RVday-night shades can help with light control, reducing energy costs, and creating privacy. Usually these are hard wearing, and easy to use. They are typically safe for kids and pets, as the lack of hanging cords reduces the risk of strangulation.
If you are trying to move a blind shade, and you are finding that it simply will not comply, you will definitely be in need of a solution. The embarrassing moment of not being able to adjust your day night shades in your RV, without the fear of damaging them, is not one any RV owner likes to experience.
To adjust day night shades in an rv, you will first need to reduce the spring tension, and then adjust the spools in the case of uneven movement. Finally you may need to restring the shades.
How To Adjust Day-Night Shades In Your RV
Step One: Reduce Spring Tension
The first step to take when adjusting day and night shades in your RV is to decrease the spring tension. Do this by loosening up the spool retaining screw on one side of the shade. As you do this keep a firm grasp on the spool. This will prevent it from twisting.
Rotate the spool at a slow, even pace, turning counterclockwise. Once that screw is loosened, repeat this process on the other side.
Then, tighten the screws again. Try to move the shade up and down, to assess whether or not it is now moving properly.
Step Two: Adjust Spools
If the shades are moving unevenly, the likely cause is that one side has more tension than the other. To alleviate this, you will want to adjust this fools. Inspect which side is loose, and and tighten that spool as needed.
If you can’t decipher which side is loose, loosen both sides. Then, tighten them again, and see if the problem has been addressed.
Step Three: Restring Shades If needed
For this, you will need to remove the shades from the mounting and fit them with two elastics. Pull these elastics around the folded shade; this will make them easier to handle. If needed, there are restringing kits available for purchase at RV supply or hardware stores.
Once you are done restringing, mount the shade back up to the base and adjust the spool tension as needed.
Common Issues
Shades Aren’t Moving Up And Down
If you go to adjust your day-night shades and you find that they are not moving up and down at all, you might be in a situation in which the strings inside the shades themselves have become frayed or broken. Your only solution here would be to replace the strings.
In this case, it would be in your best interest to replace all of the lifting cords. It also may be an instance in which the strings are stretched out – there is no way to tighten these again, and you will have to replace them.
Another possible cause is that the cord retainer devices do not have proper tension.
Shades Rise Or Lower Unevenly
It’s not an uncommon site to see if you were day night shades rising dutifully on one side, while remaining lacks on the other. If you are plagued by an uneven rising day night shade, the problem once again comes down to the strings. The cord retainers might be lacking in tension, or the strings may need to be replaced.
Shades Get Stuck
If you try to pull up your day-night shade, and instead of uneven rising you find that they jam in one spot, it could be that The frayed strings are getting caught on the holes of the fabric. It makes the shade suddenly stop when you try to raise it.
Take a look here at the end caps, the cord guides, or the filler strips. It’s possible that a worn out string could be getting caught on these pieces as well. Thoroughly investigate the cord channels for hitches like this.
Shades Won’t Hold Position
Another common issue is the struggle of attempting to raise your day-night shades, only to find them slamming back down as soon as you let go. This is frustrating, but not something you cannot fix.
The first thing you should do is try to adjust the cord retainers. If that doesn’t spruce things up, check to see whether the internal spring is stretched out. This could be something that is simple to replace, as these small screws are easily found at most hardware stores.
Is your shade dirty or torn? If there is a buildup of debris, dirt, or any small tears in the fabric, it could become difficult for the fabric to move up and down. This could also lead to additional damage to the shade. If you have a pleated shade those pleats could be relaxing causing the fabric to fall flat.
If there is extensive damage to your fabric, you may need to replace the shade entirely. There is also the possibility that you could repair small holes if you are handy with a needle and thread. Be sure to maintain a clean surface on your fabric shades to ensure that they will continue to move up and down correctly.
A good way to avoid this kind of damage is to raise your day night shades when you are not using the rv. When you keep the shades lifted, it will maintain their pleated shape. Being held in a pleated fashion means that there is less chance for them to flatten out. It also keeps them from accumulating dirt.
Conclusion
To adjust the day-night shades in your RV if they’re not moving properly, all you’ll need to do is adjust the spring tension and the spools. In some cases, tending to the string itself- where it might have become torn or frayed- will alleviate some of the most common issues plaguing day-night shades in RVs.
It is best practice to keep your shades raised when you’re not using the RV. This will maintain the shape and tension on the fabric and strings, letting you use them for years to come.
