Water collecting under slide awning

Suncruiser Ron · 08-10-2009, 09:03 AM

This weekend we had water leaking into the coach at the ceiling seal due to water collecting under the slide awning. We have auto leveling and the system says that the coach is level.I verified being level using a bubble level in the fridge. I can remove the water by retracting the slide slightly thus dropping the outside edge of the slide, This has never happened before. Is it normal to have water collect on top of the slide under the awning?

dirko · 08-10-2009, 09:12 AM

Hi Ho Ron: We've never had that happen, but out here it hardly ever rains. Where does the water come from? Have you had horizontal rain storms. I expect that if the wind blows hard enough while it is raining water could get under the slide topper.

Dirk

GG1 · 08-10-2009, 09:18 AM

It happened once in seven years, we stopped for an overnight while traveling we had a heavy rain at night and when I put the livingroom slide in it ran off into the living area. If I had left the slide out for a few hrs it probably would have dried or drained off.

DancinCampers · 08-10-2009, 11:02 AM

I had it happen once, rear top corner of LR slide, before I replaced our worn toppers.

In reality, water should not intrude with/with out toppers. It turned out that the top seal near the corner had shrunk slightly & was not making contact with the top of the slide. Adjusted & been fine since.

Mine was easy because it was near the side of the slide. Would be much harder if adjustment was needed midway.

AFChap · 08-10-2009, 12:45 PM

We that the problem with the large galley/lounge slide off and on in the first 2-3 years we owned our coach, normally when wind would blow water under the topper. When I took it in under warranty, the dealer found two screw holes in the top of the slide near the microwave. They caulked those holes and did not go further. About six months later, we had a leak in the top of the slide again. After discussing it with Winnebago, I removed the topper roller and laid the awning back over on the roof, then I painfully pulled the upper seal out of the way a bit at a time and caulked the top inner joint of the slide from end to end (this is what Winnebago had told the dealer to do in the first place). That cured the problem.

About a year after that, the DW shieked early one morning that cold water was dripping on her from above while in bed. There is more clearance between the roof and the top slide molding on the bedroom slide, so I was able to caulk the inner joint there from the inside with the slide retracted -- working with a small mirror to see what I was doing. Again, caulking that joint cured the problem.

Mutt · 08-10-2009, 02:36 PM

Yes, water will stand on top under the canopy. Mine does. The top seal came loose and would catch when slide went in and out. Had to loosen the canopy from the slide, lay it on top of the coach and run the slide out. I used windshield sealer to reattach the seal. So far it appears to be holding. Might want to try and take a look at yours and see if that may be your problem. Hopefully, someone else can provide additional assistance. Take care.
David

Wayne M · 08-10-2009, 08:40 PM

All the above: I really think you have a contact problem with the slide and seal. What you see when you are looking from the outside is the "wiper" seal. That is no the seal for the slide when it is extended, it is just to wipe the water off when retracting. There should be one on the top also.

If I were to check it I would use a flash light on a dark night. Have a person on the inside shine the flashlight all around the slide opening seal with another person outsid. If you see light, you have a potential leak. Your refrigerator, typically, can be 3 degrees off level side to side, and 6 degrees off level front to back as looking at the front of the refrigerator (current model), so if it is raining and you need to drain the water, just raise the opposite side a 1/2, or so, inch and let the water drain.

Define "level" in the RV world. I always wonder if the MH was level when the old world craftsman installed the refrigerator. I really don't think so. I'm tempted to crawl underneath and put a level on a frame part, and then check an area inside as a referenece.

Oh, and for the automatic leveling system. Who calibrated it. I can calibrate mine on the fly with a push of a few buttons when I think it is level. I wonder how they did it at the mfg plant.

scottma · 08-10-2009, 09:29 PM

You might consider this:
After a hard rain , drain any standing water before retracting the slide. Use your leveling system to tilt each slide down and forward . I have done this and it works like a charm.

Suncruiser Ron · 08-11-2009, 02:14 PM

I believe that I may have found my problem. Upon closer inspection I found the situation as shown in the attached photo:

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Name: Slide seal.jpg
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There is no caulking along the seam between the slide top & the slanted section.

To "AFChap & Mutt" you both mentioned folding the slide topped back over the roof in order to access the slide seal. Could you please provide the procedure to disconnect & fold back the awning. My slide is between 15-20 ft long. I guess my prime concern is to lock the spring mechanism.

Any help would be appreciated.

AFChap · 08-11-2009, 07:19 PM

Ron -- my toppers are Carefree, but probably work similarly to A&E & others. My carefree rollers are spring loaded on the left end (when standing on the ground facing the slide). My rollers are covered so I have to first remove the cover. Then I stick a coat hanger wire or small nail into a hole on the end of the roller to "pin" the tension. I can pull a bit a slack in the topper to move the roller to get the pin in the hole if necessary. Then removing a bolt in the end of the roller turns it loose to simple pull off the other end -- or removing a bolt at the other end also can make it a little easier. Having a helper on the other end would be very nice! Then I simply laid the awing over on the roof without rolling up the loose fabric.

ONE COMMENT ON YOUR PICTURE ABOVE -- the seams I had to caulk on BOTH of my slides is not the one you indicate. In fact, I don't believe I can see that type of seam on the inner side of my slides, but I do have one like toward the outer edge. The seam I had to caulk is back underneath the flapper seal where the horizontal slide top meets the vertical flange -- you have to pull the flapper seal up to see it/get to it.