Magic Water

[Chromag]

So we were recently out for our longest trip so far. We took our new 2012 Crossroads Z-1 out for a full week (8 days). During that time we had some normal nasty afternoon Florida storms move through while we were out. When we got back my wife asked if I spilled a bottle of water in the bedroom. Turns out the bottom of a laptop bag I had next to the bed was wet.

I didn't think much of it at the time. We recently had some nasty storms move through so after work one day I stopped by our storage facility and checked and there was a small puddle of water right where that bag was. Here is a pic...



I checked around the window. Nothing wet. I looked at the roof. Nothing. I felt around the wall. Nothing. I could find no evidence of water other than the puddle on the floor. Obviously this puddle is quite small - but the wetness of the laptop bag was quite a bit more serious.

Any ideas where this is coming from? Should I worry about it?

Thanks.

[Chromag]

Well I hate to have to update this thread but I suppose it's time. We were camping this weekend and a big rainstorm blew through. I noticed the puddle again on the floor. I also noticed that the trim along the wall was now wavy and wrinkled. I poked at the trim and it popped off very easily and that's when I saw the problem. Water is leaking in all along the bottom of the wall.

Here are updated pics taken this weekend, now almost a year later from the original post. My TT has a one year warranty which of course ran out a couple months ago. I brought it into the dealer I purchased it from when towing back this afternoon. I also contacted Crossroads explaining the problem and noting that I noticed a puddle months ago but didn't think it was something serious until now.

I don't suspect they'll cover it under the warranty, unfortunately 😞

If you look closely in this first pic you can see the water beads along the wall with the trim off.



In this next pic you can see the new puddle and how wavy the trim has gotten.

[MNtundraRet]

I would get up on the roof and check the sealant around each of the vents, etc., to make sure there is no stress crack through the sealant or a spot that was missed or sealant did not adhere.

Also check sealant on seams and edging for same reason. Checking around windows to make sure installed and sealed correctly. Also check roof to make sure a branch or something has not damaged the roof. The inspection should be done as soon as possible. This type of inspection should actually be done every year before use and when getting ready for storage, or any time a leak is noticed.

I have avoided problems by doing this check on every RV since 1984.

[rockhillmanor]

You say your RV is in storage?

Hmmm we've all seen what mouse droppings look like but have we ever really seen their puddle when they go number 1 on a hard surface?

I know they do make number 1 because you can see the pee stains on materials they have been on. Just saying, it 'could' be critter pee.

Perhaps this is a mouse that has no shame of going right out in the open or he's angry you didn't leave him any TP in the RV!! :W

[Chromag]

4AggiesMom wrote:
We discovered that water had been coming in from around the two top amber running lights and following the front of the trailer down to a seam that runs horizontally across the inside of the trailer. The seams in both wardrobes was wet.

There is a roof seam that runs across the bedroom area over the puddle (sort of, not directly). I ran my hand across the seam and roof and didn't feel any dampness.

[Chromag]

OhhWell wrote:
With all that being said... It's new. Take it to the dealer and let them worry about it. Tracing mystery leaks sucks sometimes.

Yeah I'm going to wait until we get a much more serious rain storm so I can check it out and see if I can actually see where the leak is. Either that or at least snap a better pic. But if I see any more water I'm taking it back to them and letting them deal with it.

rockhillmanor wrote:
Look up! :B

Do you have ducted air conditioning?
If so, Is this vent right above that water spot?

I have only experienced 'this' SINCE being in Florida's high humidity.
AND the humidity quadruples after it rains.

The AC vent is on the other side of the bedroom. There isn't anything directly over the puddle. Somehow leaking around the window seems like the most likely culprit. Possibly the evidence is drying up before I get there and all I see is the puddle.

MNtundraRet wrote:
Do you have water hose connected to a outside faucet, and is the water left on? The trailer is new and may have a loose pipe connection. Water may being leaking und the carpet and showed up first in that spot.

We don't have any electric or water hook ups at the storage lot. We always turn off the water pump when we leave it.

