Hey There...

[Buck62]

New member here. I've been an avid camper for several years. I'm a Boy Scout leader and have been tent camping in the most extreme conditions of cold and heat for several years. I've also owned every type of camper from pop-ups to Scamps to a new 27-footer back in 2010. Divorce forced the sale of that one. Since then, I found a 1983 Sunline T-1550 that I acquired via through a trade + cash type of deal.

This past summer I've done the following updates:

New tires
Re-upholstered the dinette and couch cushions
New tile floor
New roof air vents (entire assembly)
New counter-top
New laminate (matching) table top
New drain traps
New city water hook-up
New electric inlet housing
Re-wired for cable tv
New clearance (marker) lights
New 7-pin plug
New exterior light (next to door)
New refrigerator
New refrigerator vent
New tail lights
Re-sealed roof (just to be safe)
Re-sealed windows (just to be safe)
Removed stove and installed a new microwave oven
Re-framed kitchen cabinet assembly for strength
Lowered the bathroom sink to accommodate shower hook-up
New electrical outlets with breakers
Removed fresh water tank

Left to do:

Convert hot water tank to electric-only
Remove propane furnace (a small electric heater is plenty)
Laminate cutting board to match counter top & table
Install a small a/c unit
Cover bathroom/shower walls with plastic tub-surround
New bathroom mirror

I'm converting to electric-only due to one of my sons having special needs and we never boondock.

That's about it for now.

Glad to be here.

Frank

[Poppy & Nana]

Frank - welcome to the forum! It sounds like you did tons of work...hopefully you took pictures of your improvements - 'cause without proof, it didn't happen

No really we love to see pictures of Sunlines (even though some of us no longer have them) and the improvements made to them....so welcome aboard an post away!

[bunjin]

Frank,

Welcome to the forum.

I also have a '83 T-1550. I'm curious, where did you get a "new" entrance/exterior light (next to door)? I made a new lens for my unit as the original was fried and brittle.

Would love to see pictures!

You have been a busy camper!

[Janet H]

Welcome to the forum. Post up some pics when you have a chance

[Sunline Fan]

Welcome Frank! Personally, converting the appliances to electric only isn't worth the work unless you REALLY need the space. You can get electric elements to go into the hot water heaters and you could just use it that way and never use the gas. Removing the furnace would same a tiny bit of space, but it would be a lot of work to properly seal up the exterior hole left by the furnace. I'd just leave it there and plan to use the electric space heaters.

Looks like you've already done a lot to it, so hopefully you can get the rest done soon before the weather really turns!

[mainah]

The furnace heats up the camper fast an electric heater takes a long time. Leave the furnace turn it on warm the camper then turn on the electric heater it only takes 10-15 mins. It may also be a hard sell if the camper has no propane appliances.

[Wannabes]

Frank, Welcome to SOC! Post pixs when you can.

[Buck62]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

Welcome Frank! Personally, converting the appliances to electric only isn't worth the work unless you REALLY need the space. You can get electric elements to go into the hot water heaters and you could just use it that way and never use the gas. Removing the furnace would same a tiny bit of space, but it would be a lot of work to properly seal up the exterior hole left by the furnace. I'd just leave it there and plan to use the electric space heaters.

Looks like you've already done a lot to it, so hopefully you can get the rest done soon before the weather really turns!

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome.

S/F... I do plan on converting my water heater to electric, too.
But my trailer is in winter storage right now. I'm not sure if I have a 4 or 6 gallon water heater, but I'm guessing the conversion kit fits either one? Maybe you can shed some light on that.
As for the rest of the electrical, my bottom gas lines are just about the only thing bad on my trailer. They're nastily corroded underneath the trailer and I don't want to change it all out. And as I mentioned in my initial post, all-electric works best for my special needs son and we don't boondock.
As for removal of the gas heater. I've used our little 1500 watt electric heater a few times and it worked great with overnight temps in the mid 40's. So, that means less weight, more storage space, and I can sell the gas heater to fund other needs for the trailer.

[Buck62]

Originally Posted by mainah

The furnace heats up the camper fast an electric heater takes a long time. Leave the furnace turn it on warm the camper then turn on the electric heater it only takes 10-15 mins. It may also be a hard sell if the camper has no propane appliances.

With all the work I've done, I don't plan on selling it anytime soon, that's for sure!

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by Buck62

S/F... I do plan on converting my water heater to electric, too.
But my trailer is in winter storage right now. I'm not sure if I have a 4 or 6 gallon water heater, but I'm guessing the conversion kit fits either one? Maybe you can shed some light on that.

I imagine so, but I'm not sure, I've only used it in a six gallon model. You should have a six gallon, that's all I've ever known Sunline to use. This is the conversion kit that I know of:

Hott Rod Water Heater Conversion Kit - 6 Gallon - Diamond HR6 - Water Heaters - Camping World

[Buck62]

Thanks for the tip.

I've been looking at these aftermarket conversions and for the the price (and stellar reviews) I decided to go with the Camco model at a much lower cost. The replacement element is also a fraction of the cost of the Hott Rod's at just $12. I'm on a limited budget, so I gotta do my homework.

Camco 11673 RV Hot Water Hybrid Heat Kit - 6 Gallon:Amazon:Automotive

[Buck62]

Originally Posted by bunjin

Frank,

Welcome to the forum.

I also have a '83 T-1550. I'm curious, where did you get a "new" entrance/exterior light (next to door)? I made a new lens for my unit as the original was fried and brittle.

Would love to see pictures!

You have been a busy camper!

Mine was brittle and crumbling, too. I wasn't able to find an original replacement part and I didn't need a handle... so I improvised. To cover the hole I bought a white plastic cutting board from Walmart. I cut it down to fit and rounded the edges. It was really easy to do. I drilled out the middle to run the 12v wires and screwed it in and caulked the edges. I then used a replacement (outdoor) light I got from Menards on the cheap.
My kids call it "the submarine light", lol. All I had to do was pop in a 12v bulb and it works (and looks) great.

Here's the outdoor fixture I used.... (mounted vertically, not horizontally as shown)

Nautical 1-Light 8.5" Black Oblong Wall/Ceiling Outdoor Light at Menards

It's lightweight and built like a tank. Lastly, I caulked around the base of the fixture. I'm pretty sure it'll outlast me in it's lifespan.
Total cost: $15

[Buck62]

Here's a few pics from when I first got my T1550.

This was BEFORE I did any work....

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