Peter Solley Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Any advice welcome!! We have a 2008 Burstner Nexxo T660 Motorhome and have had a leaking roof joint repaired twice under warranty (the last time was 4 years ago). I've stripped out inside the van and got a heater and dehumidifier getting everything dry. I've also dried the roof and rigged up a temporary tarpauling cover to deter further pooling of rainwater. I've also got the front of the van on ramps to ensure that the van is flat. The leak is either on the strap joint between the GRP over-cab and the main aluminium roof or under one of the two endcaps that cover the joint between the strap and the sides of the van. When it was repaired last time, the strap was removed, the whole roof side joint (running the length of the van), and re-bedded in mastic. The motorhome is now out of warranty and my local Burstner agent is so busy that they can't do anything until June/July - so I'm going to have a go myself. What mastics (e.g Marine Sealant) or jointing tapes would anyone out there recommend? Any other advice? Thank you Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 A German motorhome leaking !! Whatever next ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron. Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Rayjsj - 2017-01-25 8:28 PM A German motorhome leaking !! Whatever next ? Two German motorhomes leaking? We had one and again a Burstner. :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Had 2 Burstners. Both dry as a bone. Just for balance you understand. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Hello and welcome . I would recommend Ever Build Stixall sealant / adhesive . It remains slightly flexible , can be over painted if needed , and can be used on damp surfaces . Brian B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Solley Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 This was my first posting on this forum and thought members would make helpful comments etc. Seems I was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Solley Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 Thank you Brain B for your helpful suggestion. This was my first posting on this forum and don't understand the immature "German made" comments from two other respondents - most unhelpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverback Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 welcome Peter, they were made because most on here bash the british made vans for leaking and always advocate the german vans for not leaking, as for the sealant sikaflex have a range of mastics and glue sealant which people seem to recommend as which one to use i do not know...it will depend on the application it is gonna be used for have a look at there web site, and you get used to the sarkey comments jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 I doubt that you will find a lot of expertise on here regarding your damp problem Peter. If the Dealer was not successful then OAL Members will not be either. From what I have read, water ingress can 'track' and manifest itself a long way from where it appears internally. It would seem pointless to re-mastic what has already been done by the Dealer. You may have to bite the bullet and start removing inner panels and trace the course of the ingress back to the source. It could be from anywhere. My first examination would be along the top seams on both sides, followed by rooflights etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 silverback - 2017-01-26 2:40 PM welcome Peter, they were made because most on here bash the british made vans for leaking and always advocate the german vans for not leaking, as for the sealant sikaflex have a range of mastics and glue sealant which people seem to recommend as which one to use i do not know...it will depend on the application it is gonna be used for have a look at there web site, and you get used to the sarkey comments jonathan I dunno about the sikaflex anymore :-S .......As I'm having issues with my over cab windows that I bedded using sikaflex in August......now tried a different make.......which doesn't seem much better *-) ............ Starting to wonder whether elf and safety/EU have stuck their oar in and decided being sticky is a breach of my windows human rights 8-) .......and its not just me, our friends window almost fell out of their brand new A class this week :-| ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globebuster Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Not enough information to give really sound advice, variation in substrate(s) would need to be taken into account, and as already suggested tracing the source is critical. If it's the burstner roof I recall, you have a little covering piece that encompasses the front pod, rear roof and side joint? You can pm me if you'd like to discuss the problem. I suspect Dave Pelmet has a substrate issue to account for poor bonding too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 globebuster - 2017-01-26 3:36 PM I suspect Dave Pelmet has a substrate issue to account for poor bonding too Perspex to GRP?......I'd be surprised if my GRP roof was the issue, because the old mastic was a bugger to get off the substrate *-) .......so its either the new perspex or the mastic.......my monies on the mastic......which considering water ingress with new campers hasn't been cured......I'd say they've changed the formula *-) ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globebuster Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Well my