Hi , my caravan has developed a small scatter of pinholes in one spot on the side of the body. at first they looked like paint chips as though it had been hit by a tree, but having got my magnifying glass out they are small holes. A local dealer has suggested they are the aluminium body 'rusting' due to a water leak getting in. I thought that aluminium caravan bodys didnt rust. I realise that a water leak is a problem, but i thought it would manifest itself more in mould and destruction of the interior wallboard etc. The dealer has said that the complete side of the van would need to be replaced ! Does anyone know anything about this aluminium rust issue, and/or if its something that could be repaired without such drastic work and cost
pinholes in caravan body , been told its rust, how possible ?
- Thread starter Martin_374355885
- Start date
Rust is a process specific to ferrous metals - aluminium does corrode through oxidation but that's normally just the unprotected outer surface.
I'd get several "second" opinions before deciding on action.
I'd get several "second" opinions before deciding on action.
Hi Martin,
Aluminium is a much more reactive metal than iron or steel, and it instantly corrodes when a fresh cut surface is exposed to air.
But unlike steel, which will just rust and rust until it's all gone, aluminium forms a strong layer of aluminium oxide that resists further corrosion.
So aluminium doesn't rust (as Roger says corrode) under normal conditions, but if that tough oxide layer is disturbed for any reason (like a rubbing piece of wood) and the environment is damp - then it will corrode.
Corrosion in aluminium is vastly accelerated by road salt - are you sure it's not in an area affected by the spray thrown up by the tyres?
And if the aluminium panel has corroded, it does look a bit like pin holes coming through from underneath. And the whole area would feel "soft" if you gently pressed it.
If you take a fine sewing needle - will it pass through these holes without effort?
If the panel feels firm and taught all over - then it's unlikely to be a large area of corrosion - it might just be some defects in the panel that have corroded first.
Agree with Roger - get some other people to examine it. Get the damp sorted first though. Then consider a patch panel.
Robert
Aluminium is a much more reactive metal than iron or steel, and it instantly corrodes when a fresh cut surface is exposed to air.
But unlike steel, which will just rust and rust until it's all gone, aluminium forms a strong layer of aluminium oxide that resists further corrosion.
So aluminium doesn't rust (as Roger says corrode) under normal conditions, but if that tough oxide layer is disturbed for any reason (like a rubbing piece of wood) and the environment is damp - then it will corrode.
Corrosion in aluminium is vastly accelerated by road salt - are you sure it's not in an area affected by the spray thrown up by the tyres?
And if the aluminium panel has corroded, it does look a bit like pin holes coming through from underneath. And the whole area would feel "soft" if you gently pressed it.
If you take a fine sewing needle - will it pass through these holes without effort?
If the panel feels firm and taught all over - then it's unlikely to be a large area of corrosion - it might just be some defects in the panel that have corroded first.
Agree with Roger - get some other people to examine it. Get the damp sorted first though. Then consider a patch panel.
Robert
While I agree Aluminium does not corrode or 'rust' in the same way as we expect of steel and to a degree is self protecting, aluminium can succumb to rapid corrosion under certain circumstances.
Another caravan linked common instance is Carver water heater tanks, a 'pin prick' imperfection in the internal protective paint allows chlorine in the water to 'eat' through the tank, sometimes in a matter of months!!
So put in simple terms your dealer is quite correct, it's rusting away and infact is quite common in caravans.
Solution I'd suggest is down to how old the van is and available cash. First though the source of whats causing it must be addressed, then filling and spraying will be a lot cheaper and done correctly invisible
Another caravan linked common instance is Carver water heater tanks, a 'pin prick' imperfection in the internal protective paint allows chlorine in the water to 'eat' through the tank, sometimes in a matter of months!!
So put in simple terms your dealer is quite correct, it's rusting away and infact is quite common in caravans.
Solution I'd suggest is down to how old the van is and available cash. First though the source of whats causing it must be addressed, then filling and spraying will be a lot cheaper and done correctly invisible
Thanks for your comments, Roger and Robert. I had to get my magnifying glass out to confirm they were holes. I did use a pin to check. Robert, you mentioned a 'patch' panel? the dealer said the whole side middle panel would have to be replaced, which seemed a bit drastic considering the pinholes are all located in a tiny area near the front o/s. Can a 'section of a panel be replaced, or patched ? obvously, following any damp repair/reseal.
