Water staining in MH side, potential solution (1 Viewer)

Ridgeway

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Whenever we've used our MH it gets a good wash down before going around the corner to the farm. Oddly we always noticed after some time that we got some staining on the drivers side, always in a particular place. At first I just thought that I hadn't washed it well but then I realized that it was water staining caused by the rain water always running down that side of the van, it does this because the hard standing is on a very slight slope and hence it runs off the alcove and down the point each time, it must get 90% of the water going that way.

Ok today I got bored of it and set about trying to find a way to overcome this. After some head scratching I came up with what I think will work. Basically I cut a 2 strips of 3mm clear Perspex to 25 x 125mm and then I siliconed them to the roof so that they over hang the gutter by 50mm and they are spaced about 50mm apart. Also they are angled down so in theory as the water reaches this area it will travel on the underside of either of the strips until it falls off the end and this will be on the floor and not down the van !

Forgot to get a pic today but can do so next weekend.

Now lets see if it works.
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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OK a quick pic and the reality that I need to make some adjustments. The drip fingers aren't angled enough and the water still prefers the van side. Think that I'll need to get creative with the silicone and angle up the fingers some more.

photo.jpg
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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OK I modified these fingers to create more of an angle but it still didn't work that well. Eventually at the weekend I made a new version from some electrical conduit that I shaped with a heat gun and then used some silicone to stick it on.

IMG_0459.jpg



IMG_0461.jpg


And it works ! The snow melt at the weekend was a good test and it all ran off the gutter edge and just away from the van side, we have a result !

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duane0001

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Nice idea
But I think I would rather have the streaks to clean off than the piece of plastic stuck out the side of my van
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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Nice idea
But I think I would rather have the streaks to clean off than the piece of plastic stuck out the side of my van

Thing is they don't really clean off and there is a permanent although light colored stain already building, hence I wanted to avoid it building up.

Unless you're looking skywards then you'll never see it, the stains however are visible from 50m away:Sad: some deep cleaning next weekend, hopefully for the last time:Smile:
 

chesterfield hooligan

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OK I modified these fingers to create more of an angle but it still didn't work that well. Eventually at the weekend I made a new version from some electrical conduit that I shaped with a heat gun and then used some silicone to stick it on.

IMG_0459.jpg



IMG_0461.jpg


And it works ! The snow melt at the weekend was a good test and it all ran off the gutter edge and just away from the van side, we have a result !


:ROFLMAO: they were fitted to :ROFLMAO:

:ROFLMAO: Button's mclaren :ROFLMAO:

:ROFLMAO: at the weekend :ROFLMAO:

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Feb 27, 2011
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Aren't these an MOT failure? I seem to recall about sharp things sticking out causing failure?
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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Aren't these an MOT failure? I seem to recall about sharp things sticking out causing failure?

No MOT here until vehicle is 5yrs old and then it will take all of 1min to remove, take the MOT and then re-silicone it back on.
 

haganap

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Dear Mr Ridgeway.

Thank you for your application to join the Motorhome Fun re-design team. Unfortunately on this occasion you application has been unsuccessful.

Thank you for your interest.

Funster design team. ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:


If you fit one the other side, then you could of stumbles upon a motorhome that might fly?:roflmto:

Ok, here's what I would do. When going in to storage, place it on chocks, that way you can control where the water runs too.

You could, also put something on the roof some beading type stuff to control where the water comes off. If it's up there it will need to get down..
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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fine when stood still, but will they stand the wind forces at 60 mph ?

It is one unanswered question that will quickly be answered on the next outing. It's structural silicone although intended for glass - glass applications. Sika would have been better but I had run out.....
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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You could, also put something on the roof some beading type stuff to control where the water comes off. If it's up there it will need to get down..

It now comes off without touching the van side:Smile:

Chocks would be an alternative solution but as I move the van to the house quite a bit, it would become a pain. Agree it's better than the McLaren wings though:roflmto:

Will be testing it in a long wind tunnel the week after next (Mont Blanc) Will become the first Motorhome to be driven upside down in the tunnel, held to the ceiling by down force alone:thumb:

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Jan 4, 2012
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fine when stood still, but will they stand the wind forces at 60 mph ?
Yes , 60 mph is the threshold for air currents to take control of your MH.
First ,you will feel light steering
Then you will start to loose striaght line stability
Next ,you will wish you had fitted a tailplane and rudder
If the glue used is as the advert years ago, this will start to peel off your roof
You will then have a 'inherently unstable' open cockpit MH:thumb:
Now, you have got me thinking-----what if:Doh:
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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Yes , 60 mph is the threshold for air currents to take control of your MH.
First ,you will feel light steering
Then you will start to loose striaght line stability
Next ,you will wish you had fitted a tailplane and rudder
If the glue used is as the advert years ago, this will start to peel off your roof
You will then have a 'inherently unstable' open cockpit MH:thumb:
Now, you have got me thinking-----what if:Doh:

Hum, I guess a 40mm wide strip of 0.75mm PVC may not have such a dramatic effect. If it does I'll be very happy though as I'll sell the stuff to McLaren to replace their Carbotanium fins
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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Well it passed the Mont Blanc tunnel test. Van was fully inverted all the 11.68km through the tunnel although "keeping a safe 2 arrows distance" was tough:winky:

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DP+JAY

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I use the blocks metod to make sure the water runs off the back so I don't get standing water on the roof. By the way, won't the acid in the silicone attack the alloy?
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

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By the way, won't the acid in the silicone attack the alloy?

I doubt it although it's a good point. I use the same product on some Alu framed products that have been around for 10yrs plus without any noticeable surface corrosion although not sure if there's anything underneath.
 

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