Water in the camper

[Jimdamedic]

I?m flumoxed. We have a Keystone Cougar Xlite 5th wheel. In the fall, when we turn on the furnace, we have had two instances of water in the bedroom. Once on a countertop beside the bed. Once on the bed itself. More of a really soaking dampness on the bed, but standing water on the countertop, maybe half a cup. It only happens when the furnace is on and it is raining.

Sounds like a leak. But the walls are bone dry. The insulation in the walls I can check is bone dry. I pulled an outlet off and there is no water behind it. There is no window close. I went up on the roof and can see no place it cou,d be leaking. After the first issue, we took it to the dealer and they resealed the front cap.

Again, this only happens when it rains and when the furnace is on. Both have to happen, even then it doesn?t happen every time. Is there some weird kind of condensation thing?

 

[Rene T]

Unless yours is different than the typical RV, vents for the furnace are on the floor. The AC vents are in the ceiling.
Is your TV antenna over the bed?  I had a issue last year with mine and it was just a very fine crack in the caulking which allowed water to get in.
Is there a seam in the ceiling above the bed where it leaked and above the bureau?

 

[SeilerBird]

I live in central Florida and when I run my A/C I get a small drip of water coming from the overhead vents. Nothing is leaking, it is condensation, kinda like when the windows fog up when cold and hot air meet each other. I questioned my A/C man and he told me there is nothing I can do about it but live with it. I just make sure nothing important is located under the vents.

 

[Jimdamedic]

Unless yours is different than the typical RV, vents for the furnace are on the floor. The AC vents are in the ceiling.
Is your TV antenna over the bed?  I had a issue last year with mine and it was just a very fine crack in the caulking which allowed water to get in.
Is there a seam in the ceiling above the bed where it leaked and above the bureau?

No the antennae is at the other end of the camper. There is a vent over the bed, but other than very minor condensation it is dry. There is no wet path between the vent and the top of the bed or the counter. The furnace vents are in the floor. There is an AC vent over the bed, but the AC wasn?t on.

There is a seem above the bed. That was my first thought. The thing is, the bed and the counter were dry at like noon, and damp at three. I would struggle to see how there wouldn?t be at least some sign that water was coming in the ceiling.

 

[Jimdamedic]

I live in central Florida and when I run my A/C I get a small drip of water coming from the overhead vents. Nothing is leaking, it is condensation, kinda like when the windows fog up when cold and hot air meet each other. I questioned my A/C man and he told me there is nothing I can do about it but live with it. I just make sure nothing important is located under the vents.

I get the same thing in the heat of summer, but again, this only happens when the furnace is running and it rains. Both have to happen. We had a two day driving rainstorm between camping trips so the furnace was off and the bed and counter stayed dry as a bone.

 

[Rene T]

I get the same thing in the heat of summer, but again, this only happens when the furnace is running and it rains. Both have to happen. We had a two day driving rainstorm between camping trips so the furnace was off and the bed and counter stayed dry as a bone.

I'm thinking it's just coincidence that the leak was seen while the furnace was running.  I would get up on the roof and check all the seams, joints, lights etc. It has to be coming from one of them. It doesn't take much of a crack so look real close.

You said the dealer resealed the front cap. Is it still under warrantee?  If it is, take it back to them.
 
Do you have a Air Conditioner in that immediate area?

You stated that the leak was over the bed at one time and the other time was over the bureau. This may be because the RV was not as level from one time to the other time. That's front to back and side to side.

 

[Jimdamedic]

I'm thinking it's just coincidence that the leak was seen while the furnace was running.  I would get up on the roof and check all the seams, joints, lights etc. It has to be coming from one of them. It doesn't take much of a crack so look real close.

You said the dealer resealed the front cap. Is it still under warrantee?  If it is, take it back to them.
 
Do you have a Air Conditioner in that immediate area?

You stated that the leak was over the bed at one time and the other time was over the bureau. This may be because the RV was not as level from one time to the other time. That's front to back and side to side.

