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Topic: Am I all wet?  (Read 1210 times) previous topic - next topic

Am I all wet?

We had a major rainstorm with a lot of wind, that just finished Saturday morning. I walked into coach on Sunday and the floor in the kitchen is soaking wet. There is no evidence of water coming from the ceiling or the walls or the single window above the kitchen sink. On that side of the coach (left) there is only one opening outside, the furnace. I looked inside the furnace on Sunday (24 hours after the rain stopped) it was still damp. Is it possible for rain to be driven into the furnace and run across the floor? And if so, what do I do about it other than taping up the furnace unless it is in use?

The coach is listing slightly to the right, since it is just sitting in the driveway without the HWH engaged. The furnace is on the left side of the coach and the evidence is clear that the water ran from left to right. I have already winterized the coach, so there is no chance the water came from a leaky water system.

This is the second time this has happened. One other time we were in Texas and a wind driven rain caused the carpet to get soaked in the same area. I never did figure it out.

Thanks
Kevin
Kevin and Donna
2000 Foretravel U295 Build #5613
2002 Jeep Wrangler
Motorcader #18561

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #1
Look under the refrigerator.  I had water come either from the roof  or the Back AC opening.  When I looked under the refrigerator at the platform it sat on it was wet along with in the cabinet. below.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #2
You're not all wet but your floor is wet.  From the rain water.  The propane furnaces need to be installed with the inside end a little higher than the outside end.  Check to make sure the caulking is in good shape.  The bezel needs to be sealed to the outside and the inside edge of the furnace "plenum" needs to be sealed to the bezel.  Use a good butyl rubber caulk.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #3
Look under the refrigerator.  I had water come either from the roof  or the Back AC opening.  When I looked under the refrigerator at the platform it sat on it was wet along with in the cabinet. below.

No water under the fridge. It's on the right side of the coach.

Kevin
Kevin and Donna
2000 Foretravel U295 Build #5613
2002 Jeep Wrangler
Motorcader #18561

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #4
I've had water come in from the fridge vent and would like to replace it with a solid door as I
have a residential fridge. I would glass it in but I need access to the back of the fridge. Does
anyone know if anyone makes an access door to replace the fridge vent.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #5
Cut a piece of plywood that matches your fridge access door and use it in place of the vented door. Keep in mind that residential fridges may need air circulation, depending on where their condenser coil is, with some on outside back, built-in side wall, under fridge blowing out into room, etc. There is always a condenser, and it is always warm.

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #6
When we had our residential refrigerator installed FOT made a sliding plywood door so that we could open it for access to the back of the refrigerator if needed and allow air circulation when hot. I have it closed now as it is only 55 out and very windy.

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #7
I have it insulated to keep the heat and cold out. The roof vent Is gone and fiber glass over.
I just want a nice looking door the water can't get in.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #8
I just replaced that water leaking fridge vent with a insulated door from Challenger Door. I do have a residential fridge.
Larry
Larry & Debbie Town
2000 U320 4210 
Previous 88 GV

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #9
Thanks Larry that's just what I was looking. Looks great.
Peter
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #10
No water under the fridge. It's on the right side of the coach.

Kevin

Kevin,

Sorry the thread "took a left turn".

Any luck in locating the source of your leak?

Have you tried to duplicate it with a hose?

Anything on the roof anywhere close to above the leak?

Pictures?
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #11
I re-read the problem and did not see if the coach had a slide-out or not. If bladder lost air, it would leave a gap for rain to enter when wind driven rain.
Future Foretravel Owners
2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
Retired USAF, Retired DOD Civ's
FAA A&P, Indust. Eng., Acft Depot Lvl. Maint.
Larry and Becky Rountree

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #12
Kevin,

Sorry the thread "took a left turn".

Any luck in locating the source of your leak?

Have you tried to duplicate it with a hose?

Anything on the roof anywhere close to above the leak?

Pictures?

The problem is that the furnace is in the side of the coach but there is no way to access it from inside the coach that I can see. It is back behind or under the kitchen sink cabinets. The water appeared to run from under those cabinets. So, I have to think that is the problem. Even though the furnace may be slightly tilted to the outside to let the water run out, the fact that the coach was slightly tilted to the right and the wind came from the left, I do believe that has to be the problem.

