leaking pop top

[daisyduke]

i have done a search and not found any threads...i'm sure some will now be posted as not used right terms..

anyway was away earlier this month and was heavy rain and wind, i normally would put roof down as wild camp so in that weather just want to blend and not stick out but was on a site so left it up.
I woke to water dripping down the inside and pooling above the headlining area. I've called VWCS today who say this isn't OK and to call local dealership which will do in the morning but wanted to ask if others have had the same problem? i have 2015 SE cali

i'd expect it to be waterproof as effectively a tent not a coat so shower proof never going to make the grade... am i expecting too much or is this the norm and should have had roof down?

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Well, I don't have mine yet but does not look acceptable to me at all.

 

[bigmac77]

My 2015 SE did the same when I spent a night with the roof up in driving rain in the summer. I have been lucky and always seem to get good weather when camping so it had never actually got wet before. There was some discussion on the forum about the material needing a bit of a soaking in order to swell the fabric and then keep water out. So have a bit of a search on the forum and see what you can come up with.

@2020 freedom Your T6 Cali will come with a different more waterproof material.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not acceptable in my mind!
Has the canvas ever been replaced?
Are you still in warranty (must be touch and go?) If so down to dealers with claim.

 

[andyinluton]

Is that the first time its got wet on the outside? it does need a proper soaking before they are waterproof. Having said that I was careful to soak ours with a hose at home before camping & I don't recall any water coming through like that, just it feeling damp & water wicking through if it was touched. After that ours has always been waterproof. The only water ingress has been in high winds through the ventilation mesh panels.

 

[flying banana]

normal

 

[flying banana]

I have a t6 beach. vw say it's waterproof. and generally it is.but the lake district says different. sideways wind and rain comes through. topper needed. also if you touch the sides with bedding when wet it wicks through like a tent does.as you can see from my photo inside during a wind and rain session lake district style

 

[WelshGas]

On the T5.1 the Bellows is made of Cotton Canvas and needs initial proofing with water.
See below, it refers to Canvas Bell Tents but the process is the same.
https://duskydeer.co.uk/weathering-canvas-bell-tents/

 

[DGM]

I have a t6 beach. vw say it's waterproof. and generally it is.but the lake district says different. sideways wind and rain comes through. topper needed. also if you touch the sides with bedding when wet it wicks through like a tent does.as you can see from my photo inside during a wind and rain session lake district style

View attachment 28086

My Calis quite a bit older than yours and hasn't let water in like that, hopefully yours will get better with time.

 

[flying banana]

yeah I thought that too but it's 22 months old now and I don't think it will improve. don't get me wrong at home I spray the hosepipe on it and nothing. but on a good lake district sideways 50mph wind for 10 hours it does what I photographed I took the photo to complain to vw. b7t from what I gather it's normal in such fierce conditions. I bought a topper now from the club shop.

 

[Jabberwocky]

No s**t!!
Have only really experienced torrential rain in France so far but know of the Lake District rain as being legendary. (Have experience as being very fine and then add wind in tents = soaked!)

Was resisting topper purchase but re thinking.........
Thanks FB

 

[daisyduke]

Not acceptable in my mind!
Has the canvas ever been replaced?
Are you still in warranty (must be touch and go?) If so down to dealers with claim.

yes warranty till next August so plenty of time to sort but from info shared seems need to give it a soaking and this cures the fibres to expand then creating it to be waterproof. Just seems nuts that such as expensive item a) isn't waterproof when sold b) no instructions that should soak it to create it to be waterproof. Do they expect us to only camp when the sun shines? crazy will still speak to dealership and see what comments they have to make

 

[daisyduke]

Is that the first time its got wet on the outside? it does need a proper soaking before they are waterproof. Having said that I was careful to soak ours with a hose at home before camping & I don't recall any water coming through like that, just it feeling damp & water wicking through if it was touched. After that ours has always been waterproof. The only water ingress has been in high winds through the ventilation mesh panels.

was first major soaking with wind and rain.........seems i need to get the hose out

 

[WelshGas]

was first major soaking with wind and rain.........seems i need to get the hose out

Probably won’t happen again.

 

[daisyduke]

Probably won’t happen again.

i've got a topper but too bulky when wild camping to take it and would never use then anyway as too obvious camping etc happened to have one night on a site so left up in the rain......i don't mind doing the soaking it job but would be good if VW know this why not tell us? hey ho.....like you said probably ok now

 

[Rich20]

The final stage at the factory was a wet bay where the vans get a really good soaking with the roof up and a bloke sits inside with a torch checking for leaks. The amount of water was immense and at high pressure from every angle. Fibres should have swelled after that so warranty claim I would have thought.

 

[flying banana]

BUT. DID they do a 10 hour sideways 50mph wind and rain test? I know mine will cope with a down poor and a real heavy one no problem. dry as a bone. either I'm unlucky with a shite canvas or a 10 or 12 hour relentless bad weather system comes through . do I need to complain here or have others experienced this? .

 

[daisyduke]

The final stage at the factory was a wet bay where the vans get a really good soaking with the roof up and a bloke sits inside with a torch checking for leaks. The amount of water was immense and at high pressure from every angle. Fibres should have swelled after that so warranty claim I would have thought.

thanks i find it hard to believe they wouldn't have tested it........

 

[daisyduke]

BUT. DID they do a 10 hour sideways 50mph wind and rain test? I know mine will cope with a down poor and a real heavy one no problem. dry as a bone. either I'm unlucky with a shite canvas or a 10 or 12 hour relentless bad weather system comes through . do I need to complain here or have others experienced this? .

ill post what comment i get and how they respond, is this norm or not OK........

 

[flying banana]

The final stage at the factory was a wet bay where the vans get a really good soaking with the roof up and a bloke sits inside with a torch checking for leaks. The amount of water was immense and at high pressure from every angle. Fibres should have swelled after that so warranty claim I would have thought.

but did they do that for 5 minutes or ten hours?because believe me the lake district and Scotland can do it seriously for that long

 

[Trebor]

BUT. DID they do a 10 hour sideways 50mph wind and rain test? I know mine will cope with a down poor and a real heavy one no problem. dry as a bone. either I'm unlucky with a shite canvas or a 10 or 12 hour relentless bad weather system comes through . do I need to complain here or have others experienced this? .

You've got the wrong van if you think the canvas will stand upto 50 mph and heavy horizontal rain . You need a hard top or topper or goretex isotop or both for your Beach .I don't know of any single skin tent that would stand upto that weather . I always used a fly sheet when camping in any weather never got wet . Don't think you have any grounds for complaint .

 

[Alan]

It’s OK to have an option as to whether you sleep up or down if there’s no more than 2 of you,a bit different if your a family
I prefer to sleep upstairs but if expecting foul weather I will sleep downstairs

Happy traveling
Alan

 

[Hotel California]

Afther sevral hours of heavy rain and wind the pop-top without topper has water ingres. What do you expect from a single tent fabric?
Also include damp from inside condensing on the inner side of the fabric making it worse .
Heavy rain(for sevral hours) : close the roof or use a outside protection/topper.
Could be the T6 fabric is better waterproof only those having it can give theire experience.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Probably won’t happen again.

I thought they had a good soaking during the build - I'm sure I've photos of this.

 

[Jabberwocky]

at 2mins 30sec. shows a soaking.