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Topic: EternaBond Roof Seams (Read 855 times) previous topic - next topic
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EternaBond Roof Seams
Well as I mention in another thread, I noticed that the sealant between the front cap and the roof had broken free. Listening to the very sagely and enthusiastic advice from other members to not put off sealing the roof seams, with a little help from my younger brother we got it knocked out yesterday. Some of you may notice I didn't go over the vent for the refrigerator. It has a significant amount of rust damage from the salt water in Carlsbad. I'll be replacing it and then running another strip of tape to have 100% coverage. Make sure you have the recommended tape roller from RecPro.

Process:
1) Vibratory tool with a non-serrated blade to remove the sealant along the front cap. It can be done to the others but it I choose not too because they were significantly less wide than the sealant along the front cap.
2) Clean up any signs of electrolysis along the caps with a 4" grinder and a flap disk.
3) Sweep away as much debris and dirt as possible
4) Clean the surface with acetone and allow to dry
5) Using a chalk line, snap a line to guide tape application
6) start with the front cap and lay the first section of tape with only 1" of tape over the front of the seam
7) apply tape along the drivers and passenger seam terminating just past the factory sealant
8) apply a second strip of tape along the front cap seam  with only 1" of tape overhanging the rear.
9) spray any exposed raw aluminum with white primer. I Chose Rustoleum white primer. Its similar enough to Ford Oxford White and what I used on the mirrors.
10) Remove your tools, get down off your roof
11) Make yourself a cocktail and enjoy the security of knowing your coach's frame is protected from the elements
Will, with a 1999 MB, 7.3L PowerStroke
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #1 –
Nice job, Will. I especially like the forethought of positioning the rig next to the balcony. Easy to hop over for a beer or a sandwich!
jor

* little envious of the PowerStroke
09 27' MB
10  Suby Forester
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #2 –
Quote from: jor  - 
Nice job, Will. I especially like the forethought of positioning the rig next to the balcony. Easy to hop over for a beer or a sandwich!
jor

* little envious of the PowerStroke

Thanks Jor! I'll say this about the EternaBond Tape, it's not particularly hard to work with but it isn't particularly easy either. Glad that it's done.
Will, with a 1999 MB, 7.3L PowerStroke
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #3 –
Hi Will; Great job and good photo's!  Your '99 has the same sealant as my '99 has.  While you are doing the refrigerator vent, you should do something with the aged brown sealant around the black and gray tank vents, TV antenna base, and cargo rack support bases. I used that same Rustoleum white paint to cover the eternabond around vent covers. It probably won't stick well to the Eternabond itself but so far it is still there. The eternabond I used was some other brand and is white anyway. 
    I wonder if that solar panel was put on by LD because the bases are coated with the same sealant.  Down the road you would benefit by higher efficiency new panels, and more watts, covering not much more roof space. 100 watts of those newer (I used Renogy) are relatively inexpensive at about $100 each and lighter also than the old panels were. I can still recommend a Blue Sky 3000i controller. (some used ones are reasonably priced, perhaps by another LD'er upsizing beyond the 30Amp limit).  
     Irony not missed with the 'No Parking Sign' !     RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #4 –
Side note, and I probably mentioned it before. When I did mine I did not remove the old stuff. I put the eternabond over the seams on the edge and all the other items, vents, hatches, antenna, ladder supports etc, then I put two layers of Kool Seal over the eternabond and the whole roof.
Steve and Jill, Steve posting
1999 26.5 Mid-Bath
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #5 –
Quote
then I put two layers of Kool Seal over the eternabond and the whole roof.

