Oily Wet Spot After Extending Slideout

[bobnelms]

Hi all,

We have a 37 foot Cougar 5th wheel, 2016 with 3 slideouts. Lately, we've been noticing a wet spot on the floor after extending the kitchen slideout. The wet spot is directly under the refrigerator area of the slideout.

We took it to the dealer for the state inspection, and while it was there they replaced a seal on the slideout, hoping that would help.

But when I recently extended the slideout again, not only was there a wet spot but it was very brown and oily looking (and feeling). I did not detect a smell.

The refrigerator is a typical dometic -- freezer on top. The condensate line is draining just fine -- outside the unit.

Any ideas what's going on?

Thanks

[JRTJH]

The 2016 Cougar line uses electric slide mechanisms, so there should be no hydraulic fluid in your trailer to leak onto the floor. And, even with hydraulic slides, the ram and hydraulic hoses are under the main trailer floor, not under the slide floor, so there's no way a leak could "drip up, through the solid floor and the vinyl" so my guess is that it's not a slide mechanism leak.

That leaves the refrigerator and what else might be in the area under the refrigerator. Could it possibly be a bottle of cooking oil or something similar that got "lost under the slide" ??? If not that type of leak, I wouldn't have a guess.

The first thing I'd suggest is to extend the slide fully, crawl under it and see if there's any "wet stains" on the underside of the slide. I'd suspect you won't find any, but worth the check. Then, retract the slide about half way, crawl back under the slide, use your fingers and pull the slide seal down gently and use a flash light to inspect the entire length of the slide and the surface of the main trailer floor that the slide sits on. You might find something there.

If there's nothing found there, then it's a mystery to me. The underside of the slide is covered with DARCO fabric, very similar to the "blue plastic tarps" found in any hardware store. It is waterproof (unless damaged) so if it's not wet, the stain/puddle you're seeing probably is not coming through the slide bottom cover, so it's probably not a leak from the refrigerator.

[bobnelms]

John,

Thanks for this info. I did check for wetness when the slideout was extended. I didn't see any. I'll check again, and also check through the seal as you suggested -- as soon as the temperature rises a bit.

I did read on another forum that refrigeration systems can corrode and then leak -- and that the resultant "pool" looks like oil -- and that it can be dangerous (flammable). I only saw one comment about this, but I checked the rear of the refrig just to make sure -- but the elements that can corrode are covered and I didn't see a quick way to remove the covering.

Also, on another forum I saw that the "gearbox" mechanism can leak oil. But as you suggested, the electric motor (and gearbox?) is located UNDER the slideout -- and leaks do not leak upward (unless we have a serious problem with gravity).

Somehow, I think this is a refrig problem. But I don't know how to look "under" it. I don't know how they'd remove it if they had to. Is there any access panel that you know about to see UNDER the refrig?

[travelin texans]

The only thing in the fridge area that comes to mind is the LP line that could be loose? LPG forms an only residue in the lines, but I'd think if it we're that you'd smell propane plus the oily wet spot would also have a strong propane odor. Maybe only loosens during travel?
Worth the couple minutes to tighten the fittings to the oven/cooktop & fridge just to rule out those possibilities.

[JRTJH]

First, which model "2016 Cougar 37' fifth wheel" do you have? There are at least 6 floorplans that have 3 slides, so it's difficult to visualize where your refrigerator is located (in the slide) in relation to other components that might contribute to any problem leak.

That said:

Originally Posted by bobnelms

John,

Thanks for this info. I did check for wetness when the slideout was extended. I didn't see any. I'll check again, and also check through the seal as you suggested -- as soon as the temperature rises a bit.

I did read on another forum that refrigeration systems can corrode and then leak -- and that the resultant "pool" looks like oil -- and that it can be dangerous (flammable). I only saw one comment about this, but I checked the rear of the refrig just to make sure -- but the elements that can corrode are covered and I didn't see a quick way to remove the covering.

Also, on another forum I saw that the "gearbox" mechanism can leak oil. But as you suggested, the electric motor (and gearbox?) is located UNDER the slideout -- and leaks do not leak upward (unless we have a serious problem with gravity).

Somehow, I think this is a refrig problem. But I don't know how to look "under" it. I don't know how they'd remove it if they had to. Is there any access panel that you know about to see UNDER the refrig?

Any "refrigerator leak" would occur ABOVE the slideout floor, so there's no "easy path through that 5/8" OSB to pool under the slide. The drain lines exit "outside the slide side" not "under the slide" and any drain line would not have an "oily substance" as it's only condensation from the evaporator coils.

