Geoff Beasley Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Hi, We get a wind noise when traveling at 50 mph and above which seems to come from the roof light. I've had a look and the plastic seems to be bowed front to back, when tightened down it is sealed at front and back but there is a 3-4 mm gap at both sides at the middle. Wondered if anyone else has had a similar problem and what, apart from a new top, could be done to cure it. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I stuck thick good quality closed cell foam draught excluder along the unsealed sides of our roof light and that has considerably reduced the wind noise and draughts. Any remaining unsealed bits can be sealed by extra layers of draught excluder. Ask your navigating officer to check it's effectiveness on the road after fitting just to be sure you have not missed a bit! If it does not have a wind deflector that too is worth fitting although you can't do this if your roof only slides open instead of simply hinging upwards. Positive ventilation - as it is euphemistically called - is all very well for so called designers to build in but no quite so much fun for those who have to live with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Geoff HEKI rooflights (depending on model) come in two versions - one with 'permanent ventilation' and the other without it. Essentially, the two are the same product but the latter variant has seals that are left off the former. While there is a need for leisure vehicles to be ventilated at roof level - otherwise the atmosphere inside will rapidly becomes unpleasantly stuffy - motorhome manufacturers tend to err on the side of over-kill when it comes to roof-light ventilation. They also have a nasty habit of fitting cheaper roof-lights designed for caravans (where draughts, rattles and wind-noise while driving don't matter) rather than 'proper' motorcaravan-suitable ones. As Tracker advises, if you can fit a wind-deflector in front of the roof-light that should certainly help. If your HEKI has permanent ventilation and you can obtain 'official' extra seals to fit to it, then that's also worth trying. Otherwise you'll need to DIY seals as Tracker has done, which may well be the most effective method of obtaining a noise-proof joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Beasley Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Hi, Thanks for the advise, the double rubber seal does in fact have gaps in it for ventilation but the problem seems more than that. When the lid is down it is tight on the seals at front and back but there is a tapering gap along the sides amounting to about 4 mm at the centre. It appears that the best solution is a new lid but I guess they don't come cheap so I will try with draft excluder. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Geoff There's some useful HEKI-related stuff on http://www.leisurespares.co.uk/index.php?pg=stock&manuf=Seitz&type=heki-rooflights If your roof-light is the 'piece of wire handle'-operated HEKI 2 type, aimed at the caravan market, then the gap along the sides may be intentional. If it's one of the other HEKI models, that are intended for use on motorhomes or caravans, then you may well have a duff lid. Might be worth you taking a look at a same-model roof-light on another motorhome if you can to check if it's just like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Geoff, I seem to remember you took the Helkioff its hinges. Has this wind noise only appeared since you removed the roof light from the hinges is so it may be that something is now out of alignment Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Alf I believe you may be thinking of Geoff Standish http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=15003&posts=15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Derek, I stand corrected Memory ??? getting old Regards Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Beasley Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hi Derek, I think that you are right re having a duff lid, the noise seems to have got progressively worse during the 3 1/2 years that we have had the van. I emailed Leisurespares to ask the price of a new lid but no reply as yet. I will try draft excluder but I'm also thinking of making a wind deflector from some plastic that I have in the garage but this is where you may be able to help again, do you have any idea how high and at what angle it needs to be and any suggestion for fixing it to the roof? My only idea at present is something like "no nails". Geoff. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Geoff I'd be tempted to purchase a commercially-made wind deflector, rather than try to DIY one. There are several such products, but, if you've got a large (100cm x 80cm approx) HEKI roof-light, then this one would be suitable http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/ventilation/product_18473/Heki_Spoiler_1100mm.aspx?aff=122 If you'd rather take the DIY route, then the photo should give you a fair clue as to what dimensions/shape to employ and where on the roof it should go. (Make sure the roof-light doesn't hit the spoiler when it's open.) Avoid Bob-the-Builder-type adhesives when planning to glue stuff to a motorhome's exterior. Use instead a polyurethane adhesive sealant like SIKAFLEX-512 CARAVAN, making sure that you follow the instructions carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 There are Heki rooflight spoilers here: Heki spoilers You could also try contacting them for the lid itself as they may have one as they do have a load of stuff that's not on their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Beasley Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Many thanks for the help, I'll let you know later how it goes. Geoff. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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