Water Inside After Bringing in Wet Slide Outs?

[itat]

Looking for opinions on this. If a slide out is brought in while it's raining, do you get water off the slide walls on the floor of your trailer, and if so how much? Do slide toppers make a difference on this?

We are searching for a new TT and yesterday morning we looked at a used 2013 Rockwood 2703WS with 3 slide outs. The trailer does not have slide toppers installed on any of the slides. The seller had put the slides out in the rain before we arrived and retracted them once or twice for another potential buyer who was leaving as we got there. There was water on the floor along where the walls of the slides were when retracted. There was also a fair bit of moisture on the surface of the entertainment center countertop which is about a foot away from the one slideout. We never had this in our Roo but it had a slide topper and I don't recall ever having to close the slide while it was raining.

This particular trailer had a soft floor in the bathroom and a couple light fixtures that were blackend so I wasn't interested in buying it, but I'm curious if others have experienced water on the floor from bringing in a wet slideout.

[Campin Cajun]

I can easily see this happening. The only two times the slides are sealed is when they are all the way out and all the way in. When moving in or out they are not sealed 100% so water could come in while it's raining or if water has accumulated on top of the slide. Slide toppers help, but do not prevent water from getting and staying on top of the slide.

[Dave_Monica]

There's a swipe seal on the top of all the slides though they're not always in the correct position to do an effective job of squeegeeing the water off the slide out roof as it's retracted. I've never had slide toppers and always go on the roof to sweep off the slide before retracting and have had to towel them off when retracted in a pouring rain. I believe that slide toppers would eliminate any water from entering the camper with the slide in all cases but with a driving rain. Maybe on the next camper...

Dave

[SKnight]

I too am in the no topper camp, though I want to be. When my slides are wet I'll run the jacks all the way up to let water run off before bringing in the slides. It seems to help and the amount of water that has gotten in seems to be pretty minimal.

[mcnabbwr]

Slide toppers do help but under certain conditions we still get some water inside. Usually the water enters along the side seal as it runs down towards the floor. Most times it's not much so we just wipe it up.

[jerry226]

I always take my gas leaf blower when we go camping. I blow the outside carpet off and roll it up. Then I go up the ladder and blow of the leaves an what is on the roof. Then I blow off the slides and have wife run them in. Very easy and works well. Some people look at me funny ( Like i'm in a tree raking leaves Ha. With a 34+ ft camper it is a easy way to clean.

[Platokidd]

No slide toppers, but the seal wipers do a fairly good job with most of the water.
Before closing slides when wet: I raise the front of the camper for water run off. Use some combination of ladder, electric leaf blower, long telescoping extension pole squeegee and towels inside if needed.

[ependydad]

You guys are selling me more and more on slide toppers and I already have them! Rarely do we end up with water inside and it's a very nominal amount. I don't raise the landing gear nor blow off the top nor climb ladders; I just bring the slides in.