The "gearbox mechanism leak" that you read about is probably for a cable slide system. The motor/gearbox is mounted above the center of cable slides, and there was an issue with "oil leakage" from the gearbox seal. The "oil leakage" consists of "a couple of drops" of oil, that drips onto the TPO membrane on the slide roof. The oil "softens and distorts the TPO". There's just no way that gearbox can hold enough oil to saturate the floor UNDER the slide and there's no path from the ceiling of the slide to the floor of the main trailer body that would allow for a "pool of oil" to occur. If I remember, there's about 1 ounce of machine oil in the slide motor/gearbox. No way for that small amount of oil to "completely empty the reservoir through a seal, flow through the slide roof, down the inside of the wall, through the slide floor and drip onto the vinyl under the slide".... So, the "cable slide motor/gearbox leak" is not even a potential for your puddle.

As for the refrigerator "corroding and leaking", typically you'll get a strong ammonia smell AND a yellowish powder around the leak. There isn't an "oily substance with no odor" that could leak "through the slide floor" and onto the main body floor (through the refrigerator cabinet floor, the 5/8" OSB slide floor and the DARCO cover on the bottom of the slide without you seeing some damage and/or saturation of the DARCO with a visible "oily spot on the DARCO"... Additionally, if the refrigerator had that "much of a leak" it would no longer be operational. There's barely enough "coolant liquid" in the refrigerator for it to operate. Any leakage, even enough to get a couple of drops of the chemical out of the system would cause the refrigerator cooling system to be "inoperable and stop cooling completely".

I really don't think the leak is originating above the slide floor, strongly believe it's a possible cable slide motor (mounted above the slide) and really believe you've got something that fell off the counter, rolled under the slide and is "squishing contents" onto the floor as the trailer/slide "vibrate" down the road during towing.

I think a good visual inspection with a high power flashlight from under the slide with the slide seal pulled down so you can see "all the way inside the trailer" will give you the source of your leak...…

[bobnelms]

All,

I have an update to this oily-spot problem. A month ago, we went to Virginia Beach on our 5th wheel. When we arrived at VA Beach, the whole floor was wet and when I extended the slideout, there was that oily spot! I had not rained, but we were running the refrig on propane since it was a 7 hour trip. We had to put a towel under the refrig door to collect all the water that was seeping out through the bottom of the refrig the whole time we were there. Trust me, I looked as best I could and could not see how the water was getting out of the refrig and onto the floor -- but it is.

The condensate line is attached properly. I tested the line and it drains just fine. I don't know where this water is coming from but it's going to ruin the RV. I removed a kitchen drawer to see the condition of the floor under the kitchen counter and there was a water mark coming from where the refrigerator sits.

I don't know what else to do but remove the refrig to inspect it more thoroughly but I cannot figure out how to get the darn thing out. I'll post photos in my next post so that maybe someone can explain how to get the refrig out.

[bobnelms]

All,

I have an update to this oily-spot problem. A month ago, we went to Virginia Beach on our 5th wheel. When we arrived at VA Beach, the whole floor was wet and when I extended the slideout, there was that oily spot! I had not rained, but we were running the refrig on propane since it was a 7 hour trip. We had to put a towel under the refrig door to collect all the water that was seeping out through the bottom of the refrig the whole time we were there. Trust me, I looked as best I could and could not see how the water was getting out of the refrig and onto the floor -- but it is.

The condensate line is attached properly. I tested the line and it drains just fine. I don't know where this water is coming from but it's going to ruin the RV. I removed a kitchen drawer to see the condition of the floor under the kitchen counter and there was a water mark coming from where the refrigerator sits.

I don't know what else to do but remove the refrig to inspect it more thoroughly but I cannot figure out how to get the darn thing out. I'll post photos in my next post so that maybe someone can explain how to get the refrig out.

[bobnelms]

More information about this.....

I've just learned that the evaporator coils for the freezer are imbedded in brown, foam insulation -- and are very prone to sweating. These coils are on the OUTSIDE of the freezer unit. If this is so (if they sweat), where does the moisture go?

Could this be what I am experiencing? Moisture from sweating evaporator coils which are imbedded in brown foam insulation?

[bobnelms]

More information on the water leak from the refrig that might account for the "oily spot" on the floor.....

When I looked INSIDE of the refrig for any holes that might allow leaking condensation to escape, I found a rather large gap under the cooling fins in the refrig. I've taken photos, but because I could only take a frontal shot it was not possible to show this gap.

This might account for why I never see much condensation coming from the hose that extends outside the RV!

I've done my best to SKETCH what I found.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pQ7...ew?usp=sharing



Has anyone else noticed such a GAP directly under their refrigerator cooling fins?

[Dusty]

Ice maker water line?

[bobnelms]

No ice maker. No water line. Just a mystery