Broadway Heki rooflight noise and seals

Having finally plucked up the courage to self install a solar panel we decided to 'test' the soundness of my installation with a quick excursion to Suffolk.  The day of outward travel was windy and we experienced shall I say considerable wind noise and more than a tad of draft from the Heki as we meandered to our destination which we had never before experienced.  This week I've been checking for possible causes and discovered that on the Heki rooflight hinged side there is a rubber seal.   There is channelling for this to extend around the entirety of the rooflight but is only fitted on the hinge side.  Suspecting that the cause was related to backdraft in one way or another from the newly installed solar panel as it is close in to the Heki opening I contacted Autosleepers to enquire whether it was possible to obtain a supply of the rubber seal and fit it around the whole of the opening.

As per usual Autosleepers support was first class and the seal is available from parts but......and its a big but....... they informed me that the lack of seal around three sides of the Heki was deliberate to allow for ventilation on the conversion.  The upshot was that they advised me not to do so.

Has anyone else experienced a similar problem and if so how have you overcome it.  Or should I simply fit a piece of the seal on the solar panel side thus leaving the two sides as is.  Or do I just live with it?

Regards

Mike

The ventilation they have to provide is a carefully calculated figure to meet regulations so they cannot advise you otherwise. 
The seal is available from O'Learys at £6 per metre. Go on EBay and search 'Heki seal' and you will see it. Not that I am advising you to fit it.  We also get noise from our Heki and a lot of draught on a windy day in our Nuevo but we have got used to it. Drawing the blind stops the draught but don't drive with the blind closed as it will get sucked up and ruin it.

Our Topaz had the seal only on the front by the hinges. I fitted the extra seal ( there are two sections you need the one with the lip) and all is quiet now. I had to buy the  Heki seal 'no vent' item 20 pt.no. 540E12 5m length (see Heki web site), with care this is enough to add to 3 Heki 111 units to make them draft proof. Self and a couple of others in the ASOC are now draft-proofed in this area!! 
In my unqualified opinion (but lots of experience) there is enough other ventilation, also no flapping of black out blind in windy conditions. remember not to fully close b/o blind in sunny conditions leave a gap for ventilation above the blind!!.
think this was covered in the ASOC mag by self last year.
frederic
Do A search, 'Heki Seals'  on our site
its all there mine 10th down

Must admit Frederic that unless someone really gives good advice as to why not......I'm inclined to your view.   After all our Bailey Approach which was capable of being liveable in when temperatures outside were minus 15 and below so I must admit to being somewhat surprised (given that the Autosleeper was a darned expensive conversion) to have a van with so many 'drafts' in it as our current van has.  Not that I'm disappointed with Barney.  The dealer we purchased it from....never again but that's a separate issue.

The wife however has a different outlook.   So unless I get convincing arguments to the contrary I think I shall seal the other side of the Heki and leave the two longer edges as is.  Particularly as the issue of noise whilst travelling only raised its ugly head after I'd fitted the solar panel.

Regards

Mike

Do what you need to make you & yours happy.
Now tell us more about your purchase experience.
frederic

I bought some seal last year and fitted it all round. My wife and I are still alive!  The reduction in travelling noise and comfort is incredible. When we go to bed I now generally leave the Heki slightly open.  I don't think that is absolutely necessary though. The main cause of concern would be CO and excessive CO2 from gas appliances. When cooking the roofight ove the cooker is normally open and we do have a working CO alarm.
I believe that A/S give ample ventilation but you need to make up your own mind on whether some or any is superfluous. 
If I suddenly stop posting to this forum then maybe I got it wrong.
Last year, over winter, the van got quite damp while laid up and there was consistently a HUGE amount of condensation on the inside of the windscreen which I had to keep mopping up with kitchen paper.  This year I have only wiped the inside of the windscreen once using far less paper and it is still clear. The van also feels dry.  So I am assuming that the gap around the Heki was letting in lots of moist air during the day which condensed in the colder night temperatures.

inspiredron wrote:
I believe that A/S give ample ventilation but you need to make up your own mind on whether some or any is superfluous. 
If I suddenly stop posting to this forum then maybe I got it wrong.

 Noted Ron 

Our Nuevo had the seal all the way around the Heki but the Broadway doesn't.... Don't really notice any noise from it unless it's really blustery, but I'd like to fit a full seal as its a tad drafty.... where's the best place to get it? Did look on eBay but it was £20 plus postage is this about right?

O'Learys sell it for £6 per metre plus postage.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331250843183?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The part number is 540E12 and it comes also in 5m rolls which I think cost me £27.45 from Leisureshopdirect
http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/ventilation/product_36937/dometic_heki_1__heki_3_-_3plus__heki_4_-_4plus_rooflight_seal_%28version_without_permanent_air-flow%29.aspx?cart=36937

It did take a few weeks to come - I was told it was in stock but it came direct from Germany, as I recall.  It was exactly right, easy to fit and the sealing part that abuts the rooflight itself has a suede finish that shoule prevent the sticking that occurs with normal rubber seals.  I cannot see whether the O-Leary seal is the same as the picture is so awful.  I reckon that I have plenty left over to replace the whole seal once or the sides and rear twich more. Not worth using an inferior product IMHO.

5mtr! That's why Frederic (post above) had so much left over. What would a large Heki need, 2.5 mtr max I would think. Perhaps they think we've all got one large and two small Hekis when I only have one large and two MPK vents instead of Hekis.
This seller on Ebay constantly advertises this seal..

