Photographs

77GMCPB --- A Clasco Coach

Olin and Donna Boyer - Tulsa, Oklahoma

olinboyer@cox.net

Pressurized leak detection

Coming back to Tulsa from Houston last fall, in heavy rain, we stopped overnight in a WalMart parking lot. By morning, we were wet! The net wisdom told us that the leaks could be anywhere, not necessarily even close to the inside drip points! Following descriptions of pressurizing blowers read on GMCnet, and pictures of a blower with a clear piece of 12" duct to carry the pressurizing air to the coach, I used a "surplus" furnace blower and a discarded base from an old NCR office machine to construct a blower for myself. I promised to post pictures, so here they are!

The label on the motor was fairly easy to read, and the wires

were color coded, so implementing 3-speed control was easy!

Building the box for mounting the duct adapter was fairly

straight forward, as was the masonite "cap" for the

collapsed duct. Mounting blower to base? Just a couple of

sheet metal screws!

I probably should put metal mesh or a grillwork over the

intake. I know it's a "squirrel cage" blower, but a local

squirrel hopping in could sure make a mess out of the

upholstery.

Even as shallow as it is, the masonite cap holds a lot of the

duct, when it is collapsed.

Just a short power cord, because an extension cord will

always be needed anyway.

The 12" duct fits right in to the small window, and the

spiral wire locks it in place very nicely.

The corners remain open, but the blower capacity is

high enough that you don't have to "chink".

A little duct tape reinforcing on the first four inches provide

protection for the mylar duct.

Just turn on the blower and start spraying the detergent

water mix on suspect areas. Any leak will blow bubbles!

I really expected bubbles around windows and doors.

I didn't expect the volume of air that came out of the

"reefer" vents. That's why you need large blower capacity.

The only real "leak" that I found was around the lens of the

driver side "porch lite". RTV under the chrome cover should do.

The end of the story is, I really didn't find any leaks at all up top! I've decided that, parked in the Wal-Mart lot overnight in heavy rain, with the front of the coach lower than the rear (several degree slope), the rain was coming in to the coil on the Carrier Aire-V, collecting in the condensate pan, then overflowing the front of the pan and running on top of the headliner all the way to the front of the coach! We not only had leaks by both rear side windows and the rear window, but had water drips next to the rear view mirror right at the top center of the windshield! Level 'em when you park 'em folks!

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	77GMCPB --- A Clasco Coach Olin and Donna Boyer - Tulsa, Oklahoma olinboyer@cox.net
	*Pressurized leak detection*
	Coming back to Tulsa from Houston last fall, in heavy rain, we stopped overnight in a WalMart parking lot. By morning, we were wet! The net wisdom told us that the leaks could be anywhere, not necessarily even close to the inside drip points! Following descriptions of pressurizing blowers read on GMCnet, and pictures of a blower with a clear piece of 12" duct to carry the pressurizing air to the coach, I used a "surplus" furnace blower and a discarded base from an old NCR office machine to construct a blower for myself. I promised to post pictures, so here they are!


		The label on the motor was fairly easy to read, and the wires were color coded, so implementing 3-speed control was easy!
		Building the box for mounting the duct adapter was fairly straight forward, as was the masonite "cap" for the collapsed duct. Mounting blower to base? Just a couple of sheet metal screws!
		I probably should put metal mesh or a grillwork over the intake. I know it's a "squirrel cage" blower, but a local squirrel hopping in could sure make a mess out of the upholstery.
		Even as shallow as it is, the masonite cap holds a lot of the duct, when it is collapsed.
		Just a short power cord, because an extension cord will always be needed anyway.
		The 12" duct fits right in to the small window, and the spiral wire locks it in place very nicely.
		The corners remain open, but the blower capacity is high enough that you don't have to "chink".
		A little duct tape reinforcing on the first four inches provide protection for the mylar duct.
		Just turn on the blower and start spraying the detergent water mix on suspect areas. Any leak will blow bubbles!
		I really expected bubbles around windows and doors.
		I didn't expect the volume of air that came out of the "reefer" vents. That's why you need large blower capacity.
		The only real "leak" that I found was around the lens of the driver side "porch lite". RTV under the chrome cover should do.