Thanks Larry!!
I will take your suggestion and try to seal it in place.
So, from what I am reading I should get myself some 3M 5200 Fast Cure.
I also have to do the window seals so will get the 10oz cartridge. Looking at your flickr photos - Taping around the edges is essential. My question is - when should I remove the tape. From what I read it looks like this stuff can be runny so imagine it should set up a little but not be allowed to really dry and trap the tape. Suggestions for when to start the tape pull?
Window and seam sealing | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157671788034655/with/28660921095/)
As always - I just dont think I could pull this all off without the forum. Thank you all!!
Quote from: JodiH - 5 hours ago
So, from what I am reading I should get myself some 3M 5200 Fast Cure.
I also have to do the window seals so will get the 10oz cartridge. Looking at your flickr photos - Taping around the edges is essential. My question is - when should I remove the tape. From what I read it looks like this stuff can be runny so imagine it should set up a little but not be allowed to really dry and trap the tape. Suggestions for when to start the tape pull?
/quote]
3M 5200 Fast Cure is my favorite, Dicor has its uses too, either will work for the wiring. For windows frames, 3M 5200 FC.
When resealing end caps and windows, the masking tape is applied to any place where you do not want the sealant.
After taping, clean the gap to be filled. If previously sealed, cut away a much old sealant as possible, scraping it well so the sealant has some 'tooth' to grab on to. When done cleaning, use acetone or lacquer thinner and wipe the gap the is being resealed, I sometimes use spray brake cleaner, a fast evaporating solvent, to blow out the debris.
Apply an oversize bead of sealant along the gap to be filled the entire way and then use a gloved, wet finger to push the sealant
firmly into the gap and then removing the excess and smoothing the sealant.
As soon as you are done smoothing, remove the tape before it has a chance to start skimming over. If there are spots where the sealant has spread, let it cure for about 45 minutes and then use lacquer thinner or acetone to gently remove it.
Clean up and have a cold one. Let it cure overnight.
When using 3M 5200, wear old clothes and disposable gloves. The stuff sticks to everything and is very difficult to remove when dry, one of the reasons it works so well.
Larry
Additional suggestion: When removing the blue tape, pull it gently toward the sealed seam, not away from it; that minimizes the chances of "stringing" sealant onto the unsealed surface.
I use craft sticks (popsicle sticks) rather than fingers for "pointing" the 5200 into the seam so I only need a dozen or so glove changes rather than two dozen! ;)
Thanks again for all the suggestions. This is going to be a project for this Thursday / Friday.
Love the idea to use a Popsicle stick. Also have a box of nitrile gloves at the ready. The windows do not look like it has been re-sealed. Looks like the factory seal is just shrunken / cracked.
I just ordered one 10oz tube of the 3M 5200 Fast Cure. Hopefully that will be enough for all the windows and end caps. Any insight. I was going to order two but its a little pricey for a just in case.
Some of the areas that I will reseal are painted green. The sealer is white. Do you get matched auto paint and paint over it or does it not look to bad leaving that seam white?
Thanks again!!
This thread has transitioned from "Solar - hopefully easy fix" to window and end cap sealing.
I am waiting on my solar fixing job until a later date. The LD is going into covered storage for a while as I go back to work so I am not to worried about the loose connection cover at the moment.
We got the window and and cap sealing done!! Yay!!
Things I learned from you all that was super helpful and a couple tips.
- We used the 5200 fast cure. It was surprisingly not runny - just goopy. It did start to set up quickly so we applied with the caulk gun. Used a gloved wet finger for smoothing, and immediately replaced gloves and started the tape removal process. within arms reach was a acetone moistened paper towel to clean up any stray strings of adhesive.
Taping with blue painters tape was essential. We used 1" on the black part of the windows and 2" everywhere else.
After taping I cleaned the seams with acetone on a paper towel. Of note - the Acetone quickly removed the black finish on the window frames. Use caution. Also - the areas of my green paint that are heavily weathered / oxidized is also very sensitive to acetone removing more of the paint. The areas that still have a high gloss were not pulling up paint when swiped with acetone.