Just wondering if anybody else has ever experienced it and if there is any way around it, other than just putting some type of cover over that opening when not in use. I thought about forming some kind of a hood to go over it, but I don't have anything baked in my mind yet.

Kevin
Kevin and Donna
2000 Foretravel U295 Build #5613
2002 Jeep Wrangler
Motorcader #18561

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #13
I re-read the problem and did not see if the coach had a slide-out or not. If bladder lost air, it would leave a gap for rain to enter when wind driven rain.

Thanks for asking but no slides in this coach.

Kevin
Kevin and Donna
2000 Foretravel U295 Build #5613
2002 Jeep Wrangler
Motorcader #18561

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #14
Kevin, not sure on your coach, but there are a lot of water lines and drain line under the kitchen cabinets.  You should be able to open the bottom cover off and examine that area.  It should just lift off.  Another way is pull the bottom drawer and take a look.  It is hard to believe that water came in through the vent on the heater, but possible.  Hope you find your leak, nothing more frustrating.
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #15
Kevin, I had the same model so if you have a grille under the bank of vertical drawers in bedroom take it off and there is sone access. The grille under the drawer below stove is another access as well as removing the bottom drawer in right side of kitchen counter to right of sink. You can also pull out sliding drawer under sink and remove screws in panel below that . At the rear wall there you will find drain pipes and lines as it may be leaking from a fitting not heater.
Check all these places I mentioned.
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: Am I all wet?

Reply #16
Kevin, not sure on your coach, but there are a lot of water lines and drain line under the kitchen cabinets.  You should be able to open the bottom cover off and examine that area.  It should just lift off.  Another way is pull the bottom drawer and take a look.  It is hard to believe that water came in through the vent on the heater, but possible.  Hope you find your leak, nothing more frustrating.

As I stated in the first post, there is absolutely zero water in the motorhome right now. It has been winterized, but thanks for weighing in.

Kevin
Kevin and Donna
2000 Foretravel U295 Build #5613
2002 Jeep Wrangler
Motorcader #18561

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #17
Kevin, I had the same model so if you have a grille under the bank of vertical drawers in bedroom take it off and there is sone access. The grille under the drawer below stove is another access as well as removing the bottom drawer in right side of kitchen counter to right of sink. You can also pull out sliding drawer under sink and remove screws in panel below that . At the rear wall there you will find drain pipes and lines as it may be leaking from a fitting not heater.
Check all these places I mentioned.
Johnh

You are referring to the rear furnace. I'm referring to the mid-coach furnace.

Kevin
Kevin and Donna
2000 Foretravel U295 Build #5613
2002 Jeep Wrangler
Motorcader #18561


Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #19
You are referring to the rear furnace. I'm referring to the mid-coach furnace.

Kevin
[/quote
is that one not under the sofa/bed, mine was
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.

SPLIT: Need help with interior water leak

Reply #20
One or more of the messages of this topic have been moved to https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=48495.0
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: Am I all wet?

Reply #21
Rain water entered our coach on one occasion during a very hard wind driven rain.  The rain water entered through the weep holes in the bottom of the windows on drivers side of the coach and back filled the window tracks to overflow.  We happened to get up during the nighttime  storm and noticed wet carpet near dining area.  Shortly after rain and wind stopped, the window track's drained out the weep holes.  If we had not gotten up, we probably would not have noticed where the water came from.  This has only happened once.  Weather predicted hard wind driven rain in our area for two nights after the leaks so I put tape over the weep holes and that solved the problem.  A rare occurrence but a possibility. 
Bill and Joyce, The House2 and Dashboard Pig III
2000 U320 4210 CAI (The House2)
Build # 5733
2019 F150 King Ranch FX4

 

Re: Am I all wet?

Reply #22
Somewhat related as it might tell you the moment it happens.  I have 4.
One in the dump bay.
One in the water pump area.
One under the kit sink.
And one with the sensor under the toilet drain.
 
 They work great and will alert to a low battery which takes a year or 2.  The most used one is in the water pump area cause the seal around the W heater sucks. Goes off every time I wash it or a hard rain.  I've learned exactly where the water appears first so the sensor is there and I can address it immediately. When I remember I've tried duck taping the water heater vent and that solves the problem.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR