RV Bubble Pressure Test?

[Great Horned Owl]

I was just looking at a used 9 year old fifth wheel at a large local dealer. The told me that on every unit they sell, they seal up the door and pump in a high volume of air. They then go around pouring soap solution on all seams, window seals, etc. Any leaks will make bubbles.

I have never heard of this before. Is it all common? Does it really work?

Joel

 

[John From Detroit]

I have heard of it, Google Sealtech 430R.  for more info.  the link I could copy looks incomplete so just do teh google search.

 

[path]

Does it really work?

like anything else it depends on who is doing the work. Why don't you tell them that you want to be present when they do it, so you can see for yourself where if any leaks are coming from.  That is after you check out the video of how the thing works.  Video is either on youtube or on manufacturing web site. Then see what he says.

 

[zmotorsports]

I was just looking at a used 9 year old fifth wheel at a large local dealer. The told me that on every unit they sell, they seal up the door and pump in a high volume of air. They then go around pouring soap solution on all seams, window seals, etc. Any leaks will make bubbles.

I have never heard of this before. Is it all common? Does it really work?

Joel

Is it common?  I wouldn't say common but if a leak exists that is hard to find or for the anal crowd it is a useful procedure to find any possible leaks.  I seriously doubt that they perform the procedure on every unit they take in as it is not a quick procedure.  I would gamble to say that is the salesman being a salesman.

Mike.

 

[godefroi]

Reading through my manual here, it says that one should always ensure that a window or door is open before operating the slide-out in either direction. It is implied that if one fails to do that, one might blow out a window.

Is that kinda like a poor man's leak test? Run the slide-out all the way in with the doors and windows closed, and if you still have all your windows when you're done, you failed the test?

 

[Peanutman]

Reading through my manual here, it says that one should always ensure that a window or door is open before operating the slide-out in either direction. It is implied that if one fails to do that, one might blow out a window.

Is that kinda like a poor man's leak test? Run the slide-out all the way in with the doors and windows closed, and if you still have all your windows when you're done, you failed the test?

I don't know of any Rv that's that air tight.

Heartland Claims to do similar testing as talked about above but with also cold down to 0 deg and a constant temp is held inside.
They must have skipped my trailer.
In my opinion and it is just my opinion anything that moves down the road and flexes, bounces and is subject to pot holes, will not remain air tight or water tight for that matter without constant maintenance.

 

[pkunk]

Reading through my manual here, it says that one should always ensure that a window or door is open before operating the slide-out in either direction. It is implied that if one fails to do that, one might blow out a window.

Is that kinda like a poor man's leak test? Run the slide-out all the way in with the doors and windows closed, and if you still have all your windows when you're done, you failed the test?

That manual musta been written by a salesman (if they open their mouth they're lying) because slideouts only seal in the in or out position.  The slide wipers are far from being able to make an airtight seal.  Arf !

 

[Lou Schneider]

I don't know about blowing out a window, but it takes considerably more force to open and close a slide when everything's closed up vs. having a door or window open.

A few years ago I got to play around with a Tahoe travel trailer that had a manual bedroom mini-slide, just large enough for the bed itself.  The slide was mounted on large toolkit drawer rollers and had a handle on the outside wall that you used to pull it open and push it closed.

With the front door open the slide operated pretty effortlessly.  But with the trailer sealed up it was almost impossible to move the slide against the air pressure or suction that built up inside the rig.  It was like pushing or pulling on a large spring.

Since then I've been careful to leave the door open whenever I move the conventional powered slide in my Arctic Fox trailer, just to lessen the strain on the slide mechanism.

I don't think you could use the slide to leak-test a trailer, because there's too much difference in the displacement volume of the slide vs. the size of a pinhole leak - you'd never lose enough air through the leak to make a noticeable difference in the slide movement.