EZE RV Gutters

[dharmardr]

I purchased the EZ gutter before leaving home in anticipation of getting to warmer weather and having time on my hands. Reading this thread again I am wondering if I have a awning on both sides is it still necessary/useful/advised to install the gutters? Haven't had too much rain yet just some cold weather on this our first trip.

 

As always appreciate your advise and comments.

[trumpetguy]

We only have the one awning and do not deploy if raining. Even so there is leakage where the awning case meets the trailer so I would install EZE gotter even with the second awning.

 

I was so careful when installing the gutters and three of them came off. Be sure to clean well.

[routlaw]

I concur with what Dave states above, the awning will not eliminate water running over the windows. We've been in a few torrential downpours and water will seep through the awning mounts on the FG shell. I suppose one could get up above the awning while its retracted and caulk that long seam which might prevent any water from running through however.

[DavePhelps]

Routlaw,

are you saying hat you are having leaking problems where the awning mounts attach to the trailer??

I would think Oliver would have a bomb proof seal there, as well as at the solar mounts. Is water entering the interior of your trailer from this area, or dripping down between the two shells and out the weep holes? Doesn't sound good either way if this is the case.

 

Dave

[routlaw]

No not at all saying that. We do not have leaking windows, nor do we have leaks at the solar panels well at least not yet anyway. What I'm referring to is the mounting system for the awning allows water in a heavy downpour to flow down the side of the trailer and onto the windows below. As previously stated I'm talking about torrential downpours here. IOW's the awning does not prevent what one poster was hoping for, that being a replacement for the EZ gutter system by using the awning. In a mild shower, yes it does prevent water running onto the window exterior.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Routlaw,

are you saying hat you are having leaking problems where the awning mounts attach to the trailer??

I would think Oliver would have a bomb proof seal there, as well as at the solar mounts. Is water entering the interior of your trailer from this area, or dripping down between the two shells and out the weep holes? Doesn't sound good either way if this is the case.

 

Dave

[DavePhelps]

OK,

when I read this:

.....water will seep through the awning mounts on the FG shell

I kind of had some worries, but I guess I should have known better. I'm picking up our Oliver the end of March and I guess I have the jitters! Thanks.

 

Dave

[bugeyedriver]

With the Elite, if you have your awning extended, tied down, and some sort of screen room attached to make an exterior bug free room, it is possible to sit outside during a mild rain and enjoy the sounds and smells without getting wet. But, it the rain intensity ramps up and becomes a downpour, some of the water cascading off the top of the trailer may find a pathway over or around the rubber seal that Oliver placed between the outer shell and the bottom of the awning. It is then able to run down the outside of the trailer and may splash onto a chair that is sitting very close to the trailer.

 

The cause of the most common water leak that may make it inside an Oliver has been failure to keep the channel under the sliding dual pane windows free of debris. This blocks the pathway for water to exit the weep holes. This is easily prevented by using a small brush and a can of compressed air to remove the tiny twigs and seeds which will inevitably find their way to the water channel when camping with the windows open underneath pine trees and the like.

[SeaDawg]

Pete,

Wish we had a fb "like" button. Very clear explanation.

If the drains get plugged, you'll get water inside in a decent rainfall. This is true of all trailers.

Keep them clear. It's not that hard, just hard to remember till it rains. lol.

[topgun2]

It was a nice sunny day today here in the NC mountains with the high temperature right at 80 degrees.  I left the EZE RV Gutter laying on the concrete driveway for about two hours in order to soften it up a little and to (hopefully) take some of the "curl" that had developed in the 20 foot long piece that I bought.  I then measured the width of the three long windows (48 inches) and decided that I wanted the gutters to extend down the sides about an inch or so beyond the end of the radius corner of the window.  This added another 5 inches per side, so , I cut three pieces of gutter at 60 inches each just to be safe.  (Note:  I highly recommend cutting pieces for each window - it is easier to handle this way since a fair amount of the original curl in the product could not be eliminated and you do not have the weight of the pulling and possibly stretching the gutter as you go.  This method does result in some minimal waste, but with a 20 foot piece you should have about two feet left over at the end of the job anyway.)

