External screws and silicone

[Camper1977]

Hello, if you have trim areas / caps such as the electric cord cap with screws holding it to fiberglass wall ( external) and they are coming out what is a good solution ?
All I'm concerned with is the cap flying off and is there concern with water damaging the area where the cap sits. I noticed there has never been any silicone around that cap, but thinking maybe I can put some around it to help support that cap and prevent water from entering. Thoughts, ideas ? Thanks I'm new to campers. Bought this new 9//2015
Kz spree escape 17TH

[Bumpyroad]

Almot wrote:

"Marine" designation should be taken with a good drain of salt, no pun intended. Besides, splashing or submersing is not the same environment as subjecting to UV, high ambient temps and vibration.

Boats are subjected to a double dose of UV light, from above and reflected up from the water. additionally pounding on waves produces quite a vibration.
bumpy

[grizzzman]

Dave H M wrote:
Walaby, you are wasting your time posting that kind of thought here. :W

I do not tell anybody that I use silicon all the time on certain applications on the RV.

Then all are happy. :B

Well good thought. My 2016 trailer has silicone in many places from the manufacturer. But I digress, like any chemical, if you don't know how to use it, then you should not use it! 😉

[Camper1977]

Now this.... need help. My KZ Spree escape TH 17 rear ramp door has been going me issues closing it. It looks as if the door lines up higher than the frame. This was not an issue until my last 2 trips and it's getting worse. Any ideas suggest

[Camper1977]

Thanks for all the great help. Are Silicone e sprays bad for the outside ? I was told to spray that on all the trim areas to help from rust and water but now I wonder if that's what caused the issue to begin with.

[Dave_H_M]

Walaby, you are wasting your time posting that kind of thought here. :W

I do not tell anybody that I use silicon all the time on certain applications on the RV.

Then all are happy. :B

[jjrbus]

To the best of my understanding 3M 5200 and Marine Grade silicon are 2 different things.

If i wanted to fasten and seal something to my motorhome and unable to use mechanical fasteners, 5200 is a great choice.

I have seen people use 5200 and then clamp it,or screw it down very tight. Over clamping squeezes it out and ruins its adhesive quality's so might as well use a cheaper product.

Not to be misconstrued as a professional opinion or wisdom, simply 60 years of putzing with stuff. Jim

[Almot]

My only gripe with 5200 (beside the cost) is - too easy flowing if you need filling it thick/deep on vertical or sloped surface. In some spots I would use 4200, easier to remove later than 5200.

[marquette]

Albiet expensive 3M 5200 marine adhesive and sealant is really good stuff. Works above and waterline, UV stabilized and very vibration resilient. IMO it far exceeds anything the RV industry uses.

[Almot]

Walaby wrote:
There's plenty of marine grade silicone. If it's good for marine craft, seems like it should be okay for RV's.

What am I missing???

Mike

What jirbus said - difficult to remove and incompatible with other sealants. It doesn't even stick well to itself, after it's cured. Besides, it's not paintable so you need a close matching color where important.
Urethane can be painted - though, being UV-susceptible, it also HAS to be painted where exposed.

"Marine" designation should be taken with a good drain of salt, no pun intended. Besides, splashing or submersing is not the same environment as subjecting to UV, high ambient temps and vibration.

[jjrbus]

Walaby wrote:
There's plenty of marine grade silicone. If it's good for marine craft, seems like it should be okay for RV's.

What am I missing???

Mike

My experience with silicon is when it fails it is very difficult to get off and it all has to come off as nothing will stick to it.

I redid about 20 feet of calk done by a drunken, blind person and am great full it was a solvent based caulk. I also had to do around a small access door, 2 feet maybe, that was silicon, took as long as the 20 feet!

There are much better product for the application (in my opinion) so why use silicon?

3M is about $20 tube, OSI Quad is about $8 tube, even the specialty RV sealants are in the $12 range.

[Walaby]

There's plenty of marine grade silicone. If it's good for marine craft, seems like it should be okay for RV's.

What am I missing???

Mike

[tommykelly]

Somebody forgot to tell Fleetwood not to use silicone around tail lights markers around outside molding...I questioned more than one r.v. service people...all said it was normal..I too had always thought using silicon was a no no....

[Denny___Jami]

Camper1977 wrote:
Hello, if you have trim areas / caps such as the electric cord cap with screws holding it to fiberglass wall ( external) and they are coming out what is a good solution ?
All I'm concerned with is the cap flying off and is there concern with water damaging the area where the cap sits. I noticed there has never been any silicone around that cap, but thinking maybe I can put some around it to help support that cap and prevent water from entering. Thoughts, ideas ? Thanks I'm new to campers. Bought this new 9//2015
Kz spree escape 17TH

I looked at the way your trailer was constructed and my guess would be the screws are just in the siding backing plywood for your electrical cap. I would remove the cap and install plastic anchors that fit the screw. There are a lot of silicone sealants that work outside and hold up to the weather, I like Nova/Flex. Been using silicone on my trailers for years but they have to be high quality, if they say for marine use they will work.

Denny

[jjrbus]

I'll third the no silicon, don't even walk by an Rv with it!

I am starting to use OSI Quad for caulking, same as Dicor non sag, costs less and is more available, Home Depot, Lowes. Check some online videos before attempting to caulk, can make a real mess if not careful! These are solvent based caulks that do not clean up with soap and water.