Testing for leaks?

[Cleon]

Has anyone ever put positive air pressure in their T.T to test for possible leaks? Our 195Bh is only 2 years old but I'd like to check it for leaks before any damage is done. And if so, how did you do it? Trying to be proactive not reactive. Your thoughts?

[Archicamper]

Positive air pressure will work if you test with smoke. There is a company that will do this with a blower. Do an internet search and they will show up but it is not cheap. This is the best way to find all the air leaks in your camper.

You may be able to do this on an absolutely calm day with your furnace on. Otherwise, using a water hose on the exterior at suspect areas with visual inspection on the interior is the next best thing.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by Cleon

Has anyone ever put positive air pressure in their T.T to test for possible leaks? Our 195Bh is only 2 years old but I'd like to check it for leaks before any damage is done. And if so, how did you do it? Trying to be proactive not reactive. Your thoughts?

What type of 'leaks' are you looking for? Water leaks in the water lines? Use water in the water lines. Weather leaks around seams and windows and doors? Water will get in some where in do time. Clean and caulk to slow the process down, but there will always be that hidden place that you will not find until you stumble across it, and by then it might be too late. There are no guaranteeable way to find every leak able place in an RV. For several years on our past camper our bed would be wet from rain coming in a window that had a complete fiberglass awning cover over it when we would travel in the rain. Finally found out that the bath room roof vent in the back of the camper when opened (though covered to rain not able to come in) would create a suction factor from front to back and literally pull water around the front window fiberglass lip and past a closed front window and into our bed room. RVs have millions of possible areas for water infestation.You have vents over the stove and vents from the furnace, windows and doors that are not made to be air tight. Air will move into and out of these units at many places and where air can come in, water can also come in when moving down the road.

Good luck finding them all, but know (and please don't loose sleep over it) you can not stop them all, but only slow them down.

[Cleon]

I would be looking for water intrusion from the outside. FYI For the water lines, each spring I apply air pressure to water system and check for leaks that way. Far easier to " clean up" air and fix the problem than mop up water.

[bikendan]

check this website out:

SealTech Manufacturing USA | Industry Standard for RV Leak Detection

[deartruc]

There was a post on something like what you're looking for where an owner did his own positive pressure test to find his roof leaks. He explains how he set it up. He was able to find and fix his leaks. I think the post was back in September.

[donniedu]

Seal test is the trade name. It has been used for years in the auto industry. And has been adapted for RV use maybe 6 years ago. Some folks have found a leaf blower works for home use.

[Stormrider151]

I'm wondering if one of those inert smoke machines you can buy at Halloween would work. We used them at the Fire Department for training. A fan in one of the small windows with the rest of the camper closed up might work. We did this also at the Fire Dept. It's called positive pressure ventilation. Works a whole lot better than trying to suck smoke out of a house. Just a cheap way to do it.

[brannon]

I know this an old post but did you get an answer to your question?

Thanks