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Contents:
Damaged Roof Light Air Vent.
After the winter period of being layed up. Our first weekend out with the Motorhome is usually a trial to assess every thing functions correctly.
Fortunately it rained! A steady drip from the roof light vent indicated a fault which could not be stemmed.
Moving the securing handle produced a heavier drip giving an indication of the source. As I moved it a little more the whole handle was obviously loose. I realised now, a previously mentioned letter in a Motorhome magazine, had queried how to stop Roof Light Vents from blowing away, when travelling!
A strip down was needed! To carry out this work is quite simple and removal of the vent cover can be done from inside the Motorhome. The vent assembly can be elongated in the aperture and taken down inside.
All that is required is to take out the handle hinge securing screws, which are screwed into the vent side wall.
When I took out these side screws. The whole handle dropped to the floor. It should have been held by the vent cover!
The thick vertical parts of the handle have 6mm dia. plastic pillars which protrude into the air vent canopy. They are then heat welded into a hat shape to secure the vent to the handle pillars! When the handle is pulled down to secure the canopy, these shaped hats take all the strain produced by the handle springs.
The plastic deteriorates after a few years exposed to Ultra Violet light and is not capable of holding this spring pressure.
Immediately the handle is used from new, this securing hat starts to flex. So from then on this vent cover fitted becomes a source of leaks. I consider this fault should be checked on all Motorhomes older than 3 years.
As we were on a campsite no spares were available so a temporary repair had to be made. In fact my repair has become a permanent feature, except, when I got home I introduced 6mm diameter bolts, far stronger than the original plastic pillars.
For those not inclined to repair then the whole repair and replacement of the assembly might have be carried out at a caravan workshop. I have priced the new vents at anything between £56 to £128 plus labour charges. [April 2004]
Below is my method of how I carried out the repair.
First is it necessary in your case?
Test for a possible fault.
How to do this?
Unlatch the Roof light vent and place in the open position.
Move the handle forward and rear, gently.
The handle should flex the vent cover slightly. If the handle moves without the vent cover moving, then there could be a fault and water leakages. You will require repairs as soon as possible.
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Original Roof light Vent |
Roof Light Vent Handle |
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Handle removed showing |
Roof Light Vent with |
New bolt in place with |
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Travelling the French motorways this year, [2004] for the amount of vent light covers seen on the hard shoulders, it would seem this is an on going problem with caravans and Motorhomes.
It's worth having a look at this narrative by Steve regarding roof light vent:
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Additions to Motorhome pages 2010:-
