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TexasTwoStep · 02-12-2018, 07:33 AM

My rig faces east at home base on the Texas gulf coast and the changing temps are causing causing condensate to collect at the bottom of the front cap. I drilled a hole this morning to allow it out. I guess it's forming on the inside on the fiberglass cap and collecting at the bottom. Hoping no structural problems created.

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rockintom · 02-12-2018, 08:15 AM

Damn, that's a lot of condensation. Have you had much rain lately? Areas that are especially prone to leak in the cap area are:

*corners where the front cap, side cap and roof come together. Also gutter in that area.
*dryer vent (if so equipped) I caulk all the way around the vent.
*molding where the front cap and sides meet. Missing/broken screws.
*amber LED lights on sides toward front. Should fit snug in rubber grommet and hole in gelcoat. If not, use a bit of caulk.
*roof Eternabond tape intact, also corner moldings on each side of the tape are sealed and caulked.

Just some thought starters. I may be missing something....but someone will chime in.

TexasTwoStep · 02-13-2018, 05:35 AM

Cap is 4 ft under a cover with no plumbing up front. Facing east, it gets the morning sun until noonish. It only does this at home base during extreme temp changes i. e., 30 degrees at night then sun in morning causing sweating on the warm side (inside) of the cap. Lots of surface area. Several days in a row. It's all I can come up with. Nothing else fits.

Yosemite77 · 02-13-2018, 05:58 AM

I’m assuming your rig is sealed up. That’s just too much water to be from the air within the trailer. Put it this way - when reading posts in the forum you will see lots of posts about water damage from leaks. The only time I recall reading about condensation being a problem is when people are living in a trailer during winter. Given all the rain your area has had recently, I would say a leak is much more likely. I would check the areas Rockintom suggested and keep in mind that water can travel. Good luck!

dw8ite · 02-13-2018, 07:13 AM

You might try testing the water to see for sure whether it’s condensate or rain water. Just a thought.

TexasTwoStep · 02-13-2018, 09:55 AM

We are full time rvers.

CARLnJANIS · 02-13-2018, 05:08 PM

Gary,

Since this only happens at your current location and under a cover, I think it may be condensation.

Take some wire, such as a wire clothes hanger and bend it until it can go into the hole, then attach a bucket to the wire where it hangs under the hole and monitor the water flow. Make sure the wire extends below the bucket lip to catch the water flowing down the wire. If you are collecting water during times where it is not raining, then it is condensation.

I don't think sun on the cap in the morning has any affect. Water condensation collects on a cool/cold surface in a warm humid environment. I would assume that condensation of that amount could collect over several days especially close to the gulf coast. My assumption is the humidity in the trailer is working its way to the cap and collects at night when the cap is cooler than the moist air inside the cap. Some humid outside air may be seeping into the cap warming up and collecting on the inside of the cap.

Pardon my 'Do you think I'm an idiot!' questions because I know you are not.
Do you use a humidifier?
How well is your bathroom vent working?
These are the biggest contributors of humidity in a trailer, excluding the humidity outside.

Hope this helps.

Carl

rockintom · 02-13-2018, 05:11 PM

Some good info Carl. You is always thinkin'!

CARLnJANIS · 02-13-2018, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockintom

Some good info Carl. You is always thinkin'!

Not to bad for someone who has been in bed the last two days.

Not the flu. The doctor call it an upper respiratory infection, or as I call it, a common cold on steroids.

rockintom · 02-13-2018, 09:08 PM

Yep. URI is what Donna and I got on our cruise. The cough part of it lasted almost 5 weeks. Got a Z-pack right from start to nip it in the bud...but only dampened it. Not a lot of fun. Take care of yourself.

CARLnJANIS · 02-13-2018, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockintom

Yep. URI is what Donna and I got on our cruise. The cough part of it lasted almost 5 weeks. Got a Z-pack right from start to nip it in the bud...but only dampened it. Not a lot of fun. Take care of yourself.

Thanks Rockin'. Zithromax doesn't do much for the URI virus but can prevent a secondary bacterial infection. The doctor wanted to prescribe a Z-Pac for me but the last time I used it I had a bad reaction, a rash all over my stomach. She gave me benzonatate for the cough and it is helping. Still, I feel like someone took a bat to my ribs. Overall I am getting better. The fever is starting to break. Hit 102.0 Sunday night and was above 101 all day Monday. Just checked it and its below 100.

Janis is hoping she won't catch the URI but everyone I have talked to says everyone in the house was infected.