Sealing a hole in the roof.. (1 Viewer)

Wully

Free Member
Jan 7, 2019
98
249
Funster No
57,882
MH
Hymer B524
Exp
Godot was inspired by the DVLA
I’m removing the satellite system and telly in our B524.
The easy to remove gubbins inside is already gone but I need to remove the satellite dish on its pole from the roof which will leave an 85 mm hole..
Any advice on filling and sealing this?

Current though is to carefully cut up a fridge freezer compartment door I liberated from the local recycling place and glass/silicone seal into the hole.
Alternatively buy a sailing dinghy hatch cover and rivet/screw/silicone seal into place.
 
Sep 26, 2013
4,157
5,097
Market Rasen
Funster No
28,295
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2003
Normally settalite dishes are fixed to a plate which is either stuck or screwed to the roof, when you remove the dish you leave the plate in place. Never seen a dish on a pole.
 
OP
OP
W

Wully

Free Member
Jan 7, 2019
98
249
Funster No
57,882
MH
Hymer B524
Exp
Godot was inspired by the DVLA
Normally settalite dishes are fixed to a plate which is either stuck or screwed to the roof, when you remove the dish you leave the plate in place. Never seen a dish on a pole.

This is a manual dish that you tilt/rotate from inside the MoHo on a pole..

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Feb 24, 2013
12,990
101,153
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
sounds an odd arrangement but why not leave the pole in place, cut it down in height, then find a cap and silicone it on top
 
Sep 26, 2013
4,157
5,097
Market Rasen
Funster No
28,295
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2003
This is a manual dish that you tilt/rotate from inside the MoHo on a pole..
I have a manual crank up dish but it’s not on a pole, However if you have a hole just use an oversized piece of aluminium or plastic stuck down with Sika 512 or similar.
 

jollyrodger

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 1, 2012
6,264
26,386
Devon/Cornwall
Funster No
23,107
MH
'Obby
Exp
Since 1968'ish
Or remove the dish from pole mechanism, and put a directional wifi lan repeater antenna on it ,feed the correct cable down through, and pick up/ enhance wifi reception
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,793
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
Tilt and rotate.......Do you mean dish or is it a Status aerial.

4890.jpg
 
May 31, 2015
11,518
43,712
Cornwall
Funster No
36,638
MH
Ducato PVC
Exp
Getting Better
Stick a piece of chequer plate over the hole giving a couple of inches overlap and stick down with sika flex....

What you do with the inside is up to you but it would be good access for any future accessories you add ie: solar/mifi aerial etc....

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
W

Wully

Free Member
Jan 7, 2019
98
249
Funster No
57,882
MH
Hymer B524
Exp
Godot was inspired by the DVLA
In the end I up cycled a domestic fridge freezer compartment door which I cut a square of plastic from. I trimmed this to perfectly mate to a stainless steel vent plate from our local yacht chandler , spread silicone sealant over all the mating surfaces and around the hole in the roof then screwed it all down snug with 6 stainless steel screws- which were coated with silicone before mounting.
From the inside I smeared all around the (thick!) insulation in the roof with more silicone and will cut a plug of insulation from the fridge door to ensure no cold bridge.
Just waiting for some rain now....

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,527
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
The plate that zigisla and myself linked to is the proper blank plate for the job.
Silicon sealer deteriorates with time in exterior environments, you should have used Sikaflex.
Silicon is useless for this purpose & why more screws?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
W

Wully

Free Member
Jan 7, 2019
98
249
Funster No
57,882
MH
Hymer B524
Exp
Godot was inspired by the DVLA
“Generally speaking, silicone sealants are more versatile and flexible than polyurethane sealants and they work better in most environments. The inorganic composition means that silicone is resistant to UV rays, making it a better option than polyurethane sealant, which will eventually revert back to its natural form.”

I’ve been using silicone sealant for many,many years on my boats- all of which are still afloat:)
 
OP
OP
W

Wully

Free Member
Jan 7, 2019
98
249
Funster No
57,882
MH
Hymer B524
Exp
Godot was inspired by the DVLA
Silicon is useless for this purpose & why more screws?

1. Why useless?
2. ‘Cos the plate has 6 holes
machined into it, would be rude not to use them.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,793
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
1. Why useless?
2. ‘Cos the plate has 6 holes
machined into it, would be rude not to use them.
6 holes, 6 screws, 6 potential sources of water ingress.

If Sikaflex is adequate on its own to secure solar panels and satellite dish mounts without screws its certainly adequate to hold down a foot square flat plate without screws.
It's also used by the converter to secure door and window frames, body joint trims and roof lights.
 
4

49780

Deleted User
Papajohn, Sikaflex is used by lots of people that have no idea, sadly some of those portray themselves at professional repairers, Sikaflex has its limitations, there is no one fix solution to every problem, it is very unfair to tell people because installers and converters use a product its the right one for their job.

I have been repairing boats, cars caravans and motorhomes for some 30 years now and some of the suggestions here are testament that malpractice sometimes ignorance is still prevalent.

Why am I thinking indemnity insurance all of a sudden?... Not for me that's for sure.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Vic. Parsons.

Free Member
Mar 2, 2015
415
1,970
Wales
Funster No
35,297
MH
Hymermobil S740
Exp
since 2014
Papajohn, Sikaflex is used by lots of people that have no idea, sadly some of those portray themselves at professional repairers, Sikaflex has its limitations, there is no one fix solution to every problem, it is very unfair to tell people because installers and converters use a product its the right one for their job.

I have been repairing boats, cars caravans and motorhomes for some 30 years now and some of the suggestions here are testament that malpractice sometimes ignorance is still prevalent.

Why am I thinking indemnity insurance all of a sudden?... Not for me that's for sure.


Although silicone will seal the job very well, silicone does not bond as securely to the surfaces as Sikaflex, hence the comparative ease with which items can be removed after attaching them with silicone compared with the extreme difficulty of removing items bonded with Sikaflex.
This explains why solar panels are attached with Sikaflex and not silicone.....the silicone bond is inferior and I for one, would not trust a solar panel to stay on the roof if it was done with silicone.
I always have a tube of CT1 handy, which is similar to Sikaflex and can be bought in most building supply shops. Its stuck for good with this stuff, probably a nuclear blast might remove it but even then, I reckon the item would leave with part of the roof still attached. :D
 
4

49780

Deleted User
Mmm,this why I love the right to turn down jobs that have little or no chance of aquiring a satisfactory repair, Happy Bodging?
 

Vic. Parsons.

Free Member
Mar 2, 2015
415
1,970
Wales
Funster No
35,297
MH
Hymermobil S740
Exp
since 2014
Mmm,this why I love the right to turn down jobs that have little or no chance of aquiring a satisfactory repair, Happy Bodging?

Seems like everyone but you is a bodger then?
But carry on doing what you're doing, after all, if you've been doing it for 30 years then you've probably got used to the idea that your way is the only correct way of doing it....... happens to us all eventually I guess........old dog, new tricks and all that!
:notworthy2:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top