k99bbb Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Ihave got a 2011 auto trail apache and the heki roof light leaked last time out the motorhome was leaning low at the back and i think it came in between the glass cover and the outer frame when i looked there was a lot of water on the roof at the rear some one says you can fit a new seal but auto trail wont supply do to air some thing can any one help please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Barry. There is a requirement for motorhomes to have a certain amount of ventilation at ceiling level, and this is often achieved by not fully sealing the opening rooflights from the motorhome’s interior when the rooflights are closed. When a rooflight is not fully sealed, it is said to have ‘permanent ventilation’ and this ventilation is usually obtained by not having rubber seals on all four ‘edges’ of the rooflight’s frame. I think there sould be no great difficulty obtaining extra seals, though you may need to identify which Heki rooflight your Apache motorhome has. This advert http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DOMETIC-SEITZ-HEKI-2-REPLACEMENT-ROOF-LIGHT-RUBBER-SEAL-CARAVAN-MOTORHOME-/231715359538 is for the rubber seal used with Heki 2 rooflights and you might find seals for other Heki models here http://www.leisurespares.co.uk/stock/Seitz/heki-rooflights/ When I replaced the rubber seals on my Hobby motorhome’s Remis rooflights, I obtained a couple of metres of the correct seal-profile from here http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/ so that’s another possibility. I’m not too surprised that Auto-Trail apparently refused to supply sealing rubbers as, if the company has deliberately provided ‘permanent ventilation’ by leaving seals off, they will be reluctant to assist owners in fully sealing the rooflight. I’m not certain that adding extra seals would completely prevent the ‘water leakage while leaning’ problem, as the seals are there to restrict air movement rather than make the rooflight watertight. Worth a try though, as was mentioned in this 2012 discussion http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/OH-HEKI-/28755/121/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Whats said about the ventilation is correct Adria also tell the same tale although they only omit one seal from rear roof light which they wouldn't supply. But I had no trouble obtaining one for the front roof light which is identical. I expect your leak is between window and roof rather than the seal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doc 57 Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Hi Only new to Motorhoming (is that a word)? anyway not sure how to solve the problem in a motorhome, but, I do have a motorcruiser and I have yet to find a leak (above the waterline ) that cannot be sealed with a careful application of Sikaflex...good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 k99bbb - 2017-07-26 1:52 PM Ihave got a 2011 auto trail apache and the heki roof light leaked last time out the motorhome was leaning low at the back and i think it came in between the glass cover and the outer frame when i looked there was a lot of water on the roof at the rear some one says you can fit a new seal but auto trail wont supply do to air some thing can any one help please Is something preventing water from getting off the roof at the rear? There was a problem with the front rooflights when the larger vans were parked nose down in heavy rain, because the two channels feeding water from the roof were inadequate for the flow, and the resulting build-up "overtopped" the upstand on the rooflight frame. That sounds a bit like what you're describing, but my impression is that there is no such restriction at the rear. I can't see what might cause the water to overtop the upstand in that location. Is it possible the seal between the roof and the rooflight frame has failed, and water is entering via that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k99bbb Posted July 26, 2017 Author Share Posted July 26, 2017 Brian There is quite a larage ledge on the rear it looks like a boat at the sides an rear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 There would need to be a very deep pool of water on the roof to cause it to rise above the ‘upstand’ of a Heki rooflight. However, if the pool of water were sufficiently deep to reach the bottom of the rooflight’s closed transparent dome, there’s a real possibility that the water would ‘climb over’ the upstand via capillary action. I suggested this as a theory back in 2013 http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Heki-roof-light-leak/32576/ and it would explain why a (relatively) shallow pool of water surrounding a rooflight could result in the water finding its way into the motorhome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k99bbb Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Thanks that my only thing i can think of because the seal between the roof light and roof is ok it is the first time it as done it in 6years but when i looked the water was 2to 3 in deap on the roof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Are you sure the roof doesn't have a dip in it? 2" - 3" is a very deep pool to accumulate if the roof is flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I complained when I ordered a new seal for my large rooflight, because it was too short. As has been pointed out, this is deliberate to give permanent ventilation, but I bought an extra length to completely seal it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k99bbb Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Brian No there is no dip in the roof I shall not have it level will have leave it nose down and fit a complete seal round the plastic cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k99bbb Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Where did you get the seal from please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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