Dometic Electric Patio Awning, 15 ft Onyx with LED Light Rail

The Dometic electric patio awning turns the shady side of your rig into usable outdoor living space at the push of a button. This is the 15 foot model with an 8 foot extension, dressed in Onyx fabric with a black vinyl weather cover and black castings. There's an LED light strip built right into the rail, so your patio stays lit after the sun drops behind the trees. It's a power awning, so there are no manual arms to wrestle with. Hit the switch, the arms extend, and you're set up in seconds.

Onyx is a dark, fade-style pattern that hides road grime and campground dust a lot better than a light fabric does. The material is vinyl, which sheds water and wipes clean with a soft brush and mild soap. When you're rolling down the highway or storing the rig for the season, the black vinyl weather cover wraps the whole roll and keeps UV, tree sap, and grit off the fabric. That cover is one of the reasons these awnings last, so keep it in good shape.

The 15 foot length fits a lot of mid-size travel trailers and fifth wheels, and the 8 foot projection gives you real depth, enough to park a couple of camp chairs, a table, and the grill fully under cover. Measure your existing awning rail before you order. Power awnings replace on the same rail the factory unit used, but the length has to match the run of rail on your coach, not the length of the coach itself.

Here's the part you can't skip: the mounting hardware kit and the control switch kit are sold separately. This awning ships as the roller assembly, arms, fabric, and LED rail. The brackets that bolt to your RV wall and the wall switch that runs the motor are their own part numbers. Dometic sells hardware kits sized to different wall types and awning lengths, so match the kit to your rig. If you're replacing an existing Dometic power awning, you may be able to reuse your old brackets and switch, but confirm the fitment before you pull the old unit down.

The LED strip in the rail is a nice touch that's easy to underrate until you've used it. It runs the length of the awning and throws a soft, even wash of light straight down over your patio, no separate clamp-on lights or extension cords needed. Wire it into the same switch panel and you can flip the patio lighting on and off from inside or out. For late dinners at the picnic table or finding the door on a dark night, it earns its keep.

Install is a two-person job at minimum, and honestly three sets of hands make it easier. The roller assembly is long and awkward, and you're working at roof-line height. Take your time squaring the brackets and leveling the rail. Wire the switch on a fused 12 volt circuit and give the LED and motor leads some slack at the hinge points so nothing chafes as the arms cycle. A little split loom on the harness where it crosses the pivot goes a long way.

Once it's up, the routine is simple. Extend it when you make camp, retract it fully any time the wind kicks up or you leave the site. Power awnings do not like wind. A gust under an extended awning can bend an arm or strip the motor gears, so if a storm is rolling in, bring it in. Park it fully retracted with the weather cover doing its job and this awning will give you years of shade.

Who's this for? Anyone running a travel trailer, fifth wheel, or motorhome with a 15 foot awning rail who wants one-button shade and a lit patio at night. It's a straight upgrade if your old manual awning is sun-rotted or your existing power unit has a torn fabric. Just remember to add the hardware and switch kits to your cart, because without them you've got a beautiful roller and nowhere to bolt it.