Electrical Fitting LED strip lights to Carefree Awning

Macropod

Member
Sep 5, 2013
76
89
18
56
Cordeaux Heights, NSW
Hi. Thought I would share my awning mod and what went right and what went wrong. Our Carefree awing vinyl de-laminated having spent 4 or so years unprotected in the sun while in storage. Would have thought something meant to shade you from the sun might be able to handle being in the sun but I guess that's another conversation. So I ordered a replacement - got the barrel and spring mechanism as well thinking it would be a simple swap and, having been inspired by Crusty - or perhaps someone else's post I decided to add an LED light strip. Simple right.

I picked up the LED light strip from Ebay for $12 and the awning barrel from Caravans Plus. While the barrel was on the floor I threaded some whipper snipper cord through one side as a pull wire. This was a bit tricky as the seam of the awning was pretty much stuck together so a second person was needed to massage it open while I pushed the cord through. Then I pulled a small figure 8 cable through. I then set the LED strip in the channel of the barrel and drilled a hole for the cable. A small rubber grommet was also siliconed in place to protect the cable. The LED strip and figure 8 cable were soldered together. A quick test with 12 volts to make sure it all fired up then I threaded a whipper snipper cable through the other side to ensure the awning would roll up evenly. So - all is good up to this point.

I then popped a clip into the end of the old awning to hold the spring tension and removed the barrel from the awning legs. With a bit of effort the awning was slid out of the channel - old awing removed. After cleaning up the channel, the new awning was slid into the channel and centred and secured. Popped the barrel onto the legs and removed the spring - ready to go!. I then go to wind the awning in and...it wont close up fully. Turns out that the exact replacement is...not an exact replacement and is in fact 25mm longer.

What to do - move the leg or shorten the barrel. I decided to shorten the barrel and after measuring thrice (so as only to cut once) I made a cutting guide up from some 100mm stormwater pipe to make sure that I cut straight. With the barrel suspended from a ladder I carefully removed the end piece (following the instructions on releasing tension) and secured the guide in place and carefully cut through the barrel. Once reassembled, retensioned and replaced....it worked ! Then I drilled through the van into the back of a cupboard and connected via a switch to 12 volts. Flicked the switch and the lights came on !

What did I learn. 1. Check the measurements of new parts vs old parts carefully. 2. Its really pretty easy to shorten an awning barrel. 3. LED lights in the awning look pretty damn schmick!

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Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
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QLD
Interesting that it was 25mm longer than original, mine was the right size and fitted with ease........like @NoWorries I have fitted my led strip to the van on both rigs then I can have good outside light when the awning is closed up, works well.......Good write up with pics well done.
 

Smash

Active Member
Apr 23, 2013
131
62
28
48
Perth WA
Hi. Thought I would share my awning mod and what went right and what went wrong. Our Carefree awing vinyl de-laminated having spent 4 or so years unprotected in the sun while in storage. Would have thought something meant to shade you from the sun might be able to handle being in the sun but I guess that's another conversation. So I ordered a replacement - got the barrel and spring mechanism as well thinking it would be a simple swap and, having been inspired by Crusty - or perhaps someone else's post I decided to add an LED light strip. Simple right.

I picked up the LED light strip from Ebay for $12 and the awning barrel from Caravans Plus. While the barrel was on the floor I threaded some whipper snipper cord through one side as a pull wire. This was a bit tricky as the seam of the awning was pretty much stuck together so a second person was needed to massage it open while I pushed the cord through. Then I pulled a small figure 8 cable through. I then set the LED strip in the channel of the barrel and drilled a hole for the cable. A small rubber grommet was also siliconed in place to protect the cable. The LED strip and figure 8 cable were soldered together. A quick test with 12 volts to make sure it all fired up then I threaded a whipper snipper cable through the other side to ensure the awning would roll up evenly. So - all is good up to this point.

I then popped a clip into the end of the old awning to hold the spring tension and removed the barrel from the awning legs. With a bit of effort the awning was slid out of the channel - old awing removed. After cleaning up the channel, the new awning was slid into the channel and centred and secured. Popped the barrel onto the legs and removed the spring - ready to go!. I then go to wind the awning in and...it wont close up fully. Turns out that the exact replacement is...not an exact replacement and is in fact 25mm longer.

What to do - move the leg or shorten the barrel. I decided to shorten the barrel and after measuring thrice (so as only to cut once) I made a cutting guide up from some 100mm stormwater pipe to make sure that I cut straight. With the barrel suspended from a ladder I carefully removed the end piece (following the instructions on releasing tension) and secured the guide in place and carefully cut through the barrel. Once reassembled, retensioned and replaced....it worked ! Then I drilled through the van into the back of a cupboard and connected via a switch to 12 volts. Flicked the switch and the lights came on !

