New leak Today

[dznf0g]

I am not sure if I have read anything about this one. We got some much needed hard rain today, so I decided to go int the AS and have a look about.
I discovered a leak in both front curved corner windows. It appears to be leaking at the the bottom in the actual sealing of the stationary glass into it's frame. It appears that the exterior surface of the glass to frame surface is in place using a tape of some sort and Vulkem or Sika is used on the interior of the glass-to-frame seal.

It only leaks when the bottom horizontal window frame fills with water coming past the exterior tape, fills the trough, and wicks through some visible voids in the Vulkem.

Is the repair to dig out the Vulkem on the interior glass/frame joint and force (Vulkem or Parrbond??) down into the frame?



The water is definitely NOT coming from above, but wicking up.

Suggestions?

[Jim Clark]

Leak Chasing thread.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f456...ml#post1021859

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Jim Clark

Leak Chasing thread.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f456...ml#post1021859

Thanks, I read that one. I don't need to chase it, I know what's going on, and where it's coming from. I am looking for advice on the proper sealing of this particular joint.

[B25guy]

rain? what's that?

[dkottum]

I had that leak at the bottom of the pano's in front. It was leaking from the outside where the glass meets the window frame. If you look at that joint carefully, you would see there is a tiny crack where the extremely thin sealant (or tape) no longer fills this thin void.

I cleaned away any dirt and put masking tape all around the glass and again all around the frame so there was about a 1/8" gap, 1/16" on the glass and 1/16" on the frame. I then put a bead of Vulkem on this gap so that the joint was covered. Use enough Vulkem to fill the masking tape gap, but keep the Vulkem off the tape as much as you can, because you need to pull the tape off right away and too much sealant will make a he.. of a mess.

This was almost 2 years ago, the trailer was new, and it is completely dry since.

doug k

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by B25guy

rain? what's that?

Dunno, but it got all in my eyes, made the top of my head feel funny, and my clothes got all heavy and wranklie.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by dkottum

I had that leak at the bottom of the pano's in front. It was leaking from the outside where the glass meets the window frame. If you look at that joint carefully, you would see there is a tiny crack where the extremely thin sealant (or tape) no longer fills this thin void.

I cleaned away any dirt and put masking tape all around the glass and again all around the frame so there was about a 1/8" gap, 1/16" on the glass and 1/16" on the frame. I then put a bead of Vulkem on this gap so that the joint was covered. Use enough Vulkem to fill the masking tape gap, but keep the Vulkem off the tape as much as you can, because you need to pull the tape off right away and too much sealant will make a he.. of a mess.

This was almost 2 years ago, the trailer was new, and it is completely dry since.

doug k

Thanks Doug,

I took a razor knife and cut out as much of the old sealer on the outside as I could, taped it off , but I decided to use Parrbond instead. I find it flows so much better in a narrow joint like this. I wonder if it will remain more flexible over time as well. I only did the outside for now, so I can watch it and see if water still tries to come inside through the voids in the Vulkem on the inside. If it stays dry, then I'll know I'm not trapping water in the window frame.

[dkottum]

Did you see a slight separation between the thin factory sealant and the curved glass? I hope this repair works for you, please keep us posted. I am suspecting this area is a source of many leaks that show up as damaged floors, with pano windows front and rear on many models.

doug k

[dznf0g]

While it was raining, I could see a color difference, looking through the glass, where water was seeping between the glass and the Vulkem. The sealer had lost it's adhesion to the glass. There were some areas, particularly in the inner lower (90*) corner and the curved "corner" (lower outside) where the window edge curves from horizontal to vertical, where the sealer had deteriorated. Sun damaged and grimy. The top and sides of the glass were still sealed very well.

This leak will definitely run straight down to the c-channel, and floor.

[dznf0g]

Ok, so I have resealed the glass to window frame on the exterior and the curbside is dry, but I still have just a drop or two coming up through the sealer on the streetside interior frame channel (see pics above). No water running down the glass nor running anywhere else around the window frame. It definitely is getting into the channel where the glass is mounted to the frame.

Is there any other path into the window frame-to-glass channel, other than the exterior glass/frame seal? (ie. screw/rivet holes in the actual channel)

Hope this makes sense!!!

[dkottum]

Could that drop or two have been hidden between the glass and frame before sealing, and not dried out yet?

When I stopped this leak on mine I sealed all the way around, thinking that wind pressure could force it in even at the top or sides, and could follow the frame to leak at the bottom. If you are still getting water, could it be from this junction of glass/frame at the top or sides? I would ensure this known leak area is absolutely tight before moving to other areas.

doug

[dznf0g]

Yeah, Doug, I did dig out the old sealer and resealed the entire perimeter of the glass. I thoroughly dried the area inside and washed the AS. Used a lot of water with a hose end mop and really flooded the area aroung the panos. Just a few new drops wicked up on the inside. I am sure they were new. I examined my seal job and all looks good. Thus my question about any other path INTO the frame channel.

This leak has never been big enough to cause running down the wall, even on Sunday morning when we got 3.5 inches of rain in a little over an hour!!! Good news is no other leaks in the AS!!!!!

[dkottum]

I just looked again. That channel seems to be separated from any other leak source except the windows. Might be good to get out the magnifying glass and look for a pin-sized hole on both exterior edges of the frame, maybe even a poorly installed rivet.

doug