can't contact Sunline

[timj]

I've had an electrical problem with my Solaris since it was new. The dealer in Annapolis MD was worse than useless. Last summer I ended up taking it to Sunline in PA. They kept it for about 2 months, replaced the electrical panel and said it was fixed.

I just returned from a 12 day trip (first since I got it back). I had two virgin batteries, the first died in 1 1/2 days and the second in less than a day. 11 batteries in 2 1/2 years! I've been trying to contact Sunline all week and the phones are not in service and the e-mail I sent them was not deliverable.

Does anyone know if they are still in business or if there is some other problem?

[PTHutch]

Hi timj,

First off, welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately you have not heard that Sunline is out of business. They shut their doors November of 2006 in the hopes of selling the business, but that plan did not pan out. They have since auctioned off all physical assets. The proprietary information was also being auctioned off, but I have not heard any information on that wrt a purchaser.

Here’s a link to a Sunline Closing post and here’s a link to the Sunline Auction post, if you’re interested on more information on the unfortunate demise of Sunline.

With the closing of Sunline, many of us here look at the Sunline Owners Club as one of our major sources of information to aid in maintaining our Sunlines.

Members here have extensive experience and knowledge of Sunlines and are very will to help. Hopefully someone here will be able to provide you with information that will help solve your problem.

Some additional information may help in troubleshooting your problem.
During your 12 day trip:
> Were you at the same place the whole time or traveling from place to place?
> How often were you connected to shore power (or were you boon docking)?
> How much time was spent connected to shore power, connected to tow vehicle, and boon docking during the 12 day trip?
> If you were boon docking, do you have the refrigerator’s Climate Control Switch turned off?
> If you were connected to shore power did all other electrical appliances (e.g., A/C, Microwave, etc.), electrical plugs, etc. work ok?
> Do you have both batteries hooked up (or did your replace the 1st battery with the 2nd battery)?
> If you have both batteries connected how do you have the wired (i.e., series or parallel)?

Good luck.
Hutch

[timj]

thanks, I found out this morning that they went toes up. Too bad, it is a great trailer - if you don't use a battery. I talked to a local dealer who said it was probably the breaker panel. Now I'll have to foot the bill myself, probably $800.

[PTHutch]

What year is your Sunline? If it’s a new one, your breaker panel may still be covered by the OEM’s warrantee.

If it's truely the breaker panel I would call the manufacturer of the breaker panel first to see what support they may provide.

There's an OEM Link post that has links to many OEM's which Sunline used.

Your breaker panel could be made by:
American Enterprises
WFCO (Worlds Friendship Company)

If it's not one of these, let me know the manufacturer's name and I'll try and find out information on the speciifc manufacturer of your breaker panel for you. Plus I would like to add it to the OEM list.

Hutch

[timj]

I spoke to a reputable service rep at a local dealer. He said that the '1 - '03 trailers had a defective 45 amp breaker panel that caused shorts. He thinks mine should be the newer 65 amp and I probably have a miswired line. I'm taking it in next week.

Too late for OEM warranty, but because I complained when it was new, i'd have been able to force Sunline to fix it. They seemed real nice when I spoke to them, but I think they were just putting me off knowing they were in financial straits. At least I got my trailer back before they closed up. It can be a real problem obtaining property when a company closes its doors.

I'll let you know what happens.

have a great weekend!

[PTHutch]

Good luck, I hope you get everything resolved.