Antenna and Skylights

[barnbnb]

Just got back from a 1300 mile trip. I had noticed an odd wind/rattling sound while driving, seeming to come from a vent, but could never isolate it.
I had ordered a Winegard Wingman, which arrived for me as soon as I got back (I gained a 100% increase in reception after install, which only takes about a minute to do).
Anyway, while on a ladder, I did a visual roof inspection and discovered a saucer sized hole in the exterior cover of the bathroom skylight. I keep mine garaged when not in use, so I was fortunate to not have any water damage (nor encounter any rain on my trip).
This plastic cover is extremely thin! I was shocked. And I imagine UV exposure will also make it brittle, as it was yellowed.
Rather than replace it now, I decided to patch with EPDM tape. After cleaning and trimming the hole, I reached thru the hole and applied tape underneath on any cracks, and also around the hole to discourage further cracks. I then cut a piece of plastic to cover the hole and applied a few strips of white EPDM tape over it, sealing it and covering about a quarter of the dome. I see little difference in the light it allows into the shower.
I also inspected the dome over the dinette, but it seems to be made of a different material that has not yellowed yet.
Since the "R" model does not have a roof ladder, it takes a little extra effort to get up there. But whether or not you have a ladder on your rig, this is just a reminder that regular roof inspections are important. Especially for those of us with these flimsy domes!

[backdoctor]

One of the reasons I replaced the rear vent with a maxxair fan was that the vent cover (2 yrs old) was cracked and part of the edge was broken off. They aren't very resilient. I also covered the bathroom and front vents with maxxair covers so if the plastic did fractured I wouldn't be in the situation you were in.

[barnbnb]

Originally Posted by backdoctor

One of the reasons I replaced the rear vent with a maxxair fan was that the vent cover (2 yrs old) was cracked and part of the edge was broken off. They aren't very resilient. I also covered the bathroom and front vents with maxxair covers so if the plastic did fractured I wouldn't be in the situation you were in.

Sorry, but you misunderstand. I am talking about the SKYLIGHT above the shower, not the vent. The vent material is extra heavy duty compared to the skylight. Again, I'm shocked at how thin the skylight cover material is.

[Rich.M]

Thanks for the alert. The plastic dome on my unit is starting to yellow as well. I will check it next time it is back at the house. I have bought a telescoping ladder on Amazon to get on the roof while traveling . They go on sale from time to time.

[barnbnb]

The worst thing about a leak in either skylight is that it appears, after inspecting my skylight, that any water intrusion would run down between the interior and exterior walls, likely causing de-lamination, which ain't pretty. It's a good idea to carry a roll of EPDM tape for emergency repairs.
The exterior skylight domes are fairly large, with the bath more than 2X bigger than a crank or power roof vent and the living room dome about 4x the size.
I don't care to replace mine with another flimsy oem one (my repair is stronger than the original), so I need to research if there is a better option to replace it with.
Has anyone out there found a better replacement?

[FFred]

IF you are willing to modify the hole size look at boat hatches.

Tough enough for waves to crash in and still are opening.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by barnbnb

The worst thing about a leak in either skylight is that it appears, after inspecting my skylight, that any water intrusion would run down between the interior and exterior walls, likely causing de-lamination, which ain't pretty. It's a good idea to carry a roll of EPDM tape for emergency repairs.
The exterior skylight domes are fairly large, with the bath more than 2X bigger than a crank or power roof vent and the living room dome about 4x the size.
I don't care to replace mine with another flimsy oem one (my repair is stronger than the original), so I need to research if there is a better option to replace it with.
Has anyone out there found a better replacement?

GOOGLE, RV Lexan Skylights.

[madmaxmutt]

A new exterior cover is less than $100. I think mine was $60. We had a golf ball + sized hailstorm last year that broke through every cover on my roof that was made of rigid material. Replacing these covers is not difficult, but I had mine done by a shop because of the insurance claim this time.

Sounds like you did a good temporary fix, though.

[barnbnb]

Thanks for the suggestions!
I found this skylight replacement, supposedly you can run over it with a car and it won't break. Made in Texas and sold directly by the manufacturer. This one is smoke, but he makes clear and white domes, too. He has 100% positive feedback on the ones he has sold. Will do more research, but will definitely keep this one bookmarked and verify the measurements for compatibility.

17 x 25 RV THICKER replacement SKYLIGHT SMOKE plastic lexan roof trailer 14x22 | eBay

[madmaxmutt]

Originally Posted by barnbnb

Thanks for the suggestions!
I found this skylight replacement, supposedly you can run over it with a car and it won't break. Made in Texas and sold directly by the manufacturer. This one is smoke, but he makes clear and white domes, too. He has 100% positive feedback on the ones he has sold. Will do more research, but will definitely keep this one bookmarked and verify the measurements for compatibility.

17 x 25 RV THICKER replacement SKYLIGHT SMOKE plastic lexan roof trailer 14x22 | eBay

Think about the light you want the skylight to provide. I don't know how dark that smoke will be, but I went from a white cover to clear and the difference in lighting is night and day.

[debit]

Thank you all; very informative.
I have smoke covered vents, and the same shower cover as you described.

---------------
Ram 2500, diesel 6 speed manual
2016 251RKS (parked in my RV garage)
snowing in Bow WA this morning

[barnbnb]

Originally Posted by madmaxmutt

Think about the light you want the skylight to provide. I don't know how dark that smoke will be, but I went from a white cover to clear and the difference in lighting is night and day.

I really don't see much need for a skylight in the shower at all since the existing power vent dome allows plenty of light in. But if you need good light for your reading material in the bathroom, then I guess it's a good idea.

There's a ton of dicor sealing the vent down. Is there a bezel under there or do the screws fasten directly thru the lexan into the roof?

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by barnbnb

There's a ton of dicor sealing the vent down. Is there a bezel under there or do the screws fasten directly thru the lexan into the roof?

If you're asking about a "SKYLIGHT", not a "VENT" as you say then yes, the screws fasten directly thru the Lexan into the roof. You'll see this when you remove the old Skylight. I predrilled holes in the Lexan. Just attach the new one like the old one is secured. I ran a bead of butyl tape around underneath the skylight lip and I used 6" eternabond around the outside lip covering the screw heads. There are many ways to get it done and this is just the way I did it. Have not had any issues whatsoever.