Slide leaking

[CDWatkins]

I've already contacted NH, but as normal it takes Ken a while to respond.

My issue is my bedroom slide is leaking, on the bottom between head board and closet.
I cant figure it out; the seals all look good, no water on the walls, none in the cargo hold below slide, its only in the one corner???
It's not a lot of water but any water is to much!
I have even called an RV Tech out, all he had to say is all slides leak.....

I need help if any one has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated.

[mjdenn]

CD

I haven't used them but I like the approach. They pressurize the RV with a fan and spray a soapy liquid over the outside. Just like testing a gas line.

https://rvleaks.com/

[dadej]

Has it been raining, snow setting on slide and do you have slide toppers?

[CDWatkins]

Originally Posted by dadej

Has it been raining, snow setting on slide and do you have slide toppers?

Yes its been raining, that's how I knew it was leaking.
No Toppers, No Snow.
the seals all look good, no water on the walls, none in the cargo hold below slide, its only in the one corner.

[CDWatkins]

Originally Posted by mjdenn

CD

I haven't used them but I like the approach. They pressurize the RV with a fan and spray a soapy liquid over the outside. Just like testing a gas line.

https://rvleaks.com/

Thanks, I Will see if i can find a tech that has one, kinda of expensive for a one time use.

[HDrider]

Hmm, when we bought our motorhome it was ran through a rain locker that sprayed high pressure water everywhere to check for leaks. I wonder if a large dealer somewhere might have such a thing.
I never thought to as NH if they do anything like that at the build stage but thinking back I guess I didn't see anything like hat during our visit.

[mjdenn]

Your not buying the machine only finding someone with one. It's a service that you can utilize. It's a bit like a franchise.
You could simulate the same effect with a leaf blower and a adapter. Blow air down through the fan opening. By pressurizing the coach and then testing the seams with a soapy mixture you can locate the actual opening. If I had to guess I'd look at the top of the slide and check the calking very carefully.

[darbyjudy]

I feel for you as I have the same problem. I bought a new Holiday Rambler Vacationer 35K motor home and the bedroom slide out has leaked every since I started using it. I have had it back to General of Dover, Florida several times for this problem and they have used the leak test system two different times but say they cannot find the problem. It does not leak ever time it rains just on occasion. It leak at front bottom corner and the water will run under wall into haft bath. Not a lot but any is too much. I think it must have something to do with either how it is leveled or how the wind is blowing. I have tried sealing everything that I see you could seal but haven't got it yet. I don't know why they do not slope the top of the slideouts away from the coach. Would solve a lot of problems

[Burrington]

I helped a friend who had the same problem on his motorhome. The cause was at the top of the slide where the horizontal weather-stripping met the vertical weather-stripping. There was a tiny gap that allowed water to leak behind the vertical strip (especially if it was windy) and run down the slide wall behind the weather-stripping. Once it got to the bottom of the wall, it followed the bottom of the slide and dripped onto the floor inside the coach.

To resolve it, we adjusted the horizontal and vertical weather-stripping to minimize the gap. Its impossible to completely eliminate the gap. Then we added a bead of silicone caulking to the bottom of the slide wall behind the weather-stripping, starting about 6" from the bottom of the inside edge, running at an angle outward to a point still just inside the weather-stripping. The caulking provides a sort of gutter to divert the water so it drips above the ground instead of above the floor. Problem solved.

Those of us who have slide toppers wouldn't likely see this problem because the topper keeps most of the water off the top corner where the two weather-strips meet.

[dadej]

"There was a tiny gap that allowed water to leak behind the vertical strip"


If you get water standing on top of slide and the fifth is not perfectly level I see no way water won't leak inside as the top seal is not a perfect seal.
Solution: Put a Girard slide topper on like I am doing this spring. Why Girard? Because the roller is mounted on the fifth not the outward part of the slide out.


Never had a leak in the last three Motorhomes which all had slide toppers.

[the sights]

first install a slide topper then see what you got.

[mjdenn]

Guy's

Adding slide toppers doesn't fix the underlying problem with the leak. The issue needs to be fixed.

CD does your coach have a metal strip on the outside of the bedroom slide? If so NH changed the seal design and that might be a possible solution.

Our coach did not come with slide toppers and I like the Girard toppers referenced above. I'm not sure how they would work on a New Summit with a radius'd roof and a slide mounted awning?

[HDrider]

Keep us informed when Ken gets back to you.

[CDWatkins]

Originally Posted by mjdenn

Guy's

Adding slide toppers doesn't fix the underlying problem with the leak. The issue needs to be fixed.

CD does your coach have a metal strip on the outside of the bedroom slide? If so NH changed the seal design and that might be a possible solution.

Our coach did not come with slide toppers and I like the Girard toppers referenced above. I'm not sure how they would work on a New Summit with a radius'd roof and a slide mounted awning?

I don't know about a Summit either?
There is no water standing on top of the slide.
The only thing about toppers is the wind, i've seen several ripped and torn loose?