Seal Test @ Camping World

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Clark Griswold

Clark Griswold

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Posts
296
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Somewhere on the forum I saw a link to a coupon for $50 off a seal test at Camping World.  Now for the life of me I can't find it.  Does anyone know where that link is or a place on the net that I can get the coupon? 

I'm finally breaking down and going to Camping World with my RV b/c I simply can not find a leak that keeps pouring down on top my front center TV and along the edge of the overhead console on the drivers side.  I've resealed the antenna, cap joints (front & back), clearance lights, ......

:mad:
 
Don't recall seeing the coupon, but be advised that not every Camping World offers that service.  May be called "Seal Tech"? I suggest you call and ask about the services and any available discounts or coupons. Wonder if the Presidents Club 10% applies?

Some CW's have an "ultrasonic leak detection" service for roofs, but I think you mean the one where the RV is pressurized inside and they look for bubbles as  soapy fluid is poured over the outside?
 
RV Roamer said:
Don't recall seeing the coupon, but be advised that not every Camping World offers that service.  May be called "Seal Tech"? I suggest you call and ask about the services and any available discounts or coupons. Wonder if the Presidents Club 10% applies?

Some CW's have an "ultrasonic leak detection" service for roofs, but I think you mean the one where the RV is pressurized inside and they look for bubbles as  soapy fluid is poured over the outside?
Click to expand...

You're exactly right.  I did call the local CW and they do offer the Seal Tech for about $160 with a $50 coupon that makes it $110.  I get the feeling that not all CWs charge the same thing for the same service.  I'm bringing it to them tomorrow and hopefully they can isolate my frustrating leak!!!  :mad:  I'll check and see if the Presidents Club discount also applies.  I just hope that they don't come back with leaks at every opening OR worse yet, no leaks found!
 
Best of luck to ya !!

If they want to re-caulk the roof somewhere, I can't recommend that Eternabond tape enough instead of caulk. That stuff ROCKS !!
 
Yep, used the eternabond tape AND dicor sealant also!  So far I haven't found the leak.  I'm thinking of a couple of more locations but if the leak is there, it is travelling along the length of the RV w/o leaving any evidence before it dumps out at the overhead console about the TV and drivers seat.  ???
 
I mentioned it to someone else before ( might have been you ), but check the screws on the clearace lights. Sometimes they rust out. I've had it happen to 2 friends of mine. Both replaced the screws with stainless and some silicone and it fixed the problem.
 
I tried to get the clearance light off but they didn't seem to unscrew and I didn't want to pry the lens off (if it screwed off!).  So I used clear silicon around the total light....none on the lens itself and it can't be seen at any distance.  Well, it's rained and water still running in!
 
clarkgriswold said:
Yep, used the eternabond tape AND dicor sealant also!  So far I haven't found the leak.  I'm thinking of a couple of more locations but if the leak is there, it is travelling along the length of the RV w/o leaving any evidence before it dumps out at the overhead console about the TV and drivers seat.   ???
Click to expand...

That's very possible, from what I've read here.  The water can run along the entire frame before finding a place to drip into the interior (path of least resistance).  If you have Eternabond left, finish sealing off ALL the remaining seams that haven't been done... around roof vents, skylights, ladder mounts, etc.  Even if it doesn't fix your leak, it's still an upgrade for your roof and will only cost the price of the tape you need - probably much less than the CW leak test too, if it DOES end up working.  Unless it's raining sideways where you are, that water has GOT to be coming in on a roof seam somewhere.  When I was "Eternabonding" and inspecting my roof, I also found some screws bottoms sticking up through the roof, i.e. when installing something on the inside ceiling (cabinet, headliner?) they popped the screw right through the surface of the roof.  ::)  Water could seep in there too - I covered the screw ends with a couple square pieces of Eternabond.
 
I got the results of the seal test from Camping World and it turns out I had a couple of leaks along the side in the front but none of them are high enough to be causing the leaking from the top of my TV.  Good news is there wasn't any leaks from the sealing I had done or any leaks on any other part of the entire roof.  I think my next step is to seal the leaks they found, then take a hose to individual areas and see if I can reproduce the leak above the TV.  If not, I'll take a hose to the entire front and see if it leaks above the TV.  My next step would be to remove the TV (although I hate to tear up the work I just did to put the new one in) and see if I can see which direction the leaks coming from. 

Of course it's been raining for a week now and another week to go according to the forcast.  :eek:
 
I think this idea may be off the wall but in theory it might work. Seal the stove and any heat/cool vents then use all intake fans on high to give a slight pressure increase. OK  I?m ducking but you get the idea and may be able to fit small window fans into the blow in scheme, even a lawn blower stuck in a piece of plywood and sealed around a window. ::)
 
I suspect the lawn blower is the best bet for a DIY leak test. You need a lot of volume of air and the vent fans probably won't deliver it, especially once a bit of back pressure builds up.

Then you need some soapy water to pour over the roof - bubbles makes small leaks much easier to detect.
 
clarkgriswold said:
I got the results of the seal test from Camping World
Click to expand...

I'm curious .. how did they do this test?

How was it performed?

What was used?
 
RV Roamer said:
I suspect the lawn blower is the best bet for a DIY leak test. You need a lot of volume of air and the vent fans probably won't deliver it, especially once a bit of back pressure builds up.

Then you need some soapy water to pour over the roof - bubbles makes small leaks much easier to detect.
Click to expand...

Yep, but I'd have to rig up a duct from the exterior to create the pressure.
 
mayfair said:
I'm curious .. how did they do this test?

How was it performed?

What was used?
Click to expand...

In a nutshell, they use a glorified fan that the intake is attached to one of your vents.  All other entry points (A/Cs, other vents, etc) are sealed off with plastic.  Then they pressurize the cabin to about 1 or 2 psi.  The way this Camping World did 'soap' part of the test was using a glorified garden sprayer filled with 'special' soap that doesn't leave a film on the sides.  They spray the RV down with the mixture ...soak it... and look for bubbles.  That's about the extent of it.  They suppose to give you a paper report with problem areas shown but I simply went with the tech and he showed me the areas that showed leaks.  I actually like that method better!
 
Sorry, don't know the answer to that one but i do know that 1 or 2 psi is plenty to form the bubbles.  If your trying to do it yourself you might consider using one of your window drips as a test point.  If you get a bubble there, you've got anough pressure. 
 
Using a lawn blower to test mine I?d cut a piece of plywood to the size of a window opening, tape it on tight then fit the blower into a  cut hole in the plywood at window opening. With all vents plugged let it blow and start spraying soapy water over the seams etc. I?d use a garden sprayer that connects to the end of a hose and use a very mild detergent so as to not wash off the wax. I wash off my boat and rods this way by putting only an ounce or two in the bottle and the rest water then set the mixer to minimum and maybe work the mixture up.
 
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