Possable leak or just condensation?

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canuckrv

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Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Posts
464
I checked my 91 Cobra Newport yesterday as it was above freezing and I was worried about it.
When I entered you could see condensation on the ceiling where the aluminum box beams make up the frame. I noticed that one of my lights had ice and water in the cover the wires for this light run through one of the box beams. I pulled off the cover and dried of the light no more water came out. I am hoping that because it was raining and there was a lot of wet snow and water on the roof that if it was a leak that it would have continued to at least drip if it was a leak in the roof.
Is it possible that condensation formed in the box beam and was draining through the wire access and into the light?
There was no indication of any more water draining over night and today. I have had heater on to help dry out the condensation inside so it was above freezing all night and today.
thanks for your ideas.
 
It's possible. However, that would not be my first guess unless perhaps you had a burst of warm moist air following sub-freezing temps. Condensation occurs when moist air comes in contact with cold objects. Sub-freezing days have little humidity, and I suspect you weren't cooking or showering in the RV either.  Where could your moist air have come from?
 
Well I was hoping  :(

the leak must be from around the ceiling vent that is also near the box beam as it set up to take an AC there might be an access hole drilled into the beam near it.
 
went up on the roof and did not see anything that stood out as a likely source but re-caulked any thing that looked iffy, hopefully I have fixed it good enough to wait till spring when I can remove all the calking and replace it with eternabond.
 
Ice often forms a dam such that water backs up at the next thaw and overflows into places that normally would stay dry, even in a downpour. It can also "lift" caulk or rubber seals slightly and they reseal once the ice melts completely away.
 
An update
we have gone through 3-4 freeze thaw cycles and nothing has shown up again so hopefully it is fixed.
 

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