I have been reserching my caravans problem of 'rust holes' appearing in the side of my caravan.From what I have read it does sound like some form of aluminium pitting corrosion. my problem now is repairing the damage. Is it possible to repair without domplete side panel replacement? As mentioned in a earlier post, some sort of patch repair, can anyone with knowledge of panel repair offer an opinion
Generally a caravan dealers only option is to stick a new panel over the old one, their simply not set up for body repairs as the motor industry is.
Car body shops could do a repair job as simply as on a car but their spray bays are not big enough for a caravan to fit!
Catch 22! but happily the two paths do cross and there are companies capable of caravan body repairs dotted around the country. Two to my knowledge in Nottinghamshire
Car body shops could do a repair job as simply as on a car but their spray bays are not big enough for a caravan to fit!
Catch 22! but happily the two paths do cross and there are companies capable of caravan body repairs dotted around the country. Two to my knowledge in Nottinghamshire
Hi Martin,
I spent most of last summer repairing damage to our damp-damaged Avondale Wren, and we covered the work in a series of features and reports in the magazine. One of the problems we encountered was around the window frames, where water had got in, and the aluminium skin had begun to corrode, where the wet wood frame was sat against it. I canvassed opinion around a few local caravan workshops, and all said it would be very costly to have repaired professionally, but a do-able DIY job. Seeing as I had to remove the rotten frame anyway, I cleaned the back of the alumium panel up, before laying some fibreglass mat on the back of the panel. I bedded the mat on a thin coat of resin, and then coated the back of the mat in resin as well, and let it dry. I then built the frame back over the top of damaged aluminium and GRP sandwich. Once it was all back, I used a touch-up pen on the outside of the van, so the pits, now filled with non-porous GRP, were not too noticable.
I'm not saying this is a definative answer, or ideal for your problem, but it worked for me and it's a good way of filling a rash of little holes without having to do anything too fiddly.
Hope that helps
Nigel Donnelly
Editor
Practical Caravan
I spent most of last summer repairing damage to our damp-damaged Avondale Wren, and we covered the work in a series of features and reports in the magazine. One of the problems we encountered was around the window frames, where water had got in, and the aluminium skin had begun to corrode, where the wet wood frame was sat against it. I canvassed opinion around a few local caravan workshops, and all said it would be very costly to have repaired professionally, but a do-able DIY job. Seeing as I had to remove the rotten frame anyway, I cleaned the back of the alumium panel up, before laying some fibreglass mat on the back of the panel. I bedded the mat on a thin coat of resin, and then coated the back of the mat in resin as well, and let it dry. I then built the frame back over the top of damaged aluminium and GRP sandwich. Once it was all back, I used a touch-up pen on the outside of the van, so the pits, now filled with non-porous GRP, were not too noticable.
I'm not saying this is a definative answer, or ideal for your problem, but it worked for me and it's a good way of filling a rash of little holes without having to do anything too fiddly.
Hope that helps
Nigel Donnelly
Editor
Practical Caravan
Martin,
Further to the other answers, the biggest cause of "corrosion" in aluminium bodies on cars or caravans is a proccess called Galvanitic reaction, this is caused by the use of dissimular metals & then in a corrosive atmosphere.
I plain English; if you mix aluminium & copper and put it in a salt water condition, the aluminium will dissapear & the usual tell tale is that the aluminium skin hs loads of small "pin" holes in it.
Is there a lamp near by to to corrosion location? & is does it use the body of the caravan as the earth return, if yes, then thats the cause of the problem!
Further to the other answers, the biggest cause of "corrosion" in aluminium bodies on cars or caravans is a proccess called Galvanitic reaction, this is caused by the use of dissimular metals & then in a corrosive atmosphere.
I plain English; if you mix aluminium & copper and put it in a salt water condition, the aluminium will dissapear & the usual tell tale is that the aluminium skin hs loads of small "pin" holes in it.
Is there a lamp near by to to corrosion location? & is does it use the body of the caravan as the earth return, if yes, then thats the cause of the problem!
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