Piloters2 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 We have a 7 year old Pilote Galaxy which we love but have a problem with our Heki roof window which leaks if Pearl is not parked on her ramps. The water ingress seems to be from the front edge only, could it be the rubber seal? Any suggestions greatly appreciated. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 How long has it been leaking - I assume not from new? Assuming the leak is a relatively recent development, my guess is that the sealant between the roof and the rooflight frame has broken down, or possibly was never quite right. If so, the cure will be to remove rooflight and frame, carefully clean off all old sealant, clean and dry everything thoroughly, and then re-seal the frame back to the roof under dry conditions. If the leak is from a gasket seal between the rooflight glazing and its frame, then I think for some reason there is way too much water accumulating on the roof, and you should first investigate why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piloters2 Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 Thanks, tried your first suggestion last year - used Sikkaflex to re-seat and seal. Is it a DIY job to replace the rubber seal do you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southender Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 It all depends on which Sikaflex you used ? You might not be able to remove the Heki again without damaging it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 The exact make and model of the rooflight would help. There are many and they are makes and types generically referred to as 'Hekis'. I have replaced a rubbers seal in a rooflight before but it was only a ventilation, not a water seal. As Brian said it's likely that the cause of the problem is something else. When does it happen?, parked / driving / rain blowing in from one particular direction etc. As above, if you used the popular Sikaflex 512 it'll take some shifting and will need cheeswire / blades to cut through the adhesive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 From my sailing days I recall that Sikaflex can be softened with petrol, at least some types can. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Could it be that the leak is actually somewhere else, eg TV aerial or heater flue?, and it is only showing inside where the water is finding a way out of the roof structure? Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogermash Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I too suffered the same problem on the rear heki of my adria twin. My drive is on a slight slope and after heavy rain I would find water in the van. I had it professionally sealed twice. then it did it a third time! I then remembered looking at the heki pdf and noticing that the inner seal, that's the one you see when you lift the hatch, should be super glued together, and also glued over the springs. one tube of glue later and no more leaks! The water was rising under the clear Perspex at the back and running round inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 before you start tearing things apart.......There is an ongoing problem with Heki's and that is the washers/seals that sit under bolts that clamp the unit together perish allowing water ingress. it is a 15 minute job, well it was at my Belgian dealers done under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 We don't have water coming in ours. We do have tiny seeds from tress etc getting in and laying on the fly screen, then of course getting into van. More annoying than anything else. Yesterday OH put rubber back tape all around the outside (on roof). This had made a much better contact now, so hopefully will have solved the problem. Going away next week in it, so will be able to test it! Hope you solve your water ingress PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 rogermash - 2013-09-18 10:02 AM I too suffered the same problem on the rear heki of my adria twin. My drive is on a slight slope and after heavy rain I would find water in the van. I had it professionally sealed twice. then it did it a third time! I then remembered looking at the heki pdf and noticing that the inner seal, that's the one you see when you lift the hatch, should be super glued together, and also glued over the springs. one tube of glue later and no more leaks! The water was rising under the clear Perspex at the back and running round inside. I'm puzzled by this, and by the OP. If water is entering by lapping over the upstand kerb around the rooflight, as opposed to through the clamping bolts Eddie refers to (or elsewhere), there must be a considerable build-up of water on the roof. Most such kerbs stand at least an inch above the surrounding roof, even at their lowest point. In the absence of any other source of leakage, the reason for any such build-up should be investigated as a matter of some urgency. Motorhome roof design is generally somewhat inadequate, but is certainly liable to fail when the roof becomes a minor lake! As stated above, that rubber seal is intended only as a draught seal, not a water seal, so if gluing it in place cured the leak, it did not cure the primary cause of the leak, which would appear to be excessive standing water. Do check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 The dealer assured us it was a common problem and laughed oft my concerns of bring delayed as we were heading to Italy......we were lucky as we were on an aire nearby to visit dealer early for yearly damp check, it started raining heavily and water came in onto lounge table Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Although this black rubber seal is only intended as a draught seal, I suppose if it is incomplete, it is possible(probable?) that due to the way run-off water is being influenced/directed by roof corrugations and/or other roof "furniture", some may splash/spill in through any gap..? These vents may well have 1"+ upstands..but that doesn't necessarily, mean that there needs to be over an inch of sitting water on the roof for it to find it's way in... (..If I've got my cab window open 1/8",rain can come in...That doesn't mean I'm parked in 5ft of standing water! (lol) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Brian Kirby - 2013-09-18 10:01 PM rogermash - 2013-09-18 10:02 AM I too suffered the same problem on the rear heki of my adria twin. My drive is on a slight slope and after heavy rain I would find water in the van. I had it professionally sealed twice. then it did it a third time! I then remembered looking at the heki pdf and noticing that the inner seal, that's the one you see when you lift the hatch, should be super glued together, and also glued over the springs. one tube of glue later and no more leaks! The water was rising under the clear Perspex at the back and running round inside. I'm puzzled by this, and by the OP. If water is entering by lapping over the upstand kerb around the rooflight, as opposed to through the clamping bolts Eddie refers to (or elsewhere), there must be a considerable build-up of water on the roof. Most such kerbs stand at least an inch above the surrounding roof, even at their lowest point. In the absence of any other source of leakage, the reason for any such build-up should be investigated as a matter of some urgency. Motorhome roof design is generally somewhat