# Roof Lights - Open or Not?



## colian (May 11, 2005)

Can I ask if many members travel with the roof lights open, we have always steered away from driving with any of the roof lights open but the other day I saw a couple of motorhomes on the motorway with them open. Or had they just forgotten their final checks before moving off. 

I would appreciate your views

Ian


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## gnscloz (Oct 4, 2008)

personally i would close them, the plastic is so thin and brittle and more importantly expensive i,d be scared of them breaking
mark


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## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

*Roof lights*

All depends: if on the motorway-closed, slow driving and hot weather-open.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Ours have got a lock that will allow you to lock them an inch open. Often do that in hot weather. Also been known to travel with them wide open  problem then is that they suck up the blind and mangle it.

Dick


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## Bubblehead (Mar 5, 2007)

Having had a near miss with a whole roof light from a caravan travelling the opposite direction on the M27 a couple of years ago we always ensure they are closed.......


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

Always close mine


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## Bill_H (Feb 18, 2011)

My small rear one can be opened at just one end, so when hot, I travel with the rear end opened, it helps suck fresh air through the van. Been doing this since I got the van without problem so far.

I could see a potential problem with wind getting under a completely raised one, but with just the rear raised, on-coming wind is deflected up and over it, and this creates suction enough to pull hot stale air up and out.


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

I've just read the instructions that came with our van and they state categorically that side opening windows and roof vents should be closed whilst driving to prevent damage.

Our roof vents, even when closed tight, are designed to allow a certain amount of fresh air through.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I lost a roof light from a caravan.

Didn`t notice until it rained.  

Dave p


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

definitely close them - don't want to lose any :idea:


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

I know what you mean as we have seen a lot with the roof lights open
this week but we wouldnt risk it.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Mine have a manufacturer's sticker on them with various dos and don'ts, one of which is do not travel with them open.


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## Tan-all-over (Jun 26, 2010)

Always close ours. Would never travel with them open. On our Starspirit we have a sliding side window in the rear lounge which we can have open.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

I understand from tattytony that Autotrail have provided through flow of air [and rain] on his closd rooflight on his new model.


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Rosbotham said:


> Mine have a manufacturer's sticker on them with various dos and don'ts, one of which is do not travel with them open.


Same here.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I know how aerofoils work.

Ours stay closed!! 8O 

Dave


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Roof light*

Closed.

Russell


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## aikidomo (Jan 8, 2008)

Close definatley


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## ttcharlie (Nov 29, 2011)

Always closed for me.

It was interesting when travelling back from Devon a few weeks ago in the storms how much the vents were getting buffeted when closed tight.

Cheers


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## keith_c (Feb 8, 2010)

Always closed - when we first collected our first motorhome we were told to ensure that they were always closed when travelling, so that's what we do.


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

Thanks for replying everyone, you have confirmed for me that we are doing right in keeping ours closed, it just got us talking the other day when we saw a few on the move with roof vents open.

Ian and Col


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## donegal5 (Sep 11, 2010)

ive turned the smaller bathroom and kitchen round so that they open sloped toward wind and leave them open in 4 week europe trip every year...never lost one yet. Ive left caravan ones open by accident on long trips and never lost them either


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

I know lots of people put their Omnistore and Fiamma awnings out without strapping them down and never have a problem. As someone who has had one blow over the roof on a beautiful still day in France, despite the legs being pegged, I would never have the awning out without straps.
I guess the same applies to roof vents and travelling with them open.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

colian said:


> . . . . we saw a few on the move with roof vents open. Ian and Col


You see them lying at the side of the motorway every so often.

Those were the ones that were left open - closed and latched ones could never blow off.

'Nuff said for me!! :roll:

Dave


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

My son used the van once when we first got the motor home to take off the family, came home parked it on our drive, "Thanks Dad we had a great time", I went in a couple of weeks later to check everything was OK, there was water all over the sink unit and the carpet was wringing wet.. 

Hmm!.

Looked up no roof light and the other one was still open, obviously he had forgot to close them before travelling, had a good look round and the small window in the over cab bed was missing, that had blown off as well :roll: ..

Bank of Dad to the rescue "Again"..

Travel with everything closed in the habitation area.

ray.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> colian said:
> 
> 
> > . . . . we saw a few on the move with roof vents open. Ian and Col
> ...


We lost one on a caravan when in the S of France.
Definitely checked that it was locked down before we set off.

Have never, will never travel with roof vents open.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

We lost one on a caravan when in the S of France.
Definitely checked that it was locked down before we set off. [/quote]
Hi Gillian

Did the plastic part break away from the frame then?

I guess it happens very occasionally, and there's nothing one can do about that. It does seem sensible however, to minimise the risk by keeping them closed. If you have cab aircon you don't want the windows open anyway.

Dave


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Maybe one's view and the safety or otherwise depends on the rooflight.

I have a 'HEKI 1' which seems to be quite sturdy. 

I have driven with it cranked 10% open at the rear end with no problem.

My feeling is if that is about to part company with the MH what about the wing mirrors? Does one pull them in?

But, if anyone has had a problem with a 'HEKI' please educate me.

Geoff


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

May I draw to the attention of the Hon. Member for Katowice, this earlier post. :wink:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-1253665.html#1253665

Door mirrors don't act like aerofoils. Under certain circumstances a roof light could - though it's unlikely with a front-hinged Heki.

Dave


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Our MH prefers to have the small roof light open (2 handles to pop it open). Once we reach a certain speed, it pops it open by itself - what a noise  First time it happened it scared the life out of me!!!

Now, if we know we are going on the motorway, we open the back edge, which seems to help stream the air through the cab and out. Was a bit cold in winter!!


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Zebedee said:


> May I draw to the attention of the Hon. Member for Katowice, this earlier post. :wink:
> 
> http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-1253665.html#1253665
> 
> ...


OK Dave :wink: here we go

The aerofoil section of a Heiki I, at a negative 'angle of attack' of 10 degrees would in my humble 'Katowice' opinion produce a stall, albeit with some 'form' and 'induced' drag.

Wing mirrors are better configured as aerofoil sections (in a lateral not vertical plane, just like a rudder), and could produce a sideways vector - maybe that is why manufacturers fit counterbalancing left and right pairs?

Of course there is the problem that set at different angles the resultant unbalanced forces could induce a steering problem!

I believe that the EU should look into this problem and I propose that you should be Wing Commander of the Steering Committee and that I should be your 'wing' man, before anybody gets into a 'flap' about this and deploys the euro brakes, to dump the luft out of the whole projectile without a single EUphamism.

Better stop before somebody gets bored - or worse, takes it seriously.

Oh no Arthur? you didn't did you?

Geoff


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