money would be on the Perspex, acrylic, luxan or whatever they're made from Or some contamination from the residue on the GRP - chances are the original sealant was butyl based. Or you might have dodgy tube of Silka, but that's unlikely. What many don't realise is that sika requires a primer in many applications Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 globebuster - 2017-01-26 3:52 PM Well my money would be on the Perspex, acrylic, luxan or whatever they're made from Or some contamination from the residue on the GRP - chances are the original sealant was butyl based. Or you might have dodgy tube of Silka, but that's unlikely. What many don't realise is that sika requires a primer in many applications Well I wish sika wouldn't keep it a secret *-) ........as I don't recall any mention of a primer in the blurb, and it seems to be sticking fine to the GRP, I'm thinking maybe I need to give the prespex a light rub down with the dremel to give it a key? :-S ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Hi Peter - sorry to hear your story - every motorhomer's nightmare. It seems to me that now you're drying things out and have protected the van from further ingress it might be worth taking a pause and looking at your options before jumping in with a DIY solution - as others have said you might make matters worse. Something that occurs to me is that you don't appear to have knocked on Burstner's door - either via your dealer or directly. Even if the 'van is out of guarantee, as part of the Hymer group, they should be sympathetic to a customer who has experienced a recurrence of a fault/problem especially if you are the original owner, and have had the 'van regularly serviced by the dealer. It's also possible that your particular 'van has "history" and the leak has occurred in a batch of them - information that could pinpoint the route of the cause and its solution. Best of luck V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 I get ridiculed for using Plumbers Mait. But it works. I have bedded in roof fans, Wifi antenna cables and brackets and it has never leaked a drop. Remains like Plasticine so you can remove them. Its what Plumbers use to seal the drain pipe into the back of a Toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 John52 - 2017-01-26 5:21 PM I get ridiculed for using Plumbers Mait. But it works. I have bedded in roof fans, Wifi antenna cables and brackets and it has never leaked a drop. Remains like Plasticine so you can remove them. Its what Plumbers use to seal the drain pipe into the back of a Toilet. Do they do it in black? :-S .......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agaric Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 A few years ago I built 4 buildings 15 metres long 5m high and 3m wide, made from GRP panels 5m x 3m and 100mm thick. Each one is designed to stand 75 degrees centigrade at 100% humidity with 62 tonnes of compost in each. After 10 years of use there were no leaks. The mastic was very similar to sikaflex et al. All these panels were held together with just that mastic, in fact you could push two panels together to make a corner, which took six people, step back and walk away. The secret to a good seal is to make sure all surfaces are totally clean, the best product to do that is Acetone. To me what a motorhome goes through is a doddle, compared to my buildings, and if properly fixed should stay fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globebuster Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Plumbers mait - 'remains like Plasticine' - and generally about as useful in terms of structural integrity I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 pelmetman - 2017-01-26 6:01 PM John52 - 2017-01-26 5:21 PM I get ridiculed for using Plumbers Mait. But it works. I have bedded in roof fans, Wifi antenna cables and brackets and it has never leaked a drop. Remains like Plasticine so you can remove them. Its what Plumbers use to seal the drain pipe into the back of a Toilet. Do they do it in black? :-S .......... Not so far as I know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Agaric - 2017-01-26 6:18 PM The secret to a good seal is to make sure all surfaces are totally clean, Good point. Moisture has a devastating effect on the strength of adhesive. Difficult to keep things dry this weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 globebuster - 2017-01-26 7:18 PM Plumbers mait - 'remains like Plasticine' - and generally about as useful in terms of structural integrity I'm afraid. True, but since the OP was asking about mastic and jointing tape I kind of assumed he isn't expecting anything structural? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgnbuk Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Lowdhams Huddersfield used Soudal polyurethane adhesive sealant to install a Fiamma Turbo Vent fan. I bought the same stuff from Ebay when replacing a cracked electrical box on the roof used for solar panel wiring - very tenacious stuff that stayed slightly "rubbery" feeling when it had cured. Nigel B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globebuster Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Yes Dave, key it up with a bit of 60 grit and clean the surface with isopropanol, or at a push, acetone. Most plexiglass or acrylic will have surface contaminates from the manufacturing process. It should then stick like the proverbial......as will any half-decent PU sealant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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