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Sliding window flyscreens in the rain

A

AlistairC

Lifetime VIP Member
Messages
70
Location
South
Vehicle
T5 SE 174
We were out in some moderately heavy rain last night - the pop top was wrapped and it was all getting a bit hot and sticky inside.

To increase ventilation our only option was the Flyscreen in the side sliding windows.

It strikes me that you don’t really have any security at that point ( screens can just be slid away) and the likelihood of water ingress is pretty much a certainty… but we were pleasantly surprised to have remained fairly dry in the van with nothing below the sink!

Anyone else used flyscreens in the rain / heavy rain?
 
AlistairC said:
We were out in some moderately heavy rain last night - the pop top was wrapped and it was all getting a bit hot and sticky inside.

To increase ventilation our only option was the Flyscreen in the side sliding windows.

It strikes me that you don’t really have any security at that point ( screens can just be slid away) and the likelihood of water ingress is pretty much a certainty… but we were pleasantly surprised to have remained fairly dry in the van with nothing below the sink!

Anyone else used flyscreens in the rain / heavy rain?
Click to expand...
Frequently, but have a rain guard that is a sheet of rigid but flexible clear plastic that clips in the C rail above and bent down secured with 2 suckers on short cords at the base. My copy of this.

BRANDRUP - AIRSCREEN ®

www.brandrup.de www.brandrup.de
 
chockswahay said:
That's awesome @WelshGas! Were the bits easy to get hold of/assemble?
Click to expand...
Sheet of thin Acrylic from eBay.
Some Nylon cord, Duck Tape and 2 Suction Disks. Lay some cord across 1 end of the sheet and secure with Duck Tape. Makes it thick enough to go in the Awning Rail slot, and hold.

Other end, same but with a longer length of cord secured with tape.

Cut ends to suitable length and attach to Suction Disks. Voila, Cheaper, a lot cheaper, than the Brandrup offering and can be made larger to give more protection.

Made mine in 2017, still going strong.
 
WelshGas said:
Made mine in 2017, still going strong.
Click to expand...
Lovely. Really don’t want yet another accessory to lug round, but this does seem an essential! Why make a fly screen which then leavers you completely open to the rain?!
 
AlistairC said:
We were out in some moderately heavy rain last night - the pop top was wrapped and it was all getting a bit hot and sticky inside.

To increase ventilation our only option was the Flyscreen in the side sliding windows.

It strikes me that you don’t really have any security at that point ( screens can just be slid away) and the likelihood of water ingress is pretty much a certainty… but we were pleasantly surprised to have remained fairly dry in the van with nothing below the sink!

Anyone else used flyscreens in the rain / heavy rain?
Click to expand...
Used them recently in continental downpour. I'm sure you know the windows still slide with the screens in place so we reduced the gap. That obviously reduces air circulation somewhat, but we found it left enough ventilation and we felt secure enough (valuables out of arms reach just in case).
 
Anyone using ventilate mode in these instances (rain, security risks, etc.)?
 
WelshGas said:
Sheet of thin Acrylic from eBay.
Some Nylon cord, Duck Tape and 2 Suction Disks. Lay some cord across 1 end of the sheet and secure with Duck Tape. Makes it thick enough to go in the Awning Rail slot, and hold.

Other end, same but with a longer length of cord secured with tape.

Cut ends to suitable length and attach to Suction Disks. Voila, Cheaper, a lot cheaper, than the Brandrup offering and can be made larger to give more protection.

Made mine in 2017, still going strong.
Click to expand...
Air screen design good with fly screens, Did fairly much the same as @WelshGas but with thin polycarbonate as it has been impact resistant over acrylic, its used in machine guards and bus shelters, about £20 ish still going strong after 3 yrs of use if a little scratched now !
 
WelshGas said:
Sheet of thin Acrylic from eBay.
Some Nylon cord, Duck Tape and 2 Suction Disks. Lay some cord across 1 end of the sheet and secure with Duck Tape. Makes it thick enough to go in the Awning Rail slot, and hold.

Other end, same but with a longer length of cord secured with tape.

Cut ends to suitable length and attach to Suction Disks. Voila, Cheaper, a lot cheaper, than the Brandrup offering and can be made larger to give more protection.

Made mine in 2017, still going strong.
Click to expand...
What size is your acrylic and what did you use to attach the suction disks?
 
Think this thread could deffo be a contender for Best DIY gadget :thumb I'm watching with interest (might even enter myself :))
 
If the window is slid to a nearly closed position and locked into one of the slots, you're not going to be able to open it from the outside even if you do get the flyscreen out. I like the rainscreen idea - we had this issue recently as it was warm, humid but raining - I have a sheet of perspex (I think) knocking about in the garage so will investigate. I assume it can't be done on the awning side as I assume the awning obscures the channel?
 
RockinNRollin said:
If the window is slid to a nearly closed position and locked into one of the slots, you're not going to be able to open it from the outside even if you do get the flyscreen out. I like the rainscreen idea - we had this issue recently as it was warm, humid but raining - I have a sheet of perspex (I think) knocking about in the garage so will investigate. I assume it can't be done on the awning side as I assume the awning obscures the channel?
Click to expand...
Correct.
 
I’m almost certainly going to order a California in early September. Do they still come with the fly screens ? I heard they had stopped coming as standard.
 
ParachuteWoman said:
I’m almost certainly going to order a California in early September. Do they still come with the fly screens ? I heard they had stopped coming as standard.
Click to expand...
Mine did - April 23 build date delivered in late July.
 
ParachuteWoman said:
I’m almost certainly going to order a California in early September. Do they still come with the fly screens ? I heard they had stopped coming as standard.
Click to expand...
Even if they have stopped 3rd parties make fly/midge screens.
 
This is the my version of handy rain deflector. I’ve used it a lot because I often sleep downstairs without the roof up, so it’s vital for good ventilation on a wet night.

The 4 suckers stick well to the glass. They also allow it to be used on either left or right side because you don’t need to access the roof rail. This is the second one I’ve made, the first lasted a year or so but the acrylic split. Next time it breaks I’ll try polycarbonate rather than cheap acrylic as post #9- thanks for the tip Phillip TIMG_3036.jpegPhillip T
 
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