Roof leak via cable

[iain26]

Hi all,
Been in the motorhome today and found water dripping. It was raining outside.
I traced it to the cable through the roof from the solar panels.
The cable on the roof is covered by a box with a gland and the box seems to be sealed, and filled with Sikaflex.
Any ideas on the best way to reveal this please?
Could it be tracking through the gland itself?

Thanks for any input which I will hold for the next reasonably dry day when I can get on the roof.

iain

 

[Googlebot]

Best thing would be to remove everything and start again.

It’s an easy fix, what matters is that you have found it early and it’s a doddle to fix.

If you just tried to fix what is leaking, it’s a bodge and indicates it probably hasn’t been done well in the first place. If the box is full of sikaflex and still leaking through the gland and in, it needs taking off anyway.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would take the box off and refit it, if it is fixed with Sika you will need a clay/cheese wire to cut it off.
When I fit them I always fill around the cables where they enter the roof with Sika, Sika the inner part of the gland to the box then fit the box using Sika and after tightening the gland I seal it with silicon.

 

[iain26]

Great advice!

any recommendations for cleaning the existing sika off?

 

[John Barrett]

Great advice!

any recommendations for cleaning the existing sika off?

See my post on vanishing remov e r!

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[Lenny HB]

Great advice!

any recommendations for cleaning the existing sika off?

Silicon remover will soften it a bit then use a blunt chisel.

 

[Campervan_man]

Water may just be coming in through the cable holes on the solar gland NOT the solar gland base { running down the cables }.
Not everyone seals around that area. Make sure the white plastic nuts are nipped up and seal all around the nuts/ cables and leak test with water.
White Stixall is a good bonding sealant, bit cheaper than sikaflex.
Stixall cures quickly as well.

 

[Gellyneck]

I would take the box off and refit it, if it is fixed with Sika you will need a clay/cheese wire to cut it off.
When I fit them I always fill around the cables where they enter the roof with Sika, Sika the inner part of the gland to the box then fit the box using Sika and after tightening the gland I seal it with silicon.

I've previously used a drill \ hole saw the same diameter as electrical conduit and pushed a length of that through the hole but leaving it projecting up by an inch or so. Seal around the conduit with Sika (or similar) and feed the cable through the conduit. As the conduit has an upstand any water entering the box shouldn't get down into the van.

 

[iain26]

I've previously used a drill \ hole saw the same diameter as electrical conduit and pushed a length of that through the hole but leaving it projecting up by an inch or so. Seal around the conduit with Sika (or similar) and feed the cable through the conduit. As the conduit has an upstand any water entering the box shouldn't get down into the van.

Yes a good idea.
You need to be careful that the cable doesn’t run through on the conduit edge as well.
I would need to pull the cable out to do that which is a little difficult in this case but certainly worth looking at in the future.


thanks.

 

[XxAnthxX]

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