WH wiring.. Staring me in the face? - Page 2

**JohnB** · 12-24-2009, 08:52 PM

Great Job!!!! Now you have got it.

Make sure to leave some milk and cookies next to that fire place when Santa comes into the 5er tonight.

H'mm, where is your chimney? Ho Ho Ho…

Merry Christmas

John

EMD_Driver · 12-24-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Make sure to leave some milk and cookies next to that fire place when Santa comes into the 5er tonight.

H'mm, where is your chimney? Ho Ho Ho…

Merry Christmas

John

Santa will have to "Beam" into the fiver..... Once done, he'll say "Beam me up Rudolph!"

Stan47 · 12-25-2009, 08:16 AM

Gary, I think some of the confusion with the wrecked 299 is that Sunline mis-labeled it as a 2004 model. I am pretty certain that it was ordered off a 2003 brochure (which may be in the binder), and probably built right at the end of that model year's production, since a lot of it was custom. We placed the order through Stoltzfus in early September 2003. The build was finished and the rig delivered to Stoltzfus on 22 or 23 December. The salesman phoned to tell us it was ready, but my schedule did not permit me to pick it up until after Christmas day. The dealership was closed from Christmas to New Year's, and we took delivery on 2 January 2004. One of the first things I noticed was the "04" designation on the VIN sticker, and I never bothered to question when the model year officially changed, or which year's spec was used to build that trailer.

I may have the paperwork from Stoltzfus here, still in my file drawer. Will check and send it to you if so.

Stan

EMD_Driver · 12-25-2009, 09:24 AM

Stan,

Anything made after a certain date, will be the next model year. Our 5th wheel was actually made in February of 2002, but is a 2003 model year Sunline. Usually, the next model year is produced somewhere in the middle of the preceding year.

As far as the WH from the 299 goes... It failed the pressure test, due to a crack in the bottom of the tank. Right in the middle of the seam. We're looking into a new unit now.

Kitty is very unsure about just replacing the tank. She doesn't want to go through all that, just to find out that something else is not working. We'll see what we can come up with..

Gary

**JohnB** · 12-25-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMD_Driver

Stan,

As far as the WH from the 299 goes... It failed the pressure test, due to a crack in the bottom of the tank. Right in the middle of the seam. We're looking into a new unit now.

Kitty is very unsure about just replacing the tank. She doesn't want to go through all that, just to find out that something else is not working. We'll see what we can come up with..

Gary

Bummer... But think if it this way, you are all wired for the new one!

Plus there are still a qty of usable spare parts off the old one.

Glad Santa got out so he can stop in over here....

**JohnB** · 12-25-2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan47

We placed the order through Stoltzfus in early September 2003. The build was finished and the rig delivered to Stoltzfus on 22 or 23 December. The salesman phoned to tell us it was ready, but my schedule did not permit me to pick it up until after Christmas day. The dealership was closed from Christmas to New Year's, and we took delivery on 2 January 2004. One of the first things I noticed was the "04" designation on the VIN sticker, and I never bothered to question when the model year officially changed, or which year's spec was used to build that trailer.

Stan

Hi Stan

To throw in the mix, I happen to have 2, 2004 Sunlines. The T310SR made in Oct, 2003 and a T2499 made in May 2004.

The T310 recieved most all the 2004 design upgrades over the 2003 model year. The T2499 was a little more advanced.

So yours made it into the 2004 upgraded series. Yours was Maple, the 2003 year was Oak was one big difference and there is a bunch of others.

SunlineFan might know what months the model years rolled on and if they where always the same or not.

John

**Sunline Fan** · 12-25-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

SunlineFan might know what months the model years rolled on and if they where always the same or not.

John

Stan,

Yours was not really built to '03 specs. It was built too far into the model year, not to mention the wood differences John pointed out as well as the fabric differences.

The 2004 model year was built from May, 2003 to May, 2004. It was one of the longest model years. The model years did vary on the months produced. Most did May-April or June-May.

Jon

EMD_Driver · 12-25-2009, 11:55 AM

Here's a pic of what I used for the pressure test.. I figured someone might want to see it..

I used the WH piping from the 299, as well as the city water inlet. A short piece of hot water pipe and a plug sealed the deal....

Stan47 · 12-25-2009, 07:51 PM

JohnB and Jon,

Thanx for the model year clarification. It used to be simple in the car business, then they started all these half-year models and early/late introductions. I never bothered learning the system for RVs, assuming all mfrs use the same calendar anyway.

I do know that I sure miss that trailer. I suppose the only way we'll ever afford another unit built exactly to our specs is to buy something second hand and refurbish it. I've got enough workshop space (if I got rid of a couple truckloads of clutter) and the right woodworking equipment. Whether or not I'll have the gumption remains to be seen.

Gary - so sorry to hear about the cracked tank. I understand Kitty's reluctance to replace just the tank without knowing about the gas valve, boards, etc. Perhaps there is a way to make a temporary patch of the crack, good enough to allow you to test the working parts. Assuming you can do it on a bench somewhere, where a catastrophic leak wouldn't damage the 311.

Is there any evidence that the crash caused the crack? Remember, it was leaking badly long before that, and we were running on cold water alone. Just curious.

EMD_Driver · 12-25-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan47

Gary - so sorry to hear about the cracked tank. I understand Kitty's reluctance to replace just the tank without knowing about the gas valve, boards, etc. Perhaps there is a way to make a temporary patch of the crack, good enough to allow you to test the working parts. Assuming you can do it on a bench somewhere, where a catastrophic leak wouldn't damage the 311.

