snowie Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I have a FIAMMA F65 awning that can be turned into an enclosed awning using removeable side panels. The front panel fits to the awning rail; there's a slot into which a plastic ( I think ) moulding slides. The FIAMMA product is just out of my price range. I'd like to find out whether that slot is of the same shape as the "slot" that you would find attaching a tent type awning to a caravan? If that is the case, then I could use a caravan awning on my panelvan. If it's a different section/profile, I'm guessing that the slot/channel as used on caravans is available from accessory shops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 As an alternative could Windblockers suit your requirement (?) http://www.windblockers.net/ Depends what you want to use your awning for but if for additional outdoor screened shade, they are very light, don't take up much room & quick / easy to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbotham Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 The lilipad leisure sides are surprisingly good. It's not a good idea to fit awning channel to the side of the van because if the wind catches and tears it off, it can make an awful mess of it. With some ingenuity it's possible to bolt it to the Fiamma itself though. Best solution is to use the existing channel on the Fiamma. Whether it will take a conventional awning bead directly depends on the exact model/age of the Fiamma...some do, some are smaller profile. If your's is the smaller profile, well the converter strips sold at accessory dealers for driveaway awnings will do the conversion. Only thing is unless your Fiamma is recessed, obviously the awning will stand 2-3 inches proud of the side of the van at the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 Thanks to Rosbotham, for terminology! it makes discussion so much more accurate, beads, channels, converter kits etc, Our van was built in Nov 09, so the FIAMMA 65s ought to be of that period Thanks Expert; the sun/windblocker looks ok, but a bit lightweight maybe? I favour a "segmental" awning, similar to the......... if possible. Most awnings are larger than my ideal, as I'd prefer one that only extended say 1.5-2m from the van side, and maybe no more than 2m along the side of the van. The problem is the sliding side door, so I'm concluding that the.Royal Wessex 390 is the one. These are priced attractively at about £243.................. @ £ I don't really want a full room sized awning, more a draught lobby and boot store, but I can't find what I'm looking for so larger is better than not at all. many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I'll just echo a lot of what Ros' posted... If it's needed,this is the 4mm-6mm adaptor strip(...3rd from btm) http://www.fishbrain.biz/acatalog/awning-attachments.html We tried using the Fiamma groove to anchor a lightweight porch awning on our previous van but as Ros' said,it does leave a gap down the sides(..which would be even worse if you use the adaptor strip). We found it also put a lot of strain on the awning closure latches...as after all,these are only designed to hold the thing closed and not meant to take the outward tension of a seperate awning.. (...on ours',I was able to slip a pair of straps around the ends of the Fiamma awning "body",to help relieve any strain a little). However,I was never really happy with any of the above though..it all seemed very "bitty" and there was always the possiblity of damaging the closure mechanism/latches etc,so I ended up fitting a "proper" awning rail,mounted onto an length of aluminium angle,bolted to the underside of the Fiamma casing,using the existing mounting bolt/screw holes.. Once in place,as it was the same length as the Fiamma,it was hardly noticeable and as it was attached by the original Fiamma fixing points(the ones which bolt down through the bottom edge),it was really solid and there was no additional holes drilled in the vehicle.. I hope you find some of the above ramblings helpful..:-) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit:Just to add,these are what we hung off it... ;-) http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/membershop/bd_easiporch.asp http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/membershop/bd_easicanopy.asp ...The basic canopy is very handy,as unlike the windout canopies, it doesn't matter to much if the wind thrashes it about! (..the porch in that link has since been updated quite a lot..and so has the price! 