What sealant (replacing external power socket)

[Jules_ht]

Hi All,

I managed to leave the external power socket cover flap open on my Bailey Pageant S5- and somewhere on the M5 the wind took it off, beaking the hinges at the housing.

I've sourced a new entire housing and door, and am happy fitting it- but I'm wondering if I need to use a specific sealant type (as oppose to just using silicone, which would be my default)?

Thanks,

Jules.

 

[audiorob]

W4 Mastic sealing strip is available in various lengths on Ebay. I found a helpful YouTube video (actually replacing a water inlet) that might be worth a viewing using the W4 tape - Look up 'Replacing a Truma Water Inlet'. Incidentally did you purchase the more recent replacement inlet with sliding cover that saves the 'blowing in the wind' effect if the flap type is not fully closed before travel!

 

[Jules_ht]

Thanks I'll have a look at that stuff. The video is informative. I particularly liked the "Haynes manual" style of glossing over what I suspect looks like the tricky part- removing the old mastic. The vid started off with shed loads of really sticky looking mastic left on the van once he'd cut out the part, then a quick cut to "remove old mastic" that already had 90% of it removed and he gave it a bit of a rub with a sponge that appeared to do nothing to the remaining mastic! Is soapy water the best thing for getting it off or is a solvent useful?

This is the part Bailey recommended, I'm happy to go along with that in the absence of alternative advice.

https://www.bailey-parts.co.uk/product/1150020

 

[biley_adam]

You remove all the old mastic left on the 'van using a plastic scraper, white spirit and a cloth. You then wipe over with meths to remove any residue from the white spirit.

You are then ready to fit the new one!

 

[Jules_ht]

Cool, I expected there was more to it than the chap videoed!

Might reseal the fridge vent cover whilst I'm at it, it's been getting a bit loose and I've bought 5M of the stuff.

 

[biley_adam]

That's exactly what I did! Bought 5m and ended up doing toilet door, battery box etc. Worth knowing it's done

 

[welshti]

After taking off the awning rails recently and resealing with this sealant, I had tubes left which I used to do the outside locker doors, toilet door and all truma housings. Great stuff and cheaper than the sikaflex 512. Be careful not to mark outside of the area which is to be resealed when removing the old tape / sealant gives a nice finish to the job once the excess has been removed.

 

[DrZhivago]

You remove all the old mastic [using] white spirit and a cloth. You then wipe over with meths to remove any residue from the white spirit.

Does white spirit leave a residue? I have used it for cleaning for years and it had never occured to me that it did not wipe/evaporate completely away. This afternoon I was using it to clean up a photographic flashgun I got from ebay (must have been a sticky label on it once) and I was particularly looking at the smooth black plastic under a bright light to check it was completely clean and saw nothing remaining, but I'm prepared to be wrong.

 

[otherclive]

Where I'm looking for a clean surface to stick something to I always us meths or isopropanol after using white spirit or sticky stuff remover.

 

[intransient1]

I have just had to reseal one of my rails, I used W4 mastic to reseat the rail on then used Sikaflex 512 to seal round the rail giving a cleaner smoother finish and hopefully stop the dirty edges that only using mastic ends up with.

 

[pmyo]

I have just had to reseal one of my rails, I used W4 mastic to reseat the rail on then used Sikaflex 512 to seal round the rail giving a cleaner smoother finish and hopefully stop the dirty edges that only using mastic ends up with.

I did the same - I fitted a exterior socket on my van (there wasn't one as standard). Used w4 mastic but finished the edge off with sikaflex. Also did the same on my old van on rails, was watertight and looked good without getting grubby overtime.

 

[Woodentop]

You should use a non-setting sealant as dealers use around shower try outlets. If you use domestic sealant which is NOT designed to tolerate vibration you may find it comes unstuck. Non-setting sealant stays permanently pliable and will thus never leak.

You need something called IDL99 - Googling will find it - but beware, it is an 11" tube so you will probably need to buy an application gun as well. The one good thing is that the stuff never goes hard so you only ever buy one tube!

 

[biley_adam]

It does leave a residue that prevents mastic bonding correctly. Which is why you use meths after.

You remove all the old mastic [using] white spirit and a cloth. You then wipe over with meths to remove any residue from the white spirit.

Does white spirit leave a residue? I have used it for cleaning for years and it had never occured to me that it did not wipe/evaporate completely away. This afternoon I was using it to clean up a photographic flashgun I got from ebay (must have been a sticky label on it once) and I was particularly looking at the smooth black plastic under a bright light to check it was completely clean and saw nothing remaining, but I'm prepared to be wrong.

 

[biley_adam]

I personally wouldn't use Soudal Fixall on anything on the outside of the van. The same with Sikaflex 512 etc! I have used them when re-building interiors on caravans etc, but once they cure they are a pig to remove.

I wouldn't fancy trying to replace a bent awning rail etc that had been stuck on using that.

 

[welshti]

I personally wouldn't use Soudal Fixall on anything on the outside of the van. The same with Sikaflex 512 etc! I have used them when re-building interiors on caravans etc, but once they cure they are a pig to remove.

I wouldn't fancy trying to replace a bent awning rail etc that had been stuck on using that.

I can agree, I had to redo the toilet door as it was not sitting correctly and it was tough but feel confident its unlikely to shrink and leak like some of the tape that i've taken off.