2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB - Water in Refrig Compartment

[DarrylScamp78]

High frustration with water on the floor of outside refrig compartment. (It is NOT from the condensation discharge tube.)
I’m pointing to the black rubber moulding modification that serves as an effective dam, keeping the water from moving inside the body, under the refrig storage space. The first owner claimed he made no modifications, so this was an apparent factory “fix”?
Ideas and opinions welcome!

[Derek Johnson]

Mine leaked too. The bottom of the vent rim seemed twisted and it directed water into the compartment which then leaked onto the trailer floor. I put a strip of weatherstripping just inside and against the bottom of the plastic rim and it's been fine for years now. I don't know if it is a design flaw or if it was caused by the installation. These vents covers are everywhere, so it seems strange that it would leak in this way.

Derek

[DarrylScamp78]

Thanks Derek - Please post a picture of your weatherstripping fix when it’s possible. I could imagine how it works, but a closeup image would be much more helpful.
So glad to hear water leak is fixable 👍

[Bhamm1]

I have a 2006 RQ, but the refridge looks the same. The main difference I see is that I have a hose coming down from the freezer area (cannot really see, but is goes between the gas lines and the back) that exits the outer screen, and passes water whenever the refridge is on. Ours is a newer refridge than the trailer, as the previous owner replaced it. That tube is most always dripping when the refridge is on, especially when humid.
By the way, I now have a schematic of the wiring of our trailer. Seems to be not available. Even called Bigfoot, but to no avail. I took the time to follow all my wiring and wrote it down is thee is any interest.
Bob

[DarrylScamp78]

Bob, thanks for your reply. My hose that drains refrigerator condensation water from the drain pan under the fins was replaced with the white striped hose on the left side. That hose has been repurposed from my CPAP machine, fortunately it was a perfect fit, and much more flexible.
I accept your kind offer of a 25B series wiring diagram! Go you have it in a file you can attach?

[Derek Johnson]

The water wasn't from the drain tube--it was entering from the outside as it ran down the exterior cover and reached the gap at the bottom.

I used plastic shims at several places along the plastic rim to level out the twist. The white vinyl weatherstripping doesn't absorb moisture, and I caulked along the edge just for extra protection. You can see from all the dirt that it has remained dry

My favorite caulk is Geocel ProFlex RV.

Derek

[DarrylScamp78]

I modified your idea of creating a dam on the bottom edge of the refrigerator compartment.
Hopefully the flexible door sweep silicone will work as well as yours.
A Dremel tool saw created a 1/16 inch notch in the two protrusions - allowing the sweep to pass through.
I used Silco RTV 4500 caulk to create a seal on the bottom of the sweep.
I’ll report updates from water hose testing and rain events.

[DarrylScamp78]

Real world test!
This morning I found NO water on the refrigerator compartment floor after a hard blowing full inch of RAIN.
The seal fix worked, after 7 years of failure and water hassles, what a relief!
Thanks to you FiberglassRV members pointing the way👍

[stihlworking]

I have a permanent fix for you. I will post details soon. The idiots that built these trailers have caused a lot of issues. I also have a 2008 model. Currently gutting, reframing, rewiring, replumbing, and doing fiberglass repair on mine. I took lots of pictures and know where all the skeletens are hidden.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Derek Johnson

The water wasn't from the drain tube--it was entering from the outside as it ran down the exterior cover and reached the gap at the bottom.

I used plastic shims at several places along the plastic rim to level out the twist. The white vinyl weatherstripping doesn't absorb moisture, and I caulked along the edge just for extra protection. You can see from all the dirt that it has remained dry

My favorite caulk is Geocel ProFlex RV.

Derek

Are you referring to the outside access door that has the louvers in it? (not the roof vent)

I have noted some water on the plastic liner but was not sure where it came from. My drain hose was crumbled into pieces so I bought new and installed a pan to capture it (much like a Norcold does) rather than running it outside. The pan is held down with a couple of pieces of 3M VHB tape. I have bug screens installed on the louvers and the mesh is NOT welded so cutting a hole in it is not the best idea, and I didn't want to cut a hole in the plastic. I do check the pan sometimes to make sure it isn't filling up, usually very little.