One 10oz tube sealed all windows and both end caps - we had a tiny amount left and thought we would run out. In the future I think I would've felt better with a spare 3oz tube as back up (and extra to have in my toolbox in case needed at a later date).
Was very helpful to have horses with boards running across so we could move along the side of the rig without having to waste time climbing up down. Or stopping the application and getting "strings" of adhesive that are hard to control.
Having a second person to help with handing off tools, managing the peeled off tape, and quickly cleaning off any stray adhesive was almost essential. The stuff really does get everywhere on your hands and there isnt really time to clean it off without the adhesive setting up to quickly.
Hope this helps someone else with their future products. Will let you all know how it holds up. Fingers crossed I wont be taking on this project again for a while.
Thanks for posting those tips, Jodi. One more tip: start the job wearing three pairs of disposable gloves. That way when a glove becomes contaminated, you can just peel it off and keep working.
Thanks for posting those tips, Jodi. One more tip: start the job wearing three pairs of disposable gloves. That way when a glove becomes contaminated, you can just peel it off and keep working.
Yes!! This 100%. This is also my experience working as a nurse with other messy cleanups ( ::) ) I tried to convince my dad of this strategy but he was already frustrated with one pair of sweaty gloves. Cant win all the battles with our common sense suggestions. Haha!!
Good Morning; Just recently finished our rear end caps r and r and will post pics and a story later am delayed a bit by a couple of heart attacks. However I would like to give a couple of tips I found doing mine to be helpful.
The Marine fast cure. the stuff comes in 10 oz and the little tubes and if you use the little tubes you will pay a wee bit more money but if you are not doing all the parts at once such as one end cap at a time the little tubes are the best. Big tubes can add up to lots of waste and rushing where you don't want to at times. Depends on individual jobs.
Also the 3m 5200 fc is great and we use it but if you are looking locally we found hd had a locktite brand in small tubes of marine fast cure and we could not tell a difference. My son did boat repairs in florida for years and said he used both also.
Larrys masking tape trim is also a MAJOR REQUIREMENT. it makes the job so much easier and neater and you can fudge the tape out a wee bit if you have some paint chipped along the joint and cover that with the adhesive.
Thanks
Grumpy
One more tip: start the job wearing three pairs of disposable gloves. That way when a glove becomes contaminated, you can just peel it off and keep working.
Yes, yes, yes!..5200 FC is a great adhesive/sealant but nothing is any messier, other than anti-seize paste.
Three pairs of gloves is the most I can force on at one time.
I use a few boxes of disposable gloves each year, well I did until the pandemic diverted most PPE supplies to the medial world, being essential supplies
These are my favorite, the price has almost doubled in the last few months.
https://www.harborfreight.com/5-mil-nitrile-powder-free-gloves-100-pc-large-light-blue-68497.html?_br_psugg_q=disposable+gloves
Larry
Just a note on the nitrile gloves from Harbor Freight that Larry linked to: the gloves in the link are 5 mil, a useful, versatile weight/thickness. The video shows gloves that are 7 mil; I suggest check the product description very carefully before going to the store. (Page says the 5 mil gloves are not available online....?)
YMMV.
Would it help to have 2 sizes of gloves? A couple pair of smaller size then a couple of the larger size?
I ran across a situation where I needed both nitrile and leather gloves. Memo to self: bigger leather gloves ;)
Just a note on the nitrile gloves from Harbor Freight that Larry linked to: the gloves in the link are 5 mil, a useful, versatile weight/thickness. The video shows gloves that are 7 mil; I suggest check the product description very carefully before going to the store. (Page says the 5 mil gloves are not available online....?)
The last couple times I have checked the local HF, they were out of all nitrile disposible gloves.
I like the 5-mil gloves, usually inexpensive and good enough for short term use when painting or working on greasey LD parts and thin enough I can still feel small things wearing them.
