Leak -

[Elijah]

I am new to this forum and new to class B's. However, I have owned rvs for over 35 years and have had my share of leaks. Up to now I was able to fix them. I have a leak in the bunk area and after a hard rain water will stand in the fibercglass shell. I have caulked etc.

Is the top a two piece shell and is it possible for water to enter around the blue strip about mid way around the top?

I looked for about 6 months before making a purchage of a 1996 b190 with 57k miles. I was tired of trying to handle a 30+ foot rv. At 75 I downed sized.

[skater]

I believe it's all one piece.

We recently had a shop re-caulk everything - the fans, the feet for the bar, the solar panel cover, and the windows - and so far with the current rain storm, no leaks. It was a couple hundred dollars ($300 maybe? I don't have the receipt nearby to check), but I remember thinking that if I'd known I could have it fixed for that price I would've done it years ago.

[MoonSnail]

ditto the standing water under the top bunk.... after taking it apart I
can see it's not the first time... bought her in July '08

what I can't figure out is WHERE it's coming in - I had my entire
(and I mean entire down to the tires) covered with a tarp this winter
and still.... water.... hmmm a mystery

I was hoping to repair it myself and save $ but based on skater's post
may just drive on out to the RV shop....

[skater]

Do you park your camper off level? Ours is pretty severely down at the front left if we park it facing out the driveway, and the window would leak. The shop was pretty confident they had the leak fixed. Now I have it parked facing up the driveway, and it's not leaking at all. It shouldn't leak at any angle, but I suspect something about being at a severe angle and 20 years old are working together to cause it to leak.

I can't explain why it would still leak with a tarp over it, though. I've noticed that the water tends to just stay in there if you don't get pump it out - so perhaps it actually got in there a while ago?

[MoonSnail]

thanks for the reply

it's parked on a flat spot... pretty level...
yeah, I thought about water in there just creeping up to the front,
but there's been so much - I'm guessing the front side window(s)
are the culprit

I've bought some window sealant and looked at them, but it's not
obvious where I would seal - it all looks tight and waterproof to me
- off to the RV place this week

[skater]

thanks for the reply

it's parked on a flat spot... pretty level...
yeah, I thought about water in there just creeping up to the front,
but there's been so much - I'm guessing the front side window(s)
are the culprit

I've bought some window sealant and looked at them, but it's not
obvious where I would seal - it all looks tight and waterproof to me
- off to the RV place this week

Good luck. When we played with it using a garden hose, we found that the window design itself seems to allow leakage. Presumably good gaskets prevent that, but they weren't available any more (sigh).

[Roadhog]

I have a 1995 B van that had a leak same as yours. I checked everything top and windows. Sometime around mabe 1994, Airstream changed from a vinyl blue stripe around the top to an aluminum blue trim. One day after washing the B, I noticed water dripping out from under the subject trim. After it dried out good, I put a small bead of clear RTV around the top edge of the trim. Wala no more water under the top bunk. Hope this helps you. But I wouldn't rule out any of the other possible mentioned ideas. Leaks are funny as they can travel and not be where it shows up.
Happy Travels, Roadhog

[Planck]

My 91 190 had the same leak. Rotted out the bed frame before I discovered it just last month in Florida. The large rubber seal around both berth side windows had shrunk and pulled away from the fiberglass. I filled in the gap, but will never know if that fixed the problem as we traded it in for a 93 190 on the way back. The 93 had the same problem, and showed signs of leaking in the same area, so I sealed up that gap. Too soon to tell if that is the root cause.

[jlidahoair]

Greetings All,
Window leaks... It is spring, and time for all things RV to leak if they will. ;o) I noticed that the left bunk window on our "90" unit has been leaking, and yes, I'm replacing the bunk underlayment. In addressing the window problem, I found a couple of sites that gave me some information. I found some instructions for fixing the seal between window and frame on the inside of glass, and also a site for the Hehr moulding (glazing bead) for the outside , between glass and frame.

Re-sealing the window at, http://www.rvecafe.com/win.html and then what I believe is the correct moulding (glazing bead, at $1.48/ft.) for exterior of those bunk windows at, http://www.all-rite.com/hehr-glazing-bead-p-294.html

We're currently drying out the under bunk area, and will be doing the reseal of the windows soon. It looks to me like the seal between the window frame and the fiberglass shell is still ok. In my research, the glazing bead is said to shrink, which our original has, but after all 22 yrs. isn't bad... Our B190 is still our RV of choice. I'll let you know how the "re-seal" project went, after we finish up.
Happy Trails,
Gerald <><

[Planck]

Gerald

How about posting some pictures of how you did your repair, please. Would good for futrure reference for those of us who will probably also have to do a leak fix.

Phil

[jlidahoair]

Thanks Phil,
That is a great idea. I may do that. I talked to a local RV repair place in Boise, Id. today, and he said unless I'm really good (Which I doubt) I could break the shatterproof glass if dropped, if I were to take the glass out. He suggested running a small silicone bead around the glass, and then putting in the new rubber moulding. I snipped off a piece of the moulding and will check availability of that tomorrow. I'll compile a log, and snap some pics for show and tell here. ;o)

Are you ready for some warmer weather and a bit of RVing like we are?
Thanks again for the suggestion and response..
Have a great week.
Gerald <><

[Planck]

We have been having July in March here in northeast MI. Over 80 degrees last Wed. Two weeks of very mild weather. Unfortunatley, MI campgrounds don't open until around May 1.

[jlidahoair]

Yes, I've been noticing all of that good weather in the Mid-West. I was born and raised in Indiana, but ended up putting down roots here in Idaho. We call our area "The Banana Belt", ;o) Maybe we'll just jump on in to summer real soon. Ha.
Later.. <><

[Planck]

Well I was born and raised in Tipton, Indiana.

[jlidahoair]

It's a small world isn't it Phil? ;o) I was born and raised in Dublin, Cambridge city area, then moved to Indianapolis while I was still in grade school. Wow, that seems like a long long time ago.... Like back before the earth's crust was fully hardened. Ha. Always nice to meet another Hoosier! Oh, I stopped at an RV repair shop today, and he has ordered in a roll of the "Glazing Bead" that I will be needing. He should be getting it in by next week for sure, so we'll see what develops. Of course we are supposed to be getting rain for the next few days, but that usually happens on the neighborhood kids Spring Break. ;o) Blessed are the flexible, right?
Have a great one. <><