Minor Leak - Caulking or Sealant Suggestions

[bsedwebt]

good tip on the fridge Tractors - If I could only get the wife to let me put crazy stuff in the fridge for long periods of time.(=.... I guess I could get a cheap small fridge for the garage if I moved out some junk....

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by tractors1

I seal the clipped tube with a slipover cap and electricians tape, then keep the tube in the garage dorm fridge with my beer. Used an open tube over year later with no problem.

Wow, I just opened a new tube 2 weeks ago. Thanks for the tip Charlie, it's in the beer fridge now .

[DeanCHS1980]

Originally Posted by DeanCHS1980

Hi All,

Update on our minor leak under the rear window corner (driver side).

1. Ray, it took me 8 phone calls to find butyl tape in Bowling Green. Camping World was out of stock. Found it at Candy's Campers about 15 miles from here. Unfortunately, the butyl tape was a little too thick for this application to use behind the LED light bar.

2. Bryan, I could not find 800 grit sand paper in Bowling Green, but I could find 600 and 1200. I went with the 600 and worked cautiously. Removed the light bar and the old silicone and prepped the area behind the light bar and where the silicone touched the fiberglass with water/600 grit sand paper.

3. Reattached the LED light bar and used Lexel clear sealant as a caulk around the LED light bar. Also, did a thorough cleaned around the top the rear window and applied a bead of Lexel across the top and the driver side of the rear window just in case the leak orginated there.

4. It poured rain and the MINOR LEAK IS STILL THERE. Just under the driver side bottom corner of the rear window. Carpet is a little wet and it will have a small pool of water on the dinette bench (driver side). Our bedding will get wet if in place.

OK, new theory, and I want your thoughts. We have only noticed the leak when parked in our driveway. We have now noticed it about 3 times. We have never noticed it camping, but we have had no major rain since noticing the leak the first time this camping season.

When the trailer is in our driveway, the trailer leans toward the driver side. I don't level the trailer in our driveway. It is about 3/4s of a bubble unlevel with the driver side lower than the passenger side.

Is there a possibility that during heavy rain that the window drain vent closest to the corner of the window is getting too much water and over flowing? Whenever we camp, I level trailer, so this would not be an issue.

Thoughts, could the unlevel trailer cause the window drain slit closest to the corner of the window to be overwhelmed with water resulting in a leak inside the trailer? I am thinking about leveling the trailer in the driveway to see if the leak occurs. Hmm, kinda hoping for heavy rain before our next camping trip on July 12th.

Your wisdom and expertise would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dean

Hi All,

Just a quick update regarding my minor leak around the bottom of the rear window (driver side) of the Casita. Since leveling the trailer in the driveway, no leak!!! Despite my efforts to fix the leak to no avail (only leaked during torrential down pours), it looks like the culprit was an uneven trailer. Never leaked when camping (level). Leaked about three times this summer in our driveway, during heavy rain, and the trailer was about one bubble off in terms of its side to side leveling. Since parking it twice after camping and leveling it, no leak!!!

Go figure!

Take care,

Dean

[Glenn Baglo]

I'd say you still have a leak. Just no evidence.

[DeanCHS1980]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I'd say you still have a leak. Just no evidence.

Hi Glenn,

Hmm, I will continue to monitor. My theory (hope) was that the uneven angle of trailer was causing the weep vent that was lowest to not be able to disperse the rain water, thus causing the window sill to overflow at that low corner. The weep vent is not clogged.

Is my theory a little too hopeful?

Thx,

Dean

[Glenn Baglo]

I don't follow. The weep hole is in the track on the inside and flows down and out. Water would have to defy gravity. Or I don't understand.

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Glenn,

Hmm. I hear what you are saying. This is just our 2nd year with our Casita and, obviously, still learning. Question - What would happen if a weep vent got clogged?

Thanks,

Dean

[Glenn Baglo]

Condensate would fill the track, and, I guess any water that leaked through the glass?

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Glenn,

Thanks for the quick response. The leak has only been in our driveway during a heavy, blowing rain. I am wondering if some rain could go between the two windows panes causing some water to accumulate in the track and flowing to the low corner. Also, wondering if the vent may have been partially clogged contributing to it dripping into the trailer. I blew a little air through the vent. Some minor debris blew out. I did not think it was clogged. Maybe it was.

Bah! Heck if know! LOL. All I know is that it has not leaked since I have leveled the Casita in my driveway. I have checked after a couple of heavy rains. No leak. I will continue to observe.

Take care,

Dean

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by DeanCHS1980

Hi All,

Update on our minor leak under the rear window corner (driver side).

1. Ray, it took me 8 phone calls to find butyl tape in Bowling Green. Camping World was out of stock. Found it at Candy's Campers about 15 miles from here. Unfortunately, the butyl tape was a little too thick for this application to use behind the LED light bar.

When looking for a specialty item, nothing beats the web. I've stopped calling around years ago. Stores don't stock much, and what they have in stock is often old, the wrong size, or whatever. Even worse, often the person answering the phone will have no idea what you are talking about. Meanwhile, Amazon and similar will have dozens of choices or more, and you will have it in two days.