Tony Jones Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Am I just heavy-handed, or is the mechanism of the internal frame of these things particularly fragile? After five trouble-free years, I've had the same issue twice now. The internal frame of a Mini-Heki includes the corrugated blind & flyscreen, each of which you just pull across manually. There's a system of four strings inside the frame which keeps everything smooth and even. I heard a crack while operating it, and found one of these strings hanging loose, diagonally across the opening. The internal frame is just clipped in place, so I popped it off to have a look. Turns out each string is kept in place by two plastic tabs, which are moulded as part of the leading bars of the blind and flyscreen. It was one of these tabs which had broken off. In spite of the frame having numerous removable moving parts, turns out you can only buy the whole frame, so I couldn't buy a replacement for the actual broken bit. So I started looking for a way to "fix" it. Sure enough, I found a place where I could run a piece of wire round the plastic bar, to anchor the string exactly where the plastic tab used to hold it. Clipped the frame back in place, and Bob's your uncle. A little while later the same thing happened again. at first, i assumed my repair hadn't been so wonderful after all, but when I removed the frame again I found my bit of wire still in place and doing its job. It was another plastic tab, off another corner, which had broken! So today I've doen the same fix on that second corner, and all seems fine again. Call me a cheapskate, but I resent being asked to pay out for a whole expensive bit of kit just because the manufacturers choose not to sell parts separately. If anyone has the same problem, and wants a more detailed description, PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Tony How about letting the manufacturer know? It may be that they have modified this now? i am not sujesting that you "complain" as such. You never know , they may offer something??? I am sure you are very diplomatic, How about using your headed note paper, they may think your "boss" will be looking down them we have a Hiki , and have changed the sliding blinds, due to wear, they cost about £200 but it is a big one.so I can imagine the whole thing being pricey PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted November 11, 2013 Author Share Posted November 11, 2013 Hmmm ... hadn't thought of that Pauline. I may give it a whirl. We've got the big Heki as well - brilliant bit of kit, lets loads of daylight into the main living area - AND unless we're parked next to a block of flats we can open the blind first thing in the morning, even before we're "decent!" When the blind is shut though, it looks like the night sky now because of all the pinpricks caused by bits of grit etc getting rolled up in it over the last 5 years. We've thought about replacing the blind but assumed it'd be pricey. Seems we were right! The Mini-Heki is over the kitchen area, and both the blind and flyscreen fold up concertina-style - a generally more basic design than the big one (except for this complicated network of strings hidden in the frame!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Tony That is why we changed ours, because of the grit making holes, but we also changed the mesh at the same time. We now make sure we keep it clean before rolling up, and OH has sealed the frame closer to the roof, to help stop stuff getting in. I guess over the years it had moved , seemed better this year Our van is 7 years old., and spends most of the time in the sun.We still have the old one, may be useful for patching. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmbrooke Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Hi tony I have read your post on repair of mini heki with wire loop I have same problem but both sides have gone So has I have taken it apart I have two loose strings and not much of an idea how they reassemble Could you please describe where the wire should go to retain the strings I don't suppose you have a photo graph of the assemble dinners as you repaired it If I could work out how the string went I could do as you have done Thanks in advance and am still trying and praying for help Was brought up Methodist but now pray in the Roman Catholic Religion but the same God as before LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granddad Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Malcolmbrooke - 2015-08-16 11:39 AM same here broken strings it would be nice if you could pic on as well tony thx Hi tony I have read your post on repair of mini heki with wire loop I have same problem but both sides have gone So has I have taken it apart I have two loose strings and not much of an idea how they reassemble Could you please describe where the wire should go to retain the strings I don't suppose you have a photo graph of the assemble dinners as you repaired it If I could work out how the string went I could do as you have done Thanks in advance and am still trying and praying for help Was brought up Methodist but now pray in the Roman Catholic Religion but the same God as before LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevina Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Wow, there's a whole load of us needing to fix these things! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 A starting point? http://www.leisurespares.co.uk/files/repair_mini-hekiplus.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Discussion about repairing a Mini-Heki Plus (the version with pleated blind and flyscreen) can also be found here http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/forum/tech/637-mini-heki-diy-repair http://tinyurl.com/p25a6yw I notice that Tony Jones’s most recent logon to this forum was in June 2015, so the best way to contact him about the DIY repair would probably be via the Practical Motorhomes forum where he is a (the?) Moderator. As far as I can see Tony’s description in his original posting should be adequate for anyone with the same problem to make the same type of repair. Basically, he substitutes the broken off plastic ’tab’ with a piece of wire looped round the blind (or flyscreen) ‘bar’ and reattaches the end of the string to the wire. There seems to be no Dometic information about the strings and (to the best of my knowledge) spare strings are not available for the Mini Heki. It would appear that Dometic expects any significant problem with the section a Mini Heki that’s within a leisure-vehicle’s living area to be solved by replacing the rooflight’s complete inner frame including the blinds. http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/ventilation/product_36116/complete_inner_frame_for_mini-heki_and_mini-heki_plus_-_cream.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 A brief follow-up... The Mini-Heki Plus fitted to my 2015 Rapido does not have ‘strings’. The inner frame has a quite thick solid metal wire on each side and the pleated blind and flyscreen slide on these wires. It’s a much sturdier arrangement and should last indefinitely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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