Hein & Kim's 94 Excella

[Hein]

It's been raining and I've been looking for leaks around the windows. Flashlight in the dark is a good way to spot shiny water. Sure enough; found one; guess where?

Yep; curved glass; at the bottom where water pools against the adhesive holding it to the aluminum frame. So during a brief dry spell I sprayed plasticoat clear spray so it would run/wick into the gap between the glass and the adhesive where it had separated. Then came back and covered with clear Flexseal liquid applied with a small brush. Leak is cured for now.

Below is how it looks after the quick repair. Note water is now beading where glass meets the metal frame. That's were the gaps were and it was seeping past the glass. Not at all uncommon based on my forum searches.


Below. Where the water was on the sill. There was not a whole lot and it was under the trim so tough to spot. All dry now.


Below. Staining on the wall is just dirt. No evidence that there was enough water that it ever ran down the upholstery. The floor is a bit stained but dry and solid. Glad for that. Appears to be a good quality plywood. Area under battery boxes is dry and clean.



Next photo. I have taken the time to apply Turtlewax spray wax to the outside skin and windows. Makes the water bead up and roll off easily. -which is good in Oregon.


Trailer at home up at the barn for winter:



All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

All Airstreams leak rain water or are going to leak soon. It is a never ending battle. Years ago I did a "pressure test" of the former Trade Wind. I rented a "bounce house" high volume 120v fan, see photo. I found 8 leak areas I needed to fix. The retest confirmed no air leakage out the repaired spots. Too late though, my old Trade Wind had bad plywood rot under the rear bath. Big project to repair.

I now use a moisture detector and search the perimeter of the floor after a rain event. It will find moisture. I had a badly leaking rear tail light assembly on the wife's trailer. The detector found it. I got that fixed also.

Well, you just need to build another "barn" for the Excella. It is a nice looking Airstream.

David

[Hein]

Originally Posted by dbj216

All Airstreams leak rain water or are going to leak soon. It is a never ending battle. Years ago I did a "pressure test" of the former Trade Wind. I rented a "bounce house" high volume 120v fan, see photo. I found 8 leak areas I needed to fix. The retest confirmed no air leakage out the repaired spots. Too late though, my old Trade Wind had bad plywood rot under the rear bath. Big project to repair.

I now use a moisture detector and search the perimeter of the floor after a rain event. It will find moisture. I had a badly leaking rear tail light assembly on the wife's trailer. The detector found it. I got that fixed also.

Well, you just need to build another "barn" for the Excella. It is a nice looking Airstream.

David

Thank you for the reality check regarding leaks and for the compliment on the looks of our Excella. It looks good all wet because it hides the peeling clear coat. I'm not looking to make it pristine. I'll be happy with 50/50. More interested in making it functionally sound at this point.

Does sound like a great idea to add a moisture detector to my tool box. Pressure test looks doable. Oh the fun of AS ownership. We built the barn for our boat and Sprinter van and now also has our CNC machine in it. So it's full. I bought a tarp canopy for the trailer if needed.

Latest project involved removing the range to get the burner valve out. Took it apart and found a broken tang on the input shaft that turns the valve body. Found a new valve online but alas it is discontinued. So picked one at Amazon that looked the same and will see if it fits/works. Otherwise considering a new range from Dometic since we recently became a dealer of there products.

Couch is out so I could clean behind it. Mounting blocks and lag studs (with wing nuts holding the frame) were loose so will redo those to be more secure.

All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

Functionally sound is most important. The renovations you have completed are well down that path. I often see vintage Airstreams for sale with polished exteriors, fancy curtains, fancy floor coverings, refinished cabinetry; but no mention of axles, frame, plumbing, electrical, and the like. I'll take function over fancy any day.

David

[Hein]

Today we saw a tiny Airstream trailer parked between the RR tracks and the river.

Worth a look next time you visit Portland: www.ColumbiaGorgeModelRailroadClub.com

All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

Very cool. Airstreams are an American icon. They are a normal part of depicting an outdoor scene in all kinds of venues.

Thanks for showing us this photo.

David

[Hein]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Thanks for showing us this photo.
David

My pleasure, David. Model railroading is a super fun and rewarding hobby. when I was a kid, I built an HO layout that took up most of my bedroom. This place may have re-lit that passion.

