Hurricane Hinge: Keeping rain out when hatch is open.

[RootsandShoots]

Foolish me didn't realize an open hatch with a hurricane hinge allows rain into the hinge, which then exits through the other side (inside the trailer) during a downpour.
I'd love to use the open hatch as a sort of canopy in the rain so I'm working on keeping rain from seeping into the open hinge.

I have seen in a few pictures a sort of narrow gasket that runs the length of the hinge to keep water out but wouldn't know where to looks for something like that. ... And if I do, how to keep it secured to the hinge.

Seems this has always been an issue so I'm sure there are plenty if ingenious ways y'all figured to keep the water out!
I'd love to hear them.

[rainjer]

Are you sure you have the hing properly installed? I have camped in lots of rain and mine does not pass water.

[RootsandShoots]

I'm sure about the installation as I've looked at many others and it works great when closed.
When open, the hatch and the roof form a big valley that accepts all the watershed from the trailer. I think when enough water fills the 'valley' and outpaces what can pour off the sides, it flows into the hollow area where the two hinge pieces go together and finishes flowing everywhere we don't want it too.
All my results are via my hose test so far.

[troubleScottie]

A picture or two would be useful. One, there are multiple hurricane hinge designs. Two, how it is installed, especially the edge of the hatch/trailer can determine water flow. Three, the slope of the hatch/roof might have some effect.

So images like edge on of the installed hinge, open and closed; a view perpendicular to the roof at the edge to see overhang, etc. would be nice to see.

[halfdome, Danny]

Is this what your wanting?
Look at the black "D" seal on the left of this picture.

Grant Whipp came up with this idea several years ago.
Just peel the covering off the self stick edge of regular door "D" seal.
When the galley lid is open it seals the open edge of the hurricane hinge preventing water intrusion.
For it to be effective your hurricane hinge needs at least a 1/2" overhang on each side of the teardrop body.

Danny

[troubleScottie]

I was under the impression that the open ends of the hurricane hinge was where the water would drain.



This is the hinge looking in along the axis of the hinge.

The right side of this hinge (red) is closed to water. For most, this is the leading edge of the hinge.
The left side of this hinge (green) has a edge running the entire length of the hinge that water could enter (blue arrow). The blue part of the hinge is the seal that prevents water from entering.

Water would exit the hinge straight out of the page. The 1/2" to 2" extension of the hinge means the water dips away from the side of the trailer.

Your photo has a screw or something in that space. The water will not drain if that is the case. That would explain why water is accumulating. Your solution of putting material into that area does block the water from entering. However, the water will have to drain somewhere. Most likely down the side of the TD.

In addition, if the right and left side stop being concentric circles or the blue part stops following the inner surface of the red part of the hinge, you will have a leak. Since most of these hinges are aluminum, a relatively soft metal, you can get distortions, etc from the forces associated with opening/closing the hatch. One hopes that the length of the hinge will mitigate these distortions.

[Aguyfromohio]

...Your photo has a screw or something in that space. The water will not drain if that is the case. That would explain why water is accumulating. Your solution of putting material into that area does block the water from entering. However, the water will have to drain somewhere. Most likely down the side of the TD.

Hmm. We put a screw there too. These hurricane hinges slide effortlessly along the axis, so the hatch system needs a movement stop to prevent the hatch sliding an inch or two over to one side. Mine slid like that while building in my garage, a level surface. When I closed the hatch I heard an awful crunching snapping noise as the side wall tried to cut through the hatch.
Damage was only superficial, but I sure did put a screw in each end of the hurricane hinge just as shown above. We did not add that big washer shown, just the screw.

We have yet to leak test with hose or natural downpour.

[Esteban]

TCTeardrops.com sells a hurricane hinge with a built-in rain gutter. Email or call them to order one. Information and video demonstration: https://www.facebook.com/TCTeardropsLLC ... 989882868/

Edited to add overlandtrailer.com also sells a Hurricane Hinge with Rain Gutter

[halfdome, Danny]

I was under the impression that the open ends of the hurricane hinge was where the water would drain.



This is the hinge looking in along the axis of the hinge.

The right side of this hinge (red) is closed to water. For most, this is the leading edge of the hinge.
The left side of this hinge (green) has a edge running the entire length of the hinge that water could enter (blue arrow). The blue part of the hinge is the seal that prevents water from entering.

Water would exit the hinge straight out of the page. The 1/2" to 2" extension of the hinge means the water dips away from the side of the trailer.

Your photo has a screw or something in that space. The water will not drain if that is the case. That would explain why water is accumulating. Your solution of putting material into that area does block the water from entering. However, the water will have to drain somewhere. Most likely down the side of the TD.

In addition, if the right and left side stop being concentric circles or the blue part stops following the inner surface of the red part of the hinge, you will have a leak. Since most of these hinges are aluminum, a relatively soft metal, you can get distortions, etc from the forces associated with opening/closing the hatch. One hopes that the length of the hinge will mitigate these distortions.

The screw at the end is to prevent the lid from shifting side to side.
The washer is to get a better grip and the nylon washer is my attempt to seal out highway driven rain, especially near big trucks that produce a torrent of rain.
In a perfect world if the lid was open all the way it may prevent water intrusion, but water will do what it wants to do.
If the teardrop is perfectly level, then rain water might just sit there and eventually find a weak spot to leak into.
I noticed on all the 6 teardrops I've built that if it's just a little bit out of level the rain will puddle and overwhelm what seal was designed into the hinge.
Grant Whipp was a builder (30+ teardrops) and teardrop parts supplier, including hurricane hinges, and he is the one to credit for the simple, but excellent seal solution.
I used that seal on #5 & #6 teardrop & they have not leaked while parked or on the road using Grants seal solution.
Go look at the doors of your car/truck/SUV, it will have at least 2 seals, more than likely because of vibrations and shifting of parts while moving, etc.
I double seal all openings on my teardrops.
Maybe you could produce a photo of the teardrop you built and how you addressed the hurricane hinge problem, I'm willing to learn a new solution.

Esteban, I saw those awhile back on eBay, if I build another teardrop that's the one I'll get.

Danny