Kemmerton XL Owners

by Rocky Wed Oct 11, 2023 6:35 pm

We have had some pretty awful weather today, and a motorway journey through driving rain. On reaching the site, we discovered water pooling on the raised work surface above the fridge. It was dripping down the wood on the fridge side of the wardrobe (not inside the wardrobe), and dripping down onto the work surface beneath the light which is under the two overhead cupboards.

It could be something not sealed properly on the roof - the only thing above there is the WiFi aerial. I realise, however, that water can track over longer distances.

Another (and my prime) candidate is the top fridge vent. Unlike (I think) any of the other AS PVC's, the top vent is reached by this long tunnel down to the fridge, around which most of the water seems to have come. The top vent is also slightly angled because of the curvature of the body at the top, and I wondered if this made it easier for rain to get in.

It would be interesting to know if any other Kemmerton XL owners had had a similar experience, or problem with either the upper fridge vent, or water ingress in this area.

Needless to say, it will be going back to the dealer, but it would be good to know if there is any history of this.

Regards,

by glyne lock Wed Oct 11, 2023 7:52 pm

yes R/V had this problem and yes the surface is not flat that the vent fits .I had this resealed with lots of other problems
your not the first or the last that this item will give problems to

by Rocky Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:02 pm

Thanks Glyne,

If you resealed around the vent, did this solve the problem? I assumed that the water was coming through the fins because of the angle. It seems to need some sort of permanent shroud.

Just to forewarn me, what other problems have you had with this model, or was it all the items in your improvements thread?

Regards,

by Relaxez-Vous Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:07 pm

Yes we had water ingress from the poorly sealed upper fridge vent, for the reason you stated, the van is curved where the flat rectangular upper fridge vent is installed. It needs a good fitting gasket to make things watertight.

The first thing we noticed after we drove in very heavy rain on the way to our dealer SMC in Newark was that our sleeping bag in the locker behind the rear seat was wet. The following morning we went to SMC to have them sort out the ongoing issues with our loose bathroom tap and perhaps also the ongoing issues with our Sargent EC700 system. (?Sargent's faulty hardware, and/or faulty software).

My initial thoughts were that water had been forced up through the two vents on the floor under the single seat's locker as they are just behind the nearside front wheel. I subsequently pushed nylon scouring pads inside the two tubes to impede any forced water ingress from spray but not to impede the ventilation that these tubes provide for safety reasons.

When subsequently we went to A-S in Willersey for an annual habitation check we had an unpleasant surprise. They discovered we had high damp levels in the floor. I've posted many times about this. The upper fridge vent was not properly sealed and I expect that many other Kemerton XL owners would be similarly affected.

I am surprised though that you had water above the fridge. Our trunking above the fridge was well sealed with silicone sealant etc, so perhaps it could be from your Wi-Fi aerial ( which we don't have). The areas where we had damp were in the floor area under the three drawers, in the floor of the small locker to the right, in the floor of the bathroom between the shower tray and the WC and not so much in the locker behind the single seat. Our van is parked on the drive and slopes down at the back.

Have you now got damp in the floor of your Kemerton XL? I bought a Protimeter Surveymaster BLD5365, not cheap but considering our alternatives, leaving our van with A-S, my wife taking her car too so we could drive back home, Travelodge expenses etc. I needed to avoid any more surprises about damp.

by Rocky Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:44 pm

Hi RV, and many thanks for your interesting response.

Reading your reply made me go and inspect under the rear seat, but I'm pleased to say it is completely dry, as are all the floor level lockers/storage areas on the nearside - and we went through some pretty awful (wet) driving conditions today.

Our troubles seem to be confined to the area of the 'tunnel' from the fridge to the top vent. So can I ask, did re-sealing the top vent stop any problems in that area, because it seems to me that it either needs longer fins, or some sort of shroud to keep rain out, yet still allow fridge heat to dissipate?

I have a couple of moisture meters at home, but they are nothing compared to what you have shelled out on.

Tomorrow looks fine, but the forecast for Friday is heavy rain again, so we shall be more prepared in what to look for.

Regards,

by glyne lock Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:21 pm

The vent is removed and a new seal fitted

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