Eterna Bond for my Sundance

Not long after we brought our new to us, 2009 Sundance home, it rained, matter of fact it has been raining most of this new year, think I would prefer snow. But I digress, well inspecting the inside for leaks I found one. Right at the corner of the skylight over the shower. I had noted on a previous trip, "Up on the Roof", loved that song, that the caulking around the skylight would need updating soon. Didn't look good. Then I remembered that I have a roll of 6" wide eterna bond tape, love this stuff.
So day before yesterday, while it was not raining, up on the roof again and cleaned the old caulk, and laid down eterna bond around the skylight. Four strips one across the rear first, then each side, and finally one across the front.
Then while i was at it, I inspected the seal of the front cap to the roof and decided it also needed some attention as the caulking had some pretty big cracks in it. Ok, cleaned it and one strip of tape continuous all the way from side to side. Everything else looked good, and rain was predicted, and in fact this morning it is pouring, so later I am going to check and see if my tape job did the job, might get some pics also and let you know.
My next project is to replace the 7 pole plug 0n the fiver as the one that is on there has been there since new and is toast.
Later,
Jim

Well the eterna bond didn't do it as the next rain showed it was still leaking, so as stated ordered the new skylight and installed it. Found that the eterna bond didn't stick even after I had cleaned the area where the tape was applied. Actually made it nice as it was very easy to remove with only a couple of small spots leaving residue, and I found water under the tape. Now one thing I must add, i had bought this tape from a local RV store and was told it was just LIKE eterna bond, well its not.

Anyway yesterday 02/02/2020 was a great day, temps in the 60's so ideal day to install the new skylight. Up on the roof with my bucket of tools, couple of scrapers, a heat gun, rags, screw gun and other miscellaneous items. As I said heated the tape and started to pull it off and up it came leaving no or almost no residue. The old dicor or whatever it was original stuff from the factory spent most of the time removing the stuff and exposing the screws. Removed all the screws and used the scrapers to gently pry under the old skylight, found that it was very brittle and it began to break, kept at it and finally got it to release and pulled it off.

Then spent about an hour and a half prepping the area for the new skylight. Used Acetone to wipe the area down after getting all the old goop off. Did I mention I bought the new skylight from Amazon, it was made for a rough opening of 22 X 14 which is what I have. It came with a tube of sealant and stainless steel screws, nice. BTW the old screws about half were rusted, indicating that water had been a problem for sometime.

I put a bead of the sealant around the entire area of the contact patch of the new skylight and gently lowered it down on the bead. I pushed down until it squished up through the screw holes. Then got busy installing about 28 screws. Then back with the sealant and laid a bead around the skylight and over each screw, looks pretty good. Here's some Pictures.
JimIMG_0899.JPGIMG_0896.JPGIMG_0900.JPGIMG_0897.JPGIMG_0898.JPG
 
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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Not a bad idea to tape all the joints and seams on the roof. Removing the old caulk really isn’t necessary, just clean it per the directions.
Some have even taped the vertical seams on the walls to eliminate having to redo caulking.


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Chrisandsama

Well-known member
I applied eternabond over every inch of dicor right after I bought my Traveler, it should be leak free for a long time.
 
Re: Eterna Bond for my Sundance (UPDATE)

So, it finally quit raining, and the Sun is out this morning shining on my Sundance HOORAY. So went out to check on my eterna bond tape fix. WOW there is water in the bucket I sat for a just in case, ok where did I go wrong. I searched condensation on this forum and read all there was to read, wow seven pages, seems like this might be a problem.
So I thought I would remove the inside cover of the skylight over the shower, when I took out the first screw a steady stream of water began to pour out, thought someone had turned on a faucet. It ran for about 30 seconds. WOW.
Took the rest of the screws out and each one was rusted, indicating water intrusion for quite a while, the inside of the outside skylight cover was dripping wet with condensation. It took several paper towels to dry it up. And I could see where the Luan had been soaked several times from this problem. Well learning what I had from the previous readings I went for a look for condescension in other parts of the fiver. NOTHING, WOOHOO.
Nothing at any other vent, or around the head of the bed where others have had the problem, nothing around the AC, only here in the shower, what better place to leak. :)
Ok here's what I am thinking, when cold outside air, from the ceiling meets the warm air from inside under that inside cover, condensation forms and the leak begins. If I completely seal the inside with Dicor caulk around the edges of the skylight prior to reinstalling the inside cover to prevent the warm air from meeting cold, will it stop the problem.
Now one other thing, we use space heaters, two, one in the bedroom area and one in the front lounge to keep her warm, not hot just warm during these colder months, just can't stand to see her freeze, with the tv's and all inside. Your thoughts. Here's some pics of the findings.
Hope you can see what I am talking about, the outside skylight cover was dripping wet, the water was forming and dripping down around the edges of the inside cover and running out where ever it could find an exit point. The inside cover is laying in the bottom of the shower. I will remove the strips around the inside of the skylight where you still see the screws and caulk that area too. What you think?
IMG_0876.JPGIMG_0877.JPGIMG_0878.JPGIMG_0879.JPGIMG_0880.JPG
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
That looks like an awful lot of condensation. I would not caulk the inside, I doubt that what you have is condensation.
Just because you have water at the skylight doesnt mean that is where your leak is.
Get back up on the roof and check everything including where the roof meets the sidewall.
JMO

