SoulPad 4000-lite
™
Instruction Manual.
Version 3, Published Dec 2014. © SoulPad Ltd. 2014
Page
15
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18
Ultraviolet radiation can affect the SoulPad tent’s canvas performance and its water resistant capabilities.
When re-waterproofing your SoulPad tent, look for products that also include UV protection.
Immediate effects of UV can be ‘bleaching’ - a change in colour of the canvas to lighter shades. Compare
your SoulPad canvas fly sheet with the canvas bag it came in. They are made of the same material but it is
likely that the canvas bag has been less exposed to UV. Is there a marked difference in colour? If so, it may
be time to treat your canvas fly sheet. UV can also lead to a reduction in the effectiveness of the
waterproofing and anti-fungal treatments.
All of the components used to produce SoulPads tents have anti-UV treatments and properties but will need
to be monitored carefully and replaced at the first sign of degradation. All the canvas used to produce
SoulPad tents is treated to be water, UV and mould resistant to protect it from dirt, ultraviolet radiation and
fungus. SoulPads can be used straight out of the bag, without any need for treatments prior to use.
However, the treatments will not last forever. Your SoulPads lifespan will depend largely on how well you
replenish these treatments.
Guy lines and slides will eventually need replacing and a common cause for accelerated wear can be due to
UV exposure.
Snow
SoulPads are not winterised tents and as such they are not intended for use in snowy conditions. If for any
reason your SoulPad does find itself in these conditions you must regularly remove the snow from the
canvas surface so that it will not stretch or indeed fail completely by tearing. The SoulPad tents are not
designed to withstand heavy payloads of snow. If left unattended it is likely that the central pole will either fail
completely, or the weight of the snow on the canvas will cause the canvas to fail where it is in contact with
the central pole, causing the central pole to rip through the peak of the roof.
Zips
Zips sometimes endure extreme tensions. These can be caused by wind gusts, improper erections and
adverse pressures caused by people or objects leaning against your SoulPad. Close all zips before erecting,
adjusting or taking down your SoulPad. Handle the zips with care. To protect the zips treat them with
silicones once in a while. If a zip on your erected SoulPad seems strained, play with the tension on the guy
lines or adjust the positioning of the wall loops to find out which adjustment helps the zip to function better.
When a SoulPad is erected incorrectly it can cause the zips to fail.
Re-proofing
This is the process of replenishing the treatments already applied at the point of manufacture. Spotting when
it is time to re-proof can be difficult. A SoulPad tent that has enough proofing agents present will cause the
water on the surface to ‘bead’ after a downpour.
The tent will dry quickly in a breeze or sunlight and it will not fade when exposed to UV. You will literally see
beads of water forming on the outer surface of the canvas. When it is time to re-proof your SoulPad, you will
notice that the water no longer beads, and that the SoulPad retains the moisture in the canvas for longer,
taking longer to dry than before. The colour of the canvas may also have faded. In the worst cases mildew
will start to appear in the form of small irremovable specs.
Reproofing is simple. SoulPad recommends the use of Granger’s Fabsil with UV. A 5 litre container of this is
enough to trea
t even the largest of SoulPads. Please follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when using this
product. In simple terms: add the liquid to a pressurised container and spray onto the outer surface of the
dry SoulPad tent (in fine weather) and allow it to dry. A fine coating is sufficient.
