# Condensation/water ingress



## nofixedabode (Aug 28, 2010)

Hi there

Dont know if anyone can give advice we are new to motorhoming and recently purchased a roller team motorhome from new. Whilst away the beginning of the week with our three grandchildren who slept in the bed above the cab we were shocked to discover in the morning water running down the ceiling and the joints. Of course there was terrible rain the few days we were there so we are not sure if it is water getting in or condensation. We feel that if it is either of these two things it is not acceptable especially on a new modern motorhome. The area above the cab was the only area which was getting wet.
Thanks in advance
nofixedabode


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## Tigatigatiger (Aug 28, 2010)

I'm sure you will get a far great in depth knowledge answer than mine.

Has it been cold enough to cause condensation? even with 3 kids sleeping in a small area. For peace of mind I would be getting it checked out.

We have been out and about it ours all year round, including some very cold nights during last winter and we never had any condensation. However my sister with her Autocruise has a problem with condensation around the bed, on the walls and underneath but not on the roof. This was solved by putting a slatted base under the mattress and lining around the mattress with insulation padding.


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## vwalan (Aug 28, 2010)

hi could be either as you say . try a good soaking with a hose .but becarefull a jet can soon lift a seal and give false results. would have hoped there was enough insulation to stop condensation .it as been known for it to be left out by mistake in the factory. you wouldnt be the first one. 
a friends dad took his hobby caravan back to the factory when abroad as he thought he had a leak .they had fitted a roof vent with no sealer at all. just goes to show every one is human and can make mistakes. cheers alan.


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## syldale (Aug 29, 2010)

*water ingress*

my advice would be take it back to where  you bought it from don't mess about yourself  it will make your warranty void


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## dependencies (Aug 29, 2010)

On the bed issue,
Mine has a slatted base also,
probably 20/30 25mmx 8mm slats running left to right beneath mattress.

Condensation in my cars are nearly always as a result of putting a wet dog in after his run.

I remove anything and everything that can absorb water
coats/upholstery/matting, and dry it in the garage,

leave some bags of silica gel here and there in car for a week,
remove and dry them for re-use, 

and that usually cures it


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## nofixedabode (Aug 29, 2010)

Thank you all for your replies. It was just a week ago and it wasnt cold but pouring with rain. The thing that puzzled us is that is was only in the over cab bed area nothing at all where we slept in the fixed bed. We are going to take it back to dealer. We hope they will deal with the problem even if it is condensation. Would you consider that there should be no condensation in a new van if they say that it is condensation. Just trying to think ahead and have replies ready to what they might say. Of course they maybe OK and sort the problem what ever it might be. This is all very new to us and we certainly didnt expect to have problems of this kind in a new motorhome.
Thanks once again
nofixedabove


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## nofixedabode (Aug 31, 2010)

*Update from dealer*

Hi all 
We have contacted the dealer and we were supposed to be told when we purchased the motorhome that if people were sleeping in the over cab bed we had to leave a sky light open just a little?? Any thoughts on this statement would be appreciated. 
Thanks for all your help as we are complete novices we havent got a clue.
nofixedabode


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## Smoogy (Aug 31, 2010)

We have had a leak in what we thought to be the window seal next to the over cab bed. Returned our (new) Autotrail Apache to the place where we purchased it 4 months ago and has the window completely refitted. This had to be repeated as the leak reappeared some weeks later. Seemed all ok until last week when during a very heavy but short rain fall the leak has returned.

After 4 hours back in the workshop, it now seems that the window was never the problem but instead the fault could be a seam, as the damp meter is showing a 'damp reading' right along the wall behind the cupboards up the the door. They also believe water is running along the gap between the ceiling of the over cab bed and the outside roof panel.

We're going away on Friday for 10 days so praying for dry weather for more than the usual reasons as workshop booked up for 2 weeks.

When we return it's going back in to be repaired and I will expect a guarantee that any damp issues relating to this problem is also rectified.

Condensation was the first reason given to us in relation to our problem.


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## bevo (Aug 31, 2010)

*condensation ?*

we have a rollerteam and our overcab bed has slatts underneath to stop condensation.
  the condesation only forms on surfaces when it's cold.
don't believe everything your dealer tells you.
  i would take the mattress off from over the cab when it's raining hard to see if there is any water getting in.
  a dampmeter would give you a good idea if the walls are damp.
good luck.


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## The Grand Wanderer (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi,

“Adults lose nearly two to three quarts (12 cups) of water every day!
We lose one half cup to one cup a day from the soles of our feet.
Another two to four cups are lost from breathing. Perspiration
accounts for another two cups. Another three pints (six cups) are lost
in urine."

Thus three small bodies in a confined space and no ventilation will produce a lot of water especially if the van roof is not fully insulated. 

Sorry but not surprised that condesation is a problem only the higher end motorhomes have really thick insulation. You will just have to ventalate well when using the front beds.
Wanderer


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## Tony Lee (Sep 1, 2010)

Showering and cooking can load up the air inside the MH with moisture and that, plus 5 people respiring all night can result in the moisture level being such that the dew point is far higher than you would expect normally.

If the moisture is uniformly distributed over the whole of the bed over section - and probably on the cabin windscreen as well, then it is most likely to be condensation. If it is localised and running downwards in one section, then it may be a water leak.


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## Nolly (Sep 1, 2010)

nofixedabode said:


> Hi all
> We have contacted the dealer and we were supposed to be told when we purchased the motorhome that if people were sleeping in the over cab bed we had to leave a sky light open just a little?? Any thoughts on this statement would be appreciated.
> Thanks for all your help as we are complete novices we havent got a clue.
> nofixedabode


That doesn't sound right as I believe the vents are also vented when closed.
Regards Nolly


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## nofixedabode (Sep 8, 2010)

*Latest update*

Well our motorhome has been back to the dealer. The results are:
No water ingress.
The problem is condensation in the over cab bed area.
We should have been told that you have to leave a vent open when people are sleeping in the over cab area. The reason for this is that new motorhomes are much better insulated hence the condensation problem.
Advice is to keep vent open on a tiny bit, do not use gas heating (makes matters much worse) if that doesnt solve problem a mini de-humidifier will help.
Now any comments on this new advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## The Grand Wanderer (Sep 8, 2010)

nofixedabode said:


> Well our motorhome has been back to the dealer. The results are:
> No water ingress.
> The problem is condensation in the over cab bed area.
> We should have been told that you have to leave a vent open when people are sleeping in the over cab area. The reason for this is that new motorhomes are much better insulated hence the condensation problem.
> ...



What a load of tosh.
If the motorhome is so well insulated the warm moisture laden air would not hit a cold surface thus causing the moisture to condense into water.


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## Deleted member 3802 (Sep 8, 2010)

wot you think the stealership could be kiddin em 

if what they have been told is true it must be a design fault some kind of ventilation should have been built in to take this into account, there for the unit is not fit for what it was sold to be ? a unit with over head beds


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## Deleted member 3802 (Sep 8, 2010)

TrottersIndependentTrader said:


> We suffered from condensation in our van (5 of us), mainly just on windows and windscreen. We now always sleep with the at least one habitation window 'on the catch' and one roof vent slightly open and don't get the condensation now.


o yer wot about the big sweaty dog


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