All Aluminum RVs

GrandpaKip wrote:
There are probably hundreds of thousands of aluminum spars on sailboats around the world existing in a marine environment. All aluminum hulls, too. With stainless steel fittings attached with SS screws. Some have brass and copper attached, also.
No building material lasts forever. But with proper maintenance, any of them will probably outlast you.

Untreated/unfinished, raw or unpainted aluminum in contact with the wrong metal AND water/moisture simply dooms the aluminum.

The "marine" uses you speak of for aluminum ARE treated and or painted.

Copper, steel and even many types of stainless steel and possibly brass (which contains copper) in direct contact with aluminum are a absolute no no.

The aluminum used for interior framing of RVs is most likely UNTREATED AND/OR UNPAINTED.

To protect raw aluminum, it MUST be anodized (chemical/heat treatment) which creates a controlled stable oxidization layer on the surface of the aluminum OR SEALED VIA PAINT.

Granted, aluminum does create a oxidation layer on it's surface when scratched, but keep in mind, that layer is extremely thin and will deteriorate at a higher rate than anodized aluminum.

I seriously doubt that any RV manufacturer is going to be willing to anodize the aluminum structure/framing inside the walls/roof/floor due to costs and hazards of setting up a anodizing line (welds/rivets other fastener holes and cut ends need sealed).

Constant water/moisture exposure will eventually corrode the untreated aluminum to the point it simply turns to powder..

Ask anyone who has had RV aluminum develop PINHOLES in it out of nowhere.

ZERO "advantage" of a all aluminum framed RV, if you keep a RV dry by checking and replacing old caulk, pretty much any type of RV can last for a long, long time. Fail to do the maintenance and aluminum framed trailers can fail just as quickly as a wood stick framed RV.