1996 Sunline Solaris 19.5

[Tate]

Fresh water tank
How do I properly fill the fresh water holding tank on a 1996 Sunline Solaris 19.5’?

I have tried different ways using a food grade water hose with water coming back out the inlet, when the tank is empty, due to what I am assuming is air pressure building up in the tank,, gargling and coming back out.

Any other devices/attachments needed to fill the tank?

[JohnB]

Welcome Tate!

On your 96 camper, is the fresh tank fill spout behind a small key lock door? Just want to make sure we know which vintage you have.

Does it look like this on the outside? See the little door with the sticker on it above the center of the 2 tires.


Does it look inside like this B & B molders Gravity water hatch, just the white and not the black. GRAVITY WATER HATCH – B&B Molders

Regardless of vintage, from a 70's Sunline to a year 2000 Sunline the fresh tank fill system uses the same principals but the hardware has changed over the years.

There are 3 more normal reasons for spit back on filling the fresh tank.

1. The fill hose is too tight to the fill spout. How are you putting the fresh water hose into the fill spout? Do you have a hose piece on the end of the garden hose fitting to shove in the camper spout? Are you holding the hose end tight into the camper fill spout? I know this sounds like a strange question but if you are sealing almost all of the opening off with your fill hose, it will make the water spit back and harder to let water go in.

Some folks use something like this on the end of the hose. Water Tank Filler

I myself just use a short piece of fresh water hose with the brass fitting cut off on one end, screwed onto the normal male end of the hose. Then push the approx 5/8" OD hose into the camper fill hose about 8 top 12 inches in. Buy doing this I do not have to hold the hose through the whole tank fill, my fill hose does not kink, and air can vent out around the fill hose.

2. The air vent to the fresh tank is plugged or kinked and will not allow the tank to vent. I'll take a guess that your 96 camper fill spot looks like what I showed above. If it has the little hinged door cover, with the door open there is the big fill spout with the screw cap on it. Next to it is a small round brass screen. That brass screen is the tank air vent. If the screen is clogged with dirt it is hard for the tank to vent. There is a silicone ring holding the screen in. Pick the ring out and the screen will come out for cleaning.

OR if you look under the camper for the fresh tank if yours is an outside tank, or next to the fresh tank if yours is under a bed etc. inside the camper, there should be a clear 1/2" vent hose that goes up to the fill spout door. If that clear hose looks all black and green inside by the tank, it may be plugged in the vent hose or the vent hose knicked. If so you have to clean that hose out.

3. The 3rd way that spit back happens is the large fill hose in the camper, about 1 1/2" OD, has a routing problem from the fill spout to the tank. If the hose goes down and then back up in a bend before going into the tank it will create a water trap in the fill hose. When the tank gets partly filled, water will spit back waiting for incoming water to work its way through the filled water trap. The only way to fix this, is to reroute the fill hose so gravity will dump all incoming water into the tank with no up and down creating a water trap. I have fixed 2 Sunline campers so far with this issue.

If this does not sound at all what you are seeing, we need some pics of the fill hose method you are using, the fill spout, the vent tube by the fresh tank.

Let us know how you make out and keep asking questions until we can help you get this sorted out. When it works right, the garden hose can be on fill open and the tank should fill venting air by itself until the tank is full to the top.

Hope this helps

John

[Tate]

Thanks John,

My fresh water fill is slightly behind the wheel , between the wheel and rear bumper. I will get some pictures to send you. Tell me more about the air vent tube. Where should it exit the camper?

Thank you,
Tate

[JohnB]

Hi Tate,

By your word description on your fresh water fill, I think I know which floor plan your have. You mentioned you have a 1996 19.5. H'mm, not knowing where you found the 19.5 wording, I am going to assume you have a T-1950 which is a valid model number for a 1996 camper. Is that correct?

