Pinpointing Water Entry
Dear RV Doctor:
It appears that I have a leak in the sidewall or roof of my motorhome. I bought the motorhome last year. The dealer said that they performed a “bubble” test that showed that the coach didn’t leak. Shortly after I bought the coach, I found water damage in a drawer that slides to the outside wall area. Since I didn’t think the roof leaked, I started taking the sidewalls apart to see where the water was coming from. It sure seems that there is a lot of stuff going on in the walls of older RVs — mine’s a 2005. I am a contractor and have no problem doing the work; I just need some advice on the roof. Should it be replaced? How far should I take the skin off in order to find where the water is getting in? I have no experience with this type of construction.
John Ruble
Portland, Oregon
Water leaks can be one of the toughest repairs to find and fix in any type of RV. With so many things attached to the roof and sidewalls of every motorhome, it’s no wonder water intrusion is the top cause of expensive motorhome repairs. Sealants can age, components can rack or twist, and screws or rivets can loosen over time. It takes what I call proactive preventive maintenance, which includes periodic visual inspections of literally anything and everything attached to the exterior of the coach.
Still, leaks (air or water) can develop over time and be very difficult to locate. Since water seeks the path of least resistance, the moisture may enter in one location and manifest itself in another. Perhaps the best way to discover exactly where moisture is entering is by having a pressure test done using a SealTech machine. The SealTech method is better than drenching the coach with water, which actually may be more damaging and make it harder to locate the exact point of entry. This test reveals even the slightest of leaks, which, over time, can cause serious damage. To see a video of how this test works, type www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOQ-cJWGY-o into your browser. This service may provide the answer you are seeking before you totally disassemble your motorhome.
I see it as the easiest way to avoid the frustration and to find those entry points with certainty. Your best bet is to locate a shop that has a SealTech machine on hand (a list appears on the company’s Web site — www.rvleaks.com/locations.htm). Once you know where the leak is in your motorhome, you can then take it upon yourself to make the repair if you choose. Whether your dealer used a SealTech machine when they “bubble” tested the motorhome before you bought it, we can only guess.
Tire Cover Color
Dear RV Doctor:
We are looking for new tire covers for our motorhome. Are the white or black covers better and why?
Darryl Cross
Reno, Nevada
The consensus among RV folks seems to be that white tire covers are the better choice. The reason for this is the fact that lighter-color covers reflect heat, and darker covers absorb heat in comparison with lighter colors. So, I tend to agree with the majority on this one.
Bed Lift Malady
Dear RV Doctor:
Recently, one of the gas springs that hold up the queen-size bed in my coach froze up. When I unknowingly put too much pressure on the bed to close it, the mounting block for the gas spring tore loose from the wood framework under the bed. I discovered this only when I arrived home and went to lift the bed. At this point, I propped up the bed and removed the suspect gas spring. I could not collapse the spring with all of my weight placed directly over the end of the rod. I even tried to persuade it with a rubber mallet in case it was being restricted. A couple of days later while I was explaining the problem to my brother, lo and behold, I was able to collapse the spring. Is there anything that affects the operation of gas springs that one should be aware of, such as temperature, altitude, etc.? Thank you for any light you might be able to shed on this situation.
Rick Case
Garry Neff at Hatchlift LLC (www.hatchlift.com), one of the premier suppliers of RV bed lifts, noted that he has seen many examples of poor and/or dangerous bed lift kit installations that are a result of inadequate engineering/design and poor quality control when fitting equipment. Some of the gas springs used are too short, too small in diameter, or do not have the necessary holding force for the application. These shortcomings result in gas springs being subjected to side loading, which may cause them to bend or possibly lock up. However, the most common cause of gas spring lockup is attempting to overextend the gas spring, during which the internal piston assembly is pulled into the small groove on the cylinder. For a bed lift application, the leverage available at the end of the bed could allow someone to inadvertently exert significant force on the gas spring in the open position. For example, the person might attempt to raise the bed a bit higher than normal, which could overextend the gas spring and force the piston into the groove.
Since you ultimately were able to compress the gas spring, it’s possible the gas spring temporarily locked up and the bracket pulled out of the bed frame.
As an aside, it would be very difficult to collapse an 80-to-120-pound gas spring manually. Also, colder temperatures will cause the gas spring to appear slow to move, while warmer temperatures make the spring seem more aggressive, even feeling too strong for the application. The challenge for designers and makers of gas springs has been to find the middle ground for the average motorhome bed.
Stereo Power
Dear RV Doctor:
I own a Type C motorhome and was wondering how the stereo receives its power when the motorhome is plugged in to shore power. Is it powered by the engine battery, the park’s power, or my auxiliary batteries?
Kelly
Fenelon Falls, Ontario
The stereo/radio could be wired to either the chassis battery system or the house battery system in your motorhome. It depends on what your manufacturer decided when the coach was designed. Typically, if the stereo is mounted in the dash, it’s connected to the engine battery. If it’s mounted elsewhere inside the RV, it’s likely connected to the house battery bank. To be 100 percent sure, you will need some electrical measurements to discern which system is powering it. Taking a quick voltage measurement at the stereo and then comparing it to the voltage measurement at each battery bank will give you the answer.
When connected to shore power, it’s not typical for the engine battery to be charged (there are devices out there that can accomplish this, however). Usually only the house battery bank receives a charge when plugged in to shore power. The only way for most chassis batteries to be charged is via the alternator on the engine. There are exceptions, of course.
{loadpositionEndBlurbHouseCalls}