Slide Topper

[robebur]

Should water gather in my sllde toppers? Seems like a little rain causes puddling. What is a reasonable expectation?

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by robebur

Should water gather in my sllde toppers? Seems like a little rain causes puddling. What is a reasonable expectation?

You have Carefree of Colorado slide toppers. The toppers have a center coiled spring that controls the fabric tension. C of C has instructions on their website on the tension required on the spring to keep the fabric taught. The longer the slide the more likely the rain will puddle if the tension is insufficient.

[robebur]

Thank you for the thoughful response. Great info.

[robebur]

Actually, it looks like I may have Dometic slide out toppers.

[EA37TS]

Yes, rain and water will pool on the toppers. Quite a few you tube video on DIY supports to prevent pooling.

[ducksface]

What are the negative effects of pooling?
When you roll it in doesn't it sort of wring the water puddle away?
We almost never use our slide so I've never given thought to adjusting for puddling.

[Vibeman]

We have a 29m with a full wall slide. Yes water pools on it, as much as 2 gallons, maybe more. Do a search, there are several solutions discussed here, none of them perfect, but all of them an improvement. In hot humid weather my A/C drainage can cause a puddle. For short term stays, retracting the slide when you leave does dump the puddle. For longer term stays when I don’t want to retract it I use a small plastic rake to pull down on the middle of the front or rear edge of the fabric so water can drain (on top of my head, haha) this will get most, but not all of the water, sun and wind will finish the job. If I want to get it all I go up on the roof with a broom and sweep it off. I can already notice some stretching of the awning material where the puddle forms, it will probably increase over time.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Slides are huge these days...used to be there was a slight incline outward of the topper. Now it seems the toppers are level flat. There was one case I read about whereby the topper was actually inclined a bit towards the wall of the RV causing water to run back and leak inside. Maybe it was installed to high at the end of the slide..who knows.

[taylorbob1]

I’ve seen flat toppers, but I’ve also seen very slanted toppers (angling away from the RV)

It depends where the manufacturer mounted the fabric connection point on the RV.

Example…mine is flat because the connection point is just above the slide.
But a recent Axis/Vegas I was parked near had a very noticeable slant as their connection point was near the roof-line.

So even Thor mounts the toppers differently depending on the build year.

[EA37TS]

If you ever spent a night in 25 to 35 mph winds you would appreciate the water pooling on the toppers. Keeps them from flapping in the wind.

[ducksface]

The consensus seems to be that pooling isn't a thing to be concerned with except for potentially some Non-aesthetic stretch may occur.

One less, bell to answer...one less, EGG TO FRY....