I have an roof mounted Unity spotlight mounted to my roof . it leaks . when it rains I have water dripping off the handle inside the cab . I have had to unplug the power so the light doesn't short out . its a series 6" I believe. I bought it New old stock a year or so . I guess I'm wondering how to seal the shaft to stop it from leaking .
unity spotlight leaking
- Thread starter sf38a1
- Start date
Sounds like an install issue. Has it always leaked since it was installed? Unity also makes replacement gaskets/seals which it may need. However if the roof was damaged during install a gasket may not fix this issue (eg: leaking on the outside of the hardware).
Pics of the install and or current pics may be of assistance if you are able to pull it apart at all.
This link may be of assistance for parts: http://www.unityusa.com/Rooflight-Parts_c_2197.html
Pics of the install and or current pics may be of assistance if you are able to pull it apart at all.
This link may be of assistance for parts: http://www.unityusa.com/Rooflight-Parts_c_2197.html
Yes pictures are worth a thousand words . I will post some pics tomorrow . Yes it has leaked since it was installed . I'm sure it is an install issue . I just don't know what prevents the rain from entering the unit where it passes thru the body .
Have the instructions or can you provide the exact model number? It's easy to look for the install literature on the unity website if you have the exact model #
You sure its only been installed for a year now? Looks way older than that.
Regardless, from those photos the gasket appears to be cracked in multiple places, that is likely one (or the only) cause of the water getting in.
Regardless, from those photos the gasket appears to be cracked in multiple places, that is likely one (or the only) cause of the water getting in.
the mount was put on in 2010, when I completely rebuilt the truck. The first light I installed ,I built from parts of other light I had . I had to disconnect when water filled up the switch housing while on the road ,in a heavy rain . I replaced the whole unit last year with a NOS I found on ebay . When I installed the mount in 2010 , I used marine grade caulk,and bolted the mount to the body. My concern is what stops the water from traveling down the shaft and into the interior. There is nothing more that a bushing , which Ive tried to grease, to stop it from leaking . Ive run out of ideas , short of removing the unit all together . and sealing up the hole . or just putting a dummy light there .
Okay.. This makes a little more sense. First you said it was NOS installed last year now you are saying the mount was installed in 2010.
Any gasket is going to degrade over time, along with rubber. The metal mount may of corroded and or rusted internally as well over the years. My best suggestion is to follow the manufactures installation instructions to the letter (without adding anything) and purchase a new gasket, O ring and bushing at the very least. That should fix your water issues. I can almost guarantee you water is leaking through that cracked gasket if not more places. Also the caulking and grease you have added may be causing issues as well.
If the unity rep does not reply to this thread in the next few days I'd suggest calling the companies customer service and explaining you have a 7 year old rooflight which is leaking water into the cab and the steps you have taken during the install and attempts at repair. They will be able to better direct you to which parts should be replaced.
Any gasket is going to degrade over time, along with rubber. The metal mount may of corroded and or rusted internally as well over the years. My best suggestion is to follow the manufactures installation instructions to the letter (without adding anything) and purchase a new gasket, O ring and bushing at the very least. That should fix your water issues. I can almost guarantee you water is leaking through that cracked gasket if not more places. Also the caulking and grease you have added may be causing issues as well.
If the unity rep does not reply to this thread in the next few days I'd suggest calling the companies customer service and explaining you have a 7 year old rooflight which is leaking water into the cab and the steps you have taken during the install and attempts at repair. They will be able to better direct you to which parts should be replaced.
thanks , I don't remember an O ring ,on installation . that might be the problem . I will have to find the roof mount instructions to see where it goes .
Your model of roof light according to info you provided: http://www.unityusa.com/U250-Series-5-Rooflight-H1_p_1818.html
THE BEAM® 5" dia. Rooflight chrome plated, with 'O' ring, leak-proof design, comes complete with a universal mounting bracket, template, and installation instructions. THE BEAM® Rooflights feature 360 continuous vertical rotation and 180 horizontal adjustment.
THE BEAM® 5" dia. Rooflight chrome plated, with 'O' ring, leak-proof design, comes complete with a universal mounting bracket, template, and installation instructions. THE BEAM® Rooflights feature 360 continuous vertical rotation and 180 horizontal adjustment.
Today I pulled the shaft out , I reset the bushing ,and installed an O ring . and reassembled . Hopefully this will fix the problem . taking the mount off to replace the gasket isn't an option at this time . I will have to remove an inner panel that is pop riveted to get to the backside of the bracket . the bracket was bolted on when I had the front cowling off for repairs ,when I was restoring the ambulance . not an easy feat. .
UnityUSA
New Member
Sorry didn't get to this sooner, been out of office.
First off is the light actually a rooflight or just a spotlight installed as a rooflight. From the pictures the shaft appears to be too long for a rooflight and the leak hole that should be at the bottom of the shell is on the side. Since this is H1 if the Unity tag on the head of the light is on the side of the light, this is most likely a spotlight not a rooflight. Post mount style spotlights should not be used as rooflights. I know they look the same, but they are different. Rooflights have extra seals in the light to prevent leaking and have different rotation.
If it is a rooflight below are links to installation instructions and our troubleshooting guide for leaking
Install:
https://unityusa.3dcartstores.com/assets/images/2919RooflightBracketInstallationInstructions.pdf
Leaking:
http://www.unityusa.com/assets/images/T9601RooflightLeakage.pdf
First off is the light actually a rooflight or just a spotlight installed as a rooflight. From the pictures the shaft appears to be too long for a rooflight and the leak hole that should be at the bottom of the shell is on the side. Since this is H1 if the Unity tag on the head of the light is on the side of the light, this is most likely a spotlight not a rooflight. Post mount style spotlights should not be used as rooflights. I know they look the same, but they are different. Rooflights have extra seals in the light to prevent leaking and have different rotation.
If it is a rooflight below are links to installation instructions and our troubleshooting guide for leaking
Install:
https://unityusa.3dcartstores.com/assets/images/2919RooflightBracketInstallationInstructions.pdf
Leaking:
http://www.unityusa.com/assets/images/T9601RooflightLeakage.pdf
yes you are correct it is a spotlight . Since this post I have invested in a new roof light ,including mounting bracket and hardware. looking over the unit, it is a lot different . thanks for your help . Unity is a high quality product , and your technical assistance proves that its a company that cares about its customers .
UnityUSA
New Member
You're welcome. Glad we were able to work out the issue. We always love to hear that our customers our happy with our products! If you need any additional information, please let us know.