Mel E Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 When designing our new motorhome, I specified a mini Heki and a mid sized one. Both were fitted fine, but the mini Heki has A MAJOR PROBLEM. All Hekis are available with and without ventilation that works even when the skylight is closed - so you can leave your gas heater burning overnight if you so wish - and both my Hekis are the ventilated type. Both have a concertina 'blackout' blind for night time. But, whereas the midi Heki's blind is guided on a wire, the min's just runs along a U-section slot. Obviously, when fully closed and stretched out, the blind concertinas are at about 45 degrees to the vertical and thus do not occupy the full vertical height of the slot. They can thus move up and down and do so if there is the slightest breeze outside, EVEN WHEN THE SKYLIGHT IS CLOSED. The resulting rattle keeps you awake. I have been in correspondence for 6 months with Dometic (Seitz owners) and eventually got my message across with a short movie. They tell me that this is a recognised problem and a new internal part, with the blind guided differently is now in production and a replacement for the internal part of the blind will be available as a spare part next year. Whilst this is a solution of sorts, I am astonished that a company as supposedly reputable as Dometic should sell a fitting that has a clear design flaw, and yet not offer to provide the replacement part f.o.c. I shall be pressing further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Mel E , Not Glad to see you have the same problem..What's worse is when I wake up I have a stiff neck. Have taken to putting a pillow up inside now .. Which I might add damages the blinds eventualy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAS Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Have you checked to see whether there is a rubber fitted around the bottom of the mini skylight? We had three minis fitted to our Talisman and the fitter forgot to put the rubbers on! This made them draughty and whistle when travelling, so hubby pulled the blinds over to stop the whistle and the blinds almost got sucked out when we pulled off again! :-S Rubbers fitted now though and much better. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Oh yes ............only 3 rubers oneside totally left off next to its neighour that dam Gas thingy anyway company in Newark said we can't do it as its supposed to be like that.................? I ask you waht is the point of making a heki with a gail force sit next to a bloody big Gas thingy so it's like to big bloody heki's over your head in bed.....both with wind and blinds rattling. given up now no point ...Camper went back a month ago for various repairs and is worse than ever still no reversing camera still shower door off the rail still no occassional table .........it's a DIY job and a lost sale for them....still used to the gloves scarfe nose warmer hot water bottle... :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 Sorry, but these mini-Hekis come without rubbers (the British Not the4 US meaning, of course!). Further correspondence with Dometic, where I asked (assumed) that the replacement part would be free of charge as this was a clear (and admitted) design fault got very short shrift. My previously very helpful contact replied in high dudgeon that she was only trying to help me ('out of the goodness of her heart' was implied) and if I was going to ask questions like this, I could take them elsewhere!!! Our current temporary fix is very simple: we insert a small strip of soft, thin foam between the blind and the bottom edge of the track before retiring. It completely solves the problem. One caution with both mini and midi (and probably maxi) Hekis: they do not like you to close a hinged door (eg, driver or passenger) when drawn across. If you do, the blind folds itself up in the middle and tries to get pushed out through the top of the skylight. Now I know why so many converters are switching to Remis Blinds . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 MelI haven't tried slamming doors when our Remis rooflights are open with the blackouts closed, but I strongly suspect the result would be identical! The closing door, if travelling quickly, causes quite a surge in internal air pressure, albeit momentary. I'd guess that pressure difference would be quite sufficient to blow the blackout blind concertina fabric out of its tracks if the rooflight were open. I don't think Remis blinds would fare any better, under the same circumstances.It's a bit like the old VW beetle, where you couldn't slam the doors with the windows closed. The resulting air cushion always stopped the door before it got to the latch plate. In the case of a van conversion such as yours, the doors are a tighter, better sealed, fit and the internal volume relatively smaller, than with the average coachbuilt. I suspect this just exaggerates the tendency for the closing door to create a transient air pressure bubble. Softly, softly, closee door!From letters in the Caravan Club mag a while back, I gained the impression that the Hekis come in two versions. One has perimeter air seals and one does not, the latter being intended for use where permanent ventilation is provided by other means. Someone who had experienced drafts had written to say they had been able to buy the Heki seals as a spare, and fit them.Apparently Heki had been rather coy about admitting that the only difference between the two types was, in fact, the presence or not, of the seals. Their supposition seemed to be that if people knew about this, they would all rush out and get the seals, to be rid of cold drafts, and in the process negate their statutory permanent ventilation provision. In buying the seals, therefore, it seems one should not state the true reason! What was not clear, was whether this applied to all Hekis, but I think the main subject of the letter was the large Heki.Don't know if you have got the seals yet, but if not you may find being less honest works better! However, if you can/do fit the seals, you may need to add a permanent vent somewhere where it won't cause a draft, just to keep the condensation at bay.Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Brian, Yes, I was aware of the seals. There are two versions of all Heki skylights: ventilated and unventilated. The former have air passage even when the skylight is closed and the design problem is that this air is vented ABOVE the concertina night blind, so any sudden air movement causes the screen to move up and down in its slot. And, yes, I do want the ventilation, so I need this problem solving. Having carefully avoided a Dometic fridge (we got Waeco) and the horrible Dometic cassette loo, I should have known better with the skylights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 MelI haven't looked all all the variants, but our own, Remis, rooflights, which are sealed, share this characteristic.What I think is needed, is a rooflight with the ventilation provided through the frame, to the side of the opening. I have to say, though, I haven't seen one with that feature. Such ventilation would have to be arranged via a light trap, so as to maintain the blackout, and may present a bit of a cleaning challenge. I suspect that level of design is getting a bit sophisticated and detailed for the present designers!My gripe with ours, is that the inner frame doesn't hinge down, so that the flyscreen mesh and blackout blind can be cleaned of all the leaves and insects that drift when they are open for ventilation. Oh, and higher rear "kerbs", so that they can be opened for ventilation when it is raining without splashes coming inside. However, the latter does seem to be a feature of the Seitz/Dometic product, so you win there! I suggested to Remis they should do likewise, but got the usual NIH response!By the way, have you checked your inbox? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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