I’m a new Cue owner

[Musketeer]

Hi everyone,
I purchased a 2007 Cue RE last fall and have just returned from my first camping trip, we’re happy with our purchase and we’re comfy in the camper. I am a former Airstream owner and have upgraded and used three Airstreams over the last 25 years. I was attracted to the Cue because of its light weight, compact size and potential comfort.

Here are the changes I’ve made so far:

1. Replaced all bulbs with LEDs
2. Added a solar panel and connectors
3. Added 2 12v power points and a voltmeter
4. Removed the cushions, cut a queen foam mattress in half, and ended up with “twin” beds that are 29x80 and very comfortable.
5. Recoated the roof with Hengs roofcoat
6. Added a sway control hitch

Things I’m considering are a change out of the stabilizer jacks to scissor type and the addition of a second battery.

I really am hoping to find an owners manual and a wiring diagram. I’d also like to understand what converter is used in my camper and how it operates.

I was a long time member of the Airstream forums and know how helpful these forums can be. I’m looking forward to connecting Que owners and trading stories.

Rick

[JohnB]

Welcome Rick!

Congrats on your Que! They were a unique new camper Sunline started. You have done a lot of nice upgrades on your camper.

One in-particular, is the solar. Did you add it on the roof or a portable panel setup?

We have another new Que member who recently joined and is working (maybe right now) trying to mount panels on the roof. Your handy work may be able to help him. Here is his post https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...oof-19799.html

On a manual, I am not sure the Que had a special manual, Tweety here on the forum use to have a Que and she had many other Sunlines, so she may know if the Que had a special one or the same normal Sunline manual like the other travel trailers have.

We do have the normal TT manuals here on the site for members to down load. To find a manual for your camper, you download copy from our files section. The appliances have their own manuals for the make and model, also many are in our files section.

You need to be logged in to download files.
At the top of the forum are tabs, look for the word "FILES" click it.


Once into the files section, scroll down to the "Owners Manuals" section. Go in there and find a manual for your year camper.

On a wiring diagram, we have very few wiring diagrams. We have one from a 2004 T-2499 camper, while it is for that model, most all campers year 2000 and newer are very similar. Even back until the 90's. That wiring diagram is also in the FILES section under Electrical, lighting and charging, all the way at the bottom. That will give you a place to start. Ask more questions you need help on from there.

You power converter, tell us the make and model of it and we can help tell you about it and possible get a manual for you. We are not sure if a prior owner changed it as they do go back every once in a while.

Feel free to ask any and all questions on your Sunline. Just create a new post for each topic you need help with or other fun Sunline adventures you want to share with others.

Happy camping!

John

[Musketeer]

Thanks John,

I added a 50w folding flexible solar panel to my new rig. We’re not big electric users and figured this would be plenty to keep the battery topped up. I added a 25’ extension cord between the controller and the panel so I could park the camper in the shade and move the panel into the sun. Well, we were in a National Forest and there was nothing but shade. After 3 days my new battery was down to 12.3 volts so I pulled out my generator, and ran it for about 2 hours. That helped but not enough. I have what must be the standard WFCO 8955 converter and distribution panel and I have now read about the difficulty it seems to have switching into bulk mode. I’ve also viewed the video of someone swapping out the converter and distribution panel with a Progressive Dynamics model. I installed PD converters in my Airstreams with excellent results, but those installations didn’t require the replacement of the distribution panel.

So, now I’m pondering. My first choice when dry camping is solar. I do have a Honda eu2000i but don’t like to run it and make noise. I prefer to be in the shade when camping. Looks like a new converter would charge my battery faster. I’m going to think about all of this a little more before I make my decision.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Musketeer

I have what must be the standard WFCO 8955 converter and distribution panel and I have now read about the difficulty it seems to have switching into bulk mode. I’ve also viewed the video of someone swapping out the converter and distribution panel with a Progressive Dynamics model. I installed PD converters in my Airstreams with excellent results, but those installations didn’t require the replacement of the distribution panel.

So, now I’m pondering. My first choice when dry camping is solar. I do have a Honda eu2000i but don’t like to run it and make noise. I prefer to be in the shade when camping. Looks like a new converter would charge my battery faster. I’m going to think about all of this a little more before I make my decision.

We have had several have the same issue with the WFCO going into boost on a generator. Not exactly sure why, but it happens.

That said, several have upgraded the WFCO to a Progressive Dynamics 4600 series which is made for upgrading to other brands of converters. This series https://www.progressivedyn.com/rv/po...r-4600-series/

All they changed was the converter portion, the 120 VAC breakers and all the 12 DC fuses stayed in place. You even keep the same brown WFCO cabinet.

