RV Roof sealant

stevezhao888 · 05-20-2023, 07:14 PM

I am installing a Starlink Stand on the RV roof. The sealant I used is wha to bought from my TV dealership. It is clear and looks like standard silicon sealant. But the dealership used on my RV roof is white and seems more like rubber.

Anyone knows what kind of sealant should be used on RV roof?

Thanks!

97Eagle2831B · 05-20-2023, 07:40 PM

You would need to know what kind of roof you have, such as if it's a EPDM rubber roof. If so then it is recommended to use a Dicor roof product. But if the sealant you currently have is compatible with EPDM or other roof types then you may be okay with it.

Route 66 Traveler · 05-20-2023, 08:03 PM

If you read the product description it says not for use on Rubber roofs. What material is your roof made of ? I use Proflex around the windows, clearance lights, but never on my roof.

“Geocel GC28128 ProFlex RV Flexible Sealant 10oz Cartridge Crystal Clear Remains flexible and stops leaks quickly. Bonds to a variety of RV materials and adheres to damp, frozen and oily surfaces. Withstands joint movement and temperature changes due to RV travel. Not for use on rubber roofs. This listing for Crystal Clear is available to purchase in California. Pro Flex RV Flexible Sealant is specifically designed for the recreational vehicle industry. It can be exposed to adverse weather conditions right after application. Pro Flex RV Sealant has excellent expansion and contraction properties to withstand the joint movement and temperature changes associated with recreational vehicles. It bonds to many recreational vehicle materials, even damp, slightly oily, or frozen surfaces. Product Benefits: Crack resistant. Exceptional flexibility. Excellent adhesion to many surfaces, even when damp. Ultraviolet resistant. Resealable; may be applied over itself. Paintable. Resists dirt pick-up. Easily applied, non-stringing formulation. Tools and cleans up easily. Cured sealant is mildew resistant. Limitations: Do not use on traffic-bearing surfaces. Do not use on extruded polystyrene insulation sheathing (Styrofoam, etc.), TPO, or EPDM. Do not use on acrylic skylight glazing surfaces. Do not use in areas where food is processed or stored. Do not use for potable water applications. Adheres To: Aluminum, glass, coated steel (Kynar 500 based finishes), steel, wood, fiberglass, and vinyl. Crystal Clear 10 fl. oz. cartridge”

Grumpy · 05-20-2023, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevezhao888

I am installing a Starlink Stand on the RV roof. The sealant I used is wha to bought from my TV dealership. It is clear and looks like standard silicon sealant. But the dealership used on my RV roof is white and seems more like rubber.

Anyone knows what kind of sealant should be used on RV roof?

Thanks!

Definitely the wrong stuff. As 97Eagle2831B said it should be DICOR.

stevezhao888 · 05-20-2023, 09:05 PM

I feel like it is rubber based.

Any remedy? Where can I buy Dicor?

Thanks a lot guys!

stevezhao888 · 05-20-2023, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97Eagle2831B

You would need to know what kind of roof you have, such as if it's a EPDM rubber roof. If so then it is recommended to use a Dicor roof product. But if the sealant you currently have is compatible with EPDM or other roof types then you may be okay with it.

Thank you, I guess my roof is rubber based. Can I cover the job I did with the Dicor sealant instead of removing it first?

Route 66 Traveler · 05-21-2023, 08:19 AM

It's important for you to know exactly what type of roof is on your RV. Most are either EPDM or TPO. EPDM material is white on top, with a black backing. Newer RV's sometimes will have roof made with TPO, which comes in a few different colors. The color is the same top and bottom. An easy way to know which of the two you have is to remove the trim ring on your bathroom vent fan. There you can see where the roof material was fastened to the framing for the vent and that will allow you to see both the top and bottom of the material.

The Proflex might adversely affect the roof material, making it soft or bubble up. It will be very difficult to remove and you might cause more damage to the roof if you try. Look and see if there are any YouTube videos on how to remove Proflex. I don't know if Dicor and Proflex are compatible. The Dicor website has a lot of information on the subject, you might try searching there as well.

You also need to put some sealant on the screws mounting the antenna stand to the plate.

It would also help if you list on your Signature what type of RV you have, the year and model so that people responding to your question can respond accordingly. Good Luck!

stevezhao888 · 05-21-2023, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

It's important for you to know exactly what type of roof is on your RV. Most are either EPDM or TPO. EPDM material is white on top, with a black backing. Newer RV's sometimes will have roof made with TPO, which comes in a few different colors. The color is the same top and bottom. An easy way to know which of the two you have is to remove the trim ring on your bathroom vent fan. There you can see where the roof material was fastened to the framing for the vent and that will allow you to see both the top and bottom of the material.

The Proflex might adversely affect the roof material, making it soft or bubble up. It will be very difficult to remove and you might cause more damage to the roof if you try. Look and see if there are any YouTube videos on how to remove Proflex. I don't know if Dicor and Proflex are compatible. The Dicor website has a lot of information on the subject, you might try searching there as well.

You also need to put some sealant on the screws mounting the antenna stand to the plate.

It would also help if you list on your Signature what type of RV you have, the year and model so that people responding to your question can respond accordingly. Good Luck!

Here is what I found:

LuckyDuck · 05-21-2023, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevezhao888

I feel like it is rubber based.

Any remedy? Where can I buy Dicor?

Thanks a lot guys!

Just go to your local Camping World or RV store and ask for self-leveling Dicor. It comes in white, off-white etc. it’s not terribly expensive.

**norty1** · 05-21-2023, 12:34 PM

Amazon is also a source.

stevezhao888 · 05-21-2023, 07:52 PM

After I put the regular silicon sealant, the rubber roof layer started to pop up. Then I used the correct auto leveling sealant from Dicor to cover it. Now the pop-up section goes everywhere where those sealant goes.

See the pop-up sections on the sealant. Is there any solution? Will it cause my RV to leak?

Thanks!

Route 66 Traveler · 05-21-2023, 08:04 PM

Did you put the Dicor over the silicone? From looking at your photos I would say your roof will not leak. I would just leave it alone and just keep an eye on it. The Dicor takes some time to fully cure. Also looking at your roof I am pretty sure it’s TPO material.

stevezhao888 · 05-21-2023, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

Did you put the Dicor over the silicone? From looking at your photos I would say your roof will not leak. I would just leave it alone and just keep an eye on it. The Dicor takes some time to fully cure. Also looking at your roof I am pretty sure it’s TPO material.

Thanks a lot. Yes I put Dicor on top of the silicon. At the time I can see some pop-up but not a lot. I did not bother and put the Dicor on top of it. Now, it is getting worse. But maybe like you said, as the evening is coming, and it is cooling down, it may get flat a bit. Is the Dicor for TPO material or I am wrong agai?. There are a lot to learn as a newbie!

Route 66 Traveler · 05-21-2023, 08:36 PM

I use the same Dicor on my TPO roof. The silicone is what’s causing the the TPO material to “Pop-up”. When the Dicor fully cures hopefully it will stop any further issues. The self-leveling Dicor is for the roof only. There are other Dicor products to use on vertical surfaces.

stevezhao888 · 05-21-2023, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

I use the same Dicor on my TPO roof. The silicone is what’s causing the the TPO material to “Pop-up”. When the Dicor fully cures hopefully it will stop any further issues. The self-leveling Dicor is for the roof only. There are other Dicor products to use on vertical surfaces.

Hopefully it will cure and the underneath rubber will get flattened. A lesson learnt. Thanks a lot.

Now the issue is since the rubber looses around the aluminum plate I put to hold the Starlink stand, the aluminum will not have a solid ground to sit on. Because I did not drill hole on the roof to fix the aluminum plate, I am worried the plate may fly out. I may need to chain it onto the ladder…

Route 66 Traveler · 05-21-2023, 09:01 PM

Well, that is a problem. The roof material is no where strong enough to support or secure anything mounted to it. There is nothing wrong with using wood screws to secure items to the roof. Everything else on your roof is screwed down and covered with sealant. Are there holes in the mounting plate that you can use to screw it to the roof? If you aren’t sure of the length or type of screw you can remove one from anything else mounted on the roof to use as a guide.

pconroy · 05-21-2023, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevezhao888

Hopefully it will cure and the underneath rubber will get flattened. A lesson learnt. Thanks a lot.

Now the issue is since the rubber looses around the aluminum plate I put to hold the Starlink stand, the aluminum will not have a solid ground to sit on. Because I did not drill hole on the roof to fix the aluminum plate, I am worried the plate may fly out. I may need to chain it onto the ladder…

You're not going to drive with the dish up there, are you?

stevezhao888 · 05-21-2023, 09:16 PM

I saw a lot of YouTubers just use VHB tape to mount on their solar panels, Starlink stands without drilling any holes. But with this experience, I feel the roof top rubber should not be strong enough to hold any heavier object. I tried to use a stud finder to find any stud on the roof but failed. I worry to drill either through or drill onto wires underneath it. I can see the manufacturer pre-installed the wire for solar panel…. Any suggestion?

stevezhao888 · 05-21-2023, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pconroy

You're not going to drive with the dish up there, are you?

Correct. I will only put the dishy on when the RV is stopped. When driving, only that Starlink pivot mounting will be on the roof.

Route 66 Traveler · 05-21-2023, 09:29 PM

OK…but any wind hitting the dish will cause the roof material to flex and probably cause damage. You’d be better off making a ground mount and forget the roof mount….just my opinion.

I had a roof mounted DirecTV on my Class A years ago. I got tired of trying to find a spot that didn’t have trees blocking the signal and bought a ground mount antenna that I could put where it had a clear view of the sky…problem solved.

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