Is there any evidence that the crash caused the crack? Remember, it was leaking badly long before that, and we were running on cold water alone. Just curious.

Stan,

From the looks of the tank and the styrofoam jacket, it had been leaking for quite a while. It also looks like it was the gunk buildup in the tank that kept the leak small, when you had it. The forces of the wreck probably knocked it loose and it was leaking fairly steady this morning.

We ordered a new unit this afternoon, from adventurerv.net. They had the best price for this particular unit. The other places we looked had the MH version of this WH. It included a heat exchanger, that ran engine coolant through it. That way, you would get hot water from the engine and not have to run off the LP while driving.

As far as the rest of the unit goes, I've already started taking it apart. If it were warmer and more dry outside, I would have tested it's operation first. I wouldn't want to try running it on LP in the house. The heating element looks to be in pristine condition and ohm'd out great.

Gary

.

Stan47 · 12-26-2009, 08:30 AM

Aah. I didn't realize that you were forced to do all your work either outdoors or in the house. That explains why you and Kitty were exulting over my garage, in spite of its chaotic state.

That makes me kinda hopeful. If you two can do the rebuilding you do without access to a dedicated workshop, I should be able to do a rebuild, once I make the garage space workable again. The advantage of a work space like mine is that if something frustrates you, it's easy to shut the door and walk away. (i.e. you aren't leaving a mess in the dining room or living room). The disadvantage is that once you have abandoned half a dozen minor projects that way, you end up with what I have right now.

I can't express how much it has helped me to stay in touch with you and Kitty, follow the dismantling of my wreckage, and just generally "stay in the gamme" of RVing. We have not over the years made many friends while traveling. Or I should say we have not maintained the friendships we did make.

On October 2d, our lives changed irreversibly. A lot of the damage cannot be seen on a MRI, or treated medically. I think we have the choice to make this event a sort of re-birth, a new start, or to let it cripple both of us. The camaraderie and support I have found here gives me reason to believe that the "crippling" won't be what happens.

Blessings on all of you--Gary, Kitty, JohnB, Jon, everyone else who has weighed in on our situation, and even those who have just lurked and felt sympathetic towards us.

Stan

EMD_Driver · 12-26-2009, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan47

Aah. I didn't realize that you were forced to do all your work either outdoors or in the house. That explains why you and Kitty were exulting over my garage, in spite of its chaotic state.

That makes me kinda hopeful. If you two can do the rebuilding you do without access to a dedicated workshop, I should be able to do a rebuild, once I make the garage space workable again.
Stan

Stan,

I do have a garage, that used to be the carport for Kitty's T-2499. She had walls put on it for me. Once we went to a bigger camper, the carport was way too small. The floor of it is asphalt, so trying to use a creeper is an exercise in futility. It is, however, wonderful for keeping me out of the weather. I just put a piece of the 299's siding in front of the radiator in my truck, to help it stay warmer. With all the snow and rain we've had, I had to lay in a stream of water, to get it in. Everything in the garage has to be off the floor, or on something.

With your workshop, I think you could do a fantastic rebuild on any RV you want.

Gary

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EMD_Driver · 12-27-2009, 01:35 PM

As promised, here are a couple of pictures of the tank. This first picture shows the crack up close..

This image is a bit blurry, but you can see that water has been sitting on the outside of this tank, for a long time..

Stan47 · 12-27-2009, 04:03 PM

Not surprising. We first had a leakage problem last year, and had Custom Coach work on it prior to the trip to Wyoming. As far as I remember, it worked OK for all of that trip, then started leaking again in the fall. Peg would have to fill in that detail.

I had scheduled it for a re-repair in the spring, then got angry with Custom, thinking they had done a bad repair job, just as they did with the toilet base. So I canceled the appointment and we ran on cold water only. But the wood beneath the tank and the tank, inside the foam jacket, remained wet.

My intention was to pull the heater and check it myself when winterizing this year. When I failed to get to that task all summer, Peg insisted I make arrangements again with Custom Coach. We had an appointment to take it to them straightaway at the end ot the trip to WV, before bringing it home. That appointment ended up being the date of my spine surgery.

Bottom line is that I no longer trust Custom Coach, which means I am just about out of dealers to use for service. Brooks-Ramsey caused more problems than the fixed when they had it, and in any event they are no longer servicing any RV they did not sell, in or out of warranty.

So when we find another RV, I will be on my own as to service work. That in itself may be good reason to switch to a MH. At least the guy who works on our cars has big enough bays to do the drive train work.

MACK C-85 · 12-28-2009, 07:48 AM

Stan:

When you get another rig, I highly recommend:

Quote:

Central Maryland RV Repair

WE COME 2U RV REPAIR

Patrick V. Drum

443-938-2787 (cell)

Owner used to be Service manager for a Balt. Area Sunline dealer and went out on his own. He repacked bearings, inspected roof and brakes, and adjusted our awning. I was pleased with his work, he wasn't overly expensive, and I especially liked the part where I didn't have to move it.

Mack

Good Luck,
Mack

EMD_Driver · 01-02-2010, 04:50 PM

After having the new WH sit on the Fedex truck for three days, I tracked him down and picked it up today!

It didn't sit here for long, because I wanted it installed!

I'm happy to say, that it is now installed and still untested... I may have to wait for some warmer weather... You never know!