 

Next I took Acetone and cleaned the area around one window at a time.  Using a clean white rag and not rubbing too hard with the Acetone I continued cleaning until no dirt was visible on the rag.  (Note: Acetone can be a very effective cleaner and can even take off paint, therefore, if you use it be careful to not rub too hard and do not keep the rag in one spot very long.)  Then, just before starting to apply the gutter , I took another clean white rag and wiped down the same area with 70% isopropyl alcohol and dried that with a separate white rag.  If I noted any type of dirt or residue on either rag, I cleaned it again.

 

Using a pencil, I then lightly placed a mark 5 inches down from the top of the existing window molding on each side so that I would be able to make sure that the sides were even when I was done.  I then peeled back about ten inches of the backing tape from the EZE Gutter and stated to apply it to the side of the camper on the right side of the window making sure that I carefully matched the bottom of the gutter to the edge of the existing window molding.  Continuing this process across the top of the window I made sure that each section was firmly seated by running my fingers across each edge as I went.  After getting about half way around the left corner of each window I looked for the pencil mark that I previously made on the window molding and cut the EZE Gutter to match that mark.  Then the final bit of red backing tape was pulled off the gutter pressed in place.  Finally, I took the butt end of an old tooth brush and went back to where I started rubbing the gutter channel making sure that the gutter was fully seated and that the edges were firmly stuck.

 

Finally, this same process was used on both the rear and bath windows (obviously using shorter measurements that I now don't remember - sorry).  Four hours later I went back to make sure that all was still stuck and it was.  If anything comes loose, I'll let you know!

 

Bill

[topgun2]

Its now been about two weeks since I did the installation, so, I went out to check to make sure that the gutters were still on.  I'm happy to report that there are absolutely no problems - there has been no movement in the gutters and they are still FIRMLY stuck.  If I had it to do over again I certainly would have made the sides longer by about two inches.  Since putting the gutter around the curve of the corners of the window places a slight bit of "stress" on the gutter (it wants to remain straight) the additional two inches would have allowed for a bit more straight edge down the side of the window and thus more "glued" surface without any stress.

 

Bill

 

or

 

[Try2Relax]

Bill,

 

That looks really nice, thank you for the great explanation. How many miles would you guess you've done since installation? I'm just wondering if the highway wind will have any affect on the side window installations. Thanks again

[marsharini]

We installed the Eze RV Gutters above all the windows in our Casita and they were still firmly in place when we sold it, despite a lot of  highway miles.  I think once they're on it would be difficult to get them off.

[topgun2]

Randy - I've only traveled about 100 miles since the install.  But, I agree with Ed and Marsha - once stuck I don't think that they will be coming off any time soon.  In early July I will leave on a two month fly fishing trip out West.  With the dirt roads, interstates, cold and hot temps, that should be a real test.  I'll report back in early September.

 

Bill

[Overland]

Going back to the start of this discussion - I was surprised when people say that water comes through the space between the awning and the shell.  It just seems like either Fiamma or Oliver would have thought of that and that it wouldn't be too difficult to attach some sort of seal.  So I dug a bit deeper and I saw that Fiamma does in fact sell a number of different rain guards for different types of mountings - you can see the different profiles here: http://www.fiamma.com/EN/products/fiammastore/accessories/rain%5Fguard/

 

But in my photos from our factory visit, it looks like Oliver is using a seal, but it doesn't match anything that I see on the Fiamma site:

 

 

 

 

It looks like it should work, but I wonder if there's a reason they aren't using the Fiamma parts or if replacing or adding one of their seals would solve the problem.

 

Or it could be that Oliver is using a Fiamma rain guard, but this one just isn't listed on their site, or what we see in the photo is an extra seal in addition to a Fiamma guard behind it.

 

Just tossing it out there for discussion.

[topgun2]

I've never had a problem with my awning seal leaking, but, I've also never been in a real gully washer and taken a look either.  I suspect that the reason Oliver uses the seal that they do has something to do with the compound curve nature of the roof line where the seal sits.  Also, it appears to me that the seal OTT uses would be a bit easier to attach in that it does not "interlock" with the awning.  Perhaps the lack of this "interlock" is where some minor leakage would occur?

 

Bill

[SeaDawg]

I'd agree. We have been in "gully washers." The whole fam damily stood under the awning, and not a lot of drip. The seal we have, which is what I think you have, is fairly bullet proof.

 

Some corners of chairs got wet. Try that in any awning, in any rv. It's the way it is.

