Window Weep Holes Redux

[donbob3]

Last fall during heavy rains at the Cherokee Rally, I had water coming in on the bottom of side windows of the trailer.  When I went outside the surface tension was so strong that no water was exiting from the weep hole.   You could drain the water by probing with a knife (I did not have any pipe cleaners then).   I had previously been in heavy rains with no problem.   The rubber seals had just been removed and cleaned.  However I did use a different wax.  The wax manufacturer said that the chemicals used to make water roll off the surface would also increase surface tension.    Could there be a connection between the wax, inoperative weep hole, and my water intrusion ??  Just some food for thought.

[SeaDawg]

(Sigh) sometimes, I just think it's a result of a perfect storm. Just the right angle of the trailer, the slits all the windows have, and the type of rainstorm.

I like the rv gutter to keep the heavy runoff out of the path of the weeps. If you decide to use it, get the bright white, not colonial. The bright white is an almost perfect match.

Sherry

[Overland]

I can see how that could be the case. The weeps are certainly small enough for water to bridge if it can’t adhere to the surface. I guess the way to test is to fully strip the wax from one window and see what the effect is. You’d probably have to take the window apart again and clean inside the weeps since its about impossible to keep from getting wax in there. If the weeps do drain better afterwards, then it might be good advice to cover the weeps with some masking tape before waxing.

 

I’d say that some anti fog spray might increase the weeping action, but I don’t think that stuff lasts long - I think it’s mostly soap.  They do make some permanent hydrophilic coatings for the medical world, which I once wanted to try on my windshield until I found out it cost $50 an ounce.

[topgun2]

Yep - I agree with Sherry (unfortunately).  Either the gutters (they actually do help but are not bullet proof) or awnings (better but wind can be a problem) can reduce this issue a bunch.

 

Overland - During my "heavy" motorcycle days (inside of face shields on full face helmets) and triathlon days (inside of swim googles) I tried just about any "anti-fog" on the market.  None really worked very well.  However, I never tried the $50 and oz stuff!

 

Bill

[Overland]

It's neat stuff, if you could find something that lasts and doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and I'm sure it would make the water flow...

 

 

 

[topgun2]

One sure could buy a bunch of pipe cleaners for that $50!

[donbob3]

I have already bought all the pipe cleaners  in NC (about 100).  One  polish manufacturer indicated that i might use a different wax they had, above the windows, that had a lower water cohesion factor.  I am trying to collect some data before I get back with them and try that approach.  As a last resort I will get my Saws All and enlarge the weep holes. Just kidding!

[Overland]

If you enlarge your weep holes, then you'll need larger pipe cleaners.

[topgun2]

Nah - just stuff as many pipe cleaners as you can into that larger hole.  Given that he bought out the entire North Carolina stock, he should have plenty.

 

Bill

[DavePhelps]

On our last trip to SE Oregon, we encountered terrific thunderstorms with incredible downpours. As I watched our window wells fill up with water, I remembered this post. But had no pipe cleaners. But I did have 1/8" paracord! I cut off a bunch of 3" pieces and worked them in the weep slot of our windows. They worked beautifully with steady drips coming off the end of the cord and dry window wells! Another good use for paracord. Thanks for the idea.

 

Dave

 

Edit: I see now that the original post was started by Mossemi, thanks again!

[KWRJRPE]

Would this work as well as pipe cleaners?  I have not tried any window weep ideas yet, but need to add to my travel list

[topgun2]

Don't see why not - Mike's original idea was to use something that would simply wick the water out of the window area.  Pipe cleaners, paracord, plant watering cord, whatever.....

 

Bill

[mossemi]

This is the pipe cleaner that I use because my father-in-law smoked a pipe and Krunch found them in her mother's sewing machine cabinet, so they were cheap.

 

As others have posted, there is a variety of products that will wick water from the window tracks through the weep slots and I am sure there are others items we haven’t thought of yet. But I will say that although the Ream-N-Klein pipe cleaners do rust after months of use, their ability to stay in place while on the road at highway speeds is amazing. We put new cleaners in place for our trip to the rally and when we got home after 2100 miles, they were all still in place. They have been so dependable that we don’t even think about them anymore.

 

You can test the effectiveness of any wicking product whenever you wash your Ollie.

Good luck and happy wicking,

[GarryandKristi]

Personally I go with Dr. Grabow pipe cleaners. Then again that’s my last name and I do have a PhD. No relation. The plant is inSparta NC and the name was “borrowed” randomly from a dentist in Chicago. They started up during WW2 when briar wood from Europe was hard to get. They substituted mountain laurel. They are sort of known as low-end pipes. Oh well. 

[Overland]

Well I’m sold.  Nothing but artisanal pipe cleaners for my Ollie. 😛

[BackofBeyond]

I enlarged the weep holes and added rain gutters above the windows, so I will just have see what happens once we get back to actually using Ollie. My back up are towels inside - to wick up the water......... those sideways, wind driven, rains are going to drive  water inside - regardless. Its the design - stupid (me) .

Of course I'm looking for a source for "Artisanal" towels, not to be out coutured by Overland. 😉

[GarryandKristi]

After pulling the shades off and mounting ring to check for foam tape and possibility of using butyl tape to seal windows as someone suggested under another topic, I don’t think replacing foam tape with butyl is the solution. That appears to be where the window is mounted from the outside. The window flange is caulked around the entire perimeter so I don’t believe there is a path for water egress there. I still believe it is pretty much solely a window track issue. The outer removable rubber strips won’t completely seal the sliding window and the “trough” and weep holes are there for a reason. I do think that the issue is more than just the weep holes and getting them “started” with pipe cleaners etc to provide wicking and overcome the surface tension.  When I was cleaning the rubber strips I noticed the the “trough” at the bottom of the sliding window has regularly spaced square openings that allow drainage into the trough then ultimate outlet via the weep holes. My openings and trough had tiny leaves and bits and obvious accumulation of dirt/stuff. So I think the trough that empties to the weep holes as well as the entrances to the trough can get partially clogged and can impede the drainage. I just ordered ez gutters and hope between keeping the tracks/ trough and weep holes clean and adding the gutters the water entrance problem will be mostly solved. It is the really the only issue we have had with our Oliver. Keeping those expensive mattresses dry is important. 

[SeaDawg]

We had a gullywasher the other night, and I found a tiny spot of water on the dog's seat, the rear small dinette.

Shame on me. I thoroughly cleaned the weeps this spring, and haven't touched or cleaned them since. Sure enough, leaf bits and seeds had blocked a few of the drains in the track, and the weeps. I cleaned them out as best as I could with an old toothbrush and a twist tie.

We had another downpour last night, and all was good. 

Life in the woods is wonderful again.

 

[rideandfly]

This year Mud Daubers decided to crawl through weep holes into the drainage galleys to build their nest where Ollie is stored. Debbie got them cleaned out, but took more time than normal cleaning out Mud Dauber nest.

Right now we're storing Ollie with white electrical tape over the bottom weep holes, in an airplane hangar. Ordered 1/4" black rubber sheet to make new plugs for window weep holes to keep insects out during storage.  Should be easy to remove before camping.