Spectacular Pop Top Canvas Leak

[Paul Karas]

I’m touring the Outer Hebrides at the moment. Last night we had a bit of wind (around 30kts - not that much) and a bit of rain too. The site orientation meant that I couldn’t park perfectly “tail” into the wind. I was woken at around 1am with a bit of water on my pillow - which by 3am had become a minor flood! The photos attached show the water streaming through the canvas - it’s not “tent” capillary effect. The van is less than 2 years old and has not been heavily used. It has been in the wet a few times but this is maybe the first real soaking for a year. It’ll be straight back to the dealer for a warranty claim when I get home in a few weeks. In the meantime - has anyone else had leaks as bad as this? And how have they got on with VW?

 

[kurienp]

Oh boy, that looks really bad. No, never had that bad. A few drops that may sneak through the zip when very windy. That surely looks like bad material on the poptop.

Were you sleeping upstairs?

Temporarily, do you want to try use a tent waterproofing spray and see if that helps? You do have pics to show to the dealer when you come back.

 

[Paul Karas]

Oh boy, that looks really bad. No, never had that bad. A few drops that may sneak through the zip when very windy. That surely looks like bad material on the poptop.

Were you sleeping upstairs?

Temporarily, do you want to try use a tent waterproofing spray and see if that helps? You do have pics to show to the dealer when you come back.

Thanks Kurienp

Yes - we were up top - soaked bedding (luckily wool mattress topper and silk duvet don’t absorb much) - so we had a middle of the night tidy up downstairs and moved down and dropped the roof. It wouldn’t have been much fun for a family with kids and every bed full!

Hopefully the weather is better for the next few weeks and then it’ll be off to the dealer for a new canvas under warranty I think. I’m loath to add a coating as that could void the warranty and maybe not actually fix the problem permanently.

 

[flying banana]

I have noticed persistent driving rain combined with touching the canvas with the bedding can cause leaks to wick through. They reckon it improves over time. Try a hose pipe at home and see if you can replicate it especially around the zipper.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I had some leaks just like that but not as bad. Canvas was replaced under warranty - no argument at VW Van Center in Birmingham.
Good luck

I have noticed persistent driving rain combined with touching the canvas with the bedding can cause leaks to wick through. They reckon it improves over time. Try a hose pipe at home and see if you can replicate it especially around the zipper.

Even without bedding touching the rain can come thru. There is even a ref to this in the owners manual!!
.

 

[Louis II]

Strange that the water is beading on the inside. Almost looks like its coming in from high up and running down the inside rather than actually through the canvas.

 

[Stu@rt]

What an absolute nightmare for you. Not qualified to comment, not being an owner. But as someone "looking to buy" I read these kinds of posts and am concerned by the amount of owners that have waterproofing issues on these canvasses. I have read the previous threads about the material needing a soaking prior to becoming 100% functional, but it doesn't sound like that is the issue for you. I really hope that you get it sorted soon after returning home and I hope that doesn't spoil your tour of the islands too much.

 

[Neilos]

I didn’t take a picture but a few weeks ago we had some water ingress after heavy rain and some wind near the coast. Nowhere near as bad as that. I mopped it up with a micro fibre cloth and the cloth was damp not wet through. Still not great but not a disaster.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Borris]

The canvas can leak in heavy rain. Either a Cali Wrap or an IsoTop Gortex internal liner will cure all that. Ring the shop and have a chat. If you are still away perhaps they could get a Cali Wrap posted to you.

 

[Drpps]

I have the older canvas roof. In driving rain it can eventually get damp and wick through but never as bad as that. That doesn’t look right. The fabric might swell after this and improve and If you are in the Hebrides I suspect you might get the opportunity to test it again in similar conditions before long.
I have an outer wrap that I put on if driving rain forecast or if cold but don’t bother otherwise as it is normally waterproof.

The children sleep up top. They seem to be happiest when soaked anyway!

 

[Wildcamper]

We have had pop tops and they have all leaked - not as bad as yours. Fabsil spray (from Screwfix) does help but is not a complete solution. So we have given up with pop tops, after all we live on a small damp island off northern Europe, and went fixed high top - waterproof and warm. Would never go back to pop top.

 

[Hotel California]

It's a one layer tent , in heavy rain combined with wind you can have this .
The wind is a important factor also...
A VW dealer can not fix this. Change the canvas with a new and do it over again in thesame conditions wil problally have thesame outcome.
In such weather a outside topper is the solution , or lowering the roof.

Must been very bad outside...

 

[calibusje]

The title attracted me and indeed: spectacular! Hopefully you don't have this often but rain and the wind in just that angle, can result in this, unfortunate.
Greetings and keep it dry!

