Entry Door Glass

[waterskier_1]

A couple years ago I went through this exact thing.  I read up on disassembling, clean/polishing, reassembling with descant, and reinstalling.  From what I read, my windows were beyond cleaning/polishing.  They had been fogged and streaked for over a year.  So, I went to my local, competent, auto glass company and asked them.  They told me they would remove my window, patch it with plastic so I could drive it home, take the window apart, measure and cut the two panes of glass, but they would have to send the panes out for tempering.  They did not have the requisite oven in house to temper glass.  That took almost 2 weeks counting shipping back and forth.  Then they reassembled the window with new seals and called me to bring the coach back.  The then reinstalled the window.  Total cost about 2 years ago was just under $250.  

I shudder when I hear people replacing their windows with plain glass that was cut on site at a campground, and not tempered.  I'm not intimately familiar with Laminated glass, such as to know if you can purchase a sheet of it, and then cut it on site, and the integrity of the glass remains.  All Auto glass must be laminated (usually the windshield) or tempered, whether it's single or double pane.  That is so when the glass breaks, it is either held together by the plastic film (laminated) or it crumbles in small pieces.  You don't want shards of glass cutting you when the window breaks.    

[Ivan K]

1 hour ago, miacasa_2000 said:

Ivan

Would you be interested with sharing more detailed instructions on how you did it and what you used for polishing ? How you keep moisture out ? Make the black outer seal ? In 2013 I replaced like you my driver side and my door glass. I called Atwood they had all the specs on file and I had them just send the glass. So I have experience in taking the windows out and separating from frame etc. My new door glass started to fog in a year and drivers slide window shortly after that. They are almost to the point that made me want to do it the first time but after such a short life of clear glass I've been reluctant but would attempt it myself. Only drawback I see is if the glass won't polish out I might be stuck putting the fogged one back in.

Roy, as you see, there are different opinions, your choice which way to go. Here is my way...

My windows originally had aluminum spacer filled with desiccant granules, obviously depleted after years of humid air between the panes. The huge driver side window was the worst. At the beginning of trouble, I drilled small holes through the weep holes and between the panes to insert tubing to the top and bottom and filled the space with alcohol to clean the inside and it worked for a season. Just a desperate temporary fix before a trip, futile in long term.

Anyway, you have to be the judge as far as how bad the etching is on the inside. Jeff mentioned CLR to remove the scale and it never crossed my mind at that time, he certainly knows much more what he is talking about. I used 3M micropolishing compound with an air buffer which is normally used for clear coat cutting. Final cleaning with "Invisible glass" from a spray can to make is super clean. If the compound wasn't enough, there are more aggressive methods like one sold by Eastwood to restore scratched windshields on classic cars where replacement is not possible. I have not used it.

The spacer I posted earlier is really a pleasure to work with. It can be shaped any way you want to and it sticks to the bottom glass until you are ready to close it up. Only the outer glass is tinted so put it on the correct side. AND, it contains desiccant so it isn't just a dumb spacer as some might think. Obviously, you assemble it in a climate controlled room and keep the rest of the spacer in its aluminized bag. There is a PDF with tech specs on that site. To do the final sealing, I used the recommended sealant, in pic above. It cured overnight. Almost 4 tubes for 4 windows and would recommend getting their Sealant Guide attachment of proper size to make it nice and consistent all around the edge. My spacer was 3/16 thick. I use air operated caulk gun, set at 5PSI. Makes it easier with big windows but not necessary.

Good luck which ever way you decide. For me, I have all the tools you would expect in a full service auto restoration shop so it was a no brainer to do it myself. Besides, I have other hobbies to spend money on.

[miacasa_2000]

Thank you Ivan

You gave me food for thought. Right now I'm chasing down issues with onboard (air level) compressor but next I will look into at least the door window. I've been in construction my entire life and work on cars and engines also since a boy something about doing it yourself and the satisfaction you get still makes me want to tackle projects like these.

[powersltc]

Yes.  I have an issue with the air leveling system also.   I purchased a new touch pad, plugged it in and nothing lights up. 

Ron P. 

2004 Monaco Executive 

 

If anyone have an idea/suggestions about air leveling,  please share.   New touch pad.   No lights,  nothing. 

[Ivan K]

1 hour ago, powersltc said:

Yes.  I have an issue with the air leveling system also.   I purchased a new touch pad, plugged it in and nothing lights up. 