Yesterday I had a chance to paint the water heater cover panel with some high heat aluminum spray. Didn't take a 'before' photo but suffice to say it was not all pretty like it is now.



All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

Model railroading is a great hobby and has been for decades. I was a model airplane enthusiasts for many years. Also sports cars and other motor sports. Now I like vintage Airstreams and have since 05. It is important we have interests in the things we like to do. Especially if it involves working with my hands.

I have a hot water heater cover I have to address. I've been known to rivet a piece of aluminum to the cover. Not as nice as yours looks, but looks better than my painting skills.

David

[Hein]

Nice weather for a while so tackled another previous (fairly minor) leak point that I found in the RH rear storage compartment. Looking at how water runs off the roof pretty much explains how water can get by the lower trim and run into the compartment. The top layers of wood were not great but overall the plywood was solid. I had to cut out the carpet to get to the plywood. Went ahead and did that in the storage compartment on the other side as well.

Evidence of leak:


I coated the whole floor with a lacquer based wood sealer I had left over from another project. Basically poured it on, spread it around with a foam brush and let it soak in. Did the other side too so should be good.



All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

Nice Oregon sunshine. Maybe rare there, very common here. We need more rainy days in Colorado.

My wife's Limited had a leak at the upper awning attachment bracket and Minnesota rain water leaked between the walls to the side storage compartment and caused a rot spot in the subfloor. I repaired both. It took me a little while to find the leak source. I used a garden hose and just wet the exterior skin straight up from the rot spot. Up to the window flange, up the exterior skin seam and still nothing. Finally I sprayed the awning bracket and then the drips to the floor started. Bingo. Her trailer has a separate small awnings over the rear bedroom windows. More penetrations, more chances for leaks.

David

[Hein]

Thanks for the reply, David. I had a look at your 75 Overlander build. Very impressive and great attention to every detail. Let me know if I can help with some CAD/CNC work. I'll readily admit that we are fishing for Airstream upgrade and renovation products to produce in order to continue growing our business.

We live in Hood River which is just east of the Cascade crest. Our summers are almost 100% sunny (and windy). But come November the rain and gloom sets in. Which is fine because we need it to snow on the mountain (Mt Hood). We've had some rain but plenty of sunny days so far this fall. Plan to ride the brown pow tomorrow. It's been great lately.

Colorado is great and indeed dry. My daughter lives in Denver and my folks had a cabin in Breck where I learned to ski. My wife and I grew up in Kansas.

Thanks for the heads up on the upper awning brackets. Those were addressed as part of my earlier recaulk-and-seal-the-AS-project. Probably still some areas that need a fillet laid down. I keep the caulking gun handy and will have a few warm afternoons to get it done.

Meanwhile, I couldn't resist with some interior redecorating. While we were in Portland last weekend I picked up a chair at a 'mid-century' furniture store.

New maple chair


Old swivel rocker on its way to the warehouse.


All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

What a great looking chair and a great looking "living room" in your Airstream. Our Limited had a heavy swivel rocker in the living room, but I've replaced it with a swivel recliner. It works better for me. My Overlander 27' doesn't have enough room for much of a chair around the table. It came with two folding "Leg o Matic" chairs. Maybe I should consider removing the gaucho and installing two recliners like many folks do. I would loose the extra sleeping space though.

David

[Hein]

Fun times spending the last few days hanging halfway into the cedar closet located opposite the bathroom. The closet floor was loose and hanging down towards the back. A yet to be determined item of urgent need was sure to find it's way back there and then drop into the bowels of the trailer.

So out with the closet floor to make it all right. The area underneath is the location for the 12V water pump with its suction tube and inlet strainer, the water fill and vent tubes run through along with a twisted bunch of pex hot and cold water pipe and fittings. Low point drain valves are here too.

I removed the carpet and there were no signs of any leakage in this area. A thorough vacuuming and tiding up the wiring and heater ducting was needed. Photo below shows the area all cleaned up and ready for the closet floor to be re-installed. The floor has a hatch panel that provides access to the pump, strainer and drain valves.



