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07-17-2013, 07:32 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
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Value of moisture meter
Last week while on an outing I discovered the floor beside my side of bed was sopping wet. Upon investigation I found a cracked bypass valve on water heater. Shut water of tillgot home and soaked up water with towels. Installed new bypass kit and was done. WRONG. While under TT checking grounds my underbelly plastic looked a little baggy. I started probing with moisture meter. Oh what I found. That leaky valve had sent water down the gas line hole into my under belly and the water followed the floor beam all the way to the other side soaking the fiberglass insulation as it went. I didn't want to do it but I cut the belly membrane open to find water laying every where, it just ran out. If it hadn't been for the meter I would not have known every thing was so wet And soon rot would have set in.
I did order a roll of Flex-Mend, Under belly repair tape.
Not sure yet whether to try and dry out fiberglass or replace.
PS. Puddles of water dripping from insulatio are forming under TT .
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Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
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07-17-2013, 11:43 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 932
SUN #246
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I had a similar situation last fall. I opened the membrane, pulled out the wet insulation and left the belly open to insure it dried well for two weeks. Then I replaced all the insulation with new...Home Depot had the proper thickness..and then taped it closed with the underbelly tape. It was a fairly big job for this old woman but I feel it is done correctly...Janalee
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1981 Sunline1350
'86 & '87 Sunline1661
'85 2100& '87 2262 Sunlines
'96 2553 & '95 1950 Sunlines
'95 and '98 Solaris 2653's
2002 Solaris T-2363
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07-17-2013, 02:45 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 2,909
SUN #93
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x2 what Janalee did!
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Kathy & Leo SUN 093
Central Adirondacks of New York
2013 Rubicon 2900 Toy Hauler
We loved our 2007 T-2499
2010 Ford F-350 4x4 Lariat Super Crew Dually Diesel
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07-17-2013, 02:59 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
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Most of what I'm finding is dry but to get at the wet the dry needs to come out. Where the problem lies is where the insulation is pinched between frame and floor joists. That's where it's the wettest and the hardest to remove.
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Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
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07-17-2013, 03:02 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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Where can you purchase one of these moisture meters and what is it called?
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07-17-2013, 03:36 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
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There are differant ones out there. The one I have is a Sonin 4 way. It tests for Moisture, Stud, Volt, and Metal. I used mine allot when looking for new camper. I'd walk around trailer I was looking at. Reach under and probe a spot. If I found wet wood under the membrane I'd walk away. I check my camper all the time, just in case.
Everyone should have one in their tool kit.
http://inspectusa.com/sonin-moisture...ce=google-base
SONIN 50215 Moisture/Stud/AC Voltage/Metal Detector on eBay!
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Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
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07-17-2013, 06:55 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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Jim,
This is by the same company but only has the moisture capability. It only has lights for 3 ranges...is that the same on yours? Would this work just as good?
http://www.amazon.com/Sonin-50210-Co...ds=sonin+4+way
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07-17-2013, 07:46 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anita1
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Mine has 8 light ranges. It will detect moisture on high humidity days. It also has other capabilities that I use for other things.
The one you show will still be just as good at detecting destructive moisture. Any excessive moisture is bad. Causes rot
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Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
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07-17-2013, 08:40 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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Hmmm...yours detects 8% moisture and the unit I bookmarked detects 14%. I wonder if 14% is enough or if I should just get the 8% unit. I don't need one detecting humidity lol
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07-17-2013, 09:05 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anita1
Hmmm...yours detects 8% moisture and the unit I bookmarked detects 14%. I wonder if 14% is enough or if I should just get the 8% unit. I don't need one detecting humidity lol
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14% is good enough. Wood workers like their wood to be in the 6%-15% range. I checked a piece of partical board yesterday that wasn't exposed to any weather and read 12%. Very humid day. 14% is still somewhat dry. 18% and up is wet and time to worry. When I checked the underbelly and it peged at 22% I knew I better be getting in there and start drying things out.
We had a leak in the church roof and was spalding a wall. I used the meter to determine if we had fixed the leak or not. When the percentage started comming down I knew wall plaster was drying out.
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Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
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07-18-2013, 09:05 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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Jim,
Thanks for the information, I REALLY appreciate it. I am going to buy it!
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07-20-2013, 10:21 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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In the video the guy said that EVERY refrigerator has a hose sticking out the back. I have a 1994 Saturn and I can't find mine. I checked my camper information and I cannot find anything about a drainage hose. I took the cover off the back of the camper and it looks like it has never leaked in there. Where is my drainage hose?????
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07-20-2013, 12:26 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 932
SUN #246
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Speaking woman to woman Anita..because we have our own way of doing things..I would put two or three ice cubes in the drip pan in the fridge (under those Fins) and then, with the outside fridge cover off, watch and see where the drips will come out. I remember vaguely having one with no tube --I think it may just evaporate from the fridge heat. It is surely worth a try..One of my trailers had the tube sticking out thru the fridge cover vents outside. Its also possible your fins aren't icing up to cause the water,..or the tube may have been pulled off outside somehow.Janalee
P.S.make sure your drip pan drain inside is lined up properly with the tube/drain to outside or it would just drain into your fridge!
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1981 Sunline1350
'86 & '87 Sunline1661
'85 2100& '87 2262 Sunlines
'96 2553 & '95 1950 Sunlines
'95 and '98 Solaris 2653's
2002 Solaris T-2363
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07-21-2013, 02:43 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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Jim, Woops...sorry about that. I don't know how I managed to do that. Weird, but thanks for answering the question anyways. Thank you for posting the videos, they were very interesting.
Janalee, thank you for the advice. After watching the videos and double checking my camper, I realized that the tray doesn't have a anything that would indicate that it attaches to a drain tube and there is not a drain tube anywhere within the refrigerator. It is simply a tray. I think I just have to keep my eye on it to ensure that it does not overflow. My camper is older (1994 Saturn 17 ft long) and that might be how they did things back then.
When we take it to the camper place to have the window replaced I will have them double check just to be on the safe side.
You guys are the best! Thank you soooo much for always being so nice and helpful.
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07-21-2013, 05:03 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 932
SUN #246
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Okay then Anita..if you have taken the tray out and there is nothing on it to suggest it mates to something else enabling it to drain..then behold! It doesn't drain!! I really think I had one like that and just had to empty it carefully..won't be a problem as long as you keep watch! Janalee
__________________
1981 Sunline1350
'86 & '87 Sunline1661
'85 2100& '87 2262 Sunlines
'96 2553 & '95 1950 Sunlines
'95 and '98 Solaris 2653's
2002 Solaris T-2363
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08-21-2013, 10:11 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
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Finally. After 5 weeks with the underbelly open it's dry enough to start putting the insulation back in and taping the underbelly shut with flex-mend. The high humidity this summer sure didn't help the drying situation. Should be back camping in a week or so.
__________________
Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
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08-23-2013, 08:34 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 161
SUN #5245
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Jim,
Wow, 5 weeks is a long time but at least you know that it is done right...no rot is going to form.
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