Ron P. 

2004 Monaco Executive 

 

If anyone have an idea/suggestions about air leveling,  please share.   New touch pad.   No lights,  nothing. 

This would probably deserve a new post but as a quick pointer, I would check its fuse in FRB and then the other end of your touchpad cable at the controller. Mine is in a storage bay ceiling right behind fuel tank, passenger side and when you open it (aluminum box), you should see some LEDs lit. The cable likes to shake off of its connector.

[Jeff H]

5 hours ago, waterskier_1 said:

A couple years ago I went through this exact thing.  I read up on disassembling, clean/polishing, reassembling with descant, and reinstalling.  From what I read, my windows were beyond cleaning/polishing.  They had been fogged and streaked for over a year.  So, I went to my local, competent, auto glass company and asked them.  They told me they would remove my window, patch it with plastic so I could drive it home, take the window apart, measure and cut the two panes of glass, but they would have to send the panes out for tempering.  They did not have the requisite oven in house to temper glass.  That took almost 2 weeks counting shipping back and forth.  Then they reassembled the window with new seals and called me to bring the coach back.  The then reinstalled the window.  Total cost about 2 years ago was just under $250.  

I shudder when I hear people replacing their windows with plain glass that was cut on site at a campground, and not tempered.  I'm not intimately familiar with Laminated glass, such as to know if you can purchase a sheet of it, and then cut it on site, and the integrity of the glass remains.  All Auto glass must be laminated (usually the windshield) or tempered, whether it's single or double pane.  That is so when the glass breaks, it is either held together by the plastic film (laminated) or it crumbles in small pieces.  You don't want shards of glass cutting you when the window breaks.    

Yes you can cut laminated on site.  you have to scre and break one side, flip it over and repeat, then use a torch or methyl alcohol to soften and and melt the interlayer.

 

[astgerma]

On 8/20/2020 at 12:01 PM, Bobsteid said:

We have a guy here in Massachusetts that does a great job cleaning and revealing

Cost per hour of how long to clean

I had drivers side and door done for $700

Does this guy have a name and town ???

[WayneC]

I just Ordered entry door glass for my 2000 signature from RV Glass Solutions by coach glass, I believe they are in the original Monaco plant in Coburg Oregon, $ 420.00 included template, cutting and shipping Grand Portage Minnesota,  going to pick it up and install once the borders RE open,

Very happy with the professional customer service. 

Wayne

2000 signature Caesar 

[Eric M]

if its glass, couldn't you just clean, and wipe it down? unless damage has happened

im a cheapskate, so thats why i ask

 

[WayneC]

Eric

I would read through all the other posts carefully and then make my decision,that's what I did Months back and then made the decision to go with coach glass, will never have to take the window out again unless it is smashed out.I do not need the original window anymore, I do not travel with my coach in extreme temperature's, that why mine leaked, traveled from pan handle /Yuma Arizona to Canada - 23 Celsius / - 10 f No problem staying in it overnight with generator/ aqua hot and engine heat on but those days are over.

Older / Wiser

Wayne

Monaco signature Caesar 

[Eric M]

Thank you for your opinion.  What i am not understanding out of all this is the "foggy glass" unless it is a dual layer glass with gel/plastic inbetween for thermal control and that gel/plastic became discolored.  Then, the post spins around and talking about leveling jacks. 

I'll keep my opinions to myself. And, if this happens to me, i will then reach out. 

[Dr4Film]

My dual pane windows are not "foggy". However you can definitely see a stain in between the two clear panes of glass because the seal has been compromised. When this happens then it is difficult to see clearly through the windows. There is no gel/plastic in-between those two panes of glass that I know of.

However, here is an explanation of how the laminated glass that RV Glass Solutions manufactures is put together.

"The laminated glass RV Glass Solutions uses is the same found in the automotive industry, where a thin layer of either polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) is sandwiched between two thicker sheets of glass bonded together by heat under high pressure to form one single piece."

[WayneC]

Excellent explanation! 

Imagine trying to take apart the two panes of glass in your house, cleaning them and put them back together, I had a window/door installation business, once the seal is compromised off to the dump or give away for a green house

[Tom Cherry]

1 hour ago, wayne.cerven@gmail.com said:

Excellent explanation! 