 

[Bajers]

Coincidentally, I have literally just posted a similar thread and have been directed here. We are currently touring the west coast of Scotland and had heavy rain and fairly strong winds last night more or less direct to the front of the canvas with virtually same result. Beading water and pool on ledge below.
Sides were fine but they were not directly into the wind.
Bit disappointing but I feel an outer cover maybe in order!

 

[mariannevw]

We just had the same problem with a brand new California ocean! Just got news from thé dealer, this is NOT normal, VW will replace our toptent!

 

[Frank Mc]

Hello from Dublin Paul,
I had the very same issue when in Cork, heavy rain and it started to bead on the inside of canvas over driver seat so defo nothing to do with anything touching the canvas.
As the camper was only 3 months old I brought it back to the dealer but they said that when they checked with VW that this was “normal” in certain conditions.
From then on if it’s raining we lower the roof which is a shame as that’s the whole point of it....
Ah well, I still love my camper 3 years on

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Been in some pretty bad wind and rain and not had a drop inside.

 

[Bajers]

I do feel now that with the right conditions the canvas will leak, front sides or back. Mine was pretty severe wind and driving rain throughout the night to the front panel which resulted in the beading.
I don't think a replacement will be the answer to be honest but will be interesting to hear the results.
If the roof has been installed correctly, the material has no defects in it, it should perform as good or as bad as any other roof in a Cali.
I'm going down the Fabsil route with mine initially or a roof topper if that doesn't work. Ultimately, Frank Mc probably has the right idea.
Very, very disappointing though as I have had cheap tents perform far better in driving rain and a complaint to VW customer services as well.

 

[Wogga]

Not an experienced VW man but an experienced camper and if you look at tents they have a fly sheet before the inner or made of a 100% ish waterproof poly something material. A second layer is worth the investment if camping in extremely wet and windy conditions. VW will need to change the material. I will definitely invest in a second layer of sorts when I get my van, plus I will give the canvas a good few soakings and let it dry to tighten the weave. VW designers need to do a winter visit to Scotland and the NW

 

[Peter Bucknell]

I’m touring the Outer Hebrides at the moment. Last night we had a bit of wind (around 30kts - not that much) and a bit of rain too. The site orientation meant that I couldn’t park perfectly “tail” into the wind. I was woken at around 1am with a bit of water on my pillow - which by 3am had become a minor flood! The photos attached show the water streaming through the canvas - it’s not “tent” capillary effect. The van is less than 2 years old and has not been heavily used. It has been in the wet a few times but this is maybe the first real soaking for a year. It’ll be straight back to the dealer for a warranty claim when I get home in a few weeks. In the meantime - has anyone else had leaks as bad as this? And how have they got on with VW?View attachment 66745View attachment 66746View attachment 66747View attachment 66748

That looks unusually bad, but like any single skin tent, it is very likely to leak if high winds are driving the rain at it horizontally. That's why tents have a fly sheet, with separated internal tent. We use a Pucer screen which wraps round the bellows and keeps them nice and dry. Super quick and easy to fit. A no brainer for £150

 

[Jabberwocky]

The title attracted me and indeed: spectacular! Hopefully you don't have this often but rain and the wind in just that angle, can result in this, unfortunate.
Greetings and keep it dry!

I agree! We had the same problem in Denmark in 2018 (Feb '17 Cali). Driving rain caused leaks on the front left side with beading down inside and pooling on the little shelf. Dealer fitted new canvas under warranty. No argument.

 

[Trebor]

The canvas can leak in heavy rain. Either a Cali Wrap or an IsoTop Gortex internal liner will cure all that. Ring the shop and have a chat. If you are still away perhaps they could get a Cali Wrap posted to you.

Hi Boris
Isotop no longer Goretex sadly . They stopped about 3 years ago with the mk 4 I think .

 

[Paul Karas]

We just had the same problem with a brand new California ocean! Just got news from thé dealer, this is NOT normal, VW will replace our toptent!

Thank you. That is encouraging - it’s clearly a known problem so I shouldn’t have to have a. “Fight” with VW.

 

[Paul Karas]

Thank you everyone. I’m an experienced camper in tents whilst mountaineering in Scotland and the alps — and I’ve never had such a problem (except when I was int he scouts 50 years ago and their canvas tents were ancient then!) - even my 35 year old Saunders space packer is still watertight. So it beggars belief that a heavyweight and expensive VW tent that doesn’t even have to be breathable isn’t watertight under some relatively benign conditions.
i was going to go down the isotope route for warmth in the depths of winter but I’m now concerned that leakage from the canvas could be caught in the gap leading to mould and rot or worse - so won’t even try that until the tent is fixed. I’ll let you all know how I get in with VW when I get home in a few weeks.
thanks again everyone.
p

 

[TripleBee]

If I know it's going to rain a lot I use this:

Only downside: not that nice in heavy wind as it flaps a lot.
But you can stow it away wet, and get your dry roof down.
Put it back on when it's dry and sunny, and it dries in a few hours.