Champstar Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I have a question that really ponders me. I have a fiamma 3m aning canopy and have bought a tie down strap to stop the thing from taking flight. Now the question: Where do you place the tie down strap. The manual says to strap it over the arms but under the cover...sounds ok to me but the damn canopy flaps about and makes a hell of a noise. We are not talking gales here but just a light wind. I have tried over the canopy material and the results are less flapping but I am concerned that I might damage the canopy material or pull it off from where it attaches to the from of the awning rail. Now it may be my smallish 3m awning but I find the arms do not extend to the sides of the canopy even when fully wound out ( this might sound like gibberish) So how do you use yours and what size of awning is it. Also do you use yours in the rain and is it ok to wind it in if wet as it says the material is rot proof. cheers Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saruman Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 hi i do mine how it says over the leg tops but if its that windy!!! ill wind it in! saw one while away left it up all night really bent in morning at the end off the day its a sun awning not a rain awning you could also try a rafter to tighted the canvas fiamma do them ;-) ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 After having to wind mine in at 3am at the Malvern Show last weekend - despite tie-down straps, it was flapping about so loudly it woke me up - I will be winding mine in before bedtime in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 If however you have a Safari Room attached to your awning it becomes so much more robust in the wind, Malvern included. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 One of the things we do to stop the flapping noise is to put a strip of foam on the metal bar between the top and metal bar where the noise is made it seems to help a lot with the noise a lot sorry I can't explain better but it does help. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Ours is 3 metre Omnistor. They do not like wind, and the standard hold down straps are not a great help. If you watch, the wind baloons up the fabric and causes the arms to flex at their elbows. The hold down is sprung at one end, so does not resist this flexing, which allows the fabric too much scope to flap up and down. I have better success with conventional guy lines from the tops of the poles, extended to the front, not to the sides. This helps to tension the fabric, and resists the tendency for the arms to flex. However, lacking any give, if the wind overcomes the guys or their pegs - big trouble!! So, once the wind begins to rattle the canopy, I start shortening it back to reduce its area. If it continues rattling, it comes in - even at 3am!The straps are intended to pass over the arms, not over the fabric.Can be used in rain, so long as there is not much wind. Drop one corner relative to the other to enhance draining, and prevent a puddle developing in the centre of the fabric.Can be wound away wet, but should not be stored wet. OK for between stops, but not to remain wet for days on end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Graeme, this subject has been something of a perennial on the Forum. The advice I got from the importer was that basically, it is a sun canopy for calm days and should never be left unattended by an adult. The optional extra tie-down kit they sold me came with the (verbal) advice that it is only an insurance policy to provide time to get the thing wound in should there be a sudden change in weather. I was also told to closely follow the instructions in the kit. Having seen a 4.5 metre Fiamma ripped clean out of the side, then fly over the top, of an Ace van on a nearby pitch and land at the feet of a stunned German couple on the pitch across the site road in the South of France last summer, I am very cautious when I use mine. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champstar Posted August 27, 2008 Author Share Posted August 27, 2008 Thanks to everyone for the usual helpful advice. I did read the instructions with the tie down kit but as Brian says the fabric does flap about with a lot of noise and the arms seem more prone to flexing..which when it happened to us it was quite unnerving. I would not use in very windy weather...but did wonder if I would damage the awning but putting the strap over the fabric as this seems to limit the noise. I also use the ground pegs hammered in at opposing angles to give the max hold on the gound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Hi, there are 2 products to stop the arms flexing. 1, there is a beam available from both omnister or fiama which goes from outer rail to the M/H in the centre, this works quite well as it helps to hold up the centre of the awning, plus dosnt alow the outer rail to move closer to the M/H. 2, better still is a fiama product called Magic Rafter, this was recomended to me by 3 M/H owners. This go's across and clamps onto the two knuckles on the bars and stops them from moving, making the whole structure ridgid, Just a point, as I have seen many bad tying downs. put the strap over the 2 arms, then forward and outwards, and drive in the stakes at right angles to the strap as far as possible, this will hold as well as possible. I hope this makes sence, Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatterdog Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 check out http://www.abp-accessories.co.uk/product.php?cat=34 there are several items to stop the awning flapping. You can use these as well as the tensioning bars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Apart from the tie down strap, which appears similar to the Fiamma and Omni offerings, these items are aimed at American RV awnings, which generally have the rafter poles outside the line of the fabric. Both Fiamma and Omnistor awnings have their rafter poles below, and within the width of, the awning fabric. It therefore appears the American type anti flap attachments will not work with Fiamma or Omni awnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champstar Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 I must admit that I havent tied down the awning properly if what was suggested by Don is the correct way....do you think that this method of tie down ie straps over arms and then coming out slightly at the front and combined with a centre rafter would be a godd idea to allow us to get some use out of that expensive awning stuck on the side of the van *-) *-) *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 lost mine last year in an Italian thunderstorm... *-) so this year I always wound it in. It takes minutes and IMO not worth the risk. Like Brian I use quy ropes to legs as well. The fiamma centre tensioneer did not help at all! I had awning at a sharp angle to assist run of BUT water gathered and started to pool one side of tensioner then the leg collapsed and broke the lot *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsandywhite Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 J9withdogs - 2008-08-25 9:44 PM After having to wind mine in at 3am at the Malvern Show last weekend - despite tie-down straps, it was flapping about so loudly it woke me up - I will be winding mine in before bedtime in the future! :-( Mine didn't give me a chance to wind it in. It broke the Plastic Frame end piece. I won't leave it out anymore. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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