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07-15-2015, 12:02 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4kids
Bobby what kind of blower did you use? Leaf blower or some industrial blower.
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It was a somewhat industrial blower.
I'll post photos when I get to my laptop.
Bobby
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07-15-2015, 06:51 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Here is a photo of the setup using the blower and clear plastic duct.
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07-15-2015, 08:29 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Southwest Louisiana
Posts: 747
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Where do you connect blower to camper?
__________________
2016 Forester 3171DS
Work 28 and 28 around the world.
Camp every chance we get
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07-15-2015, 08:48 PM
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#24
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Bus Driver
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 80
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papap
Where do you connect blower to camper?
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I'll try and answer for Bobby (Great Idea BTW)
He is using a 110V-AC blower (blue item in picture above) that can be found at tool rental centers and Home Depot in some cases like THIS ONE
From the output of the blower, he installed a plastic "tube" and attached it to a roof vent with the lid removed and sealed the tube around the opening. With all of the doors and windows closed, you turn on the blower creating positive pressure on the inside of the coach. He then sprayed a soapy water mixture around all of the seams and joints of the coach and then watch for bubbles to appear. If pressurized air is escaping, it is there you will find any leaks if they exist.
I am using his approach as we speak (come daylight). I know I have a leak at the roof - Front Cap juncture. I will use a strip of Eternabond Tape to repair
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07-15-2015, 08:48 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papap
Where do you connect blower to camper?
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I typically use the rear vent since there isn't a fan there. It's pretty easy.
I have also used an electric leaf blower ducted through one of the in-ceiling LED light fixtures. I remove the fixture and pop in a flexible duct. This only pressurizes the ceiling/roof (including the fiberglass cap). It's effective but how effective depends on the output of the blower.
Bobby
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07-15-2015, 08:56 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deaver
I'll try and answer for Bobby (Great Idea BTW)
He is using a 110V-AC blower (blue item in picture above) that can be found at tool rental centers and Home Depot in some cases like THIS ONE
From the output of the blower, he installed a plastic "tube" and attached it to a roof vent with the lid removed and sealed the tube around the opening. With all of the doors and windows closed, you turn on the blower creating positive pressure on the inside of the coach. He then sprayed a soapy water mixture around all of the seams and joints of the coach and then watch for bubbles to appear. If pressurized air is escaping, it is there you will find any leaks if they exist.
I am using his approach as we speak (come daylight). I know I have a leak at the roof - Front Cap juncture. I will use a strip of Eternabond Tape to repair
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Yup, that about sums it up.
My eventual project was to scrape most of the sealant (Dicor?) off at the transition of the front roof to the fiberglass cap as well as any other areas of concern and go with Eternabond. That has been done. I went through everything including skylight and vents. I went through 3 rolls of 2" Eternabond and 2 rolls of 4" (used at the front and back roof transitions). I feel a lot better about the seal of the roof.
Bobby
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07-15-2015, 09:13 PM
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#27
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Bus Driver
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 80
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bgilly
I went through 3 rolls of 2" Eternabond and 2 rolls of 4" (used at the front and back roof transitions). I feel a lot better about the seal of the roof.
Bobby
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Bobby, Were these 50Ft rolls? I purchased one 4" x 50Ft Roll for the cap joints
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07-15-2015, 09:48 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deaver
Bobby, Were these 50Ft rolls? I purchased one 4" x 50Ft Roll for the cap joints
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Yes, they were 50' but I ran it in laps. In other words I ran the first lap on the front from the roof to the transition, the second lap from fiberglass cap and over the transition as well - overlapping the first about 1". Running the Eternabond over to the side was tricky - Eternabond wants to wrinkle. I ran a continuous strip from side to side starting/stopping at the gutter at each side.
I did the same for the back.
I also ran single runs of 4" around skylight and the refrigerator roof vent.
I ran single runs of 2" around the vents and along the roof transition to the sidewall (the one that runs along the top of the sidewall).
I can take some pics if that will help.
Bobby
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07-15-2015, 09:59 PM
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#29
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Bus Driver
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 80
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bgilly
Yes, they were 50'
I can take some pics if that will help.
Bobby
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Yes, Please do if you would be so kind. I am more concerned then ever
Thanks for your help
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07-15-2015, 10:09 PM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deaver
Yes, Please do if you would be so kind. I am more concerned then ever
Thanks for your help
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No problem.
I probably went a bit overboard but I had been fighting leak issues for a while. After the discovery of the "self leveling" sealant failing to bond to certain components of the roof, I didn't trust any of it. I had already used Eternabond and knew how great it stuck to everything.
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07-15-2015, 10:16 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 269
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Fiber glass roof
About 3 months ago we purchased a 2014 Sunseeker 2500TS. We have owned a number of travel trailers but all had a rubber roofs. So Evidently we thought fiberglass would eliminate some of the rubber roof issues.
In any event I went up on the roof to wash it and discovered all the screws down each side of the roof had the heads exposed.. (64) in total.
Joshua Cavitt the Forest River Rep indicated he had never seen a unit leave the factory without some sort of sealant over the screw heads. Well evidently this one did. Makes me wonder how many more have had this missed in the plant.
