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Topic: Hail Damage Water Leak Source? (Read 748 times) previous topic - next topic

Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Hoping someone can look at the attached photo and confirm or reject our guess about what's leaking.

Background:  we went through a hailstorm 2 weeks ago.  Our car was totaled.  Skylight, both air conditioning shrouds, refrigerator vent cover, TV antenna — pretty much everything on top of the coach was destroyed.

The present question:  we had heavy, blowing rain two nights ago, coming from the driver's side of the coach.  Susan & I were trapped in the RV park office for 90 minutes during the worst of the rain and lightning.  When we returned to the coach, water was dripping out of the wiring chase in the bedroom that runs across the bed above the headboard (not where the switches and clock are located, but the "drop down" chase under that).  The driver's side nightstand was a "pond." The raised trim edge captured water that traveled straight down the inside back corner of the driver's side bedside cabinet.

The attached photo shows what took place inside the cabinet above the bed on the driver's side.  To take the photo we removed the piece of wood from the far side of that cabinet.  You are looking at the side of the coach in the photo.  The wires running vertically, in the center of the picture, go to the side marker light.

Our guess about what is leaking is that either the red side marker light was hit by hail and is leaking (no visible damage), or the red rear marker light at the far right of the driver's side was hit by hail and is leaking (also no visible damage). 

But there was a significant amount of water on the night stand and you can where water soaked the carpet, the bottom of the piece of light colored wood, and the wood on the sidewall.  Could that much water have traveled along wires?  And water traveled into high areas of side cabinets that are above the driver's side bedroom windows; didn't reach the carpet at the bottom of those cabinets — just the high areas we could see after pulling off the carpeted velcro side panels.

The only other possibility in that area we can think of is the roof/rear cap seal, but it looks tight and well caulked.  The air conditioner condensation is running along the gutter and exiting at the rear of the coach.  Possible?

I was on the roof today and the attachment points of the grab rail are well-caulked.  There are no visible cracks in the roof/cap.  There is nothing else in that area except the red marker lights, side and back. 

Thoughts?
The selected media item is not currently available.Richard & Susan Peck
____________________
1999 40' U320 "Bob Patrick"
(2000 4010 U320 WTFE Floor Plan, Single Slide)
Build #5567  |  MC #17522

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #1 –
All clearance lights are suspect.  It is a good idea to pull them off, clean the lights and the coach, and reinstall with clear silicone around the big hole and the screw holes.  You don't need too much, just enought to make a goos seal.

The joint strip across the top and down the side could be leaking as well. I have never done this but I am sure someone else has.

Sorry you are having to go through all of this.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #2 –
I agree on lights and the trim strip also the screws that hold it down. The air intake is suspect too especially if the rain was really heavy. It would go into slotted vent and that inside area is open to back of cabinets behind camera and then into large intake air pipe. That would also be my guess.
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: John Haygarth –
The air intake is suspect too especially if the rain was really heavy. It would go into slotted vent and that inside area is open to back of cabinets behind camera and then into large intake air pipe.
JohnH

Good comment John!  Probably a good idea to check the condition of the air filter after such a rain event AIr Filter Failure Warning! Don't get Dusted!
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #4 –
I don't have hail damage, but recently a towel on the drivers night stand was damp after being in heavy rain.  Could not find any other wet or damp places.  I'm thinking it is the clearance lights or engine air intake like others suggest.  My clearance lights are on the curved part of the cap!! why there instead of a bit lower where it is flat and more visible?  I think the location was changed on later models.
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #5 –
Richard, since you are already in Texas have you considered heading to NAC to have MOT of the factory go completely though you coach and look for damage? You might even benefit for having your insurance adjuster go through it with the guys in NAC. Just a thought.

Hope things look up for you and Susan soon.
1993 U300 40ft GV SE
Build # 4344

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #6 –
Jeff & Sandy have a good suggestion. Yes, FOT and MOT are busy, but if you're a bit flexible they can probably work you in to at least see what's what. Having the insurance adjuster there, too, would be a big plus.

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #7 –
Thanks, everyone!  We are definitely taking the coach to Nacogdoches for inspection before we accept an insurance settlement from the hailstorm.  Thanks, too, for the reminder about the air intake, John, and pointer to Roger's link, Michelle. 

We'll post again when we know more.  Had a night's relief last night, but heavy rain is forecast again for tonight.  We'll see.  More when we know more.


Richard & Susan
The selected media item is not currently available.Richard & Susan Peck
____________________
1999 40' U320 "Bob Patrick"
(2000 4010 U320 WTFE Floor Plan, Single Slide)
Build #5567  |  MC #17522

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #8 –
I posted a while ago about FT pressurizing the coach to identify air leaks.  I think that's the only foolproof approach to identify all leaks.  BTW, I've seen driven rain come in at the seal between the two panes of window glass.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Jerry Whiteaker –
I don't have hail damage, but recently a towel on the drivers night stand was damp after being in heavy rain.  Could not find any other wet or damp places.  I'm thinking it is the clearance lights or engine air intake like others suggest.  My clearance lights are on the curved part of the cap!! why there instead of a bit lower where it is flat and more visible?  I think the location was changed on later models.
Found a tiny bit of water on the night stand again after a rain, so today I worked on the clearance lights.  One was not working, one was full of water but still worked, and another had moisture inside.  Left the housings in the sun until they were dry.  Cleaned the sockets and applied Corrsion X , caulked, and replaced.  I now realize why they are on the curved part; the 3 in the middle are above the air intake and that is where the curve starts.  The ones on the corners however are a little higher than they should be.  Never noticed that before. 
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt
 

Re: Hail Damage Water Leak Source?

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Jerry Whiteaker –
Found a tiny bit of water on the night stand again after a rain, so today I worked on the clearance lights.  One was not working, one was full of water but still worked, and another had moisture inside.  Left the housings in the sun until they were dry.  Cleaned the sockets and applied Corrsion X , caulked, and replaced.  I now realize why they are on the curved part; the 3 in the middle are above the air intake and that is where the curve starts.  The ones on the corners however are a little higher than they should be.  Never noticed that before. 

Jerry..Those clearance light can really cause havoc....I replaced all of them with new units and sealed upon install. All good now.

Hans
Hans & Marjet
1995 U300 "Ben" (#4719)
3176B Cat,4060HD,Jake
SKP#139131
Motorcade#17579
2006 Honda Element (towed)