8-) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thanks Stalwart; the strain on the FIAMMA is definately worth considering; and I'll have a look at your suggestion for a "proper" fixing. snowie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbotham Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 What Stewart describes is basically what we had done on our old van. Just one final thing (well, two) to keep in mind: a) height of Fiamma off the ground. You may well find that many caravan porch awnings have insufficient height to reach. When we used a caravan porch, it was ok if we were on the level, but if slope was away from the motorhome (so wheels on door side were on ramps), then the awning wouldn't reach the ground. b) distance between top of door and Fiamma. Depending on the angle of the roof of the awning, you may find the door catches on the awning roof. Actually a third.... ....make sure you've given due consideration to (a) position of motorhome door relative to edges of Fiamma (you may not be able to open door all the way) and (b) any windows which could end up part inside/part outside the awning. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (lol) "Stalwart"?...."Stewart"?.. :-D , if you mean me,it's pepe63 (or Chris in "real life") but no matter (lol) That's a good point about keeping an eye on the rail height and the door clearance etc... For the rail height,as long as it's not too heigh but is "there or there abouts",I wouldn't think it'd be *too* critcial,not when using a relatively simple lightweight type porch awning(..like the type I linked to).Although I could imagine it'd be an issue with an awning which had a rigid framework. We had that EasiPorch I linked to,hung off the gutter rail on the side of our first Duetto,Transit panel van... (..t'was a bit "saggy" in places though admittedly! (lol) ) Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi Chris; Sorry about the confusion; Stewart/Stalwart, it's my misunderstanding of your "sttus" on the forum. You are midway between an expert and a newboy like me! The height to underside of the Fiamma is approx 2.35M so I'm pretty confident that it would be ok. I can appreciate that when on ramps, particularly at max height and on some sites we've been on, but I would only use the enclosed awning on pretty flat pitches and when we are going to be there for more than one night. Paul's point about windows etc is a good one, I have only a window in the door so I've chosen a 3.9M long awning so that the door opens fully; critical on a panelvan I think. I'm impressed with the knowledge and helpfulness of this forum; thanks for your help snowie/alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi Paul, Sorry about the confusion; Stewart/Stalwart, it's my misunderstanding of Chris's "status" on the forum. Stalwart is midway between an expert and a newboy like me! The height to underside of the Fiamma is approx 2.35M so I'm pretty confident that it would be ok. I can appreciate that when on ramps, particularly at max height and on some sites we've been on, but I would only use the enclosed awning on pretty flat pitches and when we are going to be there for more than one night. Your point about windows etc is a good one, I have only a window in the door so I've chosen a 3.9M long awning so that the door opens fully; critical on a panelvan I think. This forum continues to impress, thanks for your help snowie/alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi Paul, Sorry about the confusion; Stewart/Stalwart, it's my misunderstanding of Chris's "status" on the forum. Stalwart is midway between an expert and a newboy like me! The height to underside of the Fiamma is approx 2.35M so I'm pretty confident that it would be ok. I can appreciate that when on ramps, particularly at max height and on some sites we've been on, but I would only use the enclosed awning on pretty flat pitches and when we are going to be there for more than one night. Your point about windows etc is a good one, I have only a window in the door so I've chosen a 3.9M long awning so that the door opens fully; critical on a panelvan I think. This forum continues to impress, thanks for your help snowie/alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbotham Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Oops, my misread on the stewart/stalwart Chris! Sounds like Snowie can get away with the height because it's a panelvan. Likewise as they go, your Allegro is relatively low profile I think. However on the Compass Avantgarde I had, I was running right at the max 2.5M that most caravan-based units would take - hence hoping for a level pitch. On the Autotrail I have now, caravan-based units wouldn't go anywhere near heightwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 That's "spooky" Ros'..as the van that I fitted the additional rail too,was our previous Compass 120 Avantgarde! :-D However our current van(Chausson)has an Omnistor awning,which is even more awkward to hang the porch off because the "groove" is inside the awning,meaning that it needs to remain open slightly,in order to use it!(..so when the porch is on, the straps either end are all that holds it shut..) ..and unfortunately I am unable to replictate my previous "mod",due to the shape of the front "face rail" of the Omnistor,the bottom edge of which,pretty much covers the bottom lip of the awning body(..if that makes sense?!),leaving nowhere to fasten the angle... :-S Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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