How to avoid the doorway waterfall?

We love our 2008 Symbol ES but there are a couple of modifications we want to make. First is to stop the radio cut-out but we need to read the threads on here first.
The second one is how to stop the waterfall that drenches us when we use the sliding door during rain. My husband glued a temporary plastic strip to form a gutter but it didn't last long! - Anyone solved the problem?
Thanks in advance!

Hello Travelgran & welcome to the forum

We have several helpful Symbol owners here who I'm sure will give you feedback on your problem.

Hi,
I must say that I have never had this problem, but I do have a wind out awning. The gutters are behind the plastic trim, if water is coming from the middle of your door possibly the gutters are blocked, all the water normally runs out of slots in the trim above the windscreen at each end of the screen or at each end of the rear trim. Try flushing them out backwards with a hose pipe after applying a good dose of Auto Glym motorhome cleaner which tends to dissolve all the crud and gunge.( Do the window channels as well) You'll be surprised what gets flushed out ,
Regards,
Chris V

With regard to the radio problem I have solved this on my Symbol but I suspect that your van is on the latest Boxer van base whereas mine is on the previous one so I'm not sure my solution would apply to your van.
The same remark about your van being a later model than mine may well apply to your question about the waterfall from the sliding door. I don't recall it being a particular problem on my van.

Probably not much help I'm afraid.
squip

chrisvesey wrote:Hi,
I must say that I have never had this problem, but I do have a wind out awning. The gutters are behind the plastic trim, if water is coming from the middle of your door possibly the gutters are blocked, all the water normally runs out of slots in the trim above the windscreen at each end of the screen or at each end of the rear trim. Try flushing them out backwards with a hose pipe after applying a good dose of Auto Glym motorhome cleaner which tends to dissolve all the crud and gunge.( Do the window channels as well) You'll be surprised what gets flushed out ,
Regards,
Chris V

This has been a problem ever since Autosleepes started fitting the wide gutter. Ever since we had a Flair I have enlarged the 4 drain holes to at least 4 time the size this allows small debrie to escape twice a year I clean the gutter out with a large bottle brush I find the Caravan Cleaner from Aldi very good you can dilute or use neat I use in a household spray bottle

Alf

Thank you to everyone for your replies. Our van appears to have no gutters anywhere. When you say the gutters are 'behind the plastic trim' I'm not sure what you mean. Any help please?

travelgran wrote:Thank you to everyone for your replies. Our van appears to have no gutters anywhere. When you say the gutters are 'behind the plastic trim' I'm not sure what you mean. Any help please?

There is a black trim covering the joint where the hightop meets the roof of the van the bottom of this fibreglass trim is glued to the original van gutter there are small drain holes at the front and each rear corner if you live where there are trees etc you get this trim full of debrie that blocks the water from draining out on all the Autosleepers I have had I have never come across a waterfall at the side door BUT if the gutter is blocked and you park on a slight slope it could happen make the drain holes bigger and clean the gutter twice a year ( I would not use a power wash just a bottle brush and garden hose )
If you are unlucky it could be the glued joint at the bottom of the trim ???
If you require a photo i will take one tomorrow.

Alf

travelgran wrote:Thank you to everyone for your replies. Our van appears to have no gutters anywhere. When you say the gutters are 'behind the plastic trim' I'm not sure what you mean. Any help please?

Hi Travelgran if you look at my post Symbol Photo's in the New members please introduce yourself here --Hi from South Yorkshire the 4th and 5th photos are of Symbols and you can see the Black Trim that covers the gutters

Alf

I don't think that it's possible to extend the 20 minute radio cutoff on the supplied radio. The easiest way is to replace it with a Sony unit as this gives a wiring option to leave the radio switched on for as long as you want. It only takes a few minutes to fit but you will lose the steering wheel controls. If you find this unacceptable there is a way around it as you'll find on another thread on this forum.

As far as the water ingress problem is concerned have a look at my post on MHF [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
After fitting the rubber seal on our van it virtually eliminated any rainwater from entering the van.

Having been unable to see any trim, black or otherwise (!) I contacted autosleeper and received the following very prompt reply:

"The black trim that you refer to is on earlier models
To overcome your problem you could fit a flexible plastic gutter moulding to divert the water away from the doorway.
Im afraid that Im unable to recommend a supplier for this item as our parts catalogue does not list one.
I know that Fiamma at one stage did one for caravan doors so perhaps a caravan accessory shop would be a good start
Regards
Pat"
So now we know! Thanks for your replies anyway! - If we locate something appropriate I'll let you know and we may also have a look at the door seal as suggested.

We did in fact buy and install the fiamma guttering which has definitely helped the problem.

Hi there,

We haven't seen any significant rain for three months now. Is moving to Spain for the winter an option?

Best regards,

travelgran wrote:We did in fact buy and install the fiamma guttering which has definitely helped the problem.

Hi travelgran
Glad you got it sorted in the end. It is crazy that you have had to buy an extra to solve the problem.
Regards

Hi travelgran

Haven’t experienced the water problem, but I have fitted a Fiamma Rain Guard between the awning and the roof and this stops the rain from dripping in when the door is open and the awning extended. I also have a Fiamma side screen which is also effective in protecting the opening.

Keith