I phoned our Dealer Country RV and the warranty lady Nadine looked at two Sunseekers on their lot and both had sealant over the screw heads.
So to-day was an interesting day as I covered each screw head that was exposed with dicor. This unit only has abut 6,000 miles on it and sat mostly. There is no evidence of leaks but my work to finish the factorys job will or should take care of the potential for any leaks.. Going to check the clearance lights now as an added precaution.
Moral of the story. check those roofs !!!
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07-15-2015, 10:30 PM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brandon 2
I went up on the roof to wash it and discovered all the screws down each side of the roof had the heads exposed.. (64) in total.
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Mine were sealed but those also received the Eternabond 2" tape over it. I felt it gave me a better seal from the fiberglass roof and the aluminium trim.
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07-15-2015, 10:51 PM
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#33
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 36
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So true about checking the roof yourself. I was up there often but it looked good to me, and the clearance lights look good from the ground but get up there after you have been driving in some rain and you may see some water in the lens.
But to all of our defence, one shouldn't have to inspect the roof weekly or even monthly for that matter on a brand new rig. I'm young so no biggie for me, but for some people that might be quite a chore.
Class C motorhomes are nothing new. I'm surprised that there are still so many people having leak issues. You would think that with today's technology and know how, these would be yesterday's problems.
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07-15-2015, 11:10 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4kids
So true about checking the roof yourself. I was up there often but it looked good to me, and the clearance lights look good from the ground but get up there after you have been driving in some rain and you may see some water in the lens.
But to all of our defence, one shouldn't have to inspect the roof weekly or even monthly for that matter on a brand new rig. I'm young so no biggie for me, but for some people that might be quite a chore.
Class C motorhomes are nothing new. I'm surprised that there are still so many people having leak issues. You would think that with today's technology and know how, these would be yesterday's problems.
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Yes, it's true. It seems the factory should do something more than just a wet spray test. Even with that test how would you know the roof leaks in such a brief test. That really only test windows and cargo bay doors for leaks.
Here is the front clearance lights of my coach while pressurized with the blower:
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07-16-2015, 09:01 AM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Southwest Louisiana
Posts: 747
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So to use the Eternabond. You just scrape off and much putty as you can the tape the seam with the Eternabond? Are do you have to get all the putty off and then clean area with something?
__________________
2016 Forester 3171DS
Work 28 and 28 around the world.
Camp every chance we get
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07-16-2015, 09:16 AM
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#36
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 36
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With regards to sealing the clearance lights while on the road. Should I remove the lens and put a head of silicon around the lip and re install the lens? Or should I remove the entire assembly and then put a head of silicon around the back of the assembly and re install?
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07-16-2015, 10:35 AM
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#37
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Bus Driver
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 80
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papap
So to use the Eternabond. You just scrape off and much putty as you can the tape the seam with the Eternabond? Are do you have to get all the putty off and then clean area with something?
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Short Answer - Yes
Ray, over at LoveYourRV has an excellent write-up about using Eternabond Tape. He is doing repairs on a rubber roof 5th wheel but the process is the same.
His write-up can be found HERE
There is a Youtube Video at the end of the page that is worth watching.
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07-16-2015, 10:55 AM
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#38
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Bus Driver
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 80
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4kids
With regards to sealing the clearance lights while on the road. Should I remove the lens and put a head of silicon around the lip and re install the lens? Or should I remove the entire assembly and then put a head of silicon around the back of the assembly and re install?
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I am doing both. I plan on using Permatex Clear RTV Silicone Adhesive Sealant that is available in most Auto Parts stores in a toothpaste type tube.
I Also upgraded my T-10 mount clearance light bulbs with LED's. you need two different types
First for the Front, (the bulb mounts parallel to the lense)
I am using THESE
For the Rear and sides (Bulbs mount perpindicular to the lense),
I am using THESE
You may note that they both have a "printed circuit board" type appearance to them. It took me a couple of different tries at LED's with quality. These seem to work the best.
On the current delivery units coming out of Forest River, They have upgraded the clearance lights to LED's as the incandescent bulb types are no longer available according to other posters here. With 50K hours of bulb life for the LED's, I shouldn't have to touch them again at my age
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07-16-2015, 03:07 PM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papap
So to use the Eternabond. You just scrape off and much putty as you can the tape the seam with the Eternabond? Are do you have to get all the putty off and then clean area with something?
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As Deaver stated - yes. I did for the most part so I could get the best seal I could with Eternabond. The only area I didn't remove the original sealant was the top trim that runs from front to back that transitions the roof to sidewall. I used 2" Eternabond tape and it covered over the small bead of sealant used.
I used mineral spirits to help clean before applying the Eternabond. Need to make sure everything is completely dry (mineral spirits and and trapped moisture) before applying Eternabond.
Bobby
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07-16-2015, 03:14 PM
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#40
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Baton Rouge
Posts: 497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4kids
With regards to sealing the clearance lights while on the road. Should I remove the lens and put a head of silicon around the lip and re install the lens? Or should I remove the entire assembly and then put a head of silicon around the back of the assembly and re install?
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I also upgraded my front clearance lights to LED however I didn't seal the lens, only the base. The new LED clearance light lenses fit snug enough. I haven't seen any moisture trapped in the lenses to date.
Bobby
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