Insect Screen Door (1 Viewer)

[sallylillian]

In Spain and once again the strings have broken in our screen door. The original lasted just a year this one 9 months. We use the screen most of the time when in any warm country which is probably 5-6 months of the year, but we have no children or animals and after all it is only a sliding concertina screen. They are not repairable and the whole unit has to be replaced, a relatively simple job 4 screws, but needs 2 people.
The strings seem to fray at various points where they rub against the netting itself or the small holes in the frame. I have no idea what is behind the box sections as they are pop riveted. I have attached a picture which shows the broken string bottom left.
Does anyone know of a more robust unit that I could ask N+B to replace it with this time?

 

[Fletton]

I've seen a thread on here not too long back... with the same issue...

I'm nearly sure some folk had repaired theirs...

Edit: unless it was you who started the other thread...

 

[EX51SSS]

That's really not good workmanship.
We would have liked an internal screen door but last one we tried just fell apart as magnets were useless

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[sallylillian]

P

I've seen a thread on here not too long back... with the same issue...

I'm nearly sure some folk had repaired theirs...

Edit: unless it was you who started the other thread...

I think it was me last failure, and looking for how to repair it before I found out it was not repairable. The strings are inside pop riveted box sections. If I was out of warranty I might take the time to strip one and replace the strings with fishing line.

 

[Robert Clark]

We had the same problem with our Heki roof light - very poor material choice

 

[Wagoneer]

I guess the OP's concertina door flyscreen is made by Horrex.

One of the horizontal strings on mine broke. As the screen is not under warranty, I took it apart to see how it all worked. Basically, the string in the top channel is linked to the 3 lower strings in the flyscreen. Similarly, the string in the bottom channel linked to the upper 3 strings.

The repair was very fiddly as you have to get the length of replacement cord exactly right to give the correct individual string tension. The overall tension of the 3 top and bottom strings can be adjusted by a sliding anchor block in the top and bottom channels.
I replaced just 2 strings with fishing line which seems to be much stronger than the original braided cord and slides more smoothly.

Suggest the OP retains the broken screen for spare parts - might be useful when the warranty eventually runs out.

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[sallylillian]

I guess the OP's concertina door flyscreen is made by Horrex.

One of the horizontal strings on mine broke. As the screen is not under warranty, I took it apart to see how it all worked. Basically, the string in the top channel is linked to the 3 lower strings in the flyscreen. Similarly, the string in the bottom channel linked to the upper 3 strings.

The repair was very fiddly as you have to get the length of replacement cord exactly right to give the correct individual string tension. The overall tension of the 3 top and bottom strings can be adjusted by a sliding anchor block in the top and bottom channels.
I replaced just 2 strings with fishing line which seems to be much stronger than the original braided cord and slides more smoothly.

Suggest the OP retains the broken screen for spare parts - might be useful when the warranty eventually runs out.

Thanks, I have emailed them for some advice. Whilst in warranty I might as well just get it changed, but once out I would spend the time restringing I think.

 

[sallylillian]

@Wagoneer thinking further on your explanation of assembly, would fishing line pose a length stability issue if that is critical as you suggest. How has your fishing line survived in this regard. Michael

 

[Wagoneer]

@Wagoneer thinking further on your explanation of assembly, would fishing line pose a length stability issue if that is critical as you suggest. How has your fishing line survived in this regard. Michael

I've only just completed the repair so can't report on long term use. The fishing line I used doesn't appear to elongate under strain.

The single cord located in the top and bottom channels feeds into the moveable sliding screen upright/channel. Within the channel, the single cord splits into 2 extra cords, held in place by means of a bootlace ferrel (making 3 cords, in total, as previously described).

Your bottom channel looks different to mine. Mine has a brush strip either side (to prevent ingress of debris) and a lower void beneath where the bottom cord is located with anchor point.

My Horrex screen has lasted 6 years of abuse before breakage, installed on a Carthago. Perhaps your screen is from a different manufacturer? Whatever manufacturer, the basic mechanics of the system should be similar.

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[Minxy]

We had the same problem with the one on our side sliding door, had to have the whole thing replaced, under warranty, and the new one is much better ... how long it will last though I don't know!

 

[sallylillian]

I've only just completed the repair so can't report on long term use. The fishing line I used doesn't appear to elongate under strain.

The single cord located in the top and bottom channels feeds into the moveable sliding screen upright/channel. Within the channel, the single cord splits into 2 extra cords, held in place by means of a bootlace ferrel (making 3 cords, in total, as previously described).

Your bottom channel looks different to mine. Mine has a brush strip either side (to prevent ingress of debris) and a lower void beneath where the bottom cord is located with anchor point.

My Horrex screen has lasted 6 years of abuse before breakage, installed on a Carthago. Perhaps your screen is from a different manufacturer? Whatever manufacturer, the basic mechanics of the system should be similar.

Thanks that makes sense, so one of the strings, in the middle shall we say, could fray and break but the door will still operate if somewhat problematic with some screen bunching around the failed string? If however it was the top or bottom channel strings then you would lose it and its subservient pair making the whole screen a mess to use as was my first experience. Do I have that right in my head?
Also were your box section pop riveted together?

 

[Lenny HB]

Normally they don't fail unless the strings have been rubbing on a sharp edge.
Providing you can get the whole screen frame out they are easy to repair.
I did one on our first Hymer ( think dealer snaged it when they replaced the hab door).
I used kelvar kite line, easily available on eBay.
The box section on the one I repaired were screwed together, self tappers into the aluminium channelling.

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[Wagoneer]

Thanks that makes sense, so one of the strings, in the middle shall we say, could fray and break but the door will still operate if somewhat problematic with some screen bunching around the failed string? If however it was the top or bottom channel strings then you would lose it and its subservient pair making the whole screen a mess to use as was my first experience. Do I have that right in my head?
Also were your box section pop riveted together?

Yes, if it's just one string that has failed within the vicinity of the screen then it shouldn't affect the others. This was my problem.
However, should the single cord fail in the top/bottom channel AND before it splits into 3 cords, then this will affect 3 strings within the screen.
Each corner of the frame has 2 rivets but it's only necessary to drill out one rivet per corner. It's best to remove only the rivets on the long side of the frame. This is because the top/bottom channels use one of the rivets to act as a pivot point for the top/bottom cords. You might be able to see that from the anchor point, the cord passes around a pivot point and then returns to the movable vertical screen channel (where it disappears down into the channel).
It's quite a cunning system but quite easy once you understand how it all works

 

[sallylillian]

Thanks for that @Wagoneer. If I end up DIY then I will contact you with some detailed pictures to confirm your instructions and save me reinventing the wheel.

 

[sallylillian]

Thanks @Lenny HB Kevlar Kite line sounds a good solution.

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[Wagoneer]

Thanks for that @Wagoneer. If I end up DIY then I will contact you with some detailed pictures to confirm your instructions and save me reinventing the wheel.

No probs. There was an article in the March 2017 MMM about the repair of a similar screen.

The authors screen was assembled at the corners with self tapping screws and the cord diameter 1.5mm. My cord diameter is about 1mm. His screen was fitted to a 2013 Bailey Approach 760, so survived 4 years before a couple of cords in the screen frayed, making it difficult to operate.

 

[berni109]

I have a similar screen across a 6ft wide french door. I was advised to use silicone lubricant spray on the strings top and bottom and at the point where the strings enter the box section.
Must get some of that Kevlar kit line now I have tempted fate.