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

Replace the screws with stainless steel screws. Silicone is great for appearances but terrible for keeping water out. Use something like Pro Flex Pro Flex RV Flexible Sealant to ensure a good seal water can't penetrate.

On my KZ, they had the hole too big and some screws didn't bite into anything. I would suggest that you remove the inlet and start over so that you know it is done right. Also, my wires were completely loose and could have started a fire in the wall, so check the set screws while it is apart.

Never, ever, use silicon on the exterior or your rv. It was never ment for exterior use. It will eventually crack and let water in. Nothing will adhere to it, not even more silicon.When attaching something to the exterior, and it has a flange, use butyl tape to seal it, and then use Dicor Caulk, self leveling for horizontal surfaces, and Dicor Non Sag for vertical surfaces. Just run a bead around the permiter of the flange and a dab over each screw head.Do it right once and you'll be good for years.Grumpy

x2 on putting silicone on your "never use" list. For holes where cables and pipes go thru, I fill them up with polyurethane foam sold as "Great stuff" ... it is really great in sealing, but can be messy, so use precaution and practice on your shed before RV. Than for final caulking use real roofers caulk or I like siding caulk from James Hardie that can be special order in colors from Home Depot. It has to be SO in 12-pack, but price was low last time I bought it.

Remove capApply WOOD PUTTY to screw's threads which is sold in every hardware storeScrew the screws back in, without the capLet dry overnight.Work the screw back and forth to release it from the Wood PuttyBack the screws outAssemble

External screws and silicone | Good Sam Community

Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 08, 2016
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
Explorer
May 08, 2016
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
Explorer
May 08, 2016
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
Explorer
May 08, 2016
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
Explorer II
Apr 19, 2016
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
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
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
Explorer III
Apr 19, 2016
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
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
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
Explorer III
Apr 19, 2016
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
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
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.

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