Rain on slide toppers

rgatijnet1 wrote:

Bruce Brown wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Doug,
I am a little confused. Please tell me how rain on the topper can get in to the coach unless the topper fabric has deteriorated to the point where rain runs through it. On my rig the topper is mounted on the exterior above the slide and as I retract the slide, any water on it will spill off the front or the ends of the fabric and NOT get on top of the slide. In other words my topper is large enough that it extends over each end of the slide so water draining off of the ends of the topper will just drip on to the ground and not on top of the slide. I also have a rubber seal/wiper type gasket on the top and sides of my slide that will sweep off any water that does get on top of my slide although I have never accumulated water on top of the slide itself. I recently changed the fabric on one slide topper and it was the same fabric as I have on my main awning and water does not run through it when it rains.

I think you'll find Doug never said it would. Some people posted it does, I'm not sure how either.

Then again, I see a lot of suggestions doing some pretty extensive stuff just to get a little water off a slide topper.

I'm with Doug and a few others - it's pretty simple; partially retract the slide, let the water run off, repeat. Why make something so simple so complicated? I just don't get it. :S

I guess my point was that if water from the toppers can't get on top of the slide roof, why bother doing anything special? Just retract the slide and the water will run off of the topper as it rolls up while retracting.

It all depends on the type slide and how far it extends over the sides of the slide room. If you have a lot of water build up, when you retract(especially Short slides) the water flows over the front or rear BEFORE the slide room seals and dumps some water on top the main slide room roof. Because wipe seals on top and sides rarely are designed for weathertight seal when extending and retracting, you will get a excess of water running in thru the wipe seals until the room retracts fully and then is sealed. AND, slide toppers rarely will keep ALL water from the top of the slide. Rain water will get on top and that water can also get thru the wipe seals. Doug

Bruce Brown wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Doug,
I am a little confused. Please tell me how rain on the topper can get in to the coach unless the topper fabric has deteriorated to the point where rain runs through it. On my rig the topper is mounted on the exterior above the slide and as I retract the slide, any water on it will spill off the front or the ends of the fabric and NOT get on top of the slide. In other words my topper is large enough that it extends over each end of the slide so water draining off of the ends of the topper will just drip on to the ground and not on top of the slide. I also have a rubber seal/wiper type gasket on the top and sides of my slide that will sweep off any water that does get on top of my slide although I have never accumulated water on top of the slide itself. I recently changed the fabric on one slide topper and it was the same fabric as I have on my main awning and water does not run through it when it rains.

I think you'll find Doug never said it would. Some people posted it does, I'm not sure how either.

Then again, I see a lot of suggestions doing some pretty extensive stuff just to get a little water off a slide topper.

I'm with Doug and a few others - it's pretty simple; partially retract the slide, let the water run off, repeat. Why make something so simple so complicated? I just don't get it. :S

I guess my point was that if water from the toppers can't get on top of the slide roof, why bother doing anything special? Just retract the slide and the water will run off of the topper as it rolls up while retracting.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Doug,
I am a little confused. Please tell me how rain on the topper can get in to the coach unless the topper fabric has deteriorated to the point where rain runs through it. On my rig the topper is mounted on the exterior above the slide and as I retract the slide, any water on it will spill off the front or the ends of the fabric and NOT get on top of the slide. In other words my topper is large enough that it extends over each end of the slide so water draining off of the ends of the topper will just drip on to the ground and not on top of the slide. I also have a rubber seal/wiper type gasket on the top and sides of my slide that will sweep off any water that does get on top of my slide although I have never accumulated water on top of the slide itself. I recently changed the fabric on one slide topper and it was the same fabric as I have on my main awning and water does not run through it when it rains.

I think you'll find Doug never said it would. Some people posted it does, I'm not sure how either.

Then again, I see a lot of suggestions doing some pretty extensive stuff just to get a little water off a slide topper.

I'm with Doug and a few others - it's pretty simple; partially retract the slide, let the water run off, repeat. Why make something so simple so complicated? I just don't get it. :S

Doug,
I am a little confused. Please tell me how rain on the topper can get in to the coach unless the topper fabric has deteriorated to the point where rain runs through it. On my rig the topper is mounted on the exterior above the slide and as I retract the slide, any water on it will spill off the front or the ends of the fabric and NOT get on top of the slide. In other words my topper is large enough that it extends over each end of the slide so water draining off of the ends of the topper will just drip on to the ground and not on top of the slide. I also have a rubber seal/wiper type gasket on the top and sides of my slide that will sweep off any water that does get on top of my slide although I have never accumulated water on top of the slide itself. I recently changed the fabric on one slide topper and it was the same fabric as I have on my main awning and water does not run through it when it rains.

the silverback wrote:
tilt the MH using your jacks to make the water run off.

WHY go thru all this time and effort???????? Just partially retract and extend. Doug

Greydennyhawk wrote:
we were told not to partially retract, or partially open, the slides on our Tiffin. They should be opened fully, and when closing time, also hold the button and do not stop until closed.
If water is on the toppers( or even if you do not have a topper, and water is on the slide roof,) just raise the front of the auto levelers a bit, everything comes flowing off, being unlevel, and then close up after that.
What say you?

This is a CYA statement from Tiffin. Read my later post on this thread. I also (Tiffin dealer tech) partially extend and retract Tiffin SChwinteks all the time. Doug

creeper wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
When rain has accumulated, the FIRST thing you do after the rain has stopped is to bring the rooms in 1/2 the way. That will allow the water to flow off the outside.

This is a big no no with Schwinteck slides, it can mess up the timing. We use the pool noodles.

BIG fairy tale. I probably put Scwintek slides partially in and out 3 or 4 times a week. As long as you HOLD the button down for 10 seconds after fully extending or retracting, that will retime Schwintek slides. OEM's and Schwintek state this because they realize their system can be put out of time by partially extending or retracting when there is a slight problem with the system. But, as I stated, do the hold button EVERYTIME you operate a Schwintek and you will have no problems. Doug

creeper wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
When rain has accumulated, the FIRST thing you do after the rain has stopped is to bring the rooms in 1/2 the way. That will allow the water to flow off the outside.

This is a big no no with Schwinteck slides, it can mess up the timing. We use the pool noodles.

Just another reason to NEVER own a Schwinteck operated slide. For the life of me I have yet to see an advantage with the trouble prone system.

Tools, jacks, misleveling, seems like a lot hassle for something so simple.

dougrainer wrote:
When rain has accumulated, the FIRST thing you do after the rain has stopped is to bring the rooms in 1/2 the way. That will allow the water to flow off the outside.

This is a big no no with Schwinteck slides, it can mess up the timing. We use the pool noodles.

40v Ryobi 300mph blower; also gets the debris off..