'Gaskets' for marker lights

[PA BAMBI II]

I am getting ready to install my marker lights on the Bambi II. I am using VTS Teardrop Marker Clearance Light amber and red versions of these.

The question is how to seal them to the siding. They come with no foam gasket at all. The marker lights I used on my Scotty actually had a nice thick foam gasket to place between the siding and the light fixture.

I was thinking of using duct seal- but I know that will dry out in time. Also, I think Tempro would work, but I am not sure I want the seal to be that permanent.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a foam sheet that can be cut to size and used to make surface gaskets for the VTS lights?

Thanks for any suggestions-

Ben

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

I am getting ready to install my marker lights on the Bambi II. I am using VTS Teardrop Marker Clearance Light amber and red versions of these.

The question is how to seal them to the siding. They come with no foam gasket at all. The marker lights I used on my Scotty actually had a nice thick foam gasket to place between the siding and the light fixture.

I was thinking of using duct seal- but I know that will dry out in time. Also, I think Tempro would work, but I am not sure I want the seal to be that permanent.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a foam sheet that can be cut to size and used to make surface gaskets for the VTS lights?

Thanks for any suggestions-

Ben

Ben.

Simply seal them with Par-bond.

Gaskets are not needed.

Andy

[TG Twinkie]

I would only seal the top and ends of the fixture, leaving the bottom unsealed, to let the condensation drain. You will get condensation.

[Aage]

Just a guess, but I would suspect that a thick foam gasket would hold water, and we all know that is the next step after that!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

I would only seal the top and ends of the fixture, leaving the bottom unsealed, to let the condensation drain. You will get condensation.

Don't leave the whole bottom unsealed. Just leave a small "weep hole" at the lowest point. That way your slipstream while towing won't cause water to be blown up through the bottom edge, but trapped water from condensation still has a place to drip out.

[ROBERT CROSS]

On our 63 Safari the base flange of the lamp was sealed with Par-bond all the way around the base. No evidence of it ever having leaked.

The older teardrops are different than the new style with a base that is a quite a bit larger than the lens.


The lens seal I replaced with a gasket I cut from an inner tube. (did the same on the Classic..pic).


I did file a slight V in the low point edge of the lens to help with evaporating/draining condensation.

Bob

[Frank's Trailer Works]

VULKEM.
The wire comes through the base in the wrong spot. You will need to drill a new hole in the base to move the wire. I use a rubber grommet in the new hole and one in the trailer hole. It causes a slight bulge that the soft aluminum base easily hides. I buck rivet the bases on when ever I can. You will ever only replace the bulb or the lens in your life time.

[eubank]

This is on the right track. What you're sealing is not the light per se, but rather the hole through the skin that the wire passes through.

I do use gaskets, cut from tire innertube rubber. Critically, I create a very small hole through the center of the gasket and force the wire through it, sealing at that point. And I seal between the Airstream and the back (Airstream) side of the gasket just around the wire with a good gob of blue automotive gasket maker.

Because these lights operate from a hot wire through the bulb/LED to ground via the light attachment screws/rivets, you don't want to add goop to the attachment screws/rivets. I do use rivets (Olympics, in my case) rather than screws and make sure that the hole though the skin is just big enough to fit the rivet through.


Lynn

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

VULKEM.
The wire comes through the base in the wrong spot. You will need to drill a new hole in the base to move the wire. I use a rubber grommet in the new hole and one in the trailer hole. It causes a slight bulge that the soft aluminum base easily hides. I buck rivet the bases on when ever I can. You will ever only replace the bulb or the lens in your life time.

All of this makes sense. What are the specifics on the grommets? Supplier/size?

Thanks! Ben

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Mc Master Carr. McMaster-Carr

[Frank's Trailer Works]

the first one is fine for the single wire.

[eubank]

Great source, Frank! I need some grommets for the ... well, not for the Airstream at the moment, but for the MG.

Lynn

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by eubank

T

Because these lights operate from a hot wire through the bulb/LED to ground via the light attachment screws/rivets, you don't want to add goop to the attachment screws/rivets. I do use rivets (Olympics, in my case) rather than screws and make sure that the hole though the skin is just big enough to fit the rivet through.


Lynn

I am also considering riveting a ground wire onto the base of the light as I would like to seal the screw/rivet holes.

[eubank]

Sounds like a plan. You surely have lights that are different from ours, which wouldn't lend themselves too easily to a ground wire.

If you decide to rivet the lights to the body, be sure that the holes for the rivets are just the right size. Standard pop rivets would create a very tight seal against the properly sized hole, likely allowing so little leak that it wouldn't be worth bothering with. I would have used pop rivets rather than Olympics to attach the lights, but didn't have any that were long enough. (Another instance in which living in the boondocks really kind of stinks.)


Lynn

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

I am also considering riveting a ground wire onto the base of the light as I would like to seal the screw/rivet holes.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

Mc Master Carr. McMaster-Carr

Originally Posted by eubank

Great source, Frank! I need some grommets for the ... well, not for the Airstream at the moment, but for the MG.

Lynn

A great source!!!!...you won't find these in stainless at the local HD.

small stuff bug's me



Bob

[eubank]

Oh, wow, those latches look like the originals, but in stainless! Did you have to drill new holes, or do the new ones fit with the old holes?

Lynn

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by eubank

Oh, wow, those latches look like the originals, but in stainless! Did you have to drill new holes, or do the new ones fit with the old holes?

Lynn

No drilling needed.
Just had to emery the 'slag' left by whomever drilled the original holes.

Bob

[robwok]

I have to drill out my teardrops. In the VTS teardrops, there is groove that the plastic lens sits in. I rolled up butyl tape, but the aluminum was so soft, that it buckled under the small amount of tape and the lens wouldn't sit flat.

Best option I've found is to use Vulkem on either side of that grove on the backside, then putting on with Olympic rivets, then sealing the hole inside with vulkem where the wire goes through.

Some folks put silicone to hold down the lens and seal water out of that as well.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by robwok

Some folks put silicone to hold down the lens and seal water out of that as well.

Hmmm... I thought silicone and aluminum was a no-no.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Aage

Hmmm... I thought silicone and aluminum was a no-no.

The lens touches the AS?


Bob