an awning feed point at the top of the rail so that I could whip the Spacelite on and off as required.
For around £100 they can be considered reasonable buys, once the price starts creeping up I'd personally give them a miss and pay more for better quality.
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'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
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09/6/2008 at 8:02pm
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Quote: Originally posted by inthenightgarden on 09/6/2008
iam sorry but ive never had any rain in it . theres a big seam that goes over the zip . you must have the whole roof running onto it,
if it does bother you , ring them up . tell them . blue diamond is a good company .
its cheap nylon so it doesnt weigh as much as cotton theres nearly 20kg diffrence ,we got sick of pulling the porch around the track at 7pm when we would sooner be drinking wine
There's no need for you to be sorry - I'm not blaming you
Fact is, I met someone else with a similar OR awning and his leaked as well. I was a bit taken aback because he seemed to accept the consequent mildwew as part of the price of convenience - not something that I'd subscribe to mtself.
It was clear to me that the bag would leak - the bag seams are quite poor and the stiching of the bead onto the fabric is an obvious place for water to wick through.
So immediately after buying it I borrowed a tool from a caravan fitter that's used to open up the awning chanel and I made a suitable feed point bear the fromt of the roof. Then it was a simple matter to slide the Spacelite onto the rail pror to setting off, and equally simple to take it off when we get home again.
Prior to last weekend the awning was stored in the house and was bone dry. I fitted it before going away, but didn't use it even though there was heavy and prolonged rain.
Checking it today, I found that water had penetrated at one end (the rear), enough to wet the fabric (and particulalrly the guy ropes, which had spread the water via capilliary action)
It wasn't a big deal, no harm done and I expected it. I mentioned it only to help others who might not be aware of the problem.
If yours doesn't leak, that's great. Mine does, and I suspect others do as well.
Cheers.
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'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
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the only thing we dislike is it quite floppy but we can live with that