On a 1996 T-1950, the fresh water tank should be under the rear bed. Lift up the mattress deck board and under there inside the camper should be your fresh tank. This would meet the wording you used,

My fresh water fill is slightly behind the wheel , between the wheel and rear bumper.

as outside the camper behind the wheel is the fresh tank water fill spout.

Again, assuming I have the right floor plan/model number for you, here are some pictures of my 2004 T-1950 with the water tank, the fresh water fill and the fresh tank air vent line, all under the bed in the back right corner.

This camper is all apart right now for restoration work and the bed is out.

In this pic, there is a green and white striped larger hose that goes into the top of the tank. That is the water fill hose. Right next to it is a smaller, approx 5/8" OD clear hose (the fresh tank air vent line) that is at the "top" of the tank and goes over to the wall next to the green and white striped hose.


Here is a closer pic. There is a white 90 deg elbow fitting going into the tank connection the clear hose.




See if the clear vent line is plugged inside the camper. That vent hose goes out of the camper through the fill door hatch. Again, assuming your 96 has the hatch door which I think it does. Open the fill door and look on the bottom corner for a small brass screen about 5/8" OD. That screen is the air vent tube from inside.

Dirt sometimes clogs the screen. There is a white silicone ring holding the screen in place, using a small screwdriver or a pick of sorts, carefully yank the white ring out and the screen will come out so you can clean it. Keep the ring as you push it back in when putting the screen in.

If you need more to help show what I am talking about, let me know and I can take some pics today and post. The camper is still all apart. And if needed, take pics of yours and post so we can see what you are up against.

Hope this helps.

John

[Tate]

Hello John,

Picture of 1996 Sunline Solaris fresh water fill tank position.BA60DD19-1846-4B07-A6F0-A308C9796DEC.jpg
646C392E-7986-4C69-A265-43CE5C18BDBE.jpg
C201F92E-15F0-4B78-99CE-3BCDA06FDE49.jpg
54975377-3848-4575-B004-31E06E6974FB.jpg]
F0FE08ED-EA92-4327-A82F-F46B5979A04E.jpg

Let me know if these attachments opened.

Thank you,
Tate

[JohnB]

Hi Tate,

Your pictures came through fine. Good job! Now we know exactly what you have. You have the older non hatch door fresh water fill.

Your fresh tank vent hose exits the camper in the small hole on the lower right of your picture. See my red circle on it. I zoomed in on your pic and I can see the brass screen and the silicone ring that holds it in is missing. Not sure if you removed it or it was gone before you acquired the camper. That hose may be clogged with dirt or mold. Try looking inside the camper under the bed for the fresh tank and that hose. It may show you the problem clog.



If this does not solve the issue, take pics of the tank and piping inside and post.

Hope this helps

John

[Tate]

Hello John,

Thank you for the vent hose information! I see what you are referring to and will check the tank and piping under the bed when I get the camper out of storage soon.

I have been trying to figure the fresh water fill out for some time. Very helpful!

Where are you located?

Thank you,
Tate

[JohnB]

Hi Tate,

Glad the water stuff helped. When you get back to the camper, have a look and let us know if you need more.

We are in central Ohio. Northwest Delaware county in the middle of corn and soybean fields. The city of Columbus (state capital) is is just south of us.

[dawnhmedina]

HI John...my name is Dawn and I am a new trailer owner...just bought a 1997 sunline solaris and it seems you might be able to help me
let me know...will wait until you reply to ask

[JohnB]

Hi Dawn,

Welcome, Yes, we can help. Create a new post and ask away any and all questions you have on your new Sunny.

John

[Tate]

Hello John,

I was able to get to the fresh water tank and as you thought, the air vent hose was plugged. After taking out, cleaning and re-installing it is working fine. Thank you!

I did find a small water leak under the bed that needs repaired. Should be fixed and ready to take camping this weekend.

Thank you,
Tate

[JohnB]

Hi Tate

Glad it all worked out good. Thanks for reporting back.

Have a good time camping.


John