Awning size

Go to Baileys web site and look under the van technical spec. section

All details on sizes are there. Or alternatively 955cms

Hi Haryb

thanks for the reply I did look at that but didn’t quite understand the 955 as when looking at various awnings it seems confusing 

The awning size of 955cm refers the size of a traditional full awning that is required.  Effectively It is the length of the beading that attaches the awning to the caravan. The same Awning are sold in a range of sizes to fit different caravans so you probably would buy a 960cm awning.  As an example our caravan needs an  awning of 1050cm.  If I fitted a 955cm awning it wouldn’t reach the ground if you fitted a 1050cm to your caravan then you would far too much fabric.  

However most air awnings are not full awnings they do not run the full length of the caravan.  So they are it that sense more flexible.  In this case you need to consider if the awning will foul a window when a size smaller or bigger might fit better.  

The final consideration regarding air awnings is that they are heavy.  We recently acquired a S/h Kampa air ace 300 awning.   The reason it was being sold was because it was too heavy for the original owner it was only 6 months old.  

Thanks for the  info Boff so would I need to measure from height of rail to floor and then decide on with

As, as far as far I can tell you have a pretty standard caravan, I don’t think that you need to measure the awning rail to floor height.  I never have but don’t let that stop you. 

https://www.isabella.net/uk/support/search-on-a-measurement

This link gives some info about Awning rail measurement the value the give is less than the 955cm quoted above.  If you are going to buy a porch awning then the Awning rail  measurement is irrelevant. All you need to make sure the flat part of the rail at the roofline is long enough. But I don’t think that is going to be a big issue. 

A really good and informative reply. I’d add the fact that the weight of an air awning is normally too much for just one person to thread into the awning rail. Carrying one about in its bag, isn’t trivial either. Please don’t mistake my comments as meaning that I don’t like air awnings, we’ve got one and we like it. But unless you are strong, then buyer beware.

Prior to fitting the awning, clear any excess sealant from the awning rail.

We have a Bradcot Aspire Air 390 awning that is easy to fit, once the excess sealant in the awning rail had been cleared out. 

Not having had a caravan before, other than when kids, but a MH for the previous 9 years with 2 types of awning that were 'new fangled' we had been led to believe air awnings were heavy and difficult to fit in compare to traditional awnings. First time out we struggled to fit the bead into the awning rail from the rear end of the rail, until we found the rail obstructed by sealant. Soon ran a peg puller round the rail to clear it. By standing on the steps and using the highest opening in the rail with the peg puller in the eyelet in the leading edge of the awning, the other half slowly feeding the bead we managed to pull it through to the right position with ease.

If you have an electric pump with the awning, let it do its job (read the manual first); we didn't 1st time and found by switching it off when it finished its volume cycle before the pressure cycle the awning deflated. Also follow the destructions to the letter, it'll save heartache. eg peg the 2 'rear' corners under the caravan before inflating. The pump may need to be connected directly to the car battery due to the current draw, not a cigarette lighter socket or caravan 12v socket, establish where your car battery terminals are. Our first trip was with a hired tow car, where we approached fellow campers with the same vehicle as we could not find the battery terminals for plastic covers.

Since that first time I generally fit the air awning myself.

I'm not a young man (free prescriptions later this year) although am tall.

But most of all, keep calm and avoid the divorce in a bag scenario.

I think the trick to getting an Air Awning erected on your own is a little planning before you start.  I find the best approach, once unfolded, is to lay it out in such a way that as you thread it in to the channel it can leave the pile and enter the channel freely without you having to keep bending down and rearranging the pile of material. We are on our second Bradcot Air  now having replaced our 2.6 with a 3.9. which reminds me, I must get around to adverting the 2.6 as its just sitting in the loft gathering dust. 

P.s I qualify for my free prescriptions in 3 weeks time  

Re air awnings the general consensus of people I have spoken to,when we considered getting one, is that they are heavy. That's a relative term but all said heavier than a conventional.

We have always had Isabella being luck to get one secondhand when we got our first van and so far as availability a conventional full size awning will probably present a greater secondhand or new choice.

We use a Magnum part awning and whist now familiar with erecting it there is no doubt that a full awning on a van the size of yours will be less complicated.

Certainly if you are not planning on regularly changing vans, which we have been doing, I would go foe the full awning.

Isabella give an A measurement of 940 and an awning size of 950 and a quick search showed 11 results just on ebay.

Another thing to look at is youtube as there are loads of videos there, some official manufacturers ones.

Thank you Jennyc for your kind words    The point is air awnings are surprisingly heavy. We have just heaved ours (note I said we, not I) into the back of the car.

I have known several people who have bought air awnings and they start saying how much they love them and 3 months latter they have sold them almost invariably because of weight.  This is why we got ours at a pretty bargain price about 2 months ago, so maybe we are still in the honeymoon period?

I wouldn’t say don’t get an air awning they are generally quicker to errect.  Certainly  easier than a full awning.   But do be aware of the weight before you buy