oap43 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I have just received the e-mail about motorhome bed options. I am considering changing my 10 year old motorhome. At the NEC, I was unable to see any that did not have a roof light over the main bed(s). I've been camping for over 60 years and the first thing I was taught by the Scouts, was to keep ones bedding dry. My current motorhome does not have a roof light in the Luton Top bed. Roof lights eventually break or their seals fail. They can also get broken by objects falling. So why have them over beds? It's a bit like caravans having the gas fridge exhaust in the wall where the awning attaches! Salesmen tell me that everyone wants a bright area for the bed. But darkness is ideal for sleeping! Does everyone agree with these salesmen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Simple answer - ventilation! We quite often open the roof light over our bed and even turn on the fan within it to get fresh air to help sleep on a hot and muggy night. And before you ask, opening a window next to the bed does not have the same effect! Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagHal Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Wouldn't be without ours, we like star gazing, the ventilation aspect is important and you wake up naturally in the morning as the light level increases. If you need a dark sleep area pull the blind across. Never heard of high incidents of roof lights leaking, I suppose it happens but............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coot Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 We have a Ace modena with a fixed bed it has a roof light over the bed. As already stated it is great to have it open at night. The only problem we have experienced was one night it started to rain and the wind blew the rain in, it woke me up when it hit my face I quickly shut the roof light when I had worked out why my face was getting wet whilst half a sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Mag&Hal - 2015-10-02 2:19 PM Wouldn't be without ours, we like star gazing, the ventilation aspect is important and you wake up naturally in the morning as the light level increases. If you need a dark sleep area pull the blind across. Never heard of high incidents of roof lights leaking, I suppose it happens but............. I agree with the above. Must admit I've never thought of the roof lights as being a problem Cattwg :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I don't like rootlights over beds, ...reason, on our first m/h an A/T Apache with rear lounge with rooflight over. We were heading home through France in Jan up the Rhône valley, when we pitched up, it felt cold, looked up and no rooflight...it had gone blown off by the mistral. Next thing it started to snow! Managed to cover it with a table top and bungees, the handles on the frame were still there. Rang the AA who sent me to a breakdown garage, they siliconed a piece of perspex over it, except it was too cold for the silicone to go off. So a night in a hotel in Montelimar with the van on electric with the heater on. Then a slow drive home. Now I have rooflights changed as soon as I notice any yellowing/brittleness. We now have similar only over a fixed bed, which I always check with a beady eye as I settle down for kip. Just don't trust them as they age. I've had 4 changed so far, with another one coming up. Such is life, well it is for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Starvin marvin :- that once happened to me and i used clear duc tape (the reinfoced type) to seal the top just by layering it repeatedly over the skylight it did a fantastic job was completely watertight and never moved until i got home from hols and had skylight repaired :) handy stuff cheers pp:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I think you may be over-thinking the problem here. For sure, if the roof light was damaged whilst it was raining there is a potential for your bedding to get wet, and we can see from one or two of the postings on this thread that it has happened, but if you have a reasonable discipline for dealing with the opening of the roof light, there should be no problem. If you think of the hundreds of thousands, or should that be millions, of nights that just we forumers have spent in our vans, in every sort of weather and location you can think of, and it really isn't a problem. If you have found the van that you like and that is the only thing wrong with it, for goodness sake buy it, you don't find them too often, and carry a roll of gaffer tape just in case. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 In our experience, leaking roof lights are very, very rare on a modern Caravan/Motorhome. Much more common for the side rails to leak first. Caravans made back 30 years ago could have the odd failure, but even then side seal leaks were more common. A rooflight in that area is very good at helping to reduce condensation in Winter if the blinds are left open. Easy to lay a sheet to protect the fabrics/Mattress from Sun bleaching. If you do lose a roof light, put an Umbrella up through the opening, then when the umbrella stays have cleared the roof, open it and pull it back down. Put some weighty objects in a Carrier bag and hang the bag on the umbrella handle. Works a treat even in strong winds and heavy rain. Not sure how it would cope on a big opening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Never had a problem with them, find it is great on a hot night, can leave the light slightly open & with the Fantastic vent on extract (fitted a midships) we get a nice cool breeze over the beds which enables us to sleep when it's still 30+ at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I'm not saying they are not handy, just that I'm wary of them. Once the risk has been identified, and it clearly is a risk, it largely ceases to be a risk, it becomes a "management" problem, that needs funding. Simples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malky little Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 BUT EVER SO HANDY FOR CLEANIIG THE ROOF!. :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 malky little - 2015-10-04 7:39 PM BUT EVER SO HANDY FOR CLEANIIG THE ROOF!. :- What? A 400x400 pop up roof light, do you clean the roof with an extending toothbrush??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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