American Clipper Owners Club

Travel => General Camping Questions & Ideas => Topic started by: Rd Ready on March 04, 2015, 04:28:50 PM

Title: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 04, 2015, 04:28:50 PM
Can any one Help me? I have a Leak somewhere on the Drivers side, by the Vent I think, Now the carpet is Molding. How do I get rid of it and keep it from Coming back ? thanks Member 3782
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Clipper Joe on March 04, 2015, 07:37:18 PM
Hi Rd Ready,
First Off, You Want To Try & See Where The Water Is Coming From.
I Know That It Could Travel Down Inside Roof.
Most Of The Time The Vents Or A/C Gasket Can Be The Cause.
You Want To Make Sure That It Is A Warm Day, Alway Be Careful When You Are On Top Of These Clippers.

I Would Try & Clean With A Good Scraper, & Remove As Much Of Old Caulking Or Sealant You Have Around The Escape Hatch Vent, I Would Remove All Screws & Lift Vent Off Roof, Clean Fiberglass Area Around Vent. Then Apply Butyl Seal Tape On Bottom Of Vent, Then Place Vent Back On Roof, I Would Replace The Teck Screws With Stainless Steel Ones, They Are 1-1 1/2" Long & 1/4" Drive Scoket Head. Use A Screw Gun Easier. Put The Screws On A Slight Angle & Tighten Just Till You See The Butyl Seal Tape Starts To Seep Out Of Bottom Of Vent Base. Thats Should Seal Vent To Roof, Then Pick Up A Few Tubes Of Dicor Products  EPDM Self Leveling White Sealant, You Want To Put A Good Bead Over Edge Of Vent & Over Screws, Should Self Level About 1 1/2" Wide Or So.. Try & Do This On A Warm Day Between 65-70 Degrees, This Will Seal Your Vent From Leaking.

You May Want To Check Aluminum  Around Top Side Frame, Some Times  The Rain Can Get In There
Also, The Put Butyl Tape On It From Clipper Factory, But After The Age Of These Rigs, Sometines The Seperate From The Side Seams. I Just Put A Good Bead Of 100% Silicone Sealant, But If You Want You Can Put Dicro, But Just A Very Small Bead. It Will Drip If You Have Too Big Of A Hole On The End Of The Tube..

You Can Get This Dicro From Online Or At RV Supply Houses.

Let Us Know How You Make Out?

Good Luck,

Joe
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 05, 2015, 08:10:03 AM
Thank you Clipper Joe, That is my Next Project the Escape hatch / Vent above the Cab, But how to I get rid of the mold on the carpet, ? Any hint's ? The next Dry day i will be Tracking Down where the water is coming From.. Should be next week sometime.  :( Thank you so much for the Info !
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Clipper Joe on March 05, 2015, 11:34:18 AM
Hi Rd Ready,
First Dry Carpet, Then Air Dry With Fan, You Want To Use Clorox To Kill Mold.
If Real Bad May Want To Replace Carpet.
Make Sure You Fix Leak First :-[
It Is Very Bad On Your Health To Sleep In A Moldy Area, Will
Attack Your Lungs. :(

Sometimes Home Depot, Has Mold Removal Spray Bottle.
But Try Clorox Bleach.

Make Sure Wear Mask & Have Ventilation In Clipper, Big Fan.
Let Us Know How You Make Out?

Joe
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 05, 2015, 12:28:34 PM
10-4 will DO Thank ya.   ::)
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Sfine on March 05, 2015, 09:16:53 PM
Jus a heads up on the Clorox.  It will be bleach out any color if used 100%.  You can dilute it one part Clorox to three parts water. It is the duration of time that the bleach has to work, rather than the strength you use, that works best. Air circulation is key, or your rig may smell like a cheap Chinese restaurant at closing time with the lingering Clorox smell. Also, as joe said, there are pre mixed solutions, like X-19, or others that are safe and effective. If you can pull the carpet, that'd probably be best, then you're sure you've arrested the mold and mildew.
You'll get it.
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Clipper Joe on March 06, 2015, 04:46:06 PM
Hi Steve & Rd Ready,
Steve Is Right On, I Thought That The Leak Was In Cab Area.
You Do Have To Dilute The Clorox.

The Best Way Maybe After Leak Repair.
Is To Get The Old Moldy Carpet Out, If It Got Soaked Much,
You Will Never Get That Smell Out Of It.  :-[

Let Us Know How You Make Out.
Joe
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 06, 2015, 05:34:55 PM
So I woke up this Morning And took A Look at the Spot which is Right below the Foot Pedals, It was White and Fuzzy, I immediately  Put on a Mask and commenced Cutting out the Spot. It was half rotten anyway, I knew I had to replace So I figured why not. Now tomorrow I must find the Leak.. Not sure where it is, I suspect the Vent door by the E-brake. Thank you Both for the Advice. I will Let you guys know the Result's.. Incidentally I was gonna try to Trade Webster in at the local R.V Lot, Because Honestly I don't know if I am Able to handle the Job ahead of Me, I am Referring to Replacing the escape Hatch next,One corner of it is Sagging And I am sure there is water damage there I just don't know how bad, I acquired Webster, in November of 2014, and even then I noticed Leaks in the escape hatch and in the bathroom under the Medicine cabinet. I have the 21 ft rear Kitchen Model, Back in November I went up on the Roof and Caulked around the Vents with Self leveling Caulk and then sprayed around them with Flex seal.  :P  Unfortunately the Refrigerator, exhaust is Still Leaking I think Because I have a New water stain Forming across the Roof panel inside Going from the Pantry to the Mirror..  Anyway I have decided to try to tackle it all, Instead of Spending Money on a down Payment with Webster as a Trade in. I am gonna use it on Repairs and Hope the Damage isn't to Bad, So Please wish me Luck And any advice and or pictures would be Helpful.. thank for all your Help !   ;D
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Clipper Joe on March 06, 2015, 07:03:46 PM
Hey RdReady,
You May Want To Take A Water Hose & Spray Water On Vent Screen Above Hood By Window,
Sometimes Seal By Wiper Motor & Cowel May Have A Small Hole That Is Letting Water Run Down.
Just A Process.

