Leak question.

[Oscar]

29 BHS Ultralight.

I have a leak from one of the windows in the slide out. The water comes in at the bottom of the inside trim where it meets the panel.

I am assuming it's the window. Now, it can be either the window itself, as it is a collection of aluminum trim and moving glass, or that it is the seal between the window and the wall, which is more likely.

In the latter case I would think the window has to come out, and be re-bedded.

Any how-to's available on this? Any experience? Advice?

I am handy and have (almost) every tool known to man in the shop....

[chuck&gail]

Had a similar leak on our TT. I just recaulked around the window on the outside and leak was gone. Might be worth a try. I suspect my water entered at window frame top center, and just followed around inside to lowest point, inside center.

[JoeofNSB]

I have found on my windows that if the drains, which are slits in the frame of the windows, get clogged with crud then the window will leak just thru the track mechanism. This usually only occurs on sliding windows but it drove me crazy until I figured out what it was.

[jje1960]

Hopefully you find and repair where ever it's entering.... On our last TT we had to have both wall panels inside replaced after the first year due to both side windows leaking. Fingers crossed.... have not found any sign of leaking in our Cougar.... Hope it stays that way.

[SteveC7010]

Removing/installing RV windows is pretty straightforward.

First remove all the screws that you can see that might be holding the window to the trailer. Check inside and out.

1. It is best to do this someplace warm. The putty tape used around the perimeter of the window flange becomes soft and pulls away easily when warmed. I like to do it on a hot summer day if possible, but solving a leak may preclude that.

Mama's hair dryer is real good for warming up the flange and putty. If you use a heat gun or other hotter source, be super cautious about getting things too hot and damaging the fiberglass skin or starting a fire.

2. I like to use a cheap plastic putty knife against the fiberglass or aluminum trailer skin to protect it. When enough of the flange and putty is warmed up, you can use the putty knife to gently pry the window away from the trailer. Once it starts, it pulls away easier. Depending on the size of the window, you may need a helper to keep the hair dryer moving to keep things warm.

3. When the window is out, remove all the putty tape and clean the mating surfaces well. Check for any damage to the trailer skin that might be the cause of the leak. Repair as needed.

4. When buying new putty tape, get the butyl type. It comes in various widths, so measure the window flange before purchasing.

5. To install, starting at the bottom center of the window, lay the putty tape on the flange, completely covering it. Do your very best to maintain even thickness and positioning. When you get all the way around to your start point, mate up the two ends of the tape neatly and make sure there is no gap. Gap = leak, even at the bottom of the window.

6. (If this is a big window, it may take a helper to put the window back in place.) Set the window back in the opening without disturbing or deforming the putty tape. Insert the screws back in the holes and then systematically begin to tighten them, each a bit at a time so that the flange is pulled to the skin uniformly all around. I like to work in a circular pattern, tightening each screw about one turn and then moving to the next.

7. Again, warmth makes this easier as the putty can conform to the mating surfaces better. Doesn't have to be as hot as removing the window, just warm enough to be soft and flexible.

8. Don't overtighten the screws. Just run each of them down enough to begin to squeeze the putty out. Do this uniformly all around the window.

9. Use a garden hose and check for leaks.

10. Cold beverage time!

[Oscar]

Thanks everyone......

Fortunately it lives under roof (see this thread http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5022) So it's not getting wet continuously. I have noticed it once while we were in there in heavy rain. Still, I know water is the enemy so it needs to be addressed.

Steve, that sounds pretty much like I envisioned it, unfortunately we are going to Florida March 2, and it will still be cold.......
Do you have a good source for the tape? Camping World?

Thanks again.

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by Oscar

Steve, that sounds pretty much like I envisioned it, unfortunately we are going to Florida March 2, and it will still be cold.......
Do you have a good source for the tape? Camping World?

Thanks again.

Any RV shop sells it, and it is available all over the net.

I've seen it in hardware stores, too, so a stroll down the caulk aisle at Home Depot or Lowes may be all that's needed.

[Oscar]

OK the verdict is in, and of course things are never easy.

Since I didn't want to take it on spring break with the leak I decided to fix it, and today was the day.

The first challenge was removing the valance and the shade. Screws hidden in fabric, and under things where only a 12" screw driver can find them. Not designed with easy removal in mind, but eventually it gave up.

The inner trim came off relatively easy. And when it did I saw......daylight in the upper right corner. Well, in the words of Adam from Myth Busters; "There's your problem".

Turns out that the window rough opening was a little "generous" and on top of that the cheesehead that put the window in put it in resting on the bottom. The flange overlapped about 1/8" at the top. On top of that it turned out that either the window or the wall were twisted, and the offending corner wanted to spring out. So between that and the lack of overlap.....voila, my leak.

At least I knew what the problem was.

I re-installed the window with butyl tape, but had a LOT of daylight, and there is really no way to pull it in. Quality boat windows have substantial inside frames, with big bolts that pull things tight, and that overcomes the occasional irregularity. The inside frame here is purely decorative, unless you have a thicker wall. I suspect that the wall of the bumpout, where this window was, may be thinner (1.75") than the rest of the thing. Anywho, the inside trim does nothing to pull the frame in tight.

Doubling up on the butyl tape in the offending areas didn't help either. The stuff is not fluid enough to even out. So I went to plan B.

Gooped the thing up with a quality marine bedding compound: 3M 4000, in white at $20+ a tube. (The 4000 is about 50% on the adhesive scale, don't EVER use 5200 as you will never be able to remove the window again) Laid a nice thick bead and set the window. I put a strip of 3/8" ply across the bottom of the rough opening to shim the window up. I need good overlap at the top, not the bottom. Then inside, diagonally across the corners I put 4 pieces of 1x3, with plywood "legs" to get them off the window, and installed 8 2" drywall screws which grabbed in the trim screw holes closest to the corners. Tightening these screws up pulled in all four corners, and the straightaways in between, and there was 4000 squirting out all around, plus the window was flush outside. You have to clean this stuff up fast. I used mineral spirits as it is not water soluble.

It says it sets in 24 hours, I have 6 days to let it sit. Then the wood pieces come off and the inside trim and valance/blind go back on. Hopefully this will do the trick.

[Terrydactile]

Glad you found the problem. I have read many posts on forums about how window openings were cut "generously". Sounds like you did a good job fixing it.itching

[SAABDOCTOR]

GREAT POST!! SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD A BATTLE ON YOUR HANDS I HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH A TT AND USED BUTAL RUBBER "CAULK" WE USED THAT ON WINDSHIELDS ON CARS. GREAT STUFF! BUT I DID NOT HAVE TO BRIDGE A BIG GAP LIKE YOU DID STEVE GAVE SOME GREAT ADVISE GOTTA LOVE THIS FORUM

[Oscar]

The goop is setting up nicely, the temporary clamps are staying on 'till next Thursday, that should do the job.

So, to summarize...... the problem was caused by:

1: Poor design/design short cut. The window is too thick for the thickness of the wall. The inside trim does
nothing to pull the window tight(er) against the outside wall.

2: Poor installation. Hole too large and window improperly placed in hole.

I wonder if Keystone cares? I mean, I can write it all up and send the pictures, but it will probably end up in the circular file.

[Oscar]

Follow up......

Removed the temporary blocks, window staid put. Put the trim and the blind and the valance all back together and drove 500 miles through driving (and I mean frog stranglin') rain.....dry as a bone.

I did send an e-mail to Keystone, and they sent me back a "very interesting, we have forwarded this to our engineering department" reply. I suspect that that will be all I hear.