Leak coming from...?

[1945gypsy]

We have a small leak in the ceiling of our 13' U-Haul camper. It makes a wet spot on the carpet on the ceiling about the size of a half dollar, and then just a few drips. It measures 8" from the edge of the swamp cooler toward the back. Is this leak from the AC unit (which we've never used) or from a seam? The leak was more pronounced during a downpour; in a light rain there was nothing. How can we address this and repair it Thanks!

[Deb & Chuck]

Originally Posted by 1945gypsy

We have a small leak in the ceiling of our 13' U-Haul camper. It makes a wet spot on the carpet on the ceiling about the size of a half dollar, and then just a few drips. It measures 8" from the edge of the swamp cooler toward the back. Is this leak from the AC unit (which we've never used) or from a seam? The leak was more pronounced during a downpour; in a light rain there was nothing. How can we address this and repair it Thanks!

Your leak could be coming from the seal under the swamp cooler.
Chuck

[Raz]

To find leaks, use duct tape to seal (in my case it was windows) and then spray with the hose. If the leak stops, you've found the problem. Don't try caulk to fix. It won't work. Remove and reseal with butyl tape. And don't leave the duct tape on for long or you might have another project cleaning the residue. Good luck, Raz

[1945gypsy]

Thanks. First we have to find the leak. How do I remove the solar panel cover?

[h.mike]

I have a similar leak in my CT 13. Mine seems more extensive and I am reluctant to replace the floor because I cannot find that darn leak. I am about to pull the trim off the seam to see what I can find. Mine also still has the solar panel attached and it may be there. I'm just not the most handy of all campers. Best of luck with yours. People on this site are extremely helpful, you may get some hints yet. Mike.

[Donna D.]

As Raz said, tape everything up. Use a water hose. Start peeling a small piece of tape off, more water. Once you find the leak... we'll help you with the fix.

My suggestion is to NOT start pulling and removing things until you know where the leak starts. It's the old Murphy's Law... the very last thing you remove will be it and should have been the very first place you started. DRAT!

[1945gypsy]

We lucked out. We removed the carpet on the ceiling to reveal the culprit - one screw was rusted and in the exact spot where the leak was. Can't tell you how excited we were...! As long as the carpet is down now we will now apply this automotive body sealant that he went to get at Walmart, under and around all the screws. Then we'll put the carpet back up and hose the camper down to be sure. Voila - or at least I hope I can say that when we finish.
Yeh, we weren't about to start removing body parts just yet especially since neither of us is handy that way. We usually use our fingers for drawing and guitar picking
.

[Thomas G.]

Two of the elevator bolts that hold on the solar panel were leaking on my CT13. I took it apart, cleaned it up and reinstalled with butyl tape. Tell tale was the wet spots on the ceiling carpet.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by h.mike

I have a similar leak in my CT 13. Mine seems more extensive and I am reluctant to replace the floor because I cannot find that darn leak. I am about to pull the trim off the seam to see what I can find. Mine also still has the solar panel attached and it may be there. I'm just not the most handy of all campers. Best of luck with yours. People on this site are extremely helpful, you may get some hints yet. Mike.

Bob found his seam was leaking, I believe, due to the fiberglass parting.

[mary and bob]

Yes , our leak was in the same area but it was a flaw in the seam where the two halves of the shell were put together, just a small hole. We took the ceiling carpet down to find the exact location. To repair it I had to remove the solar panel which was not working anyway. I had to remove the bolts on one of the mounting rails to get it off, didn't touch the other rail's bolts. Threw away the solar panel and put the mounting rail back on. Fixed the seam with fiberglass resin and cloth, and sealed over the hole where the wire came in the same way. Installed new carpet on the ceiling, found some cheap carpets at Home Depot that were made from recycled plastic bottles, put it up with contact cement. A while back I removed the swamp cooler and installed a Fantastic Fan. Water leaks have been the most annoying and hard to find problems with this camper. I just had to pull out my new Scamp rear window and put it back in with the butyl tape. I had made the mistake of using the foam tape that came with the window.