We have some pics of it if you want to see the conversion. Let me know I will see if I can find them. This came up about a year ago. And I have helped a buddy out on his camper that had the PD converter upgrade when his WFCO died.

John

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Musketeer

I added a 50w folding flexible solar panel to my new rig. We’re not big electric users and figured this would be plenty to keep the battery topped up. I added a 25’ extension cord between the controller and the panel so I could park the camper in the shade and move the panel into the sun. Well, we were in a National Forest and there was nothing but shade. After 3 days my new battery was down to 12.3 volts so I pulled out my generator, and ran it for about 2 hours. That helped but not enough.

snip..

So, now I’m pondering. My first choice when dry camping is solar. I do have a Honda eu2000i but don’t like to run it and make noise. I prefer to be in the shade when camping. Looks like a new converter would charge my battery faster. I’m going to think about all of this a little more before I make my decision.

Thanks for the notes on the shade issue with the solar. This was/is my problem. We boondock often and almost all of it under tree cover, so even the portable solar panels do not create a total fix as we camp often on a lake shore site that the trees start at the lake shore. And there is not enough open sun between the trees to get enough sun through the trees. And the sun keeps moving on me too.

We have the same Eu2000I Honda genney. I have 2 group 27 batteries and we have a slide where the slide motor pulls as much power as the power tongue jack. The LED conversion is the biggest thing to do, then be a power miser and conserve and we get by just fine for as long as we need to. 8 to 12 days is a non issue. The areas we camp only have a 5 hour genny run time per day, a morning period and an afternoon. I monitor the battery state of charge and do the genny run enough to get the batteries back up to at least 80% state of charge. Some times, I need to recharge 2 days in a row, other times every other day. If I had too, I could manage 6 to 8 days with no recharge but I don't like getting into that if I do not need to.

Part the genny issue is the recharging setup. I converted my American Enterprises to the progressive Dynamics converter in 2008 and I am glad I did. In my case, the 4600 series was not yet available so I have the 9200 series stand alone mount. Here is my post on it https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...rade-8888.html

While I have a 60 amp converter, the wiring setup on my long camper (32') and the small wire size Sunline uses between the battery and the power converter, limits how many amp the PD can pump into the battery at one time. That and the 30 amp self resetting circuit breaker. I can pass about 25 amps on boost at the most due to the wire sizing issue. It all works, it just takes longer on the genny to bring those 2 batteries back up to 80% if I am drained down to 55 - 60% state of charge.

To correct that longer time, lower charge amps , the ideal way is to move the converter very close to the battery and fuse and connect the battery with very heavy cables. The PD can then get a truer read on the battery and will boost the current to what PD calls out on their website. I "believe" the PD reads the capacitance across the battery along with voltage to create the charge algorithm.

A winter ago, I ran the just the actual 120 VAC cable from the back of the camper to the front storage compartment at the front wall in anticipation of a future upgrade of moving the converter. I'm not in a real rush yet to upgrade the charging, but the option is now closer to reality when I get to it.

Hope this helps you sort out what you want to do. Your Que being so short, you may get more current to the battery then I can, but I'm sure Sunline still have the 30 amp self resetting breaker at the battery area to limit you. It never trips with the WFCO either as they can't overcome the reading like mine is setup.

John

[Musketeer]

I’ve been spending some time reading up on WFCo converters and alternatives. My prior camping rig was a Airstream motorhome. The previous owner destroyed the batteries by boiling them. I switched to a PD converter to solve the problem, but kept the old converter. I pulled it out of my shed, it is an older Iota DLS 45. It is a model with no smart charge technology. In reading about it, however, there is a way to kick it into bulk charge mode with a jumper.

Here is the goofy work around:

When I need to charge fast with my generator I can disconnect the battery from the trailer, attach the Iota in bulk mode to the battery ( with short and heavy gauge cable) and then plug the Iota into the generator. Bingo! I’ve got a poor man’s fast charger! And I have everything I need and could put it all together in 15 minutes!

Nah, I’m going to order a PD 4600.

[JohnB]

Yeh, better off going with a PD 4600 in the size your want. The PD also offers a de-sulfate mode which does help maintain the batteries for a longer life. But, it has to be plugged into shore power long enough to run the de-sulfate mode. As long as you have it plugged in at some camps or at home every so often, that will take care of it.

[Musketeer]

The install took about two hours and was pretty straightforward. I contacted PD and asked if I could reuse the old DC fuse board, they said yes but the ability to switch charge mode would be lost. I decided to install the PD board and it doesn’t fit quite as well as the old one. But everything is connected, everything works and I’m monitoring the charge levels. There is a YouTube video which shows swapping the WFCo 8955 for the PD4655 which is very helpful. The install instructions are accurate but terse and seeing someone else do it first make it go better.

