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NEED HELP! NEW Emergency hatch LEAKING!

Started by pdxpfeifer, November 28, 2016, 11:14:20 AM

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pdxpfeifer

Hi Everyone -
I really need some suggestions. I finally got my new emergency hatch over the bunk put in and it's leaking like crazy!!!!  I thought I put this up for help, but can't find it on the forum, so I am posting again.

New hatch -
1. Exact same size as original
2. removed all old residue and putty and cleaned with mineral spirits
3. used the gray butal tape stuff
4. used all proper screws and stuff
5. Used about 2 tubes of dicor self leveling sealant and did a great job of covering screws and seams.
6. I have not put the decorative piece back on the inside of RV yet, I wanted to be able to see the roof to see about leads.

Everything is wet, wet wet! When I did this we had about two dry days of 53 degree weather and probably 43-45 at night.

I asked a repair shop and they said for what ever reason the dicor is not adhering to the fiberglass??? Suggestions,

please help if you have any ideas. I have ripped out all the hatches and vents and done new ones with dicor self leveling sealant and only the overhead hatch is still leaking. I was able to apply more diacor to the vent in teh rear bathroom and it stopped the leak.

thanks
robyn
1977 440 rear kitchen #3799

Toedtoes

The only suggestion I have is to just keep plugging away at it.
'75 American Clipper Dodge 360 821F; ACOC #3754

pdxpfeifer

I sent photos to Dicor customer service, they felt it made no sense as to why it should be leaking. I even took photos to a repair shop and they said it should not be leaking.

After further contemplation - I crawled up onto the roof again checked everything out. The old hatch was leaky, but this one was massive. I have come to the conclusion that it is a defective lid that does not go down and seal properly. It did not dawn on me till thinking about how much rain was coming into the RV .

I stopped by the house of another Clipper owner here in town (thanks Ian) and climbed up on the roof and pressed down on his hatch and there was no play it was completely flush and so were his other vents and also when I checked my RV again my other vents were solid too.

Here the video link. https://goo.gl/photos/p7RRwK1jZ36fd5yb7

Because, it was a brand new vent, it never dawned on me that everything would not be working correctly, The hatch crank closes fine, but the lid has about a 1/8" - 1/4" play in it that I can press it down. So I am assuming that with winds, it is easier for the rain to get into the RV.

I had ordered it from Amazon since that seemed to be the only source I could find for it. The good news is I called Amazon and they are replacing free of charge 1. the hatch  2.the buytl tape 3. the two tubes of Dicor it took me to install it. Bad news is - I have to rip this freaking thing out and do it over again  >:( :o :'(   But on the upside, I get more hatch installation practice, Amazon is paying for the replacement supplies, and it will be much faster, because the screws are not rusty and the sealant is newly laid down.

Customer service was great and they didn't argue a bit when I asked them to replace the two additional products free of charge, because if the lid was not defective I would not have to do this whole job again.
1977 440 rear kitchen #3799

Toedtoes

Great news with Amazon! Now that you'll be so experienced, we'll have to have a "Let Robyn Replace Your Vents" Rally. :)
'75 American Clipper Dodge 360 821F; ACOC #3754