Heki Roof Light Installation on PVC (1 Viewer)

[rikardo]

Currently have a Fiamma Roof air vent installed in the back of our globecar. Unfortunately it is leaking and I'd like to take this opportunity to replace the air vent with a heki air vent. Does anybody have any tips on this? I believe the current Fiamma air vent has a collar type thing which I believe better creates a flat surface to mount the vent to. What are people's preferred options for installing the heki on a panel van corrugated surface?

 

[Minxy]

By air vent I assume you mean roof vent? Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to simply sort out the leak than go to all the expense and hassle of replacing it? As you say the existing one has the 'undulating' base that the roof vent sits on which matches the corrugations of the roof, I'm not sure whether this is available for a Heki one.

 

[rikardo]

Thanks for your response. Roof vent indeed. The Fiamma Roof vent seems a poor design as the rotating fan has come out of alignment and now works infrequently, so I'm keen to put the roof vent back to stock. I understand globecars come standard with a rear heki which I would like to source and fit ideally.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Ah, so you want to remove a Fiamma Turbo vent, I thought you just meant a standard type vent.

To be honest I haven't noticed what make the roof vent is in the rear of our Globecar, I'll have a shuftie tomorrow.

 

[CazPaul]

If its leaking and you want a different type anyway then you may as well replace as to do the job properly you need to take it completely anyway.
I replaced a crappy fiamma roof fan on our last van, a murvi,with a nice heki.

 

[rikardo]

Thanks for the replies. @CazPaul can you recommend a sealant? How did you manage the install over the non flat roof? Does heki provide some sort of collar to adapt to the corrugated roof?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

A few to choose from, including with or without ventilation, as you've already got the wiring etc in place you could fit another 'fan' model.

http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/rooflights--accessories-21-c.asp

Worth giving them a call and explaining you want one for a PVC roof as they may have the correct 'base seal' in that you need to.

 

[rikardo]

Brilliant thanks for your help.

 

[tonyidle]

It's more than likely that the base seal isn't part of the existing rooflight and might be reuseable.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

It's more than likely that the base seal isn't part of the existing rooflight and might be reuseable.

I did think of that too but I suppose it depends where the existing leak is coming from and it may be specific to each rooflight, may be easier to just replace it with the same make, ie Fiamma.

 

[CazPaul]

You need to get the one without ventilation my advice, unless you want a howling gale in through it in the winter.

 

[rikardo]

Ok thanks. What's everyone's recommendations for removal of all the old mastic? I've read sikaflex do a specific solvent? I've read all contact edges need to be cleaned before installing the new roof light, so what's best to use for cleaning these edges? What's the preferred non setting mastic to use? I've seen w4 mastic recommended. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Genuine-W4...00116/1430224141?_trksid=p2056116.m4096.l9055

@Minxy Girl any ideas if the standard globecar roof light is a Mini Heki ?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

I did think of that too but I suppose it depends where the existing leak is coming from and it may be specific to each rooflight, may be easier to just replace it with the same make, ie Fiamma.

Could be but both Fiamma & Heki are 'clamp' fit so it's worth a look. On the other hand the whole thing could be Sikaflex .

 

[Minxy]

Ok thanks. What's everyone's recommendations for removal of all the old mastic? I've read sikaflex do a specific solvent? I've read all contact edges need to be cleaned before installing the new roof light, so what's best to use for cleaning these edges?

When I've replaced rooflights in the past I carefully used the blade from a Stanley knife keeping the sharp edge flush with the roof to make sure I didn't scratch/dig into the roof itself, I can't recall what I used to remove the residual bits but someone will be able to make a suggestion for that!

What's the preferred non setting mastic to use? I've seen w4 mastic recommended. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Genuine-W4...00116/1430224141?_trksid=p2056116.m4096.l9055

If you ring O'Learys you might be able to get a price for the whole lot and obviously the combined postage will be less than having it sent out from different sellers. They also do their own version of Sikaflex type sealants etc ... I've used it to put on stuff in the past and have also use Sikaflex too and both were good products.

@Minxy Girl any ideas if the standard globecar roof light is a Mini Heki ?

I've just had a shuftie but unfortunately there's no label on the rooflight at the back but the front one is a Seitz unit; the rear one looks exactly like the below so my deduction is that it is indeed a Seitz mini Heki!

 

[rikardo]

Brilliant thanks very much.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rikardo]

Having just completed the roof light changeout, a few comments hopefully of use to someone in the future.

Having checked the globecar build video it seems clear that the base seal / gasket was original to the van. I cleaned this up and reused. See attached image. No visible manufacturing markings so assume it's bespoke to globecar.

Mastic was a sod to remove from the base seal but I used white spirit on both the van and the base seal, no immediate negative effects to the paintwork or plastic.

Roof vent used was a dometic seitz mini heki 43-60mm roof thickness non-ventilated. Seemed a good fit and required no cutting down. Roof thickness including base seal varied from 63mm to 66mm.

Used Soudal Butyrub Polybutene Based Non-Setting Mastic to reseal the new vent.

Thanks for all the comments getting to here.

 

[OG1]

Can anyone recommend a workshop to repair our Heki roof vent on our Rapido 7066F. Which is leaking again. Needs to be removed and reseated. We live in Hertfordshire.