Leak through refrigerator vents

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Scott1234
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Joined: 02/13/2015 - 07:09
It's just info and ideas I've found out there on the internet...

Here's another idea (just idea's) for those that might be interested: They have wind/rain deflectors for cars/trucks so why not put one of those deflectors on the side (sideways) in front of the vents... See picture and imagine the deflector mounted vertical and pushing the air with rain over the vent while going down the road....

This second picture is just something I put together here just to show what I'm talking about...

Ditchrider
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Last seen: 1 year 5 months ago
Joined: 10/05/2015 - 18:05
Fridge Vent Leak

I have also occasionally had water show up on the camper floor under the fridge in my 2008 16.  So I put weatherstripping around the vent door.  When that didn't stop it I put a gutter over the door like Scott1234 did, although I used the EZE RV gutter.  While it has been quite a while since water showed up on the floor of the camper, the bottom of the fridge compartment is still sometimes wet after a rain.  Now I am looking at the roof and wondering if raindrops might ricochet into the fridge exhaust flue like they will splash into the ceiling vent if I have it open too far during a hard rain.

I checked the fridge compartments in an Alaskan camper and an Escape trailer and both have drains to carry water harmlessly away.  They apparently acknowledge that water may get in there and have provided for an escape path.  Our Scamps are a little deficient in that department.

 

Eric

Scott1234
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Last seen: 4 years 5 months ago
Joined: 02/13/2015 - 07:09
Here's some info about another possible water problem...

FYI: I found this on the internet too.... 

New Scamp 13 Dometic 2193 3 way
Found water and on floor while underway. I checked under cupboard and floor was wet. I checked drain and water supply lines and they are dry. Likely culprit would seem to indicate refrigerator while running DC. Should there be a drip tray under fins inside refrigerator and where should refrigerator drain to normally.

Hi Brian. While I think some versions of the 2193 had a drip tray and a drain, my 3 year old model came with neither. As a result I find a fair amount of water on the floor of the fridge which I routinely mop up. As it's been rather humid (I'm in Vermont) if you haven't been mopping it's probably overflowing. Good luck, Raz

DaveM
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Last seen: 6 years 6 months ago
Joined: 09/06/2015 - 18:14
Fridge vent leak

It seems that some of us are having water leaks on their refrigerator vents and some aren't. It appears that it depends on where your vents are located. Some models have both vents located in the lower half of the trailer, and some like mine have one vent on the bottom half and one on the top half.

The joint where the top and bottom come together sticks out about 1" so it acts as a drip edge protecting the vents below it. Also, the joint is the widest part of the trailer. The bottom half slopes in. so if any water gets on the lower vents it tends to run out away from the trailer and fall on the ground.

The vents in the upper half of the trailer are not protected by anything. The water just runs across them. Also, the upper half of the trailer sloes in. The top is narrower than the middle, so water on the upper vents wants to drip into the trailer. Guess which vent is leaking?

When I first found out that my vents were leaking, I figured that it was because they forgot to install the weather stripping that came with the trailer. I installed it, but it still leaked. The weather stripping wasn't water proof.

I got some heavy duty weather stripping from the hardware store (same size, but much more denser foam) and sort of waterproof. As I was installing it, I noticed that there was a nice lip across the top and sides of the housing to keep water out. But it only extended out about 2" from the corners on the bottom edge. Then it stopped, It was just flat on the bottom, nothing to keep the water out. You could easily slide a razor or pocket through the joint between the vent and the housing.

So I installed 2 layers of weather stripping across the bottom, one behind the other, being careful to stuff it into the channels, hoping it would act as a dam to keep the water out.

Our trailer is parked in a protected spot, so I moved it out onto the street and left it there for 5 hours during heavy rain and 25 mph winds blowing against the vented side. I got soaked, but the trailer stayed dry. I was a happy Scamper for about a month. Then it started leaking again.

It appears that the water that puddled up against the outside edge of my weather stripping along the bottom edge of the housing would freeze at night and thaw during the day. Eventually, this caused the glue that held the weather stripping in place to fail allowing water to come in under the weather stripping

I decided to fix it right this time. I used one ot the slats from our vinyl vertical blinds that cover our patio door ( I had an extra one). I cut a piece 1 1/2" wide and folded it down the middle, glued one side to the bottom of the vent housing (where the lip was missing) with the other side standing upright. I used some stuff called goop to glue it in place. It is kind of like part contact cement and part caulking, sticks to anything and dries fast. I filled the two channels with goop also. Then I put a big bead of caulking on the inside of the fold to give more strength to vertical part. It took about 30 minutes to complete the repair.

Dave M

SRM
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Last seen: 5 years 8 months ago
Joined: 06/28/2018 - 22:06
water damage -- refrigerator vent?

I have a 16' Scamp deluxe 2015 and I've also found water and, this spring, water damage underneath the refrigerator.

The damage to the side panel of refrigerator cabinet happened over the winter.  

I also think the weather stripping around the door seems inadequate in regards to water.  Anybody modify/fix that issue?

SRM

rob n.
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Last seen: 4 years 3 months ago
Joined: 04/07/2015 - 11:05
water leaks at refridgerator vent

I had this problem on my 2014 13ft scamp. now have same thing on my new 2018 16 ft scamp. on my first camping trip driving south in heavy rain, i got lots of water coming in and soaking the carpet and undersink cabinet. this is not acceptable in any camper. i bought fiberglass camper thinking the roof would be less likely to leak, instead got a camper that can not be driven in the rain. 

robert

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