2026 Thrive 22MLS Travel Trailer caulking on backside of solar panels

[Karli22mls]

Hi all!
I am new to the forum. Just bought a 2026 Thrive 22MLS, and I noticed that there appears to be no caulk on the backside of the (factory installed) solar panel brackets. See the two pictures below.

Is that as expected, or should I be worried about possible water intrusion? What does everybody else see with their factory solar installation?

Thanks a lot for any advise on this!

 

[Gunny Rio]

I also found this same condition on a 2022 1708FB. After closer inspection I concluded that the fasteners are on the outside of the panel and that sealant blob covered the fasteners. Ultimately I removed the sealant and the fasteners applied fresh sealant bed under the bracket, then reinstalled the bracket & fasteners, then finally re applied sealant over the top and behind the bracket ensuring 100% coverage. Probably over-killl, but the consequence of a leak just gets my shorts in a knot.

 

[Karli22mls]

My thought is to go up there and apply more Dicor generously to the backside of the brackets. I am just not sure if it's needed. It sounds like this is the way Winnebago does it for all their panels?
Maybe more people will chime in to confirm!

 

[Morich]

If I was adding something to the roof, that is the way I would do it as sealers work better when they are hidden!
When exposed to weather they degrade much quicker. That leaves putting the sealer between the bracket and the roof is the better way to go. Adding it as an afterthought where it is exposed to weather just makes it go bad quicker and also looks sloppy!

When you have a new roof that is not all dirty like this one, the best place to place a seal is on the roof before we add the bracket as it is hidden, both from us and the weather! The part that is hidden is going to last much better than what you can see when the weather gets to it!

When you get around to checking the lights and all the other things, it is important to pull the light off and add sealer between the light and RV, then as a second line of defense, I also add sealers around the edges with only a small opening at the bottom as a drain for any that does get under.

 

[Karli22mls]

If I was adding something to the roof, that is the way I would do it as sealers work better when they are hidden!
When exposed to weather they degrade much quicker. That leaves putting the sealer between the bracket and the roof is the better way to go. Adding it as an afterthought where it is exposed to weather just makes it go bad quicker and also looks sloppy!

When you have a new roof that is not all dirty like this one, the best place to place a seal is on the roof before we add the bracket as it is hidden, both from us and the weather! The part that is hidden is going to last much better than what you can see when the weather gets to it!

When you get around to checking the lights and all the other things, it is important to pull the light off and add sealer between the light and RV, then as a second line of defense, I also add sealers around the edges with only a small opening at the bottom as a drain for any that does get under.

Are you referring to the tail light assemblies?

 

[Morich]

Any place where there is an item on the surface, either walls or roof, are prone to having wires that go through to the deeper inside. Some are caulking type , while other seals are rubber type more like what I call a gasket. But any type seal is prone to break down over time and let water get in or under that item. What can happen is that water can then get on the wires and follow them away from the light until they find something like a hole going through wood.
More rain to leak in the North but more sun to eat the sealsin the South?

Easy to miss as it is all hidden away out of sight, so if we give it time enough, the first notice we get may be bumps forming under the wall covering. If we spot small bumps, (1/16 inch or so?) that may be our first notice that the wall under that covering may be about ready to crumble into dirt!
Pimples are natural for humans, not for RV! If looking at RV and spotting pimples on the walls, consider walking faster!
One of my ways to get money when it was hard to do, was buying old RV which many considered junk! So I quickly learned some of the things I wanted to avoid and rot was a biggie!
Tailinghts are one to look carefully as they can often have wires going through the outer covering and then leading further into the RV, where they may go through a different layer of wood. It is not at all hard to find taillights that are leaking and the wall inside the rear compartment is beginning to form the small bubbles! But we have to be aware and look very carefully before buying as that damage may only be a small spot 6-8 inches wide or a spot 20X30! If it gets into rotting wooden framing, it can be a bear to repair!
But the same is true of the clearance lights along the top front or back. The front seems to be more trouble due to the wind forcing water in as we drive and also that space is often hidden by front overhead cabinets in many RV.
I like to tell myself I keep ahead of sealing on RV. But I fully admit that I am prone to lying to myself!


What I "think" you are seeing and is good enough as it gets sealer on and in the hole as the attachment goes down and the pressure spreads the sealer !


If it is done when all is new and clean there is no big cleaning needed to prep the surface like we need to do after it gets dirty!