Forum Discussion

babamartha's avatar
babamartha
Explorer
Jul 25, 2017

Fitting question

SO, I broke the door off of the fitting that encloses the power cord, so I ordered a replacement fitting online. I didn't realize until I took the old one off and tried the new one that the new one is smaller. I cleaned all the old caulk off, drilled three new holes, filled the old holes with silicone caulk, and installed the plate. I used a LOT of silicone between the plate and the camper.

I noticed that the original plate had foam insulation on it; the new one doesn't.

Have I made a bad decision in going ahead and installing the new piece? If I need to correct the situation, how should I go about it?
  • babamartha's avatar
    babamartha
    Explorer
    Jul 25, 2017
    pianotuna wrote:
    Don't use silicone


    Why not? What are the cons? Are you saying I should uninstall the fitting and start over with something else?
  • Pbois334's avatar
    Pbois334
    Explorer
    Jul 26, 2017
    No. Everyone reccomend against using silicone for sealing on trailers. They all prefer dicor sealants as they hold up longer I believe. I think silicone breaks down easily with the sun
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Jul 26, 2017
    Silicone works well if the sun's UV rays cant get to it. Otherwise, it discolores and breaks quickly.
  • Hondavalk's avatar
    Hondavalk
    Explorer II
    Jul 26, 2017
    Also you can't apply more silicone over old silicone, it won't stick. With silicone you will have to remove all the old caulk before you can reseal.
  • slavco's avatar
    slavco
    Explorer
    Jul 28, 2017
    babamartha wrote:
    All of this is good information. Thank you. I appreciate it.


    If you're going to re-do it, I would suggest using butyl tape as a gasket before you screw it back in. This will ensure water doesn't penetrate even if the sealant cracks at some point in the future.
  • babamartha's avatar
    babamartha
    Explorer
    Jul 28, 2017
    slavco wrote:
    babamartha wrote:
    All of this is good information. Thank you. I appreciate it.


    If you're going to re-do it, I would suggest using butyl tape as a gasket before you screw it back in. This will ensure water doesn't penetrate even if the sealant cracks at some point in the future.


    Thank you. I bought some just for this. I want a result I'm proud of.
  • Ralph_Cramden's avatar
    Ralph_Cramden
    Explorer II
    Aug 02, 2017
    Nothing wrong with silicone, as long as you use a good quality neutral cure silicone and prep it correctly. Personally though I use Geocel Proflex RV or 3300 on vertical surfaces not contacting the roof membrane. I also always back up something like a cable hatch with butyl tape.

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