Wave of water coming off top of slide -thoughts?

[Mighty_J]

We’re out for our first full week in our brand new 2023 London Aire 4586. Most systems are nominal. But we seem to have what I’d call a pretty disappointing problem.

It rained on and off the day we left. Not hard, just on and off for a couple hours. The slides were out and all was good. I brought the coach to ride height, brought in the slides and had a very large waterfall come off the top of the slide into the coach. Enough to soak 6 bath towels.

All cleaned up so we took off. That brings us to this morning. It rained again last night (maybe an hour or so again - I’d call it light rain). It was not a wicked storm. This time I climbed up with a ladder to have a look. The slide on question had a lot of pooled water on the top. The other 3, none. I had my wife run the slide in part way while I watched from outside. Here’s what I observed…

1) this is a “more floor” hydraulic slide (hwh) front driver side. The one that goes straight out, then lowers into place.

2) when the slide is extended, there is no visible rubber gasket or flange touching the roof of the slide. There’s a gasket there that looks the same as on the side walls, but it’s about 3 inches above the top of the slide box.

3) when the slide raises to retract, the rubber flange does touch the slide top.

4) the gasket behaves the same as the side gaskets during retract (it folds in on itself as the slide closes).

5) it sweeps water off about the first 3rd of the slide top. After that the water just passes under it as if there’s too much and it’s overwhelming the gasket.

It’s a lot of water. At least a gallon. This time a took a long pole squeegee and pulled as much of it off as I could but we still ended up with water running down the wall and across the floor (one hand towel to clean it up).

Has anyone experienced this? Is there a secondary flange missing? On the other 3 sides there is a secondary flange, but I’m not sure if the more floor slides should have one.

I’m stumped on this one and will be calling Newmar tomorrow, but if anyone’s got any ideas, I’d love to hear them.

[Mr. T]

Did you check the floor with a level?
I'm not sure about the gasket, but we had water come in from the FWS at the rear corner bedroom area during some heavy rain. I got the ladder out and noticed water ponding in the back corner.
I went back inside and put a level on the floor and discovered we were leaning a bit to the passenger side. Once I dropped the drivers side, (to re-level) the water drained off the top just fine.

[sdhexpert]

We have this issue also only with the FWS ..... thought this was common no?

I got drenched the first time leaving Nappanee after doing the factory pick up. Pulled in the slide, started to go, made a stop and the waterfall came down over me! Cold water - not fun. Assumed this is just the way these slides are?

We now extend the front jacks or the rear jacks after a rain - before airing up and before pulling the slide in. A few time there has been substantial water on top of the slide.

So my question for the group is this a warranty thing I should be asking about?

[dmp1991]

We've also had the FWS waterfall happen to us on our 2021 DS.

We've taken to manually retracting the jacks in the front and driver side a bit before going to travel mode. Always give it time for water to run off top of slide. With that tilt you can look out drivers side window and visually see if water has stopped running or not.

We just assumed this was common. But would like to know if this is some defect or something that could be fixed!

[Mighty_J]

Originally Posted by dmp1991

We've also had the FWS waterfall happen to us on our 2021 DS.

We've taken to manually retracting the jacks in the front and driver side a bit before going to travel mode. Always give it time for water to run off top of slide. With that tilt you can look out drivers side window and visually see if water has stopped running or not.

We just assumed this was common. But would like to know if this is some defect or something that could be fixed!

I certainly hope it isn’t a “feature” of the coach. All the money we pay, you’d think this is fixable with something other than a user work around.

[wildtoad]

Do these rigs not have slide toppers which do a good job at keeping rain off the slide top? I have 3 slides on my little BSS and the only one that sometimes lets in water is the one without a topper. Just curious.

[redbaron73]

This is a feature of the 3 newmars I have owned.

Only one time did I get a wet back while driving. After I discovered the problem, I started a prevention routine that has worked on all my coaches.

When leaving, keep fws extended and raise leveling jacks.

Use air suspension to raise the coach front and lean drivers side.

Observe rain drain away.

Lower front raise rear and verify no rain coming out drivers window.

Return to ride height and bring in slide.


I did this with air on my dutch stars since I had HWH Active Air. It can be done with Jack as well, just not as much travel on jacks.

London Aire works same way from the factory.

[PetesMH]

The water has to go somewhere. If it’s been raining I always tilt my coach in order to drain the water before bringing my slides in. It doesn’t take a lot of tilt. Most often I’ll raise the front end for a few minutes before releveling and closing up like normal. The slide still will be wet and might drip a bit but it won’t gush.

[twojayhawks]

This is not a big deal once you know to deliberately raise front or rear to drain water from under topper. I typically don't have to do anything as once I retract jacks site is usually off level enough it drains. If yours is holding water with no jacks be thankful for such a level site

[Bobby Dowdle]

The slide topper is very large and can pool water. You are supposed to bring the room in a couple of inches, stop and then keep repeating this process until it's fully retracted. There is no way to keep the water from pooling in the middle of the fabric. If you bring it all the way in without allowing for the water to run off, you can have the water enter the coach as described above.

[groveln]

I found a solution to get rid of pooling water on the toppers & water in my coach when sliding them in on a 3 slide system. On my driver's side deep slide I have 2 6' quality air mattresses that I slide from each end. On the passenger slide 2 pool noodles (I think I saw it here) configured in a pyramid of 3 ie: 2 for a base & 1 on top of those taped together & are 7' long each & slid in from each end. No more water on on the slides & in my coach! The bedroom slide never pools water.

[Capt. Bill]

Bobby D - I think you missed the point my friend. OP is talking about water on top of the slide roof that has entered from the ends of the slide topper awning. I have had this on all my Newmar & Brand X coach's.

The above-described tilting procedure using the leveling jacks or air leveling prior to bringing the slides in is the best & easiest way to get that accumulated water off the top of the slides. I haven't figured out a way to block off the ends of the slide topper's that is foul-proof from accidentally leaving it there when closing the slide. Newmar should have their topper awning at least 10"-12" longer on each end to prevent this infiltration of blowing rain.

Happy Trails

[alank]

I'm going to offer up something here that I have done, but haven't been out in the rain yet to see the results.

I've always had water in my slide tops, and water on the toppers. Sometimes after camping in the summer and no rain. I've spent some time up on a ladder to see, in real time, where the water on the slide roof is coming from.

Water from my A/C units drain off on the roof, then over the side, depending if the coach tilt is a little right or left. I've watched the water come down off the roof and onto the topper. right where it drains onto the topper, it will also be dripping from under the topper and on to the slide roof. The water is moving around the topper bead by capillary action and dripping out of the bead bracket under the topper. I've also witnessed while rainwater is draining off the roof. Only when raining it will be happening in several locations, really loading the slide roof with water.

I've run a silicone bead on top of the topper to seal the topper bead to the bead bracket on the coach, hoping to eliminate the capillary action around the back of the topper bead. Like I said above, I haven't been out in any rain yet to see the results.

[Tegu]

I’ve had water on the slide a few times and once got the drench. Here is a thought. Would it not be possible for manufacturers to make an elevated center on the slide to shed water to the front and rear.