Tiny leak on top seam of tent bed?

[Janutee]

Hi folks,
Discovered a tiny seam leak in my 23SS rear tent bed last night during a bad thunderstorm. It led to a thin (1/16" ) stream of water traveling to the lower seam, collecting slowly in a drip, which landed on the corner of my mattress. Mattress corner became damp, but not soaked to the floor bed. It continued to leak even when the rain lessened in intensity.
I'd like to fix the issue w/o major intervention. Is a towel in the corner when it rains adequate? (Nice try, right.) I have heard fixing leaks is a losing battle.
Janutee in Quincy, MA

[Mainframe]

I would get a hold of some beeswax and rub it in the seams good chance it will fix it

[rockfordroo]

You don't say if this is a new unit or not.

If new, did you season the tent ends with a hose and let dry before your trip? Lots of folks are never told to do this by their dealers and don't read the paperwork that comes with the TT, which also mentions to do this.

Seasoning the tent ends by spraying water on them and letting them dry allows the thread fibers to swell and seal the seams.

If you have seasoned the tent ends, then go with Mainframe's suggestion.

[rsdata]

If you have seasoned the tent ends, then go with Mainframe's suggestion.

yes... what he said!... could even rub a candle over leaking seam...

[david_reaves]

Though not on a pop-up, I've used beeswax on canvas tent seams, too. It's softer and easier to apply than paraffin. In the old days, cotton thread was used on canvas tents, so when it got wet it would swell and fill the sewing holes. My guess is that modern canvas covers may lose that effect because they have synthetic thread.

[Janutee]

Thanks everyone. It is a 2015 Roo which has been seasoned. I have a can of Daddy Van's beeswax furniture polish - it's a soft paste. Would that work?

[Mainframe]

The beeswax I used was more like a block and it seem to work really well I've always put it on my pop up my Kodiak and know my Shamrock.

[david_reaves]

I agree with Mainframe. I'd use the somewhat harder block or even a beeswax candle. My guess is that the furniture polish has some other solvent in it besides the wax itself.

[rsdata]

it appears in your original post that you know exactly where the leak occurs. If it is in the tent area the tent is made of vinyl, so no matter what the "stuff" is that you use to seal the leak if it is in the thread holes. Limit your "stuff" to the problem area. If it is larger then a thread hole, say like a small slit, a small dab of tub caulk might work better, both inside and out.