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEKI-ROOFLIGHT-RUBBER-SEAL-FOR-CARAVAN-OR-MOTORHOME-/331500213385?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d2ef3d489

PLOUGHLIN wrote:How long is the Ebay one?

from the ad..

THIS SEAL IS LONG ENOUGH TO  GO ALL AROUND YOUR ROOF VENT OR YOU CAN CUT IT AND  FIT IT PART WAY ROUND IF YOU LIKE
ONLY TAKES 5 MINUTES TO FIT note this will fit other heki vents you can cut it to size

But Paul I was able to help two fellow members to achieve draft elimination & reduce noise
Warning check that the one you intend to purchase is of the right section, Heki have two, one  'no vent' with the lip and the same section without the lip to allow some ventilation!
When I got mine if I remember correctly the cost was £40 ish.  It was in a sealed Dometic package with their correct part no. so was genuine. Mine was from Simpsons the motorhome dealer but I don't think it had a suede finish.
See pricing below when I was checking out the prices
 
From: Sales Leisure Spares <sales@leisurespares.co.uk>
 
Sent: Thursday, 23 January 2014, 16:42
Subject: RE: [Junk released by Allowed List] CF - Seitz - heki rooflights - HEKI 3 PLUS


Hello 
Plenty of stock of 540E12 . 
£31.66 + £6.75 carriage + vat. 

Regards 
Peter Tuke 
Leisure Spares 
Miro House 
9 Becklands Close 
Boroughbridge 
North Yorkshire 
YO51 9NR 
Tel; 01423 320009 
Fax; 01423 320006 

sales@leisurespares.co.uk 


Also from my Simpsons purchase via e-bay
Part Number:- 540 E12
5m Non Ventilated seal, suitable for Heki 3 & Heki 4
 
RRP:- £47.87 Inc VAT
 



frederic

Paulmold wrote:

PLOUGHLIN wrote:How long is the Ebay one?

from the ad..

THIS SEAL IS LONG ENOUGH TO  GO ALL AROUND YOUR ROOF VENT OR YOU CAN CUT IT AND  FIT IT PART WAY ROUND IF YOU LIKE
ONLY TAKES 5 MINUTES TO FIT note this will fit other heki vents you can cut it to size

On mine the existing seal was glued in the slot so it would have been difficult to remove.  Also it was not suede finish on the lip.  Perhaps I am wierd but I was quite happy to shell out the £27 and know that I have some in reserve in case I need to replace any.  My van cost nearly £50k after all and £27 is about a quarter tank of diesel. The difference between 2.5m (no you'd have to buy 3m) at £18 and 5m at £27 is negligible.

As is mine.
Heki do I think recommend that it is glued, at least at the corners.
Make sure that if not glued that it is a compressed longitudinally fit as any excess can be trimmed after it has settled!
frederic

I had to replace my Heki roof seal on my last van too! After a visit to the coach works in Willersey I noticed the rear half of the roof light seal was missing, I replaced the seal with a new seal purchased from Leisure spares Boroughbridge.
I should have enough to replace the one on my Sigma.
Boaby

Hi Folks,

The power behind the throne, after reading the responses, agreed to sealing all the way round.  Placed an order yesterday with Leisureshopdirect.  Cost of 27.45 including p&p.  OK so they do not have it in stock but I'm a cheapskate and prepared to wait.   Leisure spares have it in stock at £47.82 inclusive of p&p.   As it comes in a 5 metre length - twice what I need - I did try Autosleepers but they don't sell it which was not what I was told by e-mail when I originally enquired.

The seal sold by O'Learys on Ebay would be no good as its for a Heki2 whereas our Broadway has a Heki3/3 plus - not the same seal at all. Like many others our need was for 540 E12

Regards

Mike

Personally I did not replace the bit at the front - as I said above it is stuck down and, as I recall, not just at the corners.  I did mine last spring and did not stick down the corners (as recommended) and it did not move. I will check that it does not come adrift when I recommission the van in a couple of weeks' time.

I've had a look at our 2014 Broadway and the heiki roof vent on ours is sealed all around.

John.

Barney Broadway wrote:
The seal sold by O'Learys on Ebay would be no good as its for a Heki2 whereas our Broadway has a Heki3/3 plus - not the same seal at all. Like many others our need was for 540 E12

The Ebay one is also for the Heki 2 (which I have) but according to Leisurespares and Leisureshopdirect, no seal is listed at all for the Heki 2.

Recently bought a 2008 Nuevo and during a routine clean and inspection noticed that the Heki seal doesn't !! On the rear edge there's a piece, about an inch long, cut out of the middle. Seems there's all manner of differences so I'll continue as is.

A missing inch might be deliberate or possibly shrinkage. Whatever, it will give a tiny amount of fixed ventilation and should not create noise at speed. As you say, leave it as is.

burlingtonboaby wrote:I had to replace my Heki roof seal on my last van too! After a visit to the coach works in Willersey I noticed the rear half of the roof light seal was missing, I replaced the seal with a new seal purchased from Leisure spares Boroughbridge.
I should have enough to replace the one on my Sigma.
Boaby

Replaced the rear half on our Sigma some years ago and today  fitted the rear half rubber seal on the Heki 3
On our Duetto, 
Boaby