What did I learn. 1. Check the measurements of new parts vs old parts carefully. 2. Its really pretty easy to shorten an awning barrel. 3. LED lights in the awning look pretty damn schmick!

View attachment 59986View attachment 59987View attachment 59988View attachment 59985View attachment 59984
Hi. Thought I would share my awning mod and what went right and what went wrong. Our Carefree awing vinyl de-laminated having spent 4 or so years unprotected in the sun while in storage. Would have thought something meant to shade you from the sun might be able to handle being in the sun but I guess that's another conversation. So I ordered a replacement - got the barrel and spring mechanism as well thinking it would be a simple swap and, having been inspired by Crusty - or perhaps someone else's post I decided to add an LED light strip. Simple right.

I picked up the LED light strip from Ebay for $12 and the awning barrel from Caravans Plus. While the barrel was on the floor I threaded some whipper snipper cord through one side as a pull wire. This was a bit tricky as the seam of the awning was pretty much stuck together so a second person was needed to massage it open while I pushed the cord through. Then I pulled a small figure 8 cable through. I then set the LED strip in the channel of the barrel and drilled a hole for the cable. A small rubber grommet was also siliconed in place to protect the cable. The LED strip and figure 8 cable were soldered together. A quick test with 12 volts to make sure it all fired up then I threaded a whipper snipper cable through the other side to ensure the awning would roll up evenly. So - all is good up to this point.

I then popped a clip into the end of the old awning to hold the spring tension and removed the barrel from the awning legs. With a bit of effort the awning was slid out of the channel - old awing removed. After cleaning up the channel, the new awning was slid into the channel and centred and secured. Popped the barrel onto the legs and removed the spring - ready to go!. I then go to wind the awning in and...it wont close up fully. Turns out that the exact replacement is...not an exact replacement and is in fact 25mm longer.

What to do - move the leg or shorten the barrel. I decided to shorten the barrel and after measuring thrice (so as only to cut once) I made a cutting guide up from some 100mm stormwater pipe to make sure that I cut straight. With the barrel suspended from a ladder I carefully removed the end piece (following the instructions on releasing tension) and secured the guide in place and carefully cut through the barrel. Once reassembled, retensioned and replaced....it worked ! Then I drilled through the van into the back of a cupboard and connected via a switch to 12 volts. Flicked the switch and the lights came on !

What did I learn. 1. Check the measurements of new parts vs old parts carefully. 2. Its really pretty easy to shorten an awning barrel. 3. LED lights in the awning look pretty damn schmick!

View attachment 59986View attachment 59987View attachment 59988View attachment 59985View attachment 59984
How’s the awning roll up because on the later jayco with awning lights the awning sheet is about 100 to 120mm wider at top fixing edge of van compare to the roller end, this so it rolls up canvas correct and does not break wire after multiple closing of awning.
 

Macca_75

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2016
680
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SE Suburbs, Vic.
On the later vans there is also a recessed edge the LED strip sits in. If it is fitted "on top" of the barrel is it subject to damage when rolling the awning up?
 

Macca_75

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2016
680
596
93
49
SE Suburbs, Vic.
I put my LED strip on the van where the awning is and it works mint, plus no need to thread the wire and you can see that it is turned on when the awning is wound in.
Any pics (thinking for someone else who currently does not have LED in awning but is planning on doing exactly this)
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
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QLD
The recess section has always been there on the Colorado awnings from what I've seen, pics of van mounted leds on my BIg Mal and 14.44 thread.
 

Macropod

Member
Sep 5, 2013
76
89
18
56
Cordeaux Heights, NSW
Hi Smash - the awing rolls up fine on the edges..but its a bit floppy in the middle. Macca - my original awning barrel had the recess as does this one but I can see that over time the wire is the weak link in this cunning plan. It might be that the wire does eventually break in which case I might rethink and look at mounting the LEDs on the van instead. Didn't take any pics during construction - only the ones posted. Happy to go through this in more detail with you if it helps.
 

Smash

Active Member
Apr 23, 2013
131
62
28
48
Perth WA
Hi Smash - the awing rolls up fine on the edges..but its a bit floppy in the middle. Macca - my original awning barrel had the recess as does this one but I can see that over time the wire is the weak link in this cunning plan. It might be that the wire does eventually break in which case I might rethink and look at mounting the LEDs on the van instead. Didn't take any pics during construction - only the ones posted. Happy to go through this in more detail with you if it helps.
You can now buy the awnings from coast to coast rv with the led in .
 
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