Wouldn't expect to regularly find them until the supply chain ramps up enough to supply all the needs of the medical world.
It might be a while.
Larry
If ya going to put on many gloves on top of each other use a bit of baby power on the gloves. <smile> Since you are not going to be doing surgery the power would be an issue......
glen
As always, we are super grateful for all the shared advice and guidance we have found on this forum! I especially like the popsicle and triple glove advice! We are about to seal our windows and end caps next and my husband found a post re: end caps on the Companion site that suggested a crystal clear Dap 3.0 (which would look better than white on areas where the end cap meets our blue paint). I read reviews of the Dap yellowing over time, and of course the 5200 does not appear to come in clear. Has anyone else used the clear Dap 3.0 and been happy w/it?
And if not, do any of you have any opinions about or experience with this Henry roofing product?: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Henry-10-1-oz-212-Clear-All-Purpose-Patch-HE212202/202091011#product-overview
On HD's questions and answers tab, the Henry company response is that they think it can do the job: "Yes this will work. Being clear and flexible, it should withstand the UV rays and be able to withstand the movement from your camper. For more info, check out Henry Company (http://www.henry.com) or contact our product support at 800-486-1278. Thanks for putting your trust in the Henry Company and Home Depot."
Your thoughts would be so much appreciated as we were really hoping to tackle this project this weekend while it's still cool 8)
I am not familiar with DAP 3.0 or the Henry "roofing patch", but after reading the suggested applications for each of those products, I suggest sticking with 5200 Fast Cure. This sealant has been used successfully by many owners on many rigs; it's a "proven" product, and, if applied correctly, will last for a long time.
YMMV, as always.
If ya going to put on many gloves on top of each other use a bit of baby power on the gloves. <smile> Since you are not going to be doing surgery the power would be an issue......
What is baby power, a special formula or what?
Larry
Larry,
Baby powder is that stuff they put on baby's bums when diapers are changed.
I would be curious if the powder would then interact with the sealant if you used fingers to smooth out the bead.
Jane
I suggest not using any powder inside nitrile or vinyl gloves; the combination of powder and sweat from one's hands makes a gummy mess!
I suggest not using any powder inside nitrile or vinyl gloves; the combination of powder and sweat from one's hands makes a gummy mess!
I think that when you are donning 2, 3, or 4 layers of gloves, the first layer doesn't need to be powdered next to the skin. Subsequent layers shouldn't be subject to perspiration.
The limited research I did indicates that baby powder is not made of powdered babies. ;)
joel
"...baby powder is not made of powdered babies."
No, it's not... it's actually ground up 'rock' (talc), hence the name Talcum Powder. If you've ever been around a talc mine you'll see that the entire area is white from the dust. :-\
Larry,
Baby powder is that stuff they put on baby's bums when diapers are changed.
I would be curious if the powder would then interact with the sealant if you used fingers to smooth out the bead.
Jane
I know what baby powder is, I asked what "baby power" is, as spelled wice in Glen's post. It was a joke.
Thought it could be a unknown power system.
To smooth 5200, wearing disposable gloves, wet your finger, then go to work. The moisture will not harm the sealant.
Larry
"...baby powder is not made of powdered babies."
No, it's not... it's actually ground up 'rock' (talc), hence the name Talcum Powder. If you've ever been around a talc mine you'll see that the entire area is white from the dust. :-\
West of Panamint Springs, off Cal Hwy 190, there are several abandoned talc mines. Interseting place to visit while in the Death Valley region
Larry
Larry, Ah, the allusive "baby power". Here is the shop that sells that.
Baby Power Shop (https://www.babypowershop.com/)
:D
I know what baby powder is, I asked what "baby power" is, as spelled wice in Glen's post. It was a joke.
Thought it could be a unknown power system.
To smooth 5200, wearing disposable gloves, wet your finger, then go to work. The moisture will not harm the sealant.
Larry
Do you also need to apply some kind of adhesive tape (i found a bunch of VHB when pulling them off) under the end caps along the inside surfaces?