Kemerton xl water ingress behind microwave.

I spent most of yesterday repairing my friends 2015 van, he had noticed a pool of water on the worktop behind the cooker. We took the extractor off and removed the microwave (only 2 screws holding it in instead of 4) Then it was finding the various screws securing the cabinet, the ducting from the outside vent was a pain as it was screwed to the back of the cabinet, then we found out it was also secured to the van by the top screw of the outside vent. Having got the cabinet on the bench we could see the water damage which must have been going on for some time, the bottom and the back were completly rotten, see the pictures. Luckily I had some matching plywood from my previous van just enough to make 2 new panels. Before we refitted it we made a deflector to divert any rain back out of the vent, the driving rain from that side of the van had been finding its way in for some time. Put everything back together with new screws and 4 holding in the microwave this time, better than the factory had done. Might be a good idea for Kemerton owners to pop the microwave out and check for water damage before it gets as bad as this one.

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Interesting, that must have been a modification to provide ducting and I’m guessing from the pictures it’s linked to an aftermarket fitted hob extractor. I considered doing something along those lines in our 2015 Kemerton but opted to fit a Maxxfan instead.

The circular air vent fitted by AS (pictured below) to cool the Microwave has angled vanes that point downward to protect from water ingress. Maybe the modification used an alternative vent and that small detail was missed.

Well done you for hanging onto some matching board.

Tim

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Hi Tim, the van was standard from the factory, you can see the metal duct for the microwave at the back of the cabinet, the picture was taken before we started work. Stan has owned the van from new, never been pressure washed unless the dealer had. I am always very careful when washing mine round the vents. Tim
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I had water there also, having put microwave in the house loft, I  have sealed the area around the vent. Still had water, so I remasticed the area where the solar cables enter on the roof, no more water ingress todate.

Richard

Ah, now I see what you mean about ducting, thanks Tim, that’s very helpful. Another potential trouble spot to keep an eye on.

You’ve done a nice repair.

Tim

All very interesting so thanks for bringing this to our attention. That external vent could be a source of water ingress in driving rain when parked up or on the road, an accident waiting to happen as they say. I'm starting to think about fitting an external flap or even some fine mesh, externally mounted onto a thin plastic ring. It would retain the purpose of the vent whilst reducing the velocity of any water droplets.

Apart from the repair, has anyone any other suggestions for prevention yet keeping the microwave?

Do all the Kemerton solar cables come through the cupboard where the microwave Is the solar panel cable on mine seems to come in at the side of the front opening skylight and the solar panel is in between front and middle skylight ?

The cables you can see from my pictures are power for the microwave and the extractor hood.

Tim.

Ram raider wrote:Do all the Kemerton solar cables come through the cupboard where the microwave Is the solar panel cable on mine seems to come in at the side of the front opening skylight and the solar panel is in between front and middle skylight ?

the cooker cable used on the solar panel goes through the roof and to a joint connection then its the sargent wiring that comes out behind the heater .
so a connection under the roof a connection behind the ec500 or ec700 more problems not needid then more fittings before the power gets to the battery.
so new cables and solar mod mppt controller only .there are reasons for a mppt or find out the problem the hard way
i have said about a 175w panel on other post that can fit in the place the 80w is fitted

Cheers all