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Article below includes design for dc/dc charger back in 2029-2021 the factory refused to even consider adding a dc/dc charger for customers. As Jd stated we also used 4awg in the supply from truck back to the dc/dc unit. I don’t understand how a 7 pin can possibly supply adequate power. At the rally I’ll ask what magic they are using at the factory. https://4-ever-hitched.com/blog-articles/f/lithium-battery-upgrade?blogcategory=Electrical+Upgrades craig. Hull 505 2019

I don't see any margin in fact they're below spec (see table). This table only goes to 600" which is 50 ft and roundtrip for DC-DC wiring from the battery bay in the Oliver to the starter battery in a full-size truck is closer to 80 ft. The tables are ultra conservative being concerned for voltage drop which is less of a concern in RV charging. But STILL! Note row 3 where 20A on 12 AWG wire is only good for a 120" or a 10 ft run. I went with 4 AWG wire for the 50A Orion on a cost basis, while some were warning go with 2 AWG. It is what it is and the 7-blade wiring is only 12 AWG. You'll fit right in here! 🤣 Got my hydraulic crimpers and cable cutter when I first got into this 2 years ago! (Used once on eBay, they only used a couple huge dies). You'll have a new hull and can order your options. So, you won't have the 20 +/- mods I've done, but perhaps a few regardless.

You Dog you!...

Tha k you Dave there is definitely resistance when you push and pull the lever. Still working on getting that drain stem out if I can do that then I’ll just use a stopper in there when traveling hopefully that will eliminate the problem. Thanks for the help. Ron

I fully agree until you want to run an efficient variable-speed A/C on inverter/batteries. Not required most of the time in the PNW but most often in the SW. With DC-DC charging, we can run the Chill Cube A/C while towing and SOC% will be the same as when we started our drive!

Thanks for the info! Seems odd they would design an unsafe system, and they must have some margin. At the very least the fuse would blow hopefully before any smoke. But this would lead to a bunch of service calls they would have to deal with. Don't even own the trailer yet and thinking about mods already and I always wanted an excuse to get pair of hydraulic crimpers. But, before I get mod crazy, I'll wait to see how we camp first. How hard was it to run wires in the TT? Is there a bulkhead where the trailer wiring goes into the TT to fish the wires or do you have to drill holes?

Recently spent time in Theodore Roosevelt National Park -- the North Unit Juniper campground as well as the South Unit Cottonwood campground. Both are well situated within the park areas. view from my campsite at Juniper Campground, North Unit .... where the Buffalo roam.... Cannonball Concretions at the North Unit the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library located near the TRