bedding getting wet through canvas

[nigelgillett]

Hi there we have just brought a brand new expander have used it about a dozen trips
it has rained a few times and I have noticed the bedding getting quite wet and once was dripping.we also have the privacy screans .Is there a fix for this? or does everyone just keep all bedding away form the canvas.

 

[Doogle]

Someone made a good suggestion the other day about looking to affix some clear PVC sheeting "between" the privacy screens and the canvas. This would still let light through but would stop moisture getting through.
I have also read reports of people who have the privacy screens and say their beds don't get wet at all...so I'm not sure why some do and some don't.

Something to consider anyway...
Dave

 

[Bushman]

Have you seasoned the canvas? In other words, set it up on a nice warm day (if that's possible at moment) remove the mattress and let fly with the hose, let in dry and do it again, it may take 2 or 3 goes, concentrate on the seem

We had ours out in some of the worst weather it has seen so far last weekend on NSW South Coast and only some minor weeping around the stitching between the vinyl and canvas If this continues you can get a seem sealer and apply it. Think its available from good camp stores or Bunnings

 

[Turtle]

Fair dinkum, I must be lucky! We've had our's set up since we got it home and not a drop of water inside (touch wood!). We've had some pretty bad driving rain too.

 

[Doogle]

Turtle,
I don't think it's a case of water leaking in but more that if there is something on the inside touching the canvas, whilst it's wet, it causes it to penetrate and seep through the canvas and wet whatever is touching it on the inside.
So if you were sleeping at night and the sleeping bag/doona, mattress, hands or feet are touching the canvas during the night it will cause the water to come through the canvas and wet whatever is touching it.

Wetting the canvas when new (on a sunny day), then letting it dry helps the seams and weave of the canvas to tighten up and help with this effect (but it is still likely to happen - especially when the canvas is very wet in heavy rain).

I think the PVC idea is a good one as this basically cuts out all chance of water getting through (though it will no doubt upset the ventiliation you would normally have).

Dave

 

[expanda]

Spot on Dave, i had this issue in QLD over Christmas with the floods and had to bin 6 pillows and a donna due to water ingress.

I now have a phobia of touching the canvas with my hands or feet and sleep in a ball to try and not do this any more

I was thinking of getting two pieces of perspex one at each end of the bed, they would not need to be to big just about the length of the bed and about half the height.

Then I could keep some ventilation and stick them in without leaving the van.....

I have not progressed on the idea but there is a million and one perspex cutters out there so I would just need to measure it and wedge it in between the canvas and the bed frame from the inside when there is extreme weather.

 

[Doogle]

Good idea Expanda....though you might want to make sure that the perspex doesn't touch the canvas or it may promote the water to come through.
You should still keep the bedding etc dry but depending on how much water came through the canvas, it might pool up behind the perspex and eventually soak into the mattress.

I still like the PVC on the outside the best (thus far) as this method prevents the water from touching the outside of the canvas completely (or thereabouts), keeping the canvas dry....at the expense of some ventilation - but I'm sure the van would have plenty of other ventilation happening to negate this from being a real problem. It would be pretty easy to roll over in your sleep during the night and for the doona, pillow etc. to move and be touching the canvas at some point.

I will certainly be looking into this idea in more detail once we have our Expanda.

Dave

 

[expanda]

Gday Dave sounds good I might get two pieces of the plastic PVC one for each end head and feet and punch a hole in it and zip tie it through the privacy screens.

This wood leave the big rear window free for ventilation....

You have me thinking though!

 

[Moto Moto]

I don't have an Expanda yet so this may seem silly, but has any one though of making another bed fly possibly out of canvas or a tarp to use in wet conditions?

I'm not sure how the fly attaches to the lid so there is no real basis to this idea, just thinking out loud really.

 

[Doogle]

I don't have an Expanda yet so this may seem silly, but has any one though of making another bed fly possibly out of canvas or a tarp to use in wet conditions?

It is possible and they do already exist.
http://www.prestigejayco.com.au/index.php/accessories/prestige-premium-annexe/9-prestige-annexe-bag-fly-deluxe

They're about $600...

I like how they tie to the van (at the bottom of the bag fly), like a tarp on the back of a ute.

Dave

 

[Moto Moto]

I have one of those on my Hawk ATM.

The shade cloth material doesn't keep the driving rain out, the same as the Expanda it seems. I was thinking 3 pieces of tarp cut to size and somehow fixed to the inside of the mesh of the fly. A bit like the perspex idea a few a talked about, but this would be easy to pack away.

