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Subject Topic: leaking caravan rooflight Post Reply Post New Topic
13/9/2010 at 7:29pm
 Location: Lynemouth Northumberland
 Outfit: tent
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I have had a leaking rooflight (very small leak) for a while and never knew where it was, with the heavy rain today have found that the water is running down the handles so I guess the leak is from the handle screws.
Does anyone know if the screws have a rubber washer or how they are held as I will have to do a quick fix rather than replace the rooflight as we are going on holiday on saturday?
Thanks


13/9/2010 at 7:52pm
 Location: West Mids
 Outfit: Swift Ace Statesman & X-Trail 2.0
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Is this a standard type skylight with the pair of sprung handles on either sdie or a Heki type.
If the former, these have a deep'ish upstand on the outside to prevent water coming in and the domed 'glass' is generally fixed from within so I'm surprised you've traced the water coming down the handles as the fittings are internal.
Have you any way of checking the skylight from outside to view and check for any crack etc as a quick fix (just for your holiday) might be some sealant from the outside if you can find the offending area.

-------------
Paul

Every day's a school day!


13/9/2010 at 8:13pm
 Location: 
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Every standard rooflight I can find including the MPK has it's cover screwed down to the handles so yes a possibility of them leaking.

They usually have a rubber washer under each screw, but you may find that the plastic is cracked around the screw.

A short term fix in the case of cracking would be an application of the dreaded silicon mastic - from the outside

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Caravanning is a way of getting a cheap holiday out of an expensive hobby

rune@tabbytha.com


13/9/2010 at 8:14pm
 Location: Lynemouth Northumberland
 Outfit: tent
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the skylight is a standard type with 2 push up brackets, starting to wonder if its cracked now around the handles, if the fixings are internal.
Have measured the inside from edge to edge its 12 inch x 12 inch (quite small as its a toilet rooflight)

Am days off from Thursday to when we go on holiday Sunday so have a few days, so will try and get a ladder and check the outside, or is there a way of taking the window rather than the whole thing out via the roof hole?

Thanks


13/9/2010 at 8:19pm
 Location: Lynemouth Northumberland
 Outfit: tent
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Quote: Originally posted by Rune Caster on 13/9/2010
Every standard rooflight I can find including the MPK has it's cover screwed down to the handles so yes a possibility of them leaking.

They usually have a rubber washer under each screw, but you may find that the plastic is cracked around the screw.

A short term fix in the case of cracking would be an application of the dreaded silicon mastic - from the outside


Will check on Thursday - silicon gun at the ready, then will replace it before winter, can i screw out the dome somehow?


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13/9/2010 at 8:20pm
 Location: East Lancashire
 Outfit: Burstner Ventana 520TL
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The outer part of mine cracked round where the handles locate, took me ages to find it, the cracks only opened up when the skylight was closed. I cured it with a new one.


13/9/2010 at 11:08pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Caravan now Sold
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i also think you have a cracked cover.

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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.


14/9/2010 at 1:13am
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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Had to replace mine a couple of years back, The handles are help down with plastic buttons.
I think they insert them as a rod and melt them into a button shape.

The button on mine went brittle and started breaking away.



14/9/2010 at 10:43pm
 Location: St Helens Lancashire
 Outfit: Eriba 540 Mazda CX5 SEL
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Quick fix as you are going away, duct tape stuck where you suspect it is cracked.

-------------
Lawrence


27/9/2010 at 11:02am
 Location: Northants
 Outfit: Bailey discovery 4 birth caravan
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I have just had this very same problem, In the end I opted for a new roof light cover.  The water was getting in through the little plastic plugs you can see on the cover where the handles attach.  It was old and the plastic had gone brittle.  New cover, no more leak.  :)

 



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27/9/2010 at 11:51am
 Location: Lynemouth Northumberland
 Outfit: tent
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yes iam going to replace it in the near future.
My fix seemed to work for now, I had some stuff in the garage i had forgot about called flexacryl which is sort of a paint on thick compound with fiberglass in it thats used for roofs.
I found when i climbed up to the roof that there were 2 aluminium bars that were attached to the rooflight, bad design as the bars are L shaped and allow water to stand in a groove, they look original but the other rooflight in the kitchen area is of a different type.
Where the groove is the rooflight handle bolts fit.
I have filled the grooves to about an inch with the flexacryl, the rooflight bars are pretty solid now and no leaks, so gonna cover the van over for the winter and keep checking then in the spring will put a new rooflight on.



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