Solera Elec. Canopy

[Freder]

26 RLS TT, 2016.
When we have our canopy extended during a rain, a nice rain with out much wind, water runs down between the canopy and the camper. This has what looks like track lighting running under the canopy where it attaches to the exterior wall. Essentially anything close to the camper wall gets wet. We normally have a little table very close to the wall along with fold up chairs we're not using leaning against the wall. Not anymore, it all gets wet. This is the first time we have used the TT and awning during a rain. This seems not right. Any thoughts.

[ADQ K9]

I feel your pain. On our last outing, (the first one with substansial rain) I also noticed a leak but it was not from the awning. The gutter strip has a joint right above the door and water drips down on to the steps etc. I haven't had a chance to do it yet but I am just gonna put a little caulk in the joint.
I have found that is is important to keep that gutter above the awning clean for proper drainage.

[Wyldfire]

Last weekend I pulled the gutter trim off above my awning and found every screw loose. Most needed 5 to 6 turns. Squared the awning up to the wall and stopped the leaks. Put new trim in and better than new.

[Freder]

I have heard stories, from the owner of a Hideout, that when he opened his awning for the first time, it fell off. YIKES.
I was actually thinking that when they installed my awning and string of lights under it, that the 2 tracks somehow cause the leaks.
I may have to do what you did, get on a ladder and check out the drip cap and attachments.

[JRTJH]

I have heard stories, from the owner of a Hideout, that when he opened his awning for the first time, it fell off. YIKES.
I was actually thinking that when they installed my awning and string of lights under it, that the 2 tracks somehow cause the leaks.
I may have to do what you did, get on a ladder and check out the drip cap and attachments.

No one is a better advocate for preserving your trailer than you.....

If you suspect there is a problem with a loose molding, a series of loose screws, a leak or void in the sealant, a problem that can be visually confirmed as "good or bad", then, honestly, it's your responsibility to take care of your investment...

Relying on someone at a dealership to "honestly look out for your investment" when you bring it in for service and they have 10 minutes to do a 15 minute job, well, don't expect the tech to have time, ambition or motivation to go beyond what his bosses have told him to do.... There may be an occasional situation where it occurs, but those occasions are few and far between.....

For the most part, if you take your trailer in for maintenance, especially in the summer when the service department is most busy, chances are that any maintenance done will be "EXACTLY" what is on the work order. That means, as an example, if you say there is a void in the sealant on the end of the awning rail, don't expect the tech to inspect the entire awning rail, or even the other end of the awning rail. The ladder will be placed where you suspect the leak and the area accessible will be checked. Few techs (there are some exceptions) will climb down from the ladder and move it to inspect more awning rail. Most will climb up the ladder, clean the area and apply sealant where the suspected leak was claimed, climb down from the ladder and sign off the work order as complete.....

So, the point I make is this: Get out your ladder, do as much as you can to protect your investment, after all, the service tech at the dealership isn't going to lose a thing if your trailer is destroyed by water intrusion, in fact, if you buy a new one, he may even be the guy who works overtime doing your PDI.

[Freder]

I agree. The more you go over your TT, checking, sealing, servicing and cleaning, the better you get to know it and enjoy it.

[Carvendive]

I have a 20' awning on my cougar. It has silicone sealant to prevent drip through.

A tip... I found several screws stripped. I called the dealers repair shop to ask about using larger screws and they recommend that I use aluminum pop rivits for the locations that had no stud behind the FG skin.

[cpaulsen]

Have you been tilting your awning towards the front of the rv?? Also....they make a vinyl stick-on gutter that you can install to keep the water away from your door.

[atkinsb3]

No one is a better advocate for preserving your trailer than you.....

If you suspect there is a problem with a loose molding, a series of loose screws, a leak or void in the sealant, a problem that can be visually confirmed as "good or bad", then, honestly, it's your responsibility to take care of your investment...

Relying on someone at a dealership to "honestly look out for your investment" when you bring it in for service and they have 10 minutes to do a 15 minute job, well, don't expect the tech to have time, ambition or motivation to go beyond what his bosses have told him to do.... There may be an occasional situation where it occurs, but those occasions are few and far between.....

For the most part, if you take your trailer in for maintenance, especially in the summer when the service department is most busy, chances are that any maintenance done will be "EXACTLY" what is on the work order. That means, as an example, if you say there is a void in the sealant on the end of the awning rail, don't expect the tech to inspect the entire awning rail, or even the other end of the awning rail. The ladder will be placed where you suspect the leak and the area accessible will be checked. Few techs (there are some exceptions) will climb down from the ladder and move it to inspect more awning rail. Most will climb up the ladder, clean the area and apply sealant where the suspected leak was claimed, climb down from the ladder and sign off the work order as complete.....

So, the point I make is this: Get out your ladder, do as much as you can to protect your investment, after all, the service tech at the dealership isn't going to lose a thing if your trailer is destroyed by water intrusion, in fact, if you buy a new one, he may even be the guy who works overtime doing your PDI.