 

I'm happy. And if it's raining cats, dogs, and bulls.... I'm inside, anyway.

 

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

And, if the wind picks up, take that awning in. You do not, not not want your awning ripped off in the wind.

 

Sherry

[topgun2]

OK, let it be known that a grizzly bear didn't get me and I'm back from almost two months on the road with Twist.  We got rain, sun, hail, wind, gloom of night, etc. and after almost exactly 5,000 miles of dirt roads, and interstate roads the EZE rain gutters are still exactly where I originally put them.  In fact, they don't look a bit different at all with no staining, or discoloration of any sort.  So, as far as I'm concerned, they have performed as advertised and I'm very pleased with both the look and the performance.

 

 

 

As they say in the cartoons, "That's All Folks".

 

Bill

[Mainiac]

The talk of weep holes leaking is a concern. How much of a problemn is it? Are the new units equipped with the same window units as the 08s? Are the gutters something the factory should make standard?

[Mike and Carol]

I have been following this thread wondering if I needed to install some Eze Gutters on the Lone Star Oliver.  At the end of our long October trip on the way home we endured a Texas gully washer.  Heavy rain for hours.  I had the awning out about 5 feet and the back curbside window open about two inches (this window is under the awning).  Somehow, water ran down the window screen into the bottom of the shade frame, traveled along the bottom of the plastic frame towards the kitchen then exited onto the bed.  It was dark and stormy so I didn't go out to investigate how the water got to the screen.  The river stopped flowing as soon as I realized what was going on and closed the window

 

I jumped online and ordered 20' of Eze Gutter from Amazon and it was on our porch when we got home.  As soon as we get some sunshine I will follow Bill's procedure and get them installed.  This might be something that the factory should consider doing.  Mike

[Mike and Carol]

Thanks to all who posted their installation experience and tips.  We hit mid-80s this afternoon so I pulled the trailer out into the sun along with the eze gutters.  Cleaned, measured, marked and installed.  I used blue masking tape to mark the ends, 5" down from the top of the window.  Going slow and taking care to keep spacing with the window worked well.  Once stuck, it's not coming unstuck!  Two 10' sections covered all windows.  We will be hitting the road the week after Thanksgiving and will post if there are any issues.  Mike

 

 

 

 

[Mike and Carol]

Went to pick up our trailer this morning to load for our trip tomorrow and saw this:

 

 

All but one window looks the same.  The only thing I can figure is that the weather cooled down a lot the day after I put them on.  Being out of the sun in a covered location the gutter's tendency to curl back up was greater than the adhesive.  I've got it out in the sun right now and we're supposed to get close to 70 this afternoon.  I'm going to try to re-stick them once they get pliable.  Bummer.

[topgun2]

Mike,

 

Sorry to see this happened to you.  When I put mine on I was a bit concerned that this might happen and wished that I had made the sides of mine a bit longer than I did in order to give a bit more resistance to that curl via additional glued area.  Thank goodness I've not had any problems with mine.  Good luck getting them re-stuck.  Perhaps a hair dryer would help with both the curl and getting the glue to stick.  I'd also plan on doing a bunch of rubbing with something like the south end of a toothbrush once you get them back into position.

 

Bill

[Mike and Carol]

Bill, thanks.  They are not going to re-stick.  I think I will trim the ends and live with it until summer.  I may try again once there is consistent warm/hot weather.  Also, maybe laying them out straight in the hot Texas sun for a week or two might help!  The good news is that getting another 20' is not a huge expense.

 

I did clean and then cleaned again with denatured alcohol.  I had an old toothbrush that I ran back and forth several times.  I'm thinking this should be a hot weather installation activity.

 

Mike

[topgun2]

Mike,

 

I agree on the hot weather activity comment.  That "natural" curl in the product is very strong.  When I put mine on I left the gutter in my driveway in the sun for a couple of hours with weights pulling on both ends to try to straighten it out (all with marginal success).  When I read that the "weather cooled down" I agreed that this might be the cause of the failure - I don't really know how long it takes that adhesive to fully set but I'd guess it is at least a full 24 hours.  Given that you are going to wait until the weather warms, why don't you send a note to EZE Gutter to ask if they just might give you a "break" on a second try?  Can't hurt to ask.

 

Bill