Broadway Friday afternoon job - Sky light!!!!

Hi All

Sky lights anybody had trouble with theirs?

The two small ones in the rear - above bed and above fridge/microwave - have both "snapped" the runners that the blind/net glide along. The problem appears to be when you have the blind closed - net open/showing - and then go to close if you touch the release catch the net closes so rapidly when it gets to the end the thin plastic runner snaps (anybody fitted end stops?)

Also the front "curved" sky light, has anybody dismantled one please? My problem is that when motorway travelling the noise/howl coming from said blind drowns any conversation you might be trying to have. Again the problem is that the "outer perspex" gets nowhere near (doesn't even touch it at the rear end) the rubber seal so the winder/adjuster part needs adjusting - to my simple little mind 

Many thanks for any help/replies

Brent Too hot and sunny IoW

Yes, the skylight near the microwave has damaged runners as you describe. At some point, can't remember when, the fly screen (netting) when fully extended detached from the clip and under spring tension shot back with a bang breaking the plastic runners. The only way to operate the screen thereafter, was to break off one side of the runner (1 cm) so as to disengage the screen (diagonally) to allow the opposite side to be positioned  to move across the broken part then set parallel to move across. Most frustrating and fiddly to operate, but it's the only way I've found to rescue the situation whilst in this broken state. The lesson learned is to ensure the joining clip is securely attached to the sun blind and hold both screens at the clip when moving across on either direction especially when operating the larger central skylight. As for the over cab skylight, we have a irksome rattling when driving on bad road surfaces/potholes. Can't find exactly where so have to tolerate it.

Thanks Paramedic - it's nice to know we are not the only ones with problems - thank goodness for gorilla glue!!   Have you or do you know of a way to strip down the front sky light (where the windy open/closure mechanism is) - I'm worried about "breaking" any seals and then causing more headaches with leaks/water ingress 

Happy camping

Hi Whiteman, as I'm resigned to putting up with the damaged runners on the small skylight, it's the same with the rattling of the over cab sky light. Knowing full well how dangerous and certainly illegal on the public carriageway, my wife stood on the passenger seat to locate exactly where the noise was coming from but to no avail. It would probably require driving on a private road/circuit for a length of time sufficient to hopefully find the point of the problem. I assume the noise/howl is when the sun/screen is deployed or not due to the rush of air that enters through the gap? Also is there any likelihood than water can enter? There are experts on this forum who are knowledgeable on these blinds and there may be instruction on You Tube. Personally I wouldn't take on the dismantling due to the same concerns you raised. Regards

We have the same problem with the broken runners on the small skylight, obviously very fragile and not fit for purpose !

Regarding the front sunroof noise, I found that one corner of the perspex cover was sitting on the fibreglass body and not allowing the cover to make full contact with the rubber seal. You won't see this from inside except for a rub mark on the fibreglass, best to get the tall steps out and have a "very carefull " look from above, the only way to fix this without major surgery is to carefully file off 4-5mm from the corner of the perspex cover.
The recess in the roof is slightly undersized in the length for the size of the perspex cover.
I don't think that you will need to mess about with the winder mechanism other than reposition the winder handle on its spindle.


Chris

Our kitchen rooflight fly screen blind has snapped back several times and occasionally jams completely. Touch wood it has not broken anything yet but I like the idea of fashioning end stops and will have a fiddle.

The big front blind does not rattle and we usually keep it closed while travelling. AS fixed it twice, under warranty, as both times the mechanism for keeping the screen in the closed position broke and we could not close the blind. Whatever they did to it stopped rattles.

A member of this forum, on another forum, introduced his patent rattle-detector- while -on- the- move device: a long cardboard tube ( inside of turkey foil roll in our case) held to ear on one end and moved around until source of rattle is located. We have used this device to good effect several times.

Incidentally, a tip we picked up is never to completely close any blinds on sunny days when the windows above are closed. It can - we were told- result in damage to the plastic window as it gets very hot.