Name that Caulk?

[Alberta and Randy]

Can anyone tell me what kind of caulk this is from this photo?  Bonus points for a product name. It is used on the rooftop appliances. It was put on 2 weeks ago (Oliver Service) and has a kids playdo like texture.

[John E Davies]

Only Oliver Sevice can tell you for sure, but it looks like the standard Dicor Self Leveling sealant used on RV roofs everywhere. It is quick and easy to apply, so less man hours, and it looks like crap. I personally would be quite pissed if they did that to my trailer. That is for stick and staple Elkhart trailers with rubber roofs. It requires routine inspection and touch up.

https://dicorproducts.com/product/epdm-self-leveling-sealant-for-manufacturers/

Trailers with “boat hulls” should get marine sealants. I will probably never return to the factory, but if I did and they were going to seal something up top on “Mouse”, I would tell them what type to use and have them charge me for the extra cost and labor.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[topgun2]

I agree with JD on the product ID and with his assessment as to the job that was done in the picture.  However, Dicor can be made to look presentable but it takes a fair amount of work and/or skill to do so.

Bill

[Steph and Dud B]

100% with John here. I don't know why OTT uses Dicor for this. It's safe for rubber TPO/EPDM roof membranes, but that doesn't apply to Olivers. On the fiberglass sides of all my RVs I've always gone with Geocel Pro-Flex RV Sealant https://www.geocelusa.com/product/pro-flex-rv-flexible-sealant/ . Very nice stuff and seems way more appropriate for the roof penetrations on an Ollie. It doesn't chalk up and crack, either. Sorry to see that picture.

[Steph and Dud B]

The bracket in that photo doesn't even looked sealed. There's a section where the Dicor didn't even touch the roof, a gap where the bracket bends up by the bolt, and that open hole in the middle. Seems like a lot of places where water could get in. Hoping there is additional sealant underneath, around the roof penetrations...

[SeaDawg]

Well, 40+ years into boat ownership, I can't name that caulk, from a photo. 

I'd ask Oliver what they used. PIiant  isn't necessarily bad. Good caulk needs to flex like the trailer hull. 

I'll reserve other comments til you find out what they actually used.

[Alberta and Randy]

Well, it's settled then...we are all in agreement with JD.  We had never seen this stuff before.  We have only ever owned fiberglass (Casita prior) and I think with the large step up in price we expected much better.  Thank you all for the comments and education!

[Steph and Dud B]

24 minutes ago, Alberta and Randy said:

we expected much better

I've been doing some online reading. There are several different roof sealants that manufacturers use on fiberglass trailers. Dicor lap sealant is one of them and I found a lot of posts referring to its use on various makes of fiberglass trailers. It is messy, but by most accounts it flows well to seal cracks. It does break down faster than some but is easier to maintain with a top coat or remove and replace. So, it looks like it's an acceptable sealant for this purpose. And, of course, we still haven't heard if it actually is Dicor up there. 

[Jason Essary]

The Oliver service department utilizes ASI 335 white & clear silicone, Red Devil butyl sealant, butyl tape, and Dicor self-leveling sealant to re-caulk/reseal the exterior of your camper.  This process is based on years of experience here in the Oliver service department addressing and preventing leaks on our trailers.  The primary goal when re-caulking/resealing at service intervals, especially roof penetrations, is ensuring there are no leaks.  The roof is an area that is not typically seen unless you climb up on top but, again, is the most likely area for a leak to occur.  Due to Oliver’s double fiberglass hull construction, any leaking water is trapped between the hulls until the water can find an escape point.  Those points are typically a window cutout or one of the weep holes in the lower outer shell.  Windows being a primary entry point often leads to an initial diagnosis that the window is leaking which is not necessarily the case.  During the yearly maintenance, the exterior is sealed with the appropriate ASI 335 silicone.  Once the silicone is cured,  bolts and screws located on the roof then have an additional application of self-leveling sealant to provide an additional layer of protection, again, these areas aren’t typically seen to affect the aesthetics of the trailer.  The additional layer also helps protect the silicone from sun exposure as well as sealing the head of screws and/or bolts.  This precautionary step can be removed from the process if you prefer to have neat caulk seams over the extra protective layer of self-leveling sealant.  The primary goal here at Oliver is to provide you the customer with a trailer free of leaks for enjoyable camping adventures.

[CnC]

10 minutes ago, JEssary said:

The Oliver service department utilizes ASI 335 white & clear silicone, Red Devil butyl sealant, butyl tape, and Dicor self-leveling sealant to re-caulk/reseal the exterior of your camper.  This process is based on years of experience here in the Oliver service department addressing and preventing leaks on our trailers.  The primary goal when re-caulking/resealing at service intervals, especially roof penetrations, is ensuring there are no leaks.  The roof is an area that is not typically seen unless you climb up on top but, again, is the most likely area for a leak to occur.  Due to Oliver’s double fiberglass hull construction, any leaking water is trapped between the hulls until the water can find an escape point.  Those points are typically a window cutout or one of the weep holes in the lower outer shell.  Windows being a primary entry point often leads to an initial diagnosis that the window is leaking which is not necessarily the case.  During the yearly maintenance, the exterior is sealed with the appropriate ASI 335 silicone.  Once the silicone is cured,  bolts and screws located on the roof then have an additional application of self-leveling sealant to provide an additional layer of protection, again, these areas aren’t typically seen to affect the aesthetics of the trailer.  The additional layer also helps protect the silicone from sun exposure as well as sealing the head of screws and/or bolts.  This precautionary step can be removed from the process if you prefer to have neat caulk seams over the extra protective layer of self-leveling sealant.  The primary goal here at Oliver is to provide you the customer with a trailer free of leaks for enjoyable camping adventures.

