Who has the better solution to keeping water from accumulating on your slide toppers?I have tried successfully, inserting a couple boat fenders with a rope tied to them so I can remove them, but I have to get out the ladder to insert them on the slide top. They do hold the awning up and the water runs off, but I don't like having to get out the ladder every time to insert them.Anything "automatic" out there?

Carefree makes a topper that has a better pitch on it to prevent this - topper link. THere is also another manufacturer out there with a topper that has a bar that automatically comes up to give the similar affect that you (and we've done too and have given up) to prevent slide out water accumulation.

I don't like to fool with ladders either so rather than push UP the material, I pull it DOWN.I throw a rope over the top of the slide awning (end to end) and hook it to the bottom edge of the slide room by tying a bungee on each end of the rope.But, most often, I just don't worry about water on the topper. It drains off nicely when I retract the slides anyway.

downtheroad wrote:I don't like to fool with ladders either so rather than push UP the material, I pull it DOWN.I throw a rope over the top of the slide awning (end to end) and hook it to the bottom edge of the slide room by tying a bungee on each end of the rope.But, most often, I just don't worry about water on the topper. It drains off nicely when I retract the slides anyway.I've considered trying this but haven't yet... I was a bit concerned that the rope would fray the edge of the topper and later cause a problem.

Water always hangs out on my long living room slide topper. I've tried several things that don't work great so now I don't worry about it..... The water eventually finds its way off. It's the wind that has messed mine up, that one topper flaps in the wind and now needs to be replaced cause its torn in one corner.

I do the rope trick when I think of it but mostly let it drain when the slide is retracted. This, however, gets the stabilizer and surrounding surface wet which is a little annoying.I think one of the best ideas, although we've never tried it, is to lay a piece of perforated pvc piping on top of the cover that is longer than the cover. When it rails the water will enter the pipe and drain out the end. Probably would have to be installed and taken off from the roof; bummer!

Slide topper/water accumulation | Good Sam Community

DHCamper
Explorer
Jun 16, 2013
I know this is an old thread, but still relevant. Dometic states this in their installation/operation manual:

"Because the awning is level, water may puddle on top of the
canopy. As the slide out room is closed and the awning rolls
up, these puddles will spill over the sides of the awning."

Their recommendation is to roll the water off the top. works well and give the side of the slide a good wash.

Happy camping to all!
ReneeG
Explorer
Oct 09, 2012
TN Tarheel wrote:
If I think there is a problem after a lot of rain, I lower one end of the coach with the jacks, let the water drain and then level again. Scares the heck out of the cat but works for me.

Good one. Dumping our rainwater scared our Chihuahua.
gijoecam
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
downtheroad wrote:
gijoecam wrote:
Dumb question: Is there any way to pitch the outboard end just like you would pitch the awning outside the door? Seems like maybe installing it a little off-kilter from the start might look weird, but would cause the water to flow off the preferred end just like the big awning...

Good thought, but problem is that the material would not roll up evenly if the tube were mounted, "off-kilter."

Agreed, but could you mount both the tube and the 'free end' (however it attaches to the body) off the same amount? The tube doesn't care if it's perfectly level or at an angle... As long as both the tube and the 'free end' of the awning were mounted 'off' the same amount (say three inches higher on one end) it wouldn't know any different (and should shed the water). I'm just not familiar with how they physically attach to the camper, that's all...
TN_Tarheel
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
If I think there is a problem after a lot of rain, I lower one end of the coach with the jacks, let the water drain and then level again. Scares the heck out of the cat but works for me.
hottubkid
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
How about raising the front end just a little so the water will run off?
downtheroad
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
gijoecam wrote:
Dumb question: Is there any way to pitch the outboard end just like you would pitch the awning outside the door? Seems like maybe installing it a little off-kilter from the start might look weird, but would cause the water to flow off the preferred end just like the big awning...

Good thought, but problem is that the material would not roll up evenly if the tube were mounted, "off-kilter."
gijoecam
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
Dumb question: Is there any way to pitch the outboard end just like you would pitch the awning outside the door? Seems like maybe installing it a little off-kilter from the start might look weird, but would cause the water to flow off the preferred end just like the big awning...
downtheroad
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
restlesswind wrote:
Seems to me like the slide toppers are more trouble than they are worth.
Can someone explain why I may be wrong?

I have had rigs with and had rigs without toppers...Have 2 slides now with toppers...It's not even close. If you camp under trees or in very wet weather, slides are the way to go.
We also camp a lot on the windy Oregon Coast...no problem.

But, with our without, you can still have a good time camping.
JJBIRISH
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
restlesswind wrote:
Seems to me like the slide toppers are more trouble than they are worth.
Can someone explain why I may be wrong?

What trouble are you talking about… I don’t worry about the water, mines wound tight enough so it don’t flap in the wind, and I don’t have to get on a ladder or the roof to clean pine needles and debris off the roof to bring it in…
restlesswind
Explorer
Oct 08, 2012
Seems to me like the slide toppers are more trouble than they are worth.
Can someone explain why I may be wrong?