[4AggiesMom]

On our trip to Florida we discovered that some of the clothing in both front wardrobes that was touching the front wall of the trailer was damp. We discovered that water had been coming in from around the two top amber running lights and following the front of the trailer down to a seam that runs horizontally across the inside of the trailer. The seams in both wardrobes was wet.
Hubby went out and put duct tape on them and the water stopped.
When we got home he caulked those lights really well. Then, he went around the whole trailer and recaulked anything that looked suspicious.
Lesson learned---to check all the outside light fixtures and all seams every so often.

[westend]

Well, you have three or four possibilities listed as the source, so far. That is the "magic" part of leakage, the result can be seen away from the source of the intrusion. Water will contact a frame piece or joint along the way and follow that to a spot where you wouldn't think there could be a leak. A pressure test is the best way of disclosing any leaks and, IMO, should be done when the TT is on it's way out the factory door. I don't know if any of the Mfg.'s do this but I'm guessing not many. There are a lot of spots where water can enter and a failure in any one spot can happen.
I would try to trace the water path from the nightstand area back to a wall, roof edge, or window. Carefully inspect those potential leakage areas on the outside of the TT. Heck, maybe recaulk those aeas as a peventative measure and see if that cures the problem. If the TT is still under waranty, I would bring it back to the dealer and demand a pressure test. Who knows, maybe the guy manning the caulk gun sneezed twice the day your TT was built.

[usmohls2]

Put the blame on the dog!

[MNtundraRet]

Do you have water hose connected to a outside faucet, and is the water left on? The trailer is new and may have a loose pipe connection. Water may being leaking und the carpet and showed up first in that spot.

Best way to check for leaks is to fill tank and use the water pump. If the pump starts cyling on for a short period, when all faucets are closed, you have a leak.

[rockhillmanor]

Look up! :B

Do you have ducted air conditioning?
If so, Is this vent right above that water spot?

I have only experienced 'this' SINCE being in Florida's high humidity.
AND the humidity quadruples after it rains.

If you have the air on and keep going in and out of the RV,or leave the door open longer than you should when you do, or have left a window cracked....HEAVY condensation will form around the a/c vents.
You don't leave that roof vent over the bed open when the ac is on do you??

I had the same mystery water spot and I finally found out it was the condensation dripping from around the ac vent in the ceiling. This is now my 'warning' sign when I have forgotten to close a window after turning the air on. 😞

[OhhWell]

Oh, also I've found that sometimes the driving drain with high wind can actually come in the condensation drain holes and splash in the trailer. Where I have it parked, I have to put tape over the holes on the kitchen window as it lines up with the roof of my garage.

[OhhWell]

It looks closer to the window than the center of that area on the floor. I found a mystery leak like that in ours after that crazy named storm a month or so ago. The water was comming in in a small area on top of the window, running around the window behind the trim then dripping out under the bottom lip of the window. I found the leak by getting on a ladder in that rain and wind but I had to take the trim around the window off to dry it out and see how far water can move from the actual leak and where it drips.

It also wasn't alot of fun standing on that ladder trying to get weatherseal putty to stick good enough in the rain. I finally got it after many tries.

With all that being said... It's new. Take it to the dealer and let them worry about it. Tracing mystery leaks sucks sometimes.

[Chromag]

daystrom wrote:
It's hard to tell from the photo where that is in the camper. I can tell you that when our Zinger was brand new last year, I had a small puddle of water on the night stand next to the bed after a day of constant rain. The night stand is in the corner of the front and side wall of the trailer.

It's between the bed and the wall near the window on the slide side of the TT. The top of the photo is the carpeted night stand. I'll take a closer look on the outside to see if I notice anything.

Thanks.

[daystrom]

It's hard to tell from the photo where that is in the camper. I can tell you that when our Zinger was brand new last year, I had a small puddle of water on the night stand next to the bed after a day of constant rain. The night stand is in the corner of the front and side wall of the trailer.

Upon inspecting the outside corner molding I found this:



That void was almost directly in the same spot as the night stand. Water was coming in, running down the inside paneling onto the night stand.

A touch up with clear ProFlex fixed it right up and it has been water tight since.

Look for voids in the caulking on the corner molding from the roof to the bottom of the trailer.

[dupreet]

Take it back to your dealer. They can test it - one way is to pressurize the rig and spray water...telltale bubbles can reveal small seams or cracks.

Water intrusion is serious stuff that leads to substantial to catastrophic damage.

Todd