Persistent leak around skylights

[Thepolarbear]

Hi all
I hope this is the right place to post my question as mine is a campervan rather than a motor home!
I have a converted Mercedes sprinter panel van. It has two skylights in the roof and a solar panel that sits between them.
The skylights started leaking quite badly last year - I took it to a professional who took them out and resealed them and while this has helped, the back skylight still leaks while parked at certain angles. The water that runs through is rusty. The place I took it to said that the holes that the skylights are in are starting to corrode around the edges so it was hard to properly seal it again. However he also said that due to the amount of rain we'd been having, even brand new motorhomes are leaking and it's par for the course, to some extent (which seems ridiculous to me).
I'm wondering where to go from here - find someone else to have a look at it? Whack more sealant on myself? Bitumen paint round the edges?
Otherwise it's a great van which is in good shape for its years so I'm reluctant to get rid.
Thanks

 

[Raul]

If the water is pooling round the skylight, the are adapters on the market for various vans, size 400x400mm. Failing that, a butyl sealing tape can be used to build up the gaps, or even puraflex 40 from toolstation will seal well. Do not use bitumen sealant.
Preparation it’s the key in getting a good seal.

 

[David and Sally]

 

[Diabalo]

No motorhome/van convertion should leak. Your skylight needs looking at again by a competent person.

 

[Shrimp]

We have a roof fan/extractor that has now leaked twice, first time Manic took it out, cleaned and resealed.
Move on about 12 years and it leaked again, not in a position/place to fix it properly it got a bodge, all looked good for a while then it leaked again, so out it came, all cleaned up and discovered a crack in the housing of the fan, stuffed full of correct sealant, clamped up, the replaced into position.
This winter has been very wet, Suffolk coast, heavy driving rain, all bone dry in van now.
Clever Manic.

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[Terry]

Hi and welcome- Your roof lights and solar panel all need to come off and sealing properly. Whoever sealed them for you is talking crap. If he is not capable of sealing a roof light properly I would not let him touch your van. Once off you can get rust stopping paint to seal / treat the cut edges if it’s rusting as bad as claimed. Once sealed use Puraflex 40 from tool station to seal your roof lights. Check if solar panel has been screwed on ? If it has use the Puraflex to seal screw holes and where the cable enters the roof - you can get cable covers for the roof for a couple of quid -use onesimply stick to roof.

 

[Guigsy]

Minor check point... I was chasing a leak from a rear roof vent for ages. Only happened when the van was parked at certain angles and the wind was in certain directions. It was very difficult to reproduce. Drove me nuts! It turned out that the water was coming in though the badly fitted gasket on the high level brake light and trickling along the roof above the insulation and coming down through the vent.

 

[DavidG58]

I would add to above posts, don’t presume the water is coming out from the same place it is getting in

Best of luck getting sorted

 

[Thepolarbear]

Thanks all, some good points to consider. The water isn't leaking directly from the skylight, it seems to soak into the rock wool insulation and then drip out from random bits of the ceiling depending on the angle we're parked at. We're away at the moment but when we get home I'll take the inside panel of the skylight out to see if it is originating from there. I definitely need to find a new professional to look at it I think - any recommendations in Bristol?

 

[Guigsy]

I'd start by pulling down the ceiling cladding and insulation. It sounds like it's going to need to come out anyway. I'd then try to reproduce the problem with a hose. At least that way you can be certain where the issue is.

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[Just smiffy]

I took it to a professional who took them out and resealed them and while this has helped, the back skylight still leaks while parked at certain angles. The water that runs through is rusty. The place I took it to said that the holes that the skylights are in are starting to corrode around the edges so it was hard to properly seal it again. However he also said that due to the amount of rain we'd been having, even brand new motorhomes are leaking and it's par for the course, to some extent (which seems ridiculous to me).

I’m absolutely gobsmacked… name and shame this “professional “ unbelievable that these professionals make a living…

As said get some bits off and post some pictures on here and you’ll get loads of practical advice to do it yourself properly and save loads of money….