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Old 08-19-2021, 06:34 PM   #1
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
Posts: 14
Egg camper Questions

I’ve had this little camper for almost a week and have lots of questions - 2006 eggcamper

There’s a soft spot on the floor by the sink. Maybe 2 x 2 ft.

Can I sand off the fibreglass and use wood hardener, then add another layer of fibreglass? Or is there another way to fix it?

When I look in the cubby at the very back I see a hole in the floor - the size of a screw hole. Do I patch that or does it have a function?

I tore out the carpet like stuff in the front cubbies ( mouse poop etc) - what is a good thing to use to line those cubbies?

I also put in a new air conditioner - it seems to put out a lot of heat on the sides - any great insulating ideas? I replaced the hard core insulation with solid blue insulation but it still feels warm to the touch when the ac runs.

It’s been a busy week - lots of cleaning and discovering.

If anyone can help with some advice I’d be grateful.

Esther
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Old 08-19-2021, 07:55 PM   #2
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I'd find the leak first and fix. Floor rot tends to be more extensive than it initially seems.

I believe the plywood subfloor is visible underneath the trailer. If so, I'd do a thorough inspection.

The wood stabilizer/hardeners, mixed results out there. And eliminate the leak(s) first. Since it is near the sink, I would be looking at plumbing. Me, I'm finding the full extent of the rot and replacing the wood.

Sounds like you need to pull out that room AC and look at the venting inside the cavity. Take a lot of pictures, as not many Eggcampers out there.
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Old 08-20-2021, 10:21 AM   #3
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You've discovered enough superficial deterioration to suggest the trailer is not roadworthy. You should purchase a formal inspection report from an accredited organization like: https://nrvia.org/ To avoid heartbreaking and dangerous breakdowns on the road, be guided accordingly. Realize that all stock small trailers are only strong enough for improved road use WHEN THEY ARE NEW. They quickly deteriorate to non-functional or unroadworthy status without careful thorough maintenance. If true, the fastest way to get on the road is to get your money back and buy a roadworthy trailer.
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Old 08-23-2021, 07:24 AM   #4
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Always best to find the leak(s) first. I seem to recall Egg Campers really only have a single seam across the middle of the roof and I also recall them as being double hull design. If that is the case it would reduce leak points to check a great deal.

I too would suspect plumbing for under sink. Or any vent/widow near there. Thinking refrigerator air intake.

Once leak is eliminated and wood is fully dry it can be assessed for extent of damage. Dry it may not be as "soft" as when wet. Do some research by searching the forum into wood hardeners.

Worst case if the wood is not salvageable with a hardener there are some good threads and accompanying YouTube video's on replacing a small area of wood floor by cutting through the floor and the wood patch material at the same time. Patch cuts will be an exact match for the floor cuts done that way.

Then it is just a matter of using wood strip(s) across the hole under the trailer with wax paper or aluminum foil to keep glue and FG from sticking to them. This supports the patch while you apply crack filling adhesive around edge from above. Then fiberglass patch in. Once it has been glassed on top the support strips get removed and one can glass it in on the bottom.

Patch should be as strong or stronger than rest of the floor done this way. Under the sink one wouldn't be walking on it so it only has to seal out elements and support the weight of what is stored in that area.

I do not know how Egg attaches walls to floor. If patch is right up against wall there may be a need to redo some FG "tabbing" that attaches floor to walls. Think using FG resin and mat to "tape" wall to floor. That also sort of complicates cutting the patch to fit since one can't cut all four sides of the patch right through the floor. Just means you have to cut the patch, trace around it and cut out the floor along the traced line. I always end up with a bit bigger seam when I trace patch and cut. Not too bad but cutting patch and floor at same time always fits well.

Not a major structural issue by any means. Nothing that would make camper unusable or not road worthy. Just about the only thing on a FG molded that can rot is the floor so lots of threads on fixing that in the forum. Often floor can have damage from a leak that the owner doesn't notice because they are not going over it the way a new owner would. Small plumbing leak might go unnoticed with stuff stored under the sink. New owner finds, fixes, and good to go for many more years.

AC units move heat from inside to outside by pulling heat out of air inside and moving it to external heat exchanger (fins) where heat is transferred to the outside air. If the box is getting hot then the first thing to check is how much air flow is there at the outside fins and how much outside air is able to move across external cooling fins. The outside fins don't get their air flow from inside. The air that blows across the outside fins is outside air. Clogged fins or something blocking the vents where that air is pulled from, or a bad fan on the outside fins will let heat build up. Even though the inside air is cooled at least some by heat being moved to the outside heat exchanger.

Good luck and let people know what you find and how you fix. Your experiences help inform others and there are not as many Egg Campers as there are some other makes so what you do will will have value to other owners.
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Old 08-23-2021, 07:37 AM   #5
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EggCamper Questions

I am following this with interest.
I admit I haven't investigated the flooring in my EggCamper, but I never thought it had wooden flooring. I always thought it was fiberglass. . .
So I am listening attentively to this discussion, and learning. . .
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Old 08-23-2021, 12:02 PM   #6
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
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Hmmm

Floor update:

I laid on the ground to take pictures underneath the trailer. There’s a screw sticking out.

I’ve attached photos.

The good news is that the seller refunded some of the purchase price because she had no idea the floor had rot.

