leopoldml Report post Posted July 10, 2017 I am considering a screen shade or screen room addition for my 2015 Holiday Rambler Vacationer and would like to know if those on the forum have recommendations and/or lessons learned from previous experience. The awning on my Vacationer is quite high and the front pullout actually comes out under the main awning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobart Report post Posted July 10, 2017 We picked-up a shade pro a couple of years back with a 4 ft drop that stays on the awning with the rest being zipped on when needed, Lots of times the drop is enough to make the patio area comfortable. We also have a vacationer[2011] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted July 10, 2017 My two bits here, In so far as buying a shade, what I have seen they are a whole lot of money. I am a thrifty kind of guy and found the shade screen material at Qualityscreen.com, very reasonable and several different colors too. I bought a small sewing machine and figured out how to use it...gotta use magnifiers to see where the hole is in the needle to thread it but... The rest is history, I made shades for the windows and front windshield and all four wheels while out in the desert last winter. Next on the list the screen off the awning. I just have to find a very long Zipper. Nice to know the one side of the zipper can remain on the awning roll. Cost for the 96 inch by 20 foot awning screen $160 I doubt it will take half an hour to bind it and sew the zipper on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted July 10, 2017 I have a carefree awning room that I ordered off of e-bay, it is a 16 foot that I use on one of my 17 foot awnings. It is plenty tall enough to fit most any RV that I have ever seen. Took half a day to install the first time as there are some holes to be drilled and a few snaps that are permanently installed on the coach. The room can be set up on multiple angels, and the wife loves it. Since the first install, it takes about 30 minutes to put up and 30 minutes to take down. Really is nice where mosquitoes are prevalent and also makes a good setting in the winter time for just visiting with several friends at a time. From my experience, I suggest if this is way you decide to go, that you need to measure the awning fabric length wise and get at least a foot shorter than the actual awning, shorter is not a problem, but longer is, this is something that is not pointed out by the dealer. If you look on e-bay under rv awning screen room, from time to time there are some pretty good deals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leopoldml Report post Posted July 10, 2017 6 hours ago, hobart said: We picked-up a shade pro a couple of years back with a 4 ft drop that stays on the awning with the rest being zipped on when needed, Lots of times the drop is enough to make the patio area comfortable. We also have a vacationer[2011] @hobartI have seen those (where the drop stays on the awning) and they look pretty easy. What is the total drop once the zippered bottom section is on? I was thinking 8 ft total would suffice as the awning on the HR is really up there. Have you had any issues withe the drop rolling up cleanly in your awning when retracted? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leopoldml Report post Posted July 10, 2017 4 hours ago, kaypsmith said: I have a carefree awning room that I ordered off of e-bay, it is a 16 foot that I use on one of my 17 foot awnings. It is plenty tall enough to fit most any RV that I have ever seen. Took half a day to install the first time as there are some holes to be drilled and a few snaps that are permanently installed on the coach. The room can be set up on multiple angels, and the wife loves it. Since the first install, it takes about 30 minutes to put up and 30 minutes to take down. Really is nice where mosquitoes are prevalent and also makes a good setting in the winter time for just visiting with several friends at a time. From my experience, I suggest if this is way you decide to go, that you need to measure the awning fabric length wise and get at least a foot shorter than the actual awning, shorter is not a problem, but longer is, this is something that is not pointed out by the dealer. If you look on e-bay under rv awning screen room, from time to time there are some pretty good deals. @kaypsmith Very helpful, thanks for the tip. I will check out the Carefree (I think they are also on Amazon). Particularly helpful on the measuring advice (measuring the actual awning, not from end to end). I'll check it out and get back! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leopoldml Report post Posted July 10, 2017 @RSBILLEDWARDS Sounds like your pretty handy! Any chances you take orders on those shades? (Maybe a new business!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobart Report post Posted July 11, 2017 the part you zip on reaches the ground if straight down, when sloped away from coach can still come close. when rolling up only need to make sure it is centered on awning roll. If wind is blowing sometimes it will try to fold over while you are rolling in but easily dealt with Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted July 11, 2017 Leopoldml No new business, the sewing straight consistently is the difficult part with the particular material so they look good/ok from 10 feet away. Fabric is very unruly and the vinyl binding...has to be stretched a bit to be straight. It takes some finger strength and mine is diminishing. Best part it all cost less than 300 bucks instead of a grand +. It took 2 or 3 hours to make it all. This awning screen section cost 157 dollars for the material and will be easier to bind as it will be a straight line instead of curved. It would have been better a lot better if I had had a large table. Corners are the difficult part if one wants the binding continuous. I think on the awning I will end at each corner, clip it and start again. After reading this thread I have decided I should have ordered it in two sections so that part of it stayed on the awning and both sides were production straight. Kay gave me the means of making the sides now too, right in front of me and I did not see it. As far as the handy part yes, not intimidated by much mechanical. Currently installing a PowerShot 2000 Propane injection system to aid in a 20 to 30% mile per gallon increase. I have made countless upgrades on this old coach. There are other gains associated with this system but are residual to the mileage gain. Not much additional needed with a C 12 CAT. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted July 11, 2017 Kaypsmith, Does the screen room include the coach door, If so how does the manufacturer deal the exit out of the screen room. How is the assembly stored, rolled or folded? Thanks B Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted July 11, 2017 Coach door will depend on how your awning and coach door are in relationship to each other. My coach is a front door model, I have a door awning over it, also have two 17 foot awnings behind this. As a result I choose to attach to the rear awning so no door is covered at any time. My screen/privacy room, has a two zippered door that is at the outside edge of the awning which does not cover the coach door. The room came with vinyl/canvas panels that are snapped to the bottom of the coach to keep the varmits from entering under the coach, also has a panel large enough to do the same over the wheel wells. I do have mine set up so that I can use it on the front awning if I choose to use that one. If you will notice, in the pic there appears to be three panels, one on right is the door, it can be rolled up from the bottom, or simply push open for exit and entry. I have the privacy panels down in the picture, but each panel rolls up for screen only. Also if I had a 20 foot awning, for personal reasons, I would only install a 10 or 12 foot room, but as you can tell with two awnings, for me, best of both worlds. Bill, sorry I missed rolled or folded, it is folded, the room came with two bags for storage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted July 11, 2017 Kaypsmith, Slick some good Ideas for sure Thank you B Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fagnaml Report post Posted July 14, 2017 For hot LSU football weekends in September, I purchased the 15 foot long Carefree SunBlocker from Camping World (price was as cheap as Amazon) --> http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/sunblocker-by-carefree-black-6-x-15/48123 I also purchased the "Twin Trak" double-grooves insert for the awning roller so I could use both the sun shade and my purple & gold globe lights as the same time during an LSU weekend --> http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/rv-twintrak/42443 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LCHammer Report post Posted July 18, 2017 We bought the Carefree EZ blocker - it was quick and easy to install. Sadly it was too long and bunched up when we rolled up our awning. Carefree took it back no problem gave us a new one. We use ours all the time. Works wonderful when you're at a site without a tree in sight. The one thing about the EZ blocker - about 9in of fabric stays in the awning groove and rolls up with your awning. You zip on the lower part when the awning is deployed. It also has stakes to pull the awning away from the rig at an angle. Love it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
