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10-17-2015, 12:58 PM
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#1
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Rivet Master
1972 25' Tradewind
1976 31' Excella 500
1974 31' Excella 500
1975 24' Argosy 24
Denver
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,106
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Shouldn't there be a rubber seal where the lights meet the exterior skin?
I am making all final updates before doing the insulation (correcting less than perfect wiring connections from PO (I am soldering instead of crimping), running wires in conduit instead of just on the skin, etc.), and was looking at how the new LED marker lights were installed by the previous owner.
Shouldn't there be a rubber gasket/seal around each light at it's base where the light meets the exterior skin?
I'm not sure why they aren't there. The PO including just about EVERYTHING I could want when I purchased the AS (new toilet, new tanks, new pump, new water heater, extra wires, extra rivets, rivet gun, etc., etc.,), but there are no seals for the already installed lights!
Can I buy these separately, or will they only come with the light's housing?
__________________
25' 1972 Airstream Trade Wind Land Yacht (heavily customized)
2006 Jeep Liberty CRD (diesel)
BeahmStream.com
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10-17-2015, 01:46 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
Princeton
, New Jersey
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,070
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Usually they are set in Dumb Dumb. Put a line of Dumb Dumb around the edge of the fixture and screw in place. The extra Dumb Dumb will ooz out as you tighten down and you can trim it off with a dull blade, a kitchen knife or edge of a putty knife.
The fixture ground is through the screws if a second wire is not there.
While you are at it consider replacing the fixtures with LEDs. Brighter and longer life
__________________
WBCCI 12156 AIR 3144 WACHUNG TAC NJ6
2004 Excursion 4x4
1991 34 ft. Excella +220,000 miles, new laminated flooring, new upholstery, new 3200 lbs axles
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10-17-2015, 02:26 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1974 31' Sovereign
1979 23' Safari
Wayland
, New York
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,632
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Gaskets usually come with the light. A bead of plumbers putty or butyl tape around the top and sides to seal it. There should be a drain hole on bottom, if it's on top flop it over, keep the drain hole open so any water that gets back there drains out easily, reducing chances of leak through the wire opening.
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10-17-2015, 02:33 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1972 25' Tradewind
1976 31' Excella 500
1974 31' Excella 500
1975 24' Argosy 24
Denver
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,106
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HowieE
Usually they are set in Dumb Dumb.
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Totally thought you were being rude, for a second (calling me Dumb Dumb). Then I thought to myself, "I've never seen an Airstream running light that's flush to the skin?" (set in) Might be cool though!
Thanks for the responses, guys. I knew there should be some kind of seal, just wondering if there is an actual rubber gasket (like I think these should have come with). I'm not having much luck sourcing them on line, but I'll keep looking.
I'd rather back out the screws and put the appropriate rubber gaskets on these (or just replace the lights entirely) than deal with headaches from "unperfect" goo-seals later.
__________________
25' 1972 Airstream Trade Wind Land Yacht (heavily customized)
2006 Jeep Liberty CRD (diesel)
BeahmStream.com
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10-18-2015, 10:39 AM
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#5
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59' Globester
1959 18' "Footer"
1957 26' Overlander
Three Rivers
, California
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 248
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kidjedi
I'd rather back out the screws and put the appropriate rubber gaskets on these (or just replace the lights entirely) than deal with headaches from "unperfect" goo-seals later.
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Could also get an old inner tube and cut one to the shape.
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10-18-2015, 05:11 PM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member
2014 23' FB Flying Cloud
Mill Valley
, Left Coast
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
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Buy some gasket material at any good hardware store and cut your own.
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11-15-2015, 05:22 PM
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#7
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3 Rivet Member
1970 23' Safari
Marion
, New York
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 195
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I recently bought new clearance lights for my '70 Safari, and they did not come with a gasket. When I took one of the old lights off it had a very thin rubber gasket underneath. I was just planning to seal the lights with Parbond.