Imagine trying to take apart the two panes of glass in your house, cleaning them and put them back together, I had a window/door installation business, once the seal is compromised off to the dump or give away for a green house

OK....to get it back on track....

The Atwood tempered glass windows were not "Energy Efficient" windows that were factory made with an inert gas as the inner layer.  They were just two panes of tinted and tempered glass with "air" between them and then had a "factory" applied silicone or RTV sealant.  They were SUPPOSED to be sealed.  But they were not anything special.  Atwood merely purchased the completed panes from their glass supplier, fabricated the frames or purchased them  and then assembled them.  The "home style" energy efficient windows have (generically) two panes and an inert gas and are sealed and are contained or in a metal frame.  This ain't them.

The RV-Glass and others are supplying a special piece of windshield glass (two panes with a plastic laminate inside).  If you have ever been through an automotive "float glass" factory (PPG had one), then that is it.  They appear NOW to have some tinting options not available in 2018 so that they can better match the RV's OEM glass.

They use you old glass (or maybe the frame) as a template and cut and grind and fit the new one and reassemble (if you go to them) the window.  They do NOT disassemble and clean and reuse your glass (or they did not, again, in 2018)

The glass shops or the DIY technique is used when the original tempered tinted glass panes (supplied to Atwood) start to fail and you get moisture or condensation inside them.  That entails disassembly and removing the sealer/adhesive and cleaning the glass and then spacing them and putting a new bead or seal around the edges.  

All THREE work.  There is no magic bullet.  BUT, there is not, with the older or maybe our style of windows, (the newer RV's are different) a place where you can just order a piece of stock glass.  YES, with a home window, then most shops will order a "Factory Replacement".  That has its own frame and then you reinstall it in your frame (sash?).  Atwood comes the closest to doing that as they can get the exact panels cut and tempered and sealed (fabricated) from a supplier.

Yes, folks will debate Tempered vs Windshield.  In my venacular....and having had TWO tempered failures....when you "impact" (rock or bb or gravel) a piece of tempered glass.  It SHATTERS.  It keeps it's structural integrity....think a jig saw puzzle with over 10,000 pieces the size....think 1/64" diameter.  In my Camelot's case....there was a hole in the lower corner (you could see the "mark" of the entry.  BUT, the whole window was intact and crazed.  That did not last long.  You have to DO NOTHING except start using several layers of clear (or duct) tape to keep it from totally shattering.  MANY folks do that.  They just knock it out and put in a piece of plexiglass or plywood and tape it in place.  I chose NOT to do that.  I did not want the risk of an interior shatter and putting 10,000 pieces of glass shards.  I was able to laminate or tape and then keep doing that and added aluminum staves and drive at highway speeds from Seattle to Elkhart and NOT the most direct route and stay on schedule.

If you have the RV Glass Solutions windshield glass, it acts like just that.  A small hole might appear.  You MIGHT get a crack.  It depends.  

Personal opinion and appearance and availability are what drives the solution.....there are three.....That recaps it.  

YES....we need to stay on track.  This has wandered, but folks need to read and understand what was stated by knowledgeable folks many post ago.  It would help if folks also reviewed the past posts and such before they jump in or comment.  Much of the past several are rehashes or misunderstanding from not skimming the past posts....THANKS....

Let focus on that....

[Jeff H]

On 8/24/2020 at 12:59 PM, Eric M said:

Thank you for your opinion.  What i am not understanding out of all this is the "foggy glass" unless it is a dual layer glass with gel/plastic inbetween for thermal control and that gel/plastic became discolored.  Then, the post spins around and talking about leveling jacks. 

I'll keep my opinions to myself. And, if this happens to me, i will then reach out. 

Eric if you catch it soon enough the glass can be reused.  Every time the condensation appears between the panes and then evaporates, whatever minerals were in the water remain on the glass (like hard water stains).  The longer it is left the harder it is to clean,  At some point it becomes impossible.

[Steven P]

My door glass was fogged.  I pulled it out with the window frame and took it to a local glass shop.  $135 for them to replace the glass with tempered dual pane. Then I reinstalled it.  They did have a setback bc the first order didn't fit right and then second pane had fingerprints on the inside.  The third time they got it right.  Luckily my coach was in enclosed storage during those approx 4 to 6 weeks. 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Steven P