I love a good mystery and learning new things - this forum is great.

And as for the egg? My very allergic daughter in law slept in it and had no allergy issues. She is a canary in a cool mine for black mould.

I’m going to call Jim today to pick his brain about a few things.

Thanks for your help.
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B283010A-2A85-465B-A8F9-43DBFCE91E66.jpg  
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Old 08-28-2021, 08:26 AM   #7
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
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Fixing the floor day 1

Update: I called the new owner of eggcamper and got some advice.

Yup. The floor is wet. Today it’s cut out (thank you to my brother) and now I’m removing the wet wood.
Next, I’ll let it dry for a while and then replace the wood and re do the fibreglass.

I see there’s black under the sink cabinet but it’s not soft there. I’m going to pick as much as I can out and reassess.

Jim said this is not usual for these campers. I’ll keep on taking pictures of progress.

I’m open to feedback - this is all new to me.

Happy Saturday! I’m realizing that I love this work. Getting things fixed and learning is my happy place!
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Old 08-28-2021, 04:14 PM   #8
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
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End of day 1

Lesson learned:
Water damage is probably worse than one initially thinks it will be.

Scrape, cut, scrape - on and off all day long! Two fans are on it, and now I wait.

The predicted news: A garbage bag full of rotted wood.

The good news: I still love the egg. I have family who are skilled and will teach me things.

Has anyone had success sanding off the last bits?

Still optimistic. I’ll let you know how long that lasts!
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Old 09-05-2021, 11:00 AM   #9
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Hello Esther, and welcome to the world of Eggcamper owners!

As a matter of interest you may want to know the build sequence of your particular Eggcamper, and if you check the last three digits of your VIN number, this will give you the answer. I am also curious, because I think you may have a very early one!

Best of luck with your repairs!
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Old 09-05-2021, 11:20 AM   #10
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
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032

Quote:
Originally Posted by Letitia View Post
Hello Esther, and welcome to the world of Eggcamper owners!

As a matter of interest you may want to know the build sequence of your particular Eggcamper, and if you check the last three digits of your VIN number, this will give you the answer. I am also curious, because I think you may have a very early one!

Best of luck with your repairs!
Looks like 032 - someone came to pick something up today and saw the camper. I’ve been on the fence about whether I did something really stupid by buying it - they are Trillium owners and told me - KEEP IT! Best design they have ever seen.

I’m about to learn about fibreglass as I replace the piece in the floor.

Have a lovely weekend!
Esther
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Old 09-06-2021, 01:46 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Stephen_Albers View Post
You've discovered enough superficial deterioration to suggest the trailer is not roadworthy. You should purchase a formal inspection report from an accredited organization like: https://nrvia.org/ To avoid heartbreaking and dangerous breakdowns on the road, be guided accordingly. Realize that all stock small trailers are only strong enough for improved road use WHEN THEY ARE NEW. They quickly deteriorate to non-functional or unroadworthy status without careful thorough maintenance. If true, the fastest way to get on the road is to get your money back and buy a roadworthy trailer.
Terrible attitude. The scrap yards are full of unfulfilled projects that folks gave up on because of naysayers. Preserving the past takes dedication and perseverance.

Ester, dig in as far as you need and build a future!
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Old 09-06-2021, 03:22 PM   #12
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Hi Esther,
You said:

“I tore out the carpet like stuff in the front cubbies ( mouse poop etc) - what is a good thing to use to line those cubbies?”

Did you save the carpet so that you could use that as a template to replace with a new piece of carpet? Are you talking about the two cabinets above the sink area? Since it is a double hull, there is about an inch gap between the inner liner and the outside shell so that is why the carpet turns up in the back, to prevent small items from falling between the two layers.

Hope this helps!

We have made many changes to the interior layout of our camper… Not that we didn’t love it in its original state……we just personalized it for our wants & needs.

I’m sure you will be successful in your labor of love!
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Old 09-06-2021, 06:20 PM   #13
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Glad to hear you are making progress with your floor. Be sure to take the time and follow the leak, too. Where the floor is rotten could lead back to a leaking sink water line or drain, and both are pretty easy to fix. Or it could be a leaky vent nearby. Good luck!
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Old 09-06-2021, 07:00 PM   #14
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
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Fibreglass, wood then fibreglass.
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Old 09-06-2021, 07:03 PM   #15
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
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The carpet in the cubbies had lots of mouse poop on them so I got rid of them. I’ll have to make a pattern - they were too gross to save.
Thanks for the tip about having it go up over the sink.
Is it possible that yours is a different size than mine or did you just do magic inside?
I’ll have to look at your pictures again.
How many eggs are accounted for here?
It’s great to get info from experienced owners.
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Old 09-06-2021, 07:07 PM   #16
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Name: Esther
Trailer: Eggcamper
Ontario
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Thankfully the leak was found. The previous owner spent 4000 on repairs in 2017 and the leak was found. I’m thinking that because they didn’t fix the floor the moisture just spread.
I’m being very patient and finding all the rot.
I ordered a boat repair book from the library to learn more about fibreglass.
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Old 09-06-2021, 08:18 PM   #17
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We have a great fiberglass how-to resource right here on the forum, and it's geared toward molded fiberglass trailers:
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ass-52498.html
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