I have two new led lights to install this afternoon then I’m done!

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Musketeer

The install took about two hours and was pretty straightforward. I contacted PD and asked if I could reuse the old DC fuse board, they said yes but the ability to switch charge mode would be lost. I decided to install the PD board and it doesn’t fit quite as well as the old one. But everything is connected, everything works and I’m monitoring the charge levels. There is a YouTube video which shows swapping the WFCo 8955 for the PD4655 which is very helpful. The install instructions are accurate but terse and seeing someone else do it first make it go better.

I have two new led lights to install this afternoon then I’m done!

H'mm, not sure what you are referring too that you cannot change the charging mode. Does yours have the little charge Wizard remote which allows you to switch charge modes? That normally has nothing to do with the individual circuit fuses, (or at least I thought it didn't) which is what I thought was the fuses you were talking about.


This conversion is from a 2007 T286SR. This converter was installed by a repair shop as I told the owner to get the PD. I made an assumption the shop put in the 55 amp PD unit (PD4655) as the WFCO was the 8955. But looking at the PD specs, the 35 and 55 amp PD all have the same box size so I cannot tell by the size.

Does your install look very different?


This is the old WFCO diagram


Glad you got it all working. You will be happy with the converter performance.

John

[Musketeer]

Should have been more clear. The PD fuse board has a button on it that is used to force the converter into whatever charge mode you choose. With this a pendant isn’t needed, the board itself provides that function. If you use the the WFCo fuse board you would need the pendant to change the charge mode. When I contacted PD tech support they told me that I could use a 35, 45, or 55 amp converter. The prices are, however, very similar.

In an Airstream the converter is usually close to the battery and the DC distribution and fuse block is located separately. Usually AC is supplied to the converter via a standard outlet plug. To install a new converter you just swing the the three DC leads, screw it down and plug it in. More tinkering with this install. This is the fourth PD converter I’ve installed, the first was 2003 when they were a novelty.

[Musketeer]

Almost forgot, the picture you linked to has the WFCo fuse board not the PD. In that installation they mounted a pendant. Also, I think the converter is in backwards. Or maybe mine is, but mine snapped into the provided bracket turned the other way and the install instructions do not specify.

[JohnB]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Musketeer

Almost forgot, the picture you linked to has the WFCo fuse board not the PD. In that installation they mounted a pendant. Also, I think the converter is in backwards. Or maybe mine is, but mine snapped into the provided bracket turned the other way and the install instructions do not specify.

Should have been more clear. The PD fuse board has a button on it that is used to force the converter into whatever charge mode you choose. With this a pendant isn’t needed, the board itself provides that function. If you use the the WFCo fuse board you would need the pendant to change the charge mode.

Thanks for the info on the PD fuse board. Learning something new. In my first response on the fuse board, I "assumed" you were talking about the camper branch circuit fuses which was part of the WFCO setup that stayed in place.

Now becoming a little more clear, you are referring to a button on the fuse board of the PD that can change the charge mode. H'mm, never knew this.

Can you post a pic of your install and if by chance one of your prior installs where you have one of the PD fuse boards you are referring too? I have not seen the PD fuse board type that can be accessed easily to change charge modes. On the 9200 and 4600 series there is a metal case all around the converter boards. Do you take off the metal cover to get to the charge mode button? I know that sounds strange verses just using the remote charge wizard pendant, but trying to learn about this button on the fuse board I never knew of.

On the converter install being backwards, I did not do this install, another repair shop did. I just told the owner the brand of converter to get. They did not use the metal sleeve case, they just put the converter in the hole the old WFCO converter PC board came out of. They put the heat sink towards the front outside cover where vent fins are in the WFCO cover. In this camper floor plan, the fan can draw in air from the right side of the WFCO case that has an air grill there. The PD fan blows across the heat sink right to left in the pic and can blow out the exhaust heat to the left side and front panel side of the WFCO case that has vent slots in it. I did not see a problem with that part of their install.

But, they did only put one screw in PD to hold it to the WFCO housing which I thought was odd, so while I was in there adding a new water pump power line to the WFCO fuse block, I added a second screw so the converter would not rattle around in the hole.

This is as I found it. You can see the white head of the one screw on the left of the PD converter mounting foot and the converter partly sliding out when the power center was removed. As FYI the new water pump is to the left in the pic.


You did 4 PD converter upgrades already, I guess we did not have to convince you on the quality and performance of the PD units. There are not that many RV parts like this left made in the USA. PD is still hanging on thankfully.

John

[Sunline Fan]

Welcome Rick, and congrats on your Que!