Wind & Rain, slides in or out?

[IC2]

This past summer we were in a CG qhwn a thunderstorm with 60+ winds and rain so heavy that you couldn't see off our site, Slide were out and since I had beach balls under the toppers, no flapping either. No problem. Even the staked down and adjusted down and tipped for drainage awning stayed in place. The awning should have been pulled in but that storm happened out of a sunny then dark sky in just a few seconds as it came over an Adirondacks mountain.

[Kash]

Henry,

We try to suggest that when posting on any RV forum that you put a signature on the bottom of your post so people will know what RV you have to better give everyone an idea on how to respond. Now on this forum we are able to click on you name and pull up your RV but on others that may not be possible. That said, you have an older RV and have concerns about rain intrusion if your slides are out. No one wants rain to come into their RV anywhere, slides, roof, windshield, anywhere. However your RV, all our rigs are supposedly made with inner and outer seals on our slides to prevent rain intrusion on our slides from the sides or roof. Now that we know you have had your slides in when it rained we can assume you had no rain intrusion. However being you slides are made to prevent that when open, I just suggest you leave them open during the next rain and monitor the situation when doing so as we know how concerned you are. Hopefully you will not have a problem and can resume RVing like most others that leave their slides open in the rain. Common sense says that during high winds with rain may tell us to bring in our slides on the windward side. Some do and some don't. We all have that threshold during any weather situation, stationary or driving, when we have to make decisions on what to do. But hopefully you will be able to give your slides a test and not have any issues. Stay safe, Stay well and Happy Holidays to All

Dick and Sandy near Buffalo, NY
2015 HR Ambassador 38DB
2000 Ford Explorer toad

[Teamfoxy]

We've rolled up awnings for high winds, but have never pulled the slides in. Our toppers never seem to flap and make noise but do pool water at times. We move south in the winter so ice & snow have never been an issue. I have friends that have to pull slides in or they leak with wind combined with rain. You do what you have to do.

[jacwjames]

Our main awning is a Carefree of Colorado One Touch, years ago we were parked with the awning out and all of a sudden a gust of wind caught the awning and it billowed and bent one of the arms. Took me several hours to get it to where we could get it in and then more time later to get it where it worked half way decent. After that we only leave the awning out in calm weather and never leave it out when we leave.



Our slides have the type of awning that come out with the slide, no choice on that. Back ~4 years ago we had a fast moving storm roll through and the wind caught the awning and the spring snapped. I was in the bed when this happened, scared the bezesus out of me.

Last year the same thing happened to the front awning.
So if I know it's going to be high winds or the winds come up I pull in the slides, Not that big of deal.

[HenryH001]

This is the forecast for where I’m at. I’m pulling the slides in and don’t care what others do or think.

I’m saying this more about the people parked next to me. Not about the people on this forum.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

There can be several considerations......strong winds blowing one direction and not hitting your toppers can be no big deal, yet a moderate wind blowing down the length of your toppers can be an issue. The age and tightness of your slide toppers can also be a consideration.

We don't worry about rain, but freezing weather can turn pooling water on a topper into a sheet of ice. Once that happens, you may not be able to retract your slide.

So..........every situation is different. Do what common sense tells you to do.

Good advice!

[HenryH001]

Originally Posted by Kash

Henry,

We try to suggest that when posting on any RV forum that you put a signature on the bottom of your post so people will know what RV you have to better give everyone an idea on how to respond. Now on this forum we are able to click on you name and pull up your RV but on others that may not be possible. That said, you have an older RV and have concerns about rain intrusion if your slides are out. No one wants rain to come into their RV anywhere, slides, roof, windshield, anywhere. However your RV, all our rigs are supposedly made with inner and outer seals on our slides to prevent rain intrusion on our slides from the sides or roof. Now that we know you have had your slides in when it rained we can assume you had no rain intrusion. However being you slides are made to prevent that when open, I just suggest you leave them open during the next rain and monitor the situation when doing so as we know how concerned you are. Hopefully you will not have a problem and can resume RVing like most others that leave their slides open in the rain. Common sense says that during high winds with rain may tell us to bring in our slides on the windward side. Some do and some don't. We all have that threshold during any weather situation, stationary or driving, when we have to make decisions on what to do. But hopefully you will be able to give your slides a test and not have any issues. Stay safe, Stay well and Happy Holidays to All

Dick and Sandy near Buffalo, NY
2015 HR Ambassador 38DB
2000 Ford Explorer toad

I have a signature. Some people just can’t see it.

[Spk64]

Originally Posted by HenryH001

I have a signature. Some people just can’t see it.

See my PM no one can see your signature. It needs to be turned on when you create a post.

[dons2346]

Do whatever you feel comfortable with, it is your rig. Regular rain, I leave the slides out and bring the awning in. Strong winds, everything comes in. Snow everything comes in

[HenryH001]

Originally Posted by dons2346

Do whatever you feel comfortable with, it is your rig. Regular rain, I leave the slides out and bring the awning in. Strong winds, everything comes in. Snow everything comes in

I leave mine out for regular rain too. I’ll bring mine in for wind and rain or snow and if the temperature drop below 25 degrees. I’m not so worried about the cold doing damage but because the furnace runs too much and I’m cold. Sitting on the sofa or dinning room table when it’s cold is just uncomfortable. With them in I feel a lot warmer and the furnace doesn’t run as much.

I’m also testing how long I can stretch a tank of propane. Better to test it now with a refill tank 300 feet away then discover I’m short while boondocking.

I want to experience RV park living, boondocking, and traveling every day. I want to do a little of it all in the next five months.

[HenryH001]

The weatherman said it was going to snow several days ago and it didn’t. Then it was supposed to snow last night and it didn’t believe him. Guess what it snowed. I was going to leave them out with snow on them but then the wind picked up so I brought them in slowly. Most of the snow slide off so no problem. I think the problem will be when I extend them so I’m waiting for it to warm up. That may take a few days. At least I’m not stuck here with them extended. If I had to I could drive away at any time.

On a side note I have the 2nd heat zone turned down to 60 on my 2003 NT LTC 7395 and the front zone at 64. I do this because if they are set the same the 2nd zone fools the 1st zone thermostat and the front never comes on. Last night the 2nd zone came on when it shouldn’t. I’m thinking this is by design because 2nd is the heater for the wet bays and it was in the mid 20’s last night. Any ideas?

Now that the sun is out and warmer 2nd is working like I have it set.

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by bfisher003

Our slides (3) stay out for rain, but if the wind gets really strong and at the wrong angle the slide toppers start to really flap, so I will close the slides. Doesn’t happen very often.

Same here. I treat my slide topper in/out question like reefing the sails on a sailboat. In the boat when I think, "I wonder if it's time to reef?" It IS time to reef. Same for the slide toppers....but only done it a few times.

[HighDesert]

Originally Posted by bfisher003

Our slides (3) stay out for rain, but if the wind gets really strong and at the wrong angle the slide toppers start to really flap, so I will close the slides. Doesn’t happen very often.

Same here, high winds will tear topper loose so we pull the slide(s) in until wind dies down.

[mr. ed]

I left my slidees out in all types of weather. I didn’t have slide toppers, and didn’t want them. I felt i didn’t want anything to worry about concerning the toppers, like strong winds and the racket they would make when flapping up and down. I didn’t mind brushing off the slide tops before retracting them for travel. The large awning at the side of my fiver was problematic enough in a breeze when deployed, even with de-flapper devices installed.