windsheild seal question

[Joepthepilot]

I have noticed that there is no seal where the windshield meets the cowling. So rain would run down my windsheild,down behind my panel and onto the copit floor. My question is has anyone tried to seal the windshield? Any suggestions?

[Dave S]

Hi Joe,

Well, haven't had a lot pf trouble with rain drooling anywhere back here in Minnesnowta lately - has something to do with the temp, I guess <grin>.

This is one of those things where I am sure there are at least a dozen or more ways to deal with it. I thought about water leakage at this seam on my series 7 also; and, decided to lay a bead of silicon on the seam to minimize any potential leakage - also provides a little vibration dampening/abrasion protection between the fiberglass of the cowl and the windshield.

One's method may depends on if a person has an aircraft with the separate boot cowl that doesn't routinely come off (as with the series 7) or a model where the upper cowl is one piece and removable all the way back to the windshield (like the V ) in that case, a person might not want to stick the windshield and cowl together quite so well.

I have seen other aircraft, not necessarily Kitfox, where the solution was a strategically placed strip of vinyl electrical tape of the right color lapped over the edge of the windshield and over the edge of the boot cowl - cheap and easily replaceable.

I tried to think up some high tech, expensive solutions to this for my plane; but, couldn't come up with any.

Sincerely,

Dave S
Kitfox 7 Trigear
912 ULS Warp drive
Testing completed...

[airlina]

Joe, On my Series 5 , I do not have the boot cowl and the whole top of my cowl comes off . This leads to the sealing problem that you addressed. In an effort to seal this gap, I taped waxed paper to the windshield in the area where the cowl meets the windshield. I then put a thick bead of RTV silcone caulk on the upper cowl flange then attached the cowl.(must be done carefully) The RTV "squishes" to fill the gap and excess is smoothed out with a finger to make it pretty (like caulking your bathtub.) When dry you have a built in silicone seal on the cowl flange. Works pretty good but is not totally leak proof. I have found that every time I remove the upper cowl it will never go back on exactly as the time before, so the seal is not perfectly tight. If I am leaving the plane outside when rain is expected, I use the electric tape trick described by Dave . Bruce Lina N199CL

[Joepthepilot]

Thanks for the ideas guys. Joe

[n85ae]

3M makes a really nice Polyethylene tape, that the glider guys use for
gap seals. Leave no residue, and sticks really well. That's what I have
put on during the drizzly periods. I can't recall the PN offhand, but you
can get it from some of the online sailplane suppliers. MUCH better stuff
than Vinyl electrical tape.

Jeff

[Mark]

Joe,
I installed my boot cowl with screws instead of rivets so it would be easily removable. Where the boot cowl meets the windshield, I laid a piece of foam weather strip (same as the windsheild weather strip on the butt ribs) on the boot cowl to seal it off. No drips, seals nicely.

[Skybolt]

I have noticed that there is no seal where the windshield meets the cowling. So rain would run down my windsheild,down behind my panel and onto the copit floor. My question is has anyone tried to seal the windshield? Any suggestions?

Joe.
I used the P strip P/N 05-01200 It is white color.

You will find it, below:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/epdm.php


You can also get it from Home Depot; M-D building products, Door & Window Premium Weatherseal 7/32" thick and 3/8" wide.

I first drew a line on the windshield, using the cowl in place. (felt tip pen)
Remove the cowl and stick on the P strip to the window (top of the P to the drawn line)
This acts as a gutter letting the water run off to the sides, The engine cowling compresses the P a little.

Hope this helps.
Eric.

A picture of the white P weatherseal between the windshield and cowling: