water entry via rivet joints and gaps

sorry if this is a newbie question, but was unable to find out much information on this topic.

The question is about keeping water out of internal hollow spaces
( wings, horizontal stab, vertical stab, ailerons etc )

Its seems to me water can easily get in via panel joints or edges of these structures.

Im starting an RV-10 build later this year, have purchased the assembly plans going thru them and keeping up with a few other builder logs and video logs out there.

I dont see anyone doing any sealing in these areas ( outside of the fuel tank for the obvious reasons )

I live in a moist climate (coastal Florida) where summer rain showers are intense.

I have come across this: http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/corrosion/faysurf.htm

where it talks about fay sealing

Am I just over thinking this ?
Does anyone have issues with water intrusion into the internal cavities ?

My ( probably unfounded ) fear is heavy rain shower putting several pounds of water into an area that may cause a weight / balance issue while parked, or airflow driven rain entry while in flight.

It’s not really about rain intrusion. There’s surprisingly little, and there are small drain holes called for to prevent significant water weight build up. However, based in FL, you should be concerned about salt-water mist or spray, which of course is much worse than pure water. Many coastal area builders will prime the entire interior. There are also anti-corrosion oily sprays, which seep everywhere (Corrosion X, for example), and can be applied annually.

BobTurner said:

It’s not really about rain intrusion. There’s surprisingly little, and there are small drain holes called for to prevent significant water weight build up. However, based in FL, you should be concerned about salt-water mist or spray, which of course is much worse than pure water. Many coastal area builders will prime the entire interior. There are also anti-corrosion oily sprays, which seep everywhere (Corrosion X, for example), and can be applied annually.

Click to expand...

yes, I am planning on fully priming interior due to the wet salty environment.

Does it make sense to fay seal the end ribs, and panel joining ribs ?
I dont mind the extra work if it would help prevent water from even getting in.

Some people do, and it's effective. It does make repairs or changes significantly more difficult.

If you are going to fay seal, then you either need to avoid priming those areas or use a primer which is compatible with the sealant.

Also, fay sealing adds immense time to the construction process. Seriously.

Dave

Paint...

Paint works well to seal up the edges/overlaps of skins and fill in the edges around holes.

We aren't building submarines.

Florida flyer here

I’ve owned aircraft in Florida for over thirty years. Fog, fog, fog (after you paint the aircraft) and you’ll have no problems.

Airplanes are like houses. You will never be able to totally seal up the structure to prevent water intrusion or condensation. The secret is to allow the water to get out.

In aircraft that may mean drain holes. It's vital to have them because trapped water can freeze and unbalance control surfaces or affect W&B or cause corrosion.

In houses, in my part of the world, the building code has been changed to allow free drainage of any water incursions. The drive to energy conservation in the 1990s caused builders to seal buildings up tight, which led to trapped water, which lead to rot. We are tearing down condos and homes built in the 1990s for this reason and rebuilding them with brand new problems, to be discovered in 20 years.... such as total dependence on electricity (hello Texas!).

I live in coastal Florida and I sealed all the fuselage skin lap joints with type c tank sealant to prevent corrosion, not necessarily to keep water out. It adds time and makes riveting not near as fun, and of course it can get messy quick. It turned out nice but probably wouldn't do it again, well maybe I would.

My plane was built, not by me, with proseal in all the rivet joints. Not sure if it was done to waterproof since it was built in Canada. Best guess by my mechanic, former military mechanic, is that it cuts down on vibrations and makes a slightly stronger joint. I can tell you when I installed the "almost and 14" kit from anti splat it made it pretty tough to take things apart. Had to use a very sharp putty knife to separate the joints after drilling rivets. And it still wasn't easy. Just some insight on repairs or modifications in the future if you seal all the joints.