All the best,
Hein

[blkmagikca]

Hein => At some point gpoing overs ome very rough roads, the false floor in the wardrobe collapsed. I bought a heavier duty brass piano hinge to replace the original one which was made of very flimsy aluminum as well as screwed some 1x1-1/2 pine to act as a support for the false floor when it is in the closed position. As well, I found someone selling moisture alarms and placed one right beside the water pump. So far the only time it went off was when the 9-volt battery was depleted. I also have my accumulator tank in that cavity.

[Hein]

Thanks for writing and mentioning the humidity sensor. Great idea. Hard to see in the earlier photo but I have placed one down low in the space next to the fresh water tank. It's just below the pump. It connects to a multi-channel receiver mounted on the wall near the furnace thermostat.

This sensor registered humidity above 70% when I first put it in there. I had a box fan laid horizontally in the closet while the floor was out to help maybe dry up any moisture that was in the space between the floor and belly pan. I was able to reduce the humidity level down to 60% over a few days. That gave me an idea.

In our trailer, The closet floor is fixed (and more secure now) and has is a large rectangular hole with drop in cover that provides access to water pump and low-point drain valves. Not sure if that was there from the factory.


I cut a piece of cardboard as large as the cover panel and then cut a large hole in it. Then hot glued a 200mm 12v computer fan over the hole and connected the power to the closet light after removing the bulb. I leave the closet door propped open or completely open.




I can feel air coming out of a hole at the front left of the trailer where wiring comes in from underneath. (photo below) It has been right below freezing here so the temp shows 35.1F. This was shortly after the computer fan was started so not a good indication of how much warmer the space will be with the forced air flowing through. I understand that the furnace blows air underneath but that only happens when it runs. This maintains a constant airflow. The humidity shows 55% which is a result of a few days of forced air with the box fan.


All the best,
Hein

[blkmagikca]

Hein => Nice idea about the fan to circulate the air underneath the wardrobe. This would not work for me, as the wardrobe is loaded with hanging clothes and shoes on the floor. My moisture alarm just beeps if it is triggered. I can relate to cold weather - right now it is 15 F and the temperature is not projected to raise above freezing for the next few days. Plus we're supposed to get 2-4 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow morning. I'll be pulling out on Saturday and I'm heading first to JC for some service and then to AZ. I'm always a bit antsy about the weather conditions in November when I head south. Several years ago I-10 was closed in TX because of snow, and I also recall pulling into Deming NM at the SKP park where the roads in the park were icy.

[Hein]

Oh the joy and angst of outrunning the weather. Some years ago I was driving through Wyoming in a Class A with tow vehicle hitched to the back. As I approached the east bound exit at Green River, a strong gust of cross wind blew the front end (tires slid sideways) over to the right as if to say "get off the highway!." I heeded the windy warning, took the exit, and spent then next 3 days huddled in an RV park sitting out the storm. I was lucky because there were many stranded motorists who didn't make it to an exit.

There is a panel at floor level beneath our wardrobe where a more permanent installation with some smaller 80mm computer fans would be possible. I'm sure our closet floor will be covered at some point as well.

This was sort of a proof of concept and appears to to work well for keeping the bowels of the trailer dry and a little warmer.

All the best,
Hein

[Hein]

Coldest morning so far at 23F and the furnace quit at some point overnight. We aren't staying in the trailer and I have the thermostat set at just over 50. It was blowing cold air this morning and I could smell propane. Haven't looked into it yet but did find a nice resource for technical documents: https://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.com/

This one appears relevant to the task at hand:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6S...2ZkFJQ1E/view?

All the best,
Hein

[Hein]

First thing to check is propane supply. Someone had previously installed a pressure gauge on the back of the refrigerator and sure enough it was showing no pressure. Tank empty which was odd because I had recently filled them.

So switched to other tank and while fiddling with the hose heard 'pssst' where propane was leaking from end of hose at tank connection. These are some old, hard hoses so no surprise. Time for some new ones.

Maybe the hose got shorter due to the cold night, developed leak and the fuel all leaked out.

All the best,
Hein

[dbj216]

I had trouble replacing the big rubber hose from the tank pressure regulator to the propane distribution piping some years back. As I recall I needed male pipe threads on one end and female flare on the other. It was a challenge for me to find one with the right fittings and the right length.

David