Exactly what is an external 'wet' locker for on an Autosleeper Broadway EB?

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Exactly what is a wet locker for?

So here is a conundrum. We have a ‘wet locker’ compartment, low slung, just along a bit from the driver’s door.

It is very aptly named, for it always has around 2.5cm of water in the bottom of it over a rubber ribbed mat. The water sloshes around during driving and so everything stored in the compartment gets wet. Some stuff like the tow strap in its protective bag is getting mouldy!

This locker seems to be made of fibreglass and the locker door is a flexible plastic of some form. There is a black rubber seal that runs around the outer edge of the locker casing up against which the locker door closes. There are supposed to be four drain holes in the floor base – one in each corner – although inspection from underneath shows that these holes don’t seem to exist. That, or my eyesight really is deteriorating faster than I thought! I can add that the locker seems to be slightly flimsy and wobbly as well and so may distort under high temperatures or whilst under driving conditions.

This is what the external locker on our motorhome looks like - this photograph was taken by someone else on theirs. The external frame on ours is joined to the main coach walls with a thin bead of sealant - about 2mm thick/wide. 

Which leads me to the point of this blog post – exactly what does one put in a ‘wet locker’? And how the blazes do we stop it continually looking like a miniature swimming pool?

Let’s start with the basics by looking at what we currently store in this locker. The simple answer is things that don’t matter if they get wet! The tow strap in its waterproof bag; the levelling ramps; wheel chocks and the wheel clamp!

In saying this, we (read I) think that a ‘wet’ locker is a bit of a misnomer. After all, nothing stored in it is ever going to get dry again and there is the serious risk that anything damp in it will go severely mouldy after a short period of time. Or, at the very least, objects will smell damp! Ugh!

So, what would we like to store in a somewhat ‘drier’ locker? Freshwater hoses after they have been used; muddy walking boots after a walk (temporary until they are cleaned); the toilet and waste tank cleaning chemicals and materials. In an ideal world, perhaps we could fit in the cycling gear – panniers, locks, bike cleaning materials, helmets etc (although, now we have cleared more space in the dry ‘under the bed’ locker, they could go in there). And, it goes without saying, anything that ends up being stored in the shower tray in the bathroom (or is that just our ‘particular little problem?)

So, what might be turning our locker into a fair sized permanent interior puddle? 

We have been on a baffling voyage of discovery. I now have intimate knowledge of this locker. I have poked and rummaged around its corners, lips, holes and seals more than I would care to and here are my first thoughts on the source of the water!

1.   It was leaking due to an absence or failure of sealant around its corners and wall joins – particularly where the locker joined the main body of the motorhome in a series of interlocking U shaped edges   (Nope!)

2.   Holes drilled into the base were letting in road spray   (Nope!)

3.   The mats were blocking drain holes and so water couldn’t escape and was building up   (No evidence to suggest this is true!)

4.   The black rubber door seals were ill fitting and/or had failed   (Doesn’t seem so!)

5.   Because the hard plastic door is somewhat flexible – it was causing unequal gaps to exist where it closed with the locker main frame – thus allowing water running down the sides of the motorhome to collect on the door lip and then seep into the locker   (Nope!)

6.   The locker door may have become distorted and so doesn’t close properly and equally against the internal locker rims    (Doesn’t seem to have!)

7.   A contributor to the Autosleepers’ Owners Forum posted this photograph of his Neuvo, explaining that where the external locker frame joined the main coach sides of the Moho – there should be extensive sealant inside the join.   (We are currently still inspecting this idea as it is difficult to work out whether there is sealant in there or not!)

 

Well, I used a mirror to inspect all the inside areas of the locker and the sealant looks good and extensive. Finding the small drainage holes is proving difficult at the moment, as they appear to be elusive little blighters! The rubber seals seem fine and of correct thickness in all areas. I added extra neoprene seals to the locker door side and top. It didn’t make one iota of difference! I closed the door by supporting it equally at both ends and then using my knee to hold it in place whilst using one hand to turn the door catches to the locked position. That didn’t help either!

Another forum member noticed that the locker door had twisted on his motorhome so he devised a simple test using paper towel to find out where the water was entering from. Pieces of kitchen roll were folded into squares along the front of the empty locker floor. Four were placed along the rear wall as well. He discovered that the front right hand one got soaked on a wet day, the second from right less wet, all others dry, indicating a drip from the righthand end of the seal. This is something we will now have to go and do as well.

We will let you know how we get on but it is rather frustrating. The litany of small niggly issues on Bryony is substantial. So far there has been – sticking draws, collapsed draws, broken oven door catches, peeling trim, broken toilet hatch door lock, faulty central locking, intermittent reversing camera blackouts, a cupboard coming away from the side wall, a lack of sealant around the toilet bench sides where they join the motorhome bathroom walls, flattening batteries due to a poorly configured EC 700 power unit, an insufficiently powerful enough solar panel up top, the interior door trim falling off the driver’s inside door frame, an exhaust so low it hits even the lowest speed hump, a puddle collecting ‘wet’ locker,  a problem with the tow ball head and best of all, a serious leak through the aerial socket into the bathroom wardrobe.  Most, but not all, have been addressed under warranty claims. But it does make you wonder about factory design and quality control procedures doesn’t it?

On the positive side, Autosleepers have got their design and comfort right. Bryony, is light, airy and spacious. The end bathroom, side kitchen and side benches work really well as a living space. The furnishings are good as is the upholstery. The appliances and fittings are of a high spec. There are plenty of plug sockets well distributed across the cab. The pull-out bed is simple to sort and comfy with a mattress topper.

Bottom line, if the remaining snags get put right; if we can sort out the winter storage battery management issue; if she works well for one or two nights off grid later in the year; and if nothing more untoward happens, then we will be well pleased with our purchase. We love her and all the promise of exciting adventures she brings.

We will post our progress on sorting the wet locker puddle as a PS to this blog post. In the meantime, wherever you are and whenever you finally get back out there, travel safely, have fun and remember, ‘take care out there’! 

Steve and Maggie

 PS – so despite checking all the seams, adding extra rubber seal on the locker edge and the door edges – the locker still floods. It is absolutely baffling and very frustrating! These are the photographs I took a couple of days ago.

This looking from inside the locker, outwards from floor level. There should be another drainage hole but there doesn't seem to be one. It could be blocked with that sealant. It could be the small gap between the floor and the side panel. There again, the vertical wall bit has missing sealant as well. 

This is the roof section above the photo of the corner above. 

At the other end, you can see the drainage hole on the left hand side - there should be another one on the right hand side but I suspect it has been blocked by all that sagging sealant. 

This is the sealant on the vertical seams at the other end of the locker door. Again there seem to be gaps at both floor and roof levels. 

I suspect that the lack of sealant along that top roof seam is one of the problems and entry routes for the water. I have to say I am not that impressed with quality control on this.