 

[bigman0510]

Good idea Expanda....though you might want to make sure that the perspex doesn't touch the canvas or it may promote the water to come through.
You should still keep the bedding etc dry but depending on how much water came through the canvas, it might pool up behind the perspex and eventually soak into the mattress.

I still like the PVC on the outside the best (thus far) as this method prevents the water from touching the outside of the canvas completely (or thereabouts), keeping the canvas dry....at the expense of some ventilation - but I'm sure the van would have plenty of other ventilation happening to negate this from being a real problem. It would be pretty easy to roll over in your sleep during the night and for the doona, pillow etc. to move and be touching the canvas at some point.

I will certainly be looking into this idea in more detail once we have our Expanda.

Dave

Sounds Great! i think i will get 3 pieces per end made up with Velcro that attach's to bed end fly's so they can be put on in heavy rain... Well Done!!

 

[Pills]

Has anybody taken this issue up with Jayco? direct. They may have a solution already?
Bill

 

[Doogle]

Has anybody taken this issue up with Jayco? direct. They may have a solution already?
Bill

Jayco do have a solution....see post #10 in this thread (on page 1).

But at $600, clear PVC sections would be much cheaper.

 

[bigman0510]

Not bad, but one of the main reasons for me buying an Expanda was to avoid poles and pegs..

 

[ExpandaDave]

We have the model with the hard roof over the beds. We have some canvas 'storm flys' made in canvas that fit the same way as the black privacy standard covers. No water in, no additional pegs or ropes etc plus in cold weather we use them and it keeps the van much warmer. If you take your black screens toma canvas maker they can use these as a pattern.
Hope this helps someone cheers

 

[Moto Moto]

Great idea, thanks Dave.

Do you mind me asking roughly how much to get one made up?

KC

 

[Bushman]

We have the model with the hard roof over the beds. We have some canvas 'storm flys' made in canvas that fit the same way as the black privacy standard covers. No water in, no additional pegs or ropes etc plus in cold weather we use them and it keeps the van much warmer. If you take your black screens toma canvas maker they can use these as a pattern.
Hope this helps someone cheers

Any Pics? of the new screens

 

[cruza driver]

Another option I have been thinking about for our expanda is using Ripstop canvas instead of the privacy screens. I know its not see-through but it could work well and it dries quick too.

We use ours in all conditions so I thought this will help keep the canvas dry. Also the Ripstop is fairly light and inexpensive to purchase. It can even get rolled up so it shouldn't take up to much area in the expanda to leave in there when the weather turns.

 

[The cat]

ours TOO!!

We have had our expanda new since August 2010, we have had many trips and unfortunately we have had rain and lots of it on occasions.
We have done all of the pre wetting and we still get wet, very frustrating. Our most recent trip to Surfers in Oct saw us get wet with one of the wettest Octs in years. We had 3 weeks there and days where there was storms rolling in the morning and then by the arvo. At least it was warm...
I ended up getting shower curtains(pvc sheets). These worked a treat but still annoying when the windsor rapid next door had nothing and they did not get wet at all. We had other neighbours like us but they had prestige Jayco black bed flys. These are made by Geelong Prestige they and a thicker type of mesh compared to what Jayco sell from there Dandenong work shop. $495.00 a set.

I am yet to fit them as they look a little bit fiddly but will be fitted prior to our Mid January trip to Port Fairy. Watch this space as it will rain I will be able to let you know if I still use the shower curtains. Picked them up only yesterday at Geelong. ( if anyone has some tips that would be great)

We love our Jayco and the lifestyle, the kids love it and makes it worth it. But I think if it continues to get wet it will be on the market. We had issues from the start.

The roof had a brown mark approx 300mmx 700mm on the inside, it was faint and until you laid down for the first time it was not noticeable.--Been replaced
Shower leaked bad--been fixed
Front fibre glass bed end replaced due to a hair line crack around the locking point
The silastic obviously cost nothing as they have wiped it over everything but there overalls.
Silastic was not set, they closed the roof at some stage while constructing and silastic has spilled out onto the rails.
Sink leaked when plug was in.
Everything mentioned fixed under warranty except silastic.

We had the Swan previous to this and had no bed flys, never got wet. The vinyl/heavy canvas at the bottom of the bed ends is about 100mm higher than the expandas, this would help protect the matress and doona.

Thanks and keep on vanning.

Cat