TPO roof caulk

[benj]

Hi All
My first post. Recently purchased a new 2017 FR3 29DS. Apparently it has been sitting on the Dealer's lot since mid 2016. I did not check the roof during acceptance (my bad) and when I got it home I found the roof to be seriously in need of cleaning. Its TPO which surprised me since they are supposed to be fiberglass now. I noted the two black water vents are covered with a large glob of caulk with a small (one quarter inch) hole in the center. Is this normal?

I've been searching here and on other forums for TPO cleaning ideas and there does not seem to be any consensus. The cleaners I've seen are Dawn, Murphy's Oil, Simple green, Dicor, etc.. My roof is gray in color it turns out, which makes it look dinghy to start. Any advice would be appreciated.

Ben
Naples, FL
2017 FR3 29DS, Dually valve stems, 2011 Hyundai Accent, Blue ox tow bar, RVI braking system, EEZ TPMS.

[MacGumbo]

Hi Ben,
From Naples, huh? Lived there for almost 35 years until moving up to Gainesville 10 years ago.

I have a "White" TPO roof and first wash it with a stiff brush and dish soap after each trip. Then once a year I use a pressure washer on it with wide spray at about 8 inches which gets off 90% of the grime. Also I wipe bleach on at 3 linear feet for about 10 mins and rinse thoroughly. Then onto the next 3 foot until complete.

I let it dry for the day and then apply by rag Bio-Kleen Amazing Armor Protectant & Conditioner. Once it's dry the roof becomes very slick and virtually nothing stays or sticks to the roof for about a year.

As far as your vent question, there should be a vent cover that looks like this or something similar with a sealant like Dicor around the base. If not, please post a picture.

As for sealing vents and small holes I use Sikaflex-715 self leveling roof membrane. It stays pliable and rubbery after it dries for a few hours. So far it has never stiffened or cracked on my 2007 Rockwood.

I hope I was helpful. Take care and happy camping.

[benj]

Thanks Dea49. The caps on my pipes are similar to the pic., but mine appear solid with a cap on top like an umbrella. Seeing the pic you posted prompted me to stick my finger under the cap and find the open area where gases can escape. They also have the small hole in the top and that's what is covered with caulk. Can't read the writing near the hole to help identify it's purpose.

[benj]

googled vent pipe cap and found it says pull to remove. So still wondering why mine are caulked over by For. Riv.

[Scrapper]

Did you not get any documents with your FR3? If not you can get them here. Forest River RV Online Owners Manuals

According to the site the TPO roof comes on the gas model.

FR3 Class A Gas: http://idn.tweddle.com/bundle/showIt...S&itemtype=PDF

TPO Roof: http://idn.tweddle.com/media/bundle-...aintaining.pdf

[MacGumbo]

Originally Posted by benj

Can't read the writing near the hole to help identify it's purpose.

There are two parts, the sleeve that slides tightly over the pipe and is screwed down on the roof and sealed. The cap snaps over the extended pipe like a dome on three raised legs to prevent rain from being able to go down the vent.

Originally Posted by benj

googled vent pipe cap and found it says pull to remove. So still wondering why mine are caulked over by For. Riv.

There is one screw that holds the cap down and usually they put a dab of Dicor over it. Pull out the caulk and you can get to the set screw. Then the cap should pull off fairly easy.

[benj]

dea49
Thanks, I think mine is a little different. On one the caulk completely fills the hole. On the second one the caulk does not quite fill the hole and it looks like there might be some sort of filter at the bottomj.

Scrapper: Thanks for the info. I found my documentation (including the owners manual lacking at best, probably better addressed in another thread.)
I think I was confused with the 2018 FR3 brochure which states a fiberglass roof. Here is a quote I received from Forest River after inquiry:


Jeff Hood <JHood@forestriverinc.com>
Jan 24
to me
Hello Benjamin,

Thank you for your email regarding the roof on your FR3 motorhome. My name is Jeff and I am the east coast warranty contact for Georgetown. In looking at your VIN, this coach was built during a time that we were switching from a Superflex (rubber) roof and a fiberglass roof. You are going to have to go up and look at the roof to determine which it is. A rubber roof will not have rails running the edges of the roof and a fiberglass roof will. If you have doubts on which roof it is, email me some pictures of the roof and I can determine from seeing the roof.

I followed his advice and determined I had TPO. I had seen that Alpha LLc statement and have tested using Dawn and Murphy's Oil soap so far and was not satisfied with the result. Thanks again for the input.
Ben

[colourful64]

Fol