inadequate, but is certainly liable to fail when the roof becomes a minor lake! As stated above, that rubber seal is intended only as a draught seal, not a water seal, so if gluing it in place cured the leak, it did not cure the primary cause of the leak, which would appear to be excessive standing water. Do check. I know you like hypotheses, Brian, so I offer you this one... If water on the roof can reach an 'open' joint between the rubber seals, there's the possibility that capillary action will result in the water flowing up the joint, over the upstanding and down into the vehicle. This used to occur with my Hobby where the joint of the cover-strip on the inner upstanding of the storage lockers' external aperture (except for the WC cassette locker) was positioned at the lower edge of the aperture. Water naturally collects in the bottom of the shallow 'trough' of the aluminium profile that surrounds the aperture and was moving via capillary action up the narrow joint and into the lockers. Sealing the joints prevented this happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Derek Uzzell - 2013-09-19 11:55 AM Brian Kirby - 2013-09-18 10:01 PM rogermash - 2013-09-18 10:02 AM I too suffered the same problem on the rear heki of my adria twin. My drive is on a slight slope and after heavy rain I would find water in the van. I had it professionally sealed twice. then it did it a third time! I then remembered looking at the heki pdf and noticing that the inner seal, that's the one you see when you lift the hatch, should be super glued together, and also glued over the springs. one tube of glue later and no more leaks! The water was rising under the clear Perspex at the back and running round inside. I'm puzzled by this, and by the OP. If water is entering by lapping over the upstand kerb around the rooflight, as opposed to through the clamping bolts Eddie refers to (or elsewhere), there must be a considerable build-up of water on the roof. Most such kerbs stand at least an inch above the surrounding roof, even at their lowest point. In the absence of any other source of leakage, the reason for any such build-up should be investigated as a matter of some urgency. Motorhome roof design is generally somewhat inadequate, but is certainly liable to fail when the roof becomes a minor lake! As stated above, that rubber seal is intended only as a draught seal, not a water seal, so if gluing it in place cured the leak, it did not cure the primary cause of the leak, which would appear to be excessive standing water. Do check. I know you like hypotheses, Brian, so I offer you this one... If water on the roof can reach an 'open' joint between the rubber seals, there's the possibility that capillary action will result in the water flowing up the joint, over the upstanding and down into the vehicle. This used to occur with my Hobby where the joint of the cover-strip on the inner upstanding of the storage lockers' external aperture (except for the WC cassette locker) was positioned at the lower edge of the aperture. Water naturally collects in the bottom of the shallow 'trough' of the aluminium profile that surrounds the aperture and was moving via capillary action up the narrow joint and into the lockers. Sealing the joints prevented this happening. I'll buy that! :-) However, my real concern was that the water on the roof should have built up to the extent that it reaches the rooflight draught seal. Even in heavy rain water should flow off the roof quickly and easily: it should not accumulate. I know some roofs are designed to deflect under the weight of rainwater, so that they deliver it to symphonic roof drains, but I am unaware this technique has ever been applied to motorhomes! :-) I think two posters need to check their roofs for obstructions to the flow of rainwater. Possibly satellite dish bases, solar panels, badly sited cable entries, even cables that have been stuck down, even just accumulated dead leaves or other crud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Has anyone heard from the poster(michelle?) who had the brand new Autotrail and who'd had problems with quite a lot of water flowing in through the Heki..? (..I recall that roof of that was covered with all manner of "clutter"..and not really helped by the front having a bulbous overcab, with very small run off gullies...) I can only assume that it's sorted now...as I'm sure we would've heard if it wasn't.. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 pepe63 - 2013-09-20 9:04 AM Has anyone heard from the poster(michelle?) who had the brand new Autotrail and who'd had problems with quite a lot of water flowing in through the Heki..? (..I recall that roof of that was covered with all manner of "clutter"..and not really helped by the front having a bulbous overcab, with very small run off gullies...) I can only assume that it's sorted now...as I'm sure we would've heard if it wasn't.. ;-) Michele's last forum logon was 28 April 2013. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Brian Kirby - 2013-09-19 9:26 PM ...I know some roofs are designed to deflect under the weight of rainwater, so that they deliver it to symphonic roof drains, but I am unaware this technique has ever been applied to motorhomes!... I believe Auto-Sleepers planned to fit "symphonic" roof drains to a new range of motorhomes to be called "Orchestra" (hence model-names like "London", "Birmingham", Liverpool", "Hallé" etc.) As the vehicles would be conceptually novel, they would be branded "Auto-Squeakers" to reflect the the unusual sound effects produced by the roof drains. I'm sure that Auto-Sleepers reps at the October NEC Show would be able to confirm this if asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogermash Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 The roof of my Adria twin is ribbed as its a panel van. So in heavy rain, being parked on a slope, the water builds up in the channels at the back of the vent. Glueing the seal has cured the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Rog'... I know you've stopped the water from entering in through the vent but, if water is still pooling against the outer frame when it's parked up on your drive,isn't there anyway you could look at rolling it up onto blocks?,,maybe just the one side, so as to off-load the water..? (When parked up on the drive',ours used to pool over the front roof seam, so I've just made some blocks out of scaffold plank off-cuts..these stay in place ,embedded in the gravel and I roll straight onto 'em). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Derek Uzzell - 2013-09-20 9:49 AM Brian Kirby - 2013-09-19 9:26 PM ...I know some roofs are designed to deflect under the weight of rainwater, so that they deliver it to symphonic roof drains, but I am unaware this technique has ever been applied to motorhomes!... I believe Auto-Sleepers planned to fit "symphonic" roof drains to a new range of motorhomes to be called "Orchestra" (hence model-names like "London", "Birmingham", Liverpool", "Hallé" etc.) As the vehicles would be conceptually novel, they would be branded "Auto-Squeakers" to reflect the the unusual sound effects produced by the roof drains. I'm sure that Auto-Sleepers reps at the October NEC Show would be able to confirm this if asked. Advantage Uzzell! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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