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Old 10-27-2013, 12:53 PM   #1
MAllen
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Cougar 5th Wheel - Polar Package

We have a 2011 Cougar 5th wheel (35') with the Polar Package. Since we purchased the 5th wheel we have had water collecting under the trailer between the Polar package material and the trailer bottom. Camping World said they fixed it, and I just had another RV dealer fix it again. They said the water running down the side of the RV when it rains follows the rounded contours of the shell and water is getting between the Polar package material and collecting. Has anyone has this issue? It's really frustrating, and I am not finding any solutions.

Thanks
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Old 10-27-2013, 01:18 PM   #2
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MAllen -

By the "Polar Package material" I am assuming you are referring to the 1/4" thick, black plastic material (Coroplast) which is screwed to the RV's undercarriage. I've not run into the problem whereby water is running down the sides of the RV, and is collecting in the Coroplast. This is quite unusual. The coroplast should be tucked under sufficiently so as to allow any water coming down the sides, to run off before it reaches the coroplast.

In our unit, there is a fairly large section at the rear part of the RV where the coroplast is about 1 foot or so away from the curved edge bottom with a gap in between. There is no way that any water can find its way down the sides into the coroplast.

On the front portion, there is a section where the coroplast and the rolled, curved siding meet but again any water coming down the sides would not be able makes its way inside the coroplast covering.

Are you sure this is rain water and not water coming off the road while you are driving in wet, rainy conditions?

I'd try spraying some water at the sides and watch its path as it makes its way to the bottom and watch what it does. Does it fall off before it reaches the coroplast or does it continue to flow to and into it? If it does appear to somehow flow into the coroplast, try running a heavy bead of caulking/sealant where the two meet. Make sure both surfaces are clean and dry before applying.

As a stop gap, you might consider drilling a drain hole or two at a couple of places where the coroplast sags or droops a bit to allow any water to drain out. Be careful drilling and go in just enough to come out the other side.

Let us know how you make out.
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Old 10-27-2013, 01:45 PM   #3
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When washing our Montana, when the water runs down the siding it sometimes gets to the holes in the Coroplast and runs to the opposite side if it at a lower point, the first time this happened I thought I had a leak somewhere.
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Old 10-28-2013, 04:43 PM   #4
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We have a friend who has a 2005 Cougar and I think the Polar Pack is basically sealed with something on the bottom and a heat duct to keep plumbing from freezing. I am under the assumption that all travel trailers/fifth wheels have the Coroplast on the bottoms but I could be wrong. Water running down the sides and then out the bottom seems logical.
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Old 10-28-2013, 05:02 PM   #5
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I am under the assumption that all travel trailers/fifth wheels have the Coroplast on the bottoms but I could be wrong. Water running down the sides and then out the bottom seems logical.

The Coroplast is supposed to be "sealed" and without holes. Anyone who has bothered to look at it will soon discover it is neither. There are, for example, openings where the low point drains protrude and where the pull valves are for the tanks. Some of these openings have been spayed with foam in an attempt to seal them up.

There are no special, dedicated openings for any water that has made its way down the sides and into the underbelly/Coroplast to flow out. Rainwater flowing down the sides of the unit should not be ending up in the underbelly. If it does, it would build up and the weight of it would cause the Coroplast to sag and to soak any insulation that happens to be close to the bottom to become waterlogged.

The Coroplast and underbelly wasn't designed to allow water to escape "out the bottom" and isn't logical IMO. Something "isn't right" if there is a buildup of water in the underbelly sitting on top of the Coroplast.
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Old 10-28-2013, 06:45 PM   #6
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It is possible for this to happen and it happens to me. It happens on my Passport running down the outside rear wall and then under the edge into the space as you stated. I ended up sealing the area up and for extra insurance I drilled an 1/8" hole in the lowest point of each section of under belly. The is no insulation in my space. A little water getting in there won't hurt in my case as long as it can quickly drain out.
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Old 10-28-2013, 06:59 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Terrydactile View Post
It is possible for this to happen and it happens to me. It happens on my Passport running down the outside rear wall and then under the edge into the space as you stated. I ended up sealing the area up and for extra insurance I drilled an 1/8" hole in the lowest point of each section of under belly. The is no insulation in my space. A little water getting in there won't hurt in my case as long as it can quickly drain out.
Terrydactile -

I'm not saying that it isn't possible for this to happen. What I am trying to say is that it shouldn't be happening. If you hadn't taken the steps you did by sealing up the area and drilling a drain hole, you too would end up with a pile of water sitting on top of the coroplast.

If this were normal and to be expected, why aren't there pre-drilled holes in the Coroplast to allow for this "run off" and accumulation of rain water?
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Old 10-28-2013, 07:17 PM   #8
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We've had a couple of members report that water runs down their back wall and into the coroplast, which indicates that it is possible, in some circumstances, for water to flow off the walls and into the space above the coroplast. On many of the Keystone products, the coroplast is only used between the frame rails. There is nothing from the frame rail to the lower skirting on the trailer. On those models, there's little chance of water seeping into the coroplast from the outside walls as it would have to travel uphill, across the bottom of the RV floor and down the frame rail to enter the coroplast.

However, on some of the "higher end" models, the side skirting rolls under and joins the frame rail. If the coroplast is below this rolled skirting, water can conceivably seep from the outside wall, along the rolled skirt and onto the coroplast. If there's a void in the sealant, it could enter the coroplast.

If (on the other hand), the side skirting is below the coroplast, the water will simply drip off the skirting without entering the coroplast as it would overlap the coroplast.