I?m really not being contrary here, but then why does it never leak when the furnace isn?t on?  It can rain for three days so,I?d and it won?t leak. There is an AC vent but the only unit is in the lower camper. I will get up on the roof again and look. It worries me. The camper is not now under warranty.

 

[Jimdamedic]

And thanks for your help.

 

[Rene T]

I?m really not being contrary here, but then why does it never leak when the furnace isn?t on?  It can rain for three days so,I?d and it won?t leak. There is an AC vent but the only unit is in the lower camper. I will get up on the roof again and look. It worries me. The camper is not now under warranty.

The furnace and the roof have nothing in common except they're in the same RV. This is a good one. I don't know which way to turn now.

Can you  elaborate a little on this. I'm confused:  There is an AC vent but the only unit is in the lower camper.

 

[Jimdamedic]

Right above the bed is a vent for the air conditioner. In other words cold air is ducted from the living room to the vent above the bed.

 

[Rene T]

Right above the bed is a vent for the air conditioner. In other words cold air is ducted from the living room to the vent above the bed.

Oh OK. Got it now. Thanks.
So you do not have a AC in the bedroom.

 

[Jimdamedic]

Correct. So another question. How far realistically do I need to look for the leak?  All the way to the other end?  Halfway?  Just in that area?

 

[QZ]

Is it actually coming out of the vent? Remove the grill and see if its wet in there or is the water leaking in and migrating to that area? I had an antenna boot that was just slightly loose on the coax cable and it leaked when it rained hard. It ran from the front of the bedroom and leaked out the dinette light or at a joint near there. I wouldnt stop looking until I know absoluetly where it's coming from. You could end up with a disaster. 

 

[Jimdamedic]

Is it actually coming out of the vent? Remove the grill and see if its wet in there or is the water leaking in and migrating to that area? I had an antenna boot that was just slightly loose on the coax cable and it leaked when it rained hard. It ran from the front of the bedroom and leaked out the dinette light or at a joint near there. I wouldnt stop looking until I know absoluetly where it's coming from. You could end up with a disaster.

The last time the counter was wet I took off the ac vent cover and it was bone dry. I took off the cover for the electrical outlet, which is right above the counter and that was bone dry. The wall was dry. The ceiling was dry. The window next to it was bone dry. Everything was dry. It?s like some stupid gremlin came in and dumped water.

 

[Rene T]

Correct. So another question. How far realistically do I need to look for the leak?  All the way to the other end?  Halfway?  Just in that area?

You need to check the entire roof from front to back. A leak can develop and travel above the ceiling and come out anyplace.

 

[Rene T]

The last time the counter was wet I took off the ac vent cover and it was bone dry. I took off the cover for the electrical outlet, which is right above the counter and that was bone dry. The wall was dry. The ceiling was dry. The window next to it was bone dry. Everything was dry. It?s like some stupid gremlin came in and dumped water.

That's really weird.

 

[SpencerPJ]

If you have wet counter surfaces, that must be dropping from above, simple laws of physics.  If the above is completely dry, no way to make below wet, you have someone playing tricks with you.  :-\

 

[Back2PA]

If you have wet counter surfaces, that must be dropping from above, simple laws of physics.

Agree. And since the furnace registers are in the floor, there is no possible connection to water on the counter. Just a coincidence.

Water leaks can be very frustrating - it could be wind, exact angle of RV allowing water to run a certain direction, whatever. I would concentrate on looking at every square in of the roof, the tiniest hairline crack in a caulk seam can cause a surprisingly large leak.

 

[Larry N.]

Agree. And since the furnace registers are in the floor, there is no possible connection to water on the counter. Just a coincidence.

One very slight possibility: Since temperature changes cause things to expand or contract, perhaps the furnace heats things enough to allow water to seep through from somewhere. If so, then there is still something needing to be fixed, and it may still cause internal damage even when the furnace isn't running.

 

[cerd]

Call a few service centers and get quotes for a bubble leak test. That will tell you if and where it is leaking.

You can do it yourself, but most people don't have a fan strong enough to pressurize the cab.