Peace
Dave
 
That looks like an awful lot of condensation. I would not caulk the inside, I doubt that what you have is condensation.
Just because you have water at the skylight doesnt mean that is where your leak is.
Get back up on the roof and check everything including where the roof meets the sidewall.
JMO

Peace
Dave

Hey Dave, thanks for the response, yes I have been all over the roof it is in great shape, and no other signs of water intrusion anywhere else. When I took the inside cover off water was dripping from even the highest part of the outside cover, no way for a leak to get water up there.

Since I have had the inside cover off, no more water. Gonna give it several days to dry out, and of course will probably have more rain to prove or disprove my theory, but thanks again for the response, all are considered might point me in a different direction.

Am still holding out for someone else that has had the same problem or nearly so.
thanks buddy
Jim
 

dieseldog

Member
My first 5th wheel was a Sundance. Did the exact same thing and it turned out to be a hairline crack in the skylight. It would leak water when it rained. Give that thing a thorough cleaning outside and inspect it close.
 
My first 5th wheel was a Sundance. Did the exact same thing and it turned out to be a hairline crack in the skylight. It would leak water when it rained. Give that thing a thorough cleaning outside and inspect it close.

Hey DieselDog, that sounds like good advise, I'll do that just as soon as we get a day when its above freezing :) Right now with bright sunshine, its 29 degrees, and not expected to get above freezing tomorrow, but hey as of this writing its only 42 days until Spring WOOHOO.
Jim

- - - Updated - - -

My first 5th wheel was a Sundance. Did the exact same thing and it turned out to be a hairline crack in the skylight. It would leak water when it rained. Give that thing a thorough cleaning outside and inspect it close.

Hey DieselDog, that sounds like good advise, I'll do that just as soon as we get a day when its above freezing :) Right now with bright sunshine, its 29 degrees, and not expected to get above freezing tomorrow, but hey as of this writing its only 42 days until Spring WOOHOO.
Jim
 

mlburst1

Well-known member
Jim,

Check the screw holes carefully. I had to replace the outside skylight plastic when ours was three years old - tiny cracks at three screw attachment locations (over tightened at factory).

Mike
 
Jim,

Check the screw holes carefully. I had to replace the outside skylight plastic when ours was three years old - tiny cracks at three screw attachment locations (over tightened at factory).

Mike

Hey Mike, yes I have now ordered a new outside skylight, per you and DieselDog, I did find a small crack in the corner and there may be more around the screw holes. I ordered a smoke colored one vice clear to help keep the light down, when you want to sleep late :), and to keep some heat down in the summer, could sure use some now as it is now 19 degrees BRRR outside and not expected to get above freezing today. But as of this writing only 41 days until spring. WOOHOO

Jim
 
New Skylight installed and several soaking rains since, no leaks WOOHOO. Scroll to the bottom for the details. Now if it would just quit raining. This morning 02/10/2020 and its raining again. :( But no leaks and that is great. IMG_0899.JPG
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I don't know about applying Eternabond (or Dicor) thick, gummy tapes in the rain. I always prep with alcohol in dry weather, and have had no adhesion or sealing problems with it. In fact, when I had to remove the front cap tape prior to some repairs involving front cap removal, I had to do some tough, slow, removal with a heat gun.
 
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