Steve, hopefully not hijacking this thread but I see there are several different varieties of Kool Seal. I've been coating our flat roofs with elstometric stuff for years. Is that what you used? Would you mind posting a photo. I sealed mine over the factory stuff with Eternabond and I'm thinking the Kool Seal covering would be nice. Thanks.
jor
09 27' MB
10  Suby Forester
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #6 –
Quote from: jor  - 
Steve, hopefully not hijacking this thread but I see there are several different varieties of Kool Seal. I've been coating our flat roofs with elstometric stuff for years. Is that what you used? Would you mind posting a photo. I sealed mine over the factory stuff with Eternabond and I'm thinking the Kool Seal covering would be nice. Thanks.
jor

I will have to look for the pictures, it was a while ago.
I thought I bought the Kool Seal from amazon but couldn't find it.
Steve and Jill, Steve posting
1999 26.5 Mid-Bath
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #7 –
Quote from: RonB  - 
Hi Will; Great job and good photo's!  Your '99 has the same sealant as my '99 has.  While you are doing the refrigerator vent, you should do something with the aged brown sealant around the black and gray tank vents, TV antenna base, and cargo rack support bases. I used that same Rustoleum white paint to cover the eternabond around vent covers. It probably won't stick well to the Eternabond itself but so far it is still there. The eternabond I used was some other brand and is white anyway. 
    I wonder if that solar panel was put on by LD because the bases are coated with the same sealant.  Down the road you would benefit by higher efficiency new panels, and more watts, covering not much more roof space. 100 watts of those newer (I used Renogy) are relatively inexpensive at about $100 each and lighter also than the old panels were. I can still recommend a Blue Sky 3000i controller. (some used ones are reasonably priced, perhaps by another LD'er upsizing beyond the 30Amp limit).  
     Irony not missed with the 'No Parking Sign' !     RonB

Hey Ron,

I thought you might have noticed the "No Parking" sign lol.

I am pretty sure the panel was installed by the factory. It works well at keeping the house batteries topped off but I do plan on covering as much of the roof in solar, as you mentioned. I think first I need to upgrade the converter then map out where to route wiring and components. To mount the panels I plan to have a roof rack system like Larry's. No need to add any more holes than necessary. Also, I'd prefer to keep the weight down with the addition of batteries. So it'll be slow and staged upgrades.
Will, with a 1999 MB, 7.3L PowerStroke
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #8 –
With the rain that just hit SoCal I would like to thank everyone who pushed me to tape my roof seams!!

THANK YOU!!!!
Will, with a 1999 MB, 7.3L PowerStroke
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #9 –
Quote from: Dtbback  - 
I think first I need to upgrade the converter then map out where to route wiring and components. To mount the panels I plan to have a roof rack system like Larry's. No need to add any more holes than necessary. Also, I'd prefer to keep the weight down with the addition of batteries.

The good news is lithium batteries and today's solar panels are half the weight of conventional lead-acid batteries and older solar panels, eliminating the concerns of adding weight.
Many converters can be used with lithium batteries, When I installed the original Battleborn batteries, their customer service person said the PD 9270 converter in our LD was on their acceptable converters for use with their batteries, it has worked well.
Each lithium battery's BMS protects the battery from overcharging and excessive discharging. While the stock converter should be OK, it isn't optimized and if you wish, converters set up for lithium are available. I suggest waiting on upgrading the converter until you see how it operates with the lithium batteries,
Our LD's converter is used seldomly powered anymore  due to the ability of the lithium battery to absord so much of the solar panels 560-watts output. I used to leave the converter powered up at home but now leave it off and rarely use it, even when camping with electrical hookups.

I think you may have confused me with Tim who used a Unistrut rack system to mount his panels. It's a different way of mounting solar panels but adds another level of complexity that isn't needed and it too requires multiple holes in the roof.  Your roof had dozens of holes right from the Factory, new holes are fine as long as they are properly sealed.

Larry

Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: EternaBond Roof Seams
Reply #10 –
As Larry said, I would not worry about replacing the converter yet. But, I believe the original solar charge controller is a 30 Amp model that does not do power tracking. It should be replaced with an MPPT model that will improve your current panel output, and size it to handle your future upgrades.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit