HELP!! roof leak!

[3Pillons]

We were out over the weekend through what seemed like a monsoon. I felt a drip hit my shoulder while moving through the camper. It was coming through my handle for the crank up TV antenna. Not a lot of water, but enough to be concerned. Upon close inspection, I could see that some of the screws holding the assembly together were rusted which tells me they've been wet before.

Today I got up on my rook and could see some cracks in the caulk/sealant around the antenna. I hope that is the root of my problem. What do I use to fill it in and how do I use it? Do I remove all of the old caulk first? Or just brush away the damaged parts and cover over it all?

The roof seems very solid and dry so I think I caught it early. I've owned the TT for four months now and have never seen water before this weekend and we have been in some good rain already. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

[KathyDiane]

Remove all the caulking to be sure the surfaces are clean and recaulk with the proper RV roof sealer (I typed, my husband told me what to say).

[Albertaguy]

Use Eternabond, you can cut it in strips and this stuff is there forever. You should be able to buy it by the roll in any hardware type stores.

[Crabman]

Dicor lap sealant is the caulk of choice for many RV`s roof joints and vents, etc.. Available at most internet RV supply stores. In fact I just used a tube on mine as preventative maint. I believe there may also a seal in the TV crank mechanism that can fail over time which would be one possibility.


On edit if your caulking is cracked around the antenna, I would inspect all the caulking on your rig as more leaks may be possible soon. Reseal as necessary.

[hausknwa]

We had the same problem during our last trip. I found that the rubber boot covering the opening where the antenna wire goes through the antenna assembly was loose. I pushed it back over the opening and applied a little silicone caulk to help hold it in place. The leak stopped imediately.

[3Pillons]

Thanks guys. I did check the rest of the roof while I was up there. Everywhere else looks fine, I think the position of the antenna on the roof makes it more susceptable to sun and rain water pooling than the other items (toilet vent, radio antenna, exhaust vents, etc,). I'll be picking up some sealant tomorrow, have three days of nice weather to get it done. Thanks.

[etep571190]

Hi this is something I saw on the Winegard website a while ago. I don't know if its the cause of the problem but its good info.

The Winegard Sensar or “Batwing” antenna requires very little care throughout its life, however 3-4 times each year it is strongly recommended that the unit receive some maintenance. By raising the antenna and spraying the gears with a Silicon Spray Lubricant you can increase the life and the enjoyment of the Sensar. This “bath” helps in two ways. First by cleaning the dirt and debris from the gears the unit will be easier to operate, making raising the unit much less taxing. Secondly, this lubricates the seal that prevents water from flowing into the coach. Without this lubrication, the seal will eventually get brittle and crack. Properly lubricated, this seal should last for the life of unit.

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by etep571190

Hi this is something I saw on the Winegard website a while ago. I don't know if its the cause of the problem but its good info.

The Winegard Sensar or “Batwing” antenna requires very little care throughout its life, however 3-4 times each year it is strongly recommended that the unit receive some maintenance. By raising the antenna and spraying the gears with a Silicon Spray Lubricant you can increase the life and the enjoyment of the Sensar. This “bath” helps in two ways. First by cleaning the dirt and debris from the gears the unit will be easier to operate, making raising the unit much less taxing. Secondly, this lubricates the seal that prevents water from flowing into the coach. Without this lubrication, the seal will eventually get brittle and crack. Properly lubricated, this seal should last for the life of unit.

Yep that`s the seal I was thinking of. I wonder how you access the gears and seal, from the inside or the roof?

[etep571190]

Originally Posted by Crabman

Yep that`s the seal I was thinking of. I wonder how you access the gears and seal, from the inside or the roof?

Ok, I just found this,

The first thing to do is to take the interior parts of the antenna out and see if the water is leaking straight down the center shaft of if it is leaking around the outside of the hole. If the water is coming down the shaft, most likely the quad ring on the worm gear has cracked and will need to be replaced. If it is coming form the outside of the hole, the water is migrating from somewhere on the roof and is not coming from the unit. Either way, you will want to lubricate the quad ring 3-4 times each year to keep it from getting brittle. To lubricate this ring just spray the gear housing on the roof with a silicone spray lubricant. DO NOT use WD-40 as it is a solvent and will eat your gears.

Their FAQ's (Knowledge Base) is pretty good.

[Crabman]

That`s good to know. I was just on my roof today too, A little sealing with Dicor, I wish I knew I woulda lubed the gears while I was up there. Oh well at least we now know about another piece of valuable preventive maint. Thanks.

[clutch]

Etep, thanks for the information.

[3Pillons]

Second thanks to etep. I pulled the books out yesterday and silicone spray lube is on my shopping list for today.

[nealtrombley]

XX 2 on externa bond.....great stuff and easy to use...

[Rustic Eagle]

3Pillons,

Also check the caulking around marker lights, they also have been a forgotten source for potential leaks on all RV's.

Bob