I mentioned earlier that there was some delamination in a spot under the awning rail of my 11 month old trailer. Saw a few spots where I thought water would be getting in so caulked it but the problem continues. Noticed last night there are other spots delaminating under the awning rail as well. We had a deluge of rain one evening so I extended the awning and tilted it to get the water to run away from the trailer vs back to it when the awning is rolled up, I think that is when the other spots delaminated because they weren't there prior to that. I pulled the rubber trim off the awining rail and saw a bunch of staples that are half way in among the screws holding the rail in. Is that common?... didn't check the screws yet to see if they are loose but after reading some posts...my bet is the awning rail is pulling away from the rv, looks like I have some work ahead of me this weekend.

[JRTJH]

Although I suppose anything is possible, I've never seen an awning rail "stapled" to a trailer sidewall. All I've seen is screws or rivets to hold the awning rail in place.

As for your situation, I agree with you, chances are you've got some loose screws and voids in the butyl putty tape behind the awning rail. You "might" get by with just tightening the screws and sealing over the staple holes, but to do it right, you should consider removing the awning rail, cleaning the trailer sidewall and the aluminum awning rail, reapplying fresh butyl putty tape and reinstalling the rail. You might also consider injecting a dab of Dicor sealant in each of the screw holes before inserting the screw and then covering each screw head with a "glob" of Dicor sealant before you reinstall the vinyl trip strip.

Let the entire assembly set up for a day or so before reinstalling the awning. If you removed the awning arms as well, be sure to reseal those holes before reinstalling the arms.

[atkinsb3]

So I started tackling this last night and finished today. I can't tell if there's butyl tape under the awning rail or not. Regardless, the awning rail was tight up against the trailer and no gaps appeared when I extended it. Took off the rubber trim and removed the screws holding the awing rail in one at a time, filled the hole with caulk (Alpha systems non-sag) put a little on the screw then screwed it back in the hole. Some had a little rust on them but weren't wet.
The TPO roofing appears to go under the awning rail and I recaulked that seam as well. There were a few questionable spots.
Then I got to looking at that cool LED light bar that everyone likes and decide to check the screws on it. Again, can't tell if there's any butyl tape under it.
I mentioned in anther post that the main delamination was directly under a gutter/awning rail seam... when I took the screws out of the light bar directly under that gutter seam, water dripped out of the holes. So my thinking is the water was dripping out of the awning rail seam, getting behind the light bar, and entering the screw holes. also made sure the seam was caulked well.
(The people who put these things together have to laugh and say "WOW man...THIS is going to be a HUGE problem!!!")
All the screws and screw holes on the light bar have been filled with caulk as well... so bring on the rain!?!? If the problem continues, my next step will be to remove the light bar and see what's/what's not behind it. Good stuff!!!

[Freder]

I got up and took a real close look at mine. The awning lights are in a plastic awning type channel. This is up against the RV. Then on top of the plastic channel is placed the metal awning channel. The screws for the metal channel extend through the plastic channel an hold it all together. It appears there is no mastic tape between the plastic channel and the RV. So as water runs off the roof it has to go over the plastic edge of the light channel before it gets into the gutter. And of course with no sealant, water runs down behind the plastic channel. I'm going to try to run a bead of Dicor sealant along the top of the plastic channel and the roofing material. Hopefully this will solve my issue of water running down behind my canopy.

I have no desire to have to remove both channels and install the mastic tape.

[ctbruce]

Be sure to use the Dicor for vertical surfaces.

[chuckster57]

I would probably use sikaflex or proseal as a first choice.

[atkinsb3]

I got up and took a real close look at mine. The awning lights are in a plastic awning type channel. This is up against the RV. Then on top of the plastic channel is placed the metal awning channel. The screws for the metal channel extend through the plastic channel an hold it all together. It appears there is no mastic tape between the plastic channel and the RV. So as water runs off the roof it has to go over the plastic edge of the light channel before it gets into the gutter. And of course with no sealant, water runs down behind the plastic channel. I'm going to try to run a bead of Dicor sealant along the top of the plastic channel and the roofing material. Hopefully this will solve my issue of water running down behind my canopy.

I have no desire to have to remove both channels and install the mastic tape.

So if I get you right, the plastic lip of your light bar is sandwiched between your awning rail and trailer wall and held in with with one row of screws? My light bar is held on by a second set of exposed screws underneath the awning rail. Anybody know which way it should be? The way yours is done makes more sense and would look cleaner. Since I did all the work on mine, I haven't had any additional signs of delamination around the awning rail or light bar... At some point I also need to remove both the light bar and awning rail and install butyl tape but waiting for cooler days (and lack the desire right now). Keeping a close eye on the trailer now that I'm aware.

[Freder]

Yes that's how it is installed. Without the mastic seal. I think what is or has happened is that the materials sandwiched together react to temperature expansion differently. If there was any mastic behind the plastic, my guess the bond has broken. Effectively letting rain to go behind the plastic and down the wall of my RV.
I'm using the right kind of Dicor. I have used the Sika Flex stuff, but could only find the self leveling locally. I'm using Dicor as it is compatible with my roofing membrane, TPO or whatever it is.