I've seen some Airstreams with rolled lower skirting completely fill the basement (below the main floor of the travel trailer) and short out the univolt system as well as flood the heat ducting. They have a metal underbelly and trying to dry that out is a real mess compared to opening a couple of holes in coroplast.

There's good and bad with every construction technique LOL
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Old 10-29-2013, 03:35 AM   #9
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Had this happen to me after driving through a really heavy rain storm. I found out that the very flimsy alum. strips on three sides and just the propane pipe securing the forward underbelly piece weren't doing it well. Picked up some "U" channel alum. at a big box hardware store and a tube of silicone sealant and re-did it all. No more water there, although I haven't really checked the rest of the underbelly yet - one of my punch list items.
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Old 10-29-2013, 05:30 AM   #10
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Anyone who bought a Keystone trailer because of the Polar or Arctic package and with the intent of using it in extended cold weather should do a little investigating. The "R" insulation values for the roof, walls, and floor are minimal. Their claim to fame seems to be a 2" heat duct that is directed to the tank area. I was unable to find even that on my trailer. Unless they have changes their design and construction, there is also no underneath insulation, either in the form of rolled insulation or foil quilted material. If you pull the cabinetry facings off of the water heater and furnace areas, you will find big hold cut for duct, electrical, and water lines with no foam sealing around them. I'm not saying you didn't buy a good product, just that it may not perform according to the salesman's and the brochure's claims.
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Old 11-02-2013, 09:37 AM   #11
MAllen
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Thank you all for your feedback. I think I will try to seal the edges with silicone or something similar; I discovered that when I had the RV center look at the issue and fix, they really didn't do anything except drill hole in bottom. I will see if the sealing works and if the water build up continues I may simply remove the material as I live in a moderate climate and the under belly material really is serving no purpose.

Thanks, again.
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Old 11-02-2013, 12:47 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MAllen View Post
Thank you all for your feedback. I think I will try to seal the edges with silicone or something similar; I discovered that when I had the RV center look at the issue and fix, they really didn't do anything except drill hole in bottom. I will see if the sealing works and if the water build up continues I may simply remove the material as I live in a moderate climate and the under belly material really is serving no purpose.

Thanks, again.
The coroplast serves multiple functions. Keystone advertises it as a part of the Polar Package, but in addition to that, it helps stop turbulance under the RV during towing and improves fuel mileage. It also serves to keep all the wires, cables, heat ducts, tanks, plumbing that are under it out of sight and protected from road debris during travel. It also helps protect against rodents who would "love to chew" on those structures and also helps keep them out of your RV. I'd urge you not to take it off, there's a lot more to the coroplast than just "polar" protection !!!

Once you take down a bit of the coroplast and peek inside, you'll see what I mean about all the "stuff" that's "stuffed" inside it with no rhyme or reason as to how to protect it if the coroplast comes off.
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Old 11-03-2013, 07:41 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
The coroplast serves multiple functions. Keystone advertises it as a part of the Polar Package, but in addition to that, it helps stop turbulance under the RV during towing and improves fuel mileage. It also serves to keep all the wires, cables, heat ducts, tanks, plumbing that are under it out of sight and protected from road debris during travel. It also helps protect against rodents who would "love to chew" on those structures and also helps keep them out of your RV. I'd urge you not to take it off, there's a lot more to the coroplast than just "polar" protection !!!

Once you take down a bit of the coroplast and peek inside, you'll see what I mean about all the "stuff" that's "stuffed" inside it with no rhyme or reason as to how to protect it if the coroplast comes off.
Agreed. When I dropped mine in a couple of places to run wires, I found wiring, plumbing lines, and duct just laying on the coroplast, unsupported otherwise. I think the coroplast provides a protection against aid turbulence under the frame when traveling mores that any other reason. Constant wind and road debris flying under the trailer at 65MPH, would do a lot of damage particularly to the heater ducting, which is pretty flimsy, no doubt another cost-cutting measure by KS.
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Old 11-03-2013, 08:21 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
The coroplast serves multiple functions. Keystone advertises it as a part of the Polar Package, but in addition to that, it helps stop turbulance under the RV during towing and improves fuel mileage. It also serves to keep all the wires, cables, heat ducts, tanks, plumbing that are under it out of sight and protected from road debris during travel. It also helps protect against rodents who would "love to chew" on those structures and also helps keep them out of your RV. I'd urge you not to take it off, there's a lot more to the coroplast than just "polar" protection !!!

Once you take down a bit of the coroplast and peek inside, you'll see what I mean about all the "stuff" that's "stuffed" inside it with no rhyme or reason as to how to protect it if the coroplast comes off.
I believe one reason Keystone used coroplast on the bottom is that it allowed them to build the trailer mostly from the "bottom up" rather than "top down". With the coroplast installed first, they can then run all the wiring etc. in the basement and pull it up as they build and not really have to secure it. Without it, most of that would have to have been run in the ceiling and I'll bet take longer to build.

Nice thing is that it also makes it easier for us to tap into wiring, plumbing etc. for Mods by dropping the coroplast rather than having to fish around in the ceiling.
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Old 11-09-2013, 08:22 AM   #15
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We have a 2012 327RES and it also collects water when it rains, but only if I'm traveling. It seems to me like it is splashing in around the wheel area. We have experienced heavy rains at our camp sites and I never get rain in the coroplast then. The water drips out at the low line drain area, but I sure don't like the way the plastic insulation cover saggs... I think the post by WaltBennett will help me find the source of the leak as that is by the wheel well..
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