I too have had real good results with the Geocel, but have used the Dicor on another trailer, not as pretty but very functional.

Wished you guys were over on the BOCI forum, it would help to have some technical input (other than just myself and one or two others)

Charles

[Derek Johnson]

Charles,

Yes, I was referring to the outside cover to the fridge. I'm surprised there isn't a lip molded into the bottom of the frame to prevent water coming in from the outside. My rim had a pretty good twist in it that caused it to be tilted towards the inside of the compartment, likely causing the water to enter. It was enough water that it ran down the wood below the front of the refrigerator and caused some of the wood-grained paper to wrinkle. I wish Bigfoot had used real wood for the face frames.

I ran the drain hose out the cover. It's been good enough so far. By the way--why are all of your trailers so clean?

I was on the Bigfoot forum early on, but it seemed to be all about motorhomes and so it wasn't worth paying for when the free subscription ran out. Fiberglassrv.com has been consistently good for years and has plenty of Bigfoot content. We've had our trailer for going on ten years now and I'm happy to chat anytime.

Derek

[CharlesinGA]

I've done a number of threads about mods or repairs to my 21RB on the BOCI forum. I may try to reproduce them here. Only one I have done here is the one on the relocation of the water heater electric switch to the stove hood.

it would be good to get a special BF trailer subforum on here. I do prefer free and open access for everyone.

Shoot, Escape owners have their own complete forum on RVLife https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/ which I joined when I was researching the RV awning lock situation, as supposedly they had a fix I might be able to use. As it turns out, I made my own unique installation and did a thread on it on the BOCI forum, not a single yea or nay about it. Not complaining but it would be nice to get some feedback once in a while.

Charles

[Derek Johnson]

I also installed an awning lock after seeing some photos of awning disasters. It was a commercial product that works pretty well, although the awning never seems to roll back up exactly the same and I have trouble lining up the hole I drilled with the locking pin.

I do think that having to pay to use the Bigfoot site has effectively killed the website. You need a certain minimum amount of traffic to make a site useful. The volume of posts on Fiberglassrv.com is one of its strengths, along with the loyalty and passion of its long term users, and I'm afraid a Bigfoot-only forum wouldn't have enough posts even if it was free. I also think we Bigfoot owners benefit from being part of the larger fiberglass community.

Derek

[CharlesinGA]

Reviving this thread as I finally got some floor sweep like yours and am preparing to install it and sealant, and needed to look at the pics again. It took a while to find it, so I started going thru all of my posts.

I was finding dampness in the rat fur material the wheel wells are covered with, under the fridge. It would be nice if the fridges had plastic pans with edges that they sat on. Even better is if someone molded plastic baffles/chimney pieces to fit the back of the fridge (before installation) and the manufacturers would not have to either engineer baffles or simply not install them. Most absorption fridges work poorly due to improper baffling on the back side.

I'm thinking I will just use GE clear silicone in a tube. I hate to open a tube of Geocell as it will go bad if I don't use it up.

Its a shame, all Dometic had to do was put a half inch raised lip all the way across the bottom.

Charles

[DarrylScamp78]

Charles,
Hope your “floor sweep” works as well as my successful modification. The outside floor pan directly under the refrigerator is totally dry now.
I’d been battling the water entry through the 21RB exterior refrigerator access louvre door since I became second owner in 2014 - very aggravating & got NO help from calls to Bigfoot.

[CharlesinGA]

Its not only a Bigfoot problem, its a Dometic problem. They just messed up the design by not putting a small lip all the way across.

I got the floor sweep cut and stuck in place and installed a paint stirring stick on the outside with clamps to keep the door sweep from moving when I caulk. I even used a hacksaw blade to cut a groove in the ribs for the floor sweep to sit in. Looks like it will take a fair amount of sealant. so I will use a tube of Geocell.

Bigfoot is no help on anything. I emailed asking a simple question, I needed to replace a mudflap torn off by a failed tire. I just wanted to know the durometer of the rubber (hardness) so I would not wind up with something I could not use. The answer from Grant was something like "I'm sure you will find something suitable". Do they not even know what they are building these trailers with?

Also sent you a PM.

Charles