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11-15-2015, 05:40 PM
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#8
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The Sign Lady
1969 23' Safari
1974 Argosy 22
1964 24' Tradewind
Victoria
, British Columbia
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 677
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My Grote replacement lights didn't come with new seals either so we bought cork gasket material from an auto supply store and cut some with scissors. Also noticed that the factory used rigid plastic grommets where the wires passed through the body and they were far from water tight so we bought new rubber grommets and popped them in at the same time.
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11-15-2015, 06:51 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1998 30' Excella 1000
Livingston
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 546
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My factory marker lights were sealed on the tops and sides with Parbond. When I had to replace some of them (weathering cracks) I found a rubber grommet in the hole where the wire passed through the side of the Airstream. I dribbled water down over them and could not see water going in past the grommet (tight fit to the aluminum). I still sealed the replacement lens with Parbond, but highly recommend the use of a properly sized rubber grommet. Belt and suspenders...
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11-15-2015, 10:16 PM
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#10
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The Sign Lady
1969 23' Safari
1974 Argosy 22
1964 24' Tradewind
Victoria
, British Columbia
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 677
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Siegmann
My factory marker lights were sealed on the tops and sides with Parbond. When I had to replace some of them (weathering cracks) I found a rubber grommet in the hole where the wire passed through the side of the Airstream. I dribbled water down over them and could not see water going in past the grommet (tight fit to the aluminum). I still sealed the replacement lens with Parbond, but highly recommend the use of a properly sized rubber grommet. Belt and suspenders...
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Glad to see in the thirty odd years between the manufacturing of our trailers they figured out hard fluted plastic wasn't the best plan, my girls a 69 ;-)
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11-15-2015, 10:29 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1999 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Hillsboro
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,406
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My lights and all hull pentrations were sealed with Adseal. That was site of most "leaks" that traveled to unique places in the shell befor exiting...
__________________
Peace and Blessings..
Channing
WBCCI# 30676
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11-16-2015, 04:51 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1972 25' Tradewind
1976 31' Excella 500
1974 31' Excella 500
1975 24' Argosy 24
Denver
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,106
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I've been checking the lights in rain and snow, and haven't seen a drop. The lights are brand new, and the wiring seems well done, so hopefully there was some sort of seal/gasket installed on the back of the light by the previous owner. Thus, it would seem my concerns are mostly cosmetic (there is a gap at the base of each light that looks like there should be a gasket there).
I may end up sealing with Parabond or TremPro 635 at some point, but for now, it's just a minor visual annoyance.
__________________
25' 1972 Airstream Trade Wind Land Yacht (heavily customized)
2006 Jeep Liberty CRD (diesel)
BeahmStream.com
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11-16-2015, 06:56 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
1998 30' Excella 1000
Livingston
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 546
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There should be a gap on some portion of the bottom/base. To let water out if it should get in.
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11-16-2015, 07:54 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2009 27' FB Flying Cloud
1982 31' International
1991 35' Airstream 350
Jay
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,706
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Butyl tape is great stuff, and simple to work with.
Regards,
JD
__________________
Jeff & Cindy
'09 27FB Flying Cloud;'82 31 International
'91 350 LE MH; '21 Interstate 24GT
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11-16-2015, 08:18 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1972 25' Tradewind
1976 31' Excella 500
1974 31' Excella 500
1975 24' Argosy 24
Denver
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,106
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Yeah, but there's a big difference between a couple of weep holes and a giant "gap ring" around the entire light.
And I agree that Butyl tape RULES (just redid an upper Vista Vue and a cargo door), but that would mean taking the lights off, and I'm thinking there is some kind of something sticking/sealing them to the skin (it's working, so I don't want to mess it up).
__________________
25' 1972 Airstream Trade Wind Land Yacht (heavily customized)
2006 Jeep Liberty CRD (diesel)
BeahmStream.com
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