I got my new camper and the Heki skylight comes on it standard. We just got home from picking up our camper so I made an appointment with a dealer about 60 miles from me for a Sealtech test. I had an appointment for the following week. Well we had a rare (this year) rain storm and had some leaking in the overhead bed area. So I covered the overhead with a tarp to make sure I didn't have any more trouble with a leak up there till I had the Sealtech done.
I got the Sealtech test done and there was no leaks from around the Heki. I did have one on the middle clearance lamp (surprise, surprise) and one at the left tail light and one around the door. They are are recaulked now and retested and no leaks now.
So with the back ground has anybody had problems with the Heki leaking? It was wet on the travsack right below the left side of the window. The rain storm we got was a driving down pour with high winds. The rain came clear across our covered patio which is about 26X24' and it was wet all the way to the outside wall of the house. So you know it was blowing. I don't know if the leak around the clearance light would migrate to the Heki skylight area or not. The front of the truck was in the air some as my pad is sloped which might help it flow to this area.
I sure wish I would have had a choice about the skylight but it is standard in the NL 10 2 CDSE.
I know that once a year I'll be having the Sealtech test done on my rig.
Butch
2011 F350 KR 4X4 CC LB SRW
2012 Northern Lite 10 2 CDSE
2010 Can-Am 650XT Outlander Max
2012 Harley Tri Glide
It amazes me. An independent test can reveal all those leak prone areas yet the factory can't find them before the unit goes out. What ever happened to factory quality control?
2009 Chevy Silverado 3500 dually D/A, Supersprings, Stable Loads, Bilstein Shocks, Hellwig Sway Bar, Front Timbrens.
2010 Arctic Fox 1140 DB, 220 watts solar, custom 4 in 1 "U" shaped dinette/couch, 59 interior and exterior mods to date and still adding
kerry4951 wrote: It amazes me. An independent test can reveal all those leak prone areas yet the factory can't find them before the unit goes out. What ever happened to factory quality control?
Well NL does a rain test on their campers before they leave Canada and my camper was on the lot for some time before I bought it. The funny thing is that the dealer power washed the rig roof and sides and there were no leaks then either. I'm hoping that is was just a freak thing and the direction the rain and my having my truck parked right into the wind but I don't see how it would be any different than driving down the road. I'll have to wait till we have another rain (if we ever get anymore darn drought) to see if the clearance light was it or not.
I had the same deal with my Heki Skylight. On mine NL put butyl tape under the edge and then coat the hole thing with plastic-cote. What happened was the heat made the butyl bubble causing a tiny pin hole which under the right condition leaked. What I did was remove all the plasti-cote and excessive butyl tape and then resealed with 3m 4000 UV marine sealant and have had no problem since. The butyl that NL uses seems to really ooze with the heat and that is definitely what caused my leak on the left side of the vent. Make sure you look real close all around the edge for any bubbles if so that is probably your leak.
2009 Dodge 3500QC DRW Flatbed 6.7CTD 6Spd Auto
2009 Northern Lite 10-2CD Special Edition 200w of solar and one spoiled camper dog Splash
I told the place where I had the Sealtech test done that I suspected the Heki. So he really soaked that area down and said that he redid that area about 3 times looking for leaks around it and found no bubbles.
If this doesn't take care of it then I'll be doing just what you said and thanks for the advice, appreciate it. In fact when it cools down here a bit I just might get up there and do it before waiting. Just needs to be a little cooler. Our weather here has been letting up a little but still warm. I did notice the butyl oozing out where they join the 2 halves together. So after that settles down some I'll be cleaning that area and sealing it also.
We have a problem similar on our Northern lite,
It looks like the skylite was not put on flat/square and the actual window does not set flat on the seal.
After 3 broken latches and some leaking the 2 outer hinges have broken.
Dometic agrees and now 5 star and Northern lite are (I expect) working out the replacement.
Lynnsr
* This post was
edited 08/11/12 03:00pm by Lynnsr *
K0LFM Call Sign Northern Lite 8-11 Q Classic SE
Pro-Craft 180 Bass boat 2003 GMC Sierra 2500, Torklifts & Fastguns, Ride-Rites w/dual Control, Helwig rear sway bar,QD Stable Loads, "E" rated 16" 10 ply Michelins, Heavy Duty Pads & Rotors
I have the same vent over the bed and had a similar leak (once). The amount of water was not much but noticeable on the sleeping bag.
It occurred in Nebraska last year during a driving downpour with rain so hard and wind so strong I could hardly see 50 feet. I had never had any kind of leak prior to that and haven't since. I checked the area around the vent very carefully as well as the seal area. Nothing seemed amiss.
My theory is that with very strong wind, heavy rain, and me driving into the wind that some water was forced under the leading edge of the lid past the seal between the lid and the stationary seal.
Haven't had any leak since but I have not been in as bad a storm.
06 Dodge 3500,Dually,CTD,Auto,QC,4X4,Torklifts,Fastguns
2008 Northstar 8.5 Arrow, 100W AM Solar
2011 KZ Durango 275 RL 5er
US Navy 1964-1968, 2-Tour Vietnam Vet
My brand new 03 NL camper had an average of two or three leaks every year. No BS either. Now it should be that more leaks would be more frequent the older it gets, but, this is the very first 18 months (recent)without a leak. I don't recaulk, I pull the part off and rebed all the frames (between mating surfaces) and then caulk.
Marker lites need to be pulled off and caulk seal the small hole the wires go thru. Caulk all screw threads/ screw holes during reinstall.
* This post was
edited 08/12/12 12:37pm by covered wagon *
I have had minor leak issues with the Hieki in my 08 Lance 981. Water will sometimes collect in the channel on the interior front side. Initially, when new this was solved with Dicor around the outside , and also keeping the camper level in the driveway instead of pitched forward. Im not sure which , the sealer or the leveling which solved , but I suspect the leveling was the big help. This spring I washed the roof and again had water on the bed from the collection channel inside. My theory is the 2 weep holes in the back corners on the outside of the skylight had water pushed in from the hose when washing. This would also account for leveling the camper helping. After the 1st incident this spring , probaly washing related , there have been no more leaks, and we have had driving rain with ridiculous volumes of water. So there my 2 cents, check those weep holes.
nycsteve wrote: I have had minor leak issues with the Hieki in my 08 Lance 981. Water will sometimes collect in the channel on the interior front side. Initially, when new this was solved with Dicor around the outside , and also keeping the camper level in the driveway instead of pitched forward. Im not sure which , the sealer or the leveling which solved , but I suspect the leveling was the big help. This spring I washed the roof and again had water on the bed from the collection channel inside. My theory is the 2 weep holes in the back corners on the outside of the skylight had water pushed in from the hose when washing. This would also account for leveling the camper helping. After the 1st incident this spring , probaly washing related , there have been no more leaks, and we have had driving rain with ridiculous volumes of water. So there my 2 cents, check those weep holes.
Steve,
I'll watch for this and see if this is maybe causing my problem.
Flyfisher86,
When you took the plastic-coat off how did you do it? Did you use a plactic putty knife to get it off and did you take it all of or just a little all the way around the skylight at the point where the skylight meets the roof. I'm also think of putting etranbond around it to make sure it is sealed.
I thank everyone for their responses and well let you know what I find. It is not raining here very much right now, the same as in a lot of other parts of the country.
I did have one on the middle clearance lamp (surprise, surprise) and one at the left tail light and one around the door. They are are recaulked now and retested and no leaks now.
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