Try Water In Small Areas, May Want To Put Newspaper or Paper Towels & Check For Dripping.

On The Escape Hatch, Getting The Right Size On A Clipper Is A Problem. :-\
I Got One That Mounted Ontop Of Roof.
Got It On E-Bay.
Sometimes The Bottom Cover Is The Problem On The Newer Escape Hatches.
You Can Alway Use Pine Or Poplar To Trim Out Inside & Paint It White.
There Is A 1 1/2"x 1 1/2" Frame, You Will
See It When You Remove The Vent. Just Make Sure To Put Butyl Tape On Hatch Frame Then Use Dicor Self Level On Top. This Will Seal That For Sure.
On The Fridge Vent, If It's Metal, Take It Off, Clean Old Seal Tape & Old Caulking On Vent Bottom & Roof, Then Use Butyl Tape Then Seal Sealing Dicor.
Once You Get The Roof Stuff Repaired After A Few Days, Run Water From Hose & Check Again For Leaks, Should Be All Good. ;D

Anybody Have Anything To Add?

Joe 🇺🇸
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 07, 2015, 09:19:30 AM
Thank you ClipperJoe, I appreciate your Experience on this Matter, I  Will do all that If I could ever get a break from the Rain out here, I am So coming back to Calif, If I could ever save enough money to get back.. I hate it Here....  I was thinking of Setting mine up Like what Jerry did to His, with the Air foil from a tractor trailer. ? But not sure if I want to go that route, Weighing my options. I am going today to Get some more  self leveling Caulk. ( I giggle every time I have to write that, )  ;D Thanks for the great tip's  on finding the water Leak.. The Fridge Vent, is Metal, So I have to save that for another day. Yes the bottom Cover is a Problem, it is sagging now. Not looking forward to dealing with that. But feeling more Confident Now that I have some guidance From you awesome individuals. will be in touch thank you so much for your Help... 
Title: Leak
Post by: Clipper Joe on March 07, 2015, 09:44:50 AM
Hi Rd Ready,
Just Was Thinking, You Said Weather Is Really Bad In Miss,

What You May Want To Do Is Get A Few Plastic Tarps, & Double Them Up On The Roof & Cab Area Till Raining Season Stops.

This Will By You Sometime, At Least Stop Rain From Wrecking Wood Under Fiberglass.

Joe
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 07, 2015, 06:51:58 PM
Well I sprayed it again today with Scotch guard Leak sealant, and put some Self leveling Caulk on the Cracks in the Fiberglas until I can get the tarps, I tried tarps once. But the water Leaked through.. I sure hope We get a couple of dry days this week..  Thanks Clipper Joe. Will do.. Rd Ready out. 10-7..
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Sfine on March 08, 2015, 03:40:15 PM
I have to say that the roof is the only flaw in the clipper design.  The fact that the upper outer lip edge (on the sides) sits higher that the rest of the roof, only allowing water to spill off the rear.  There is no where else for it to go.  Surely it was designed to keep water from running down past the windows and doors?  I always park ours with a slight rise in the front to help the water drain off the back if rain us eminent .
Tarps can help, but only if you prepared the roof so it doesn't puddle and hold gallons of water in between the air cond. roof racks and vents. My white trash solution was to put a plastic child's pool up side down, over that area before I cover it with plastic tarps.....if it would ever rain here, I'll let you know how it works!!!  Kidding, it worked fine.
One problem I have is that the ladder has created a small depression on the roof where it is mounted. Water likes to puddle there above the screw lines and sometimes leaked until I sprayed all around it with an aresol sealer after I caulked.  Yes R D.  Self leveling caulk!
Oh when you come back to Ca.... Can you bring just a little of their weather....please!?
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 08, 2015, 04:42:25 PM
What a great idea, ( child Pool ) I just happen to have one I bought for my Honey Dog to cool off in the summer, She still hasn't used it.  :-[  By the way I did park it so it has an incline, I added more wood to my Home made chalks. it works Pretty good, better than it did before I did that. I just had a brainstorm,The leak I mentioned earlier, under the medicine cabinet could be from the ladder .. And yes if And when I come back to Calif, I'll bring some of the wet with me.  ;)escape hatch, Bathroom by the back corner under the medicine Cabinet, and some where around the Fridge vent. ) I am Gonna Keep my Clipper forever. I have Decided.
thanks for the Advice Sfine.
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 09, 2015, 09:23:21 AM
Good News, The escape Hatch Stopped Leaking. Not sure about the One above the Fridge yet. I have a Question. Being that I have a 1976. what is the Requirement for Smog in Calif. ? Can anyone tell Me ?
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Toedtoes on March 09, 2015, 11:44:38 AM
Anything 1976 and newer must be smogged.  1975 and older is exempt.
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 09, 2015, 04:03:51 PM
That's what I was afraid of. thank you.
Title: Re: Mold,
Post by: Rd Ready on March 14, 2015, 04:14:27 PM
 I see to Remember something like Back in the day if the Repairs were over a Certain amount they would exempt you, is that still true. ?