Whatever the service department used last year to "re-caulk" our 2020 still has a tacky surface and collects dust and road grime.  It does wash off but looks terrible after each time out on the road.  Additionally, that sticky excess that was wiped off during the re-caulking makes it look like the caulking gun was given to an impatient teenager. 

Charlie

[Steph and Dud B]

Thanks for jumping in with that clarification, Jason! Are new units double-sealed this way, too? Roof leaks are the bane of every RV owner and one of the primary reasons we chose Oliver. Glad to see you're taking this extra step instead of just relying on a single glop of Dicor to do the trick.

[Boudicca908]

On 3/3/2022 at 3:55 PM, Alberta and Randy said:

It is used on the rooftop appliances

Does this mean every penetration on the roof? 

[Alberta and Randy]

2 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

Does this mean every penetration on the roof? 

No, not every penetration, best I can tell.  I don't see any visible caulk on the surface of the legs that the solar panel is attached to the roof by. I don't know how original caulking during installation of that was handled...I'm certain there would be something at the point of entry that is underneath the plate base, hidden from view.

[John E Davies]

1 hour ago, Alberta and Randy said:

.I'm certain there would SHOULD be something at the point of entry that is underneath the plate base, hidden from view.

I fixed that statement for you. 😬 I suggest that you seal it properly, regardless of what Service says they try to do….. that bracket is a mess. At least fill the center hole so water can’t pool in there and freeze….. How do the other ones look?

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Alberta and Randy]

We are still chasing down water leaks in the trailer and I am taking a hard look at all the points of entry on the roof.  The back window was one location, I believe the Oliver sign above was the culprit but still in testing phase.  The upper storage in the bathroom was another location, I believe the short antenna above caused this one...still in testing phase.  A new one that popped up after the recaulk was in the floor of the closet by the door.  After two different rainstorms the bottom had about 8 oz of water.  The point of entry into the closet floor, I believe is a broken caulk seam at the foot of the front wall, in the corner, that the closet door is on.  Where the water is coming from to get to that broken seam is yet unknown. I won't caulk the floor seam until I can convince myself I've fixed the root problem.

[John E Davies]

Alberta and Randy, the Maxx Fan is another possibility, this was mine. A properly sealed joint should not have all that dirt underneath the mounting area!

I was seeing drips falling from the inside trim piece, pulling it off showed dirty water stains.

I think a fan leak would probably show up this way, but water can also migrate sideways, since the inner trim piece is sealed around the outside by the factory 🙄

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4003-how-to-maxxfan-remove-and-service-preventive-maintenance-to-avoid-water-damage/

Good luck.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[topgun2]

OK - here's another "strange" point of water entry - the top cover on the bathroom fan.

If the screw hole in that cover have not been caulked or taped over water can enter.  This usually simply causes water to drip from the fan on the interior but that water can run between the hulls to other places.

Bill

[rich.dev]

On 3/4/2022 at 3:41 PM, JEssary said:

The Oliver service department utilizes ASI 335 white & clear silicone, Red Devil butyl sealant, butyl tape, and Dicor self-leveling sealant to re-caulk/reseal the exterior of your camper.  This process is based on years of experience here in the Oliver service department addressing and preventing leaks on our trailers.  The primary goal when re-caulking/resealing at service intervals, especially roof penetrations, is ensuring there are no leaks.  The roof is an area that is not typically seen unless you climb up on top but, again, is the most likely area for a leak to occur.  Due to Oliver’s double fiberglass hull construction, any leaking water is trapped between the hulls until the water can find an escape point.  Those points are typically a window cutout or one of the weep holes in the lower outer shell.  Windows being a primary entry point often leads to an initial diagnosis that the window is leaking which is not necessarily the case.  During the yearly maintenance, the exterior is sealed with the appropriate ASI 335 silicone.  Once the silicone is cured,  bolts and screws located on the roof then have an additional application of self-leveling sealant to provide an additional layer of protection, again, these areas aren’t typically seen to affect the aesthetics of the trailer.  The additional layer also helps protect the silicone from sun exposure as well as sealing the head of screws and/or bolts.  This precautionary step can be removed from the process if you prefer to have neat caulk seams over the extra protective layer of self-leveling sealant.  The primary goal here at Oliver is to provide you the customer with a trailer free of leaks for enjoyable camping adventures.

Thanks Jason! I'm a gonna be owner of a LEII (May 2023) and just sold my Airstream. Can you maybe suggest a list of recommended sealants/caulks for the Oliver, like this (below) from Airstream's Airforum.
*P.S. I have already searched, which brought me to this thread, If it exists somewhere else on the Oliver website or this forum please post a link.  

Thanks!
Richard

For wheel wells/underbody:
Vulkem 116
Trempro 635 Grey
Sikaflex 221 Black (use Eternabond spray cleaner to prepare surface)
Adseal Premium Quality Sealant Grey

Roof:
Sikaflex 221 White (for roof seams, seals and bonds. Use Eternabond spray cleaner to prepare surface)
Sikaflex 715 (around fans, vents, skylights ... self-levelling)
Adseal Premium Quality Sealant White
Dicor self-levelling sealant
EternaBond® AlumiBond (alum. backed sealing tape, 2", 3", 4", and 6" wide)
Lexel™ Clear
3M 5200 (seals and bonds, comes in quick and slow cure varieties)

Windows/Trim/Rubrail/Exterior Lights:
Sikaflex 221 Grey (seals and bonds. Use Eternabond spray cleaner to prepare surface)
Parbond Grey or Clear (small hand tubes, prep and clean-up use cosmoline remover)
Trempro 635 Grey
Loctite® PL® S40 Polyurethane Window Door and Siding Sealant
Lexel™ Clear

Small seams (between aluminum panels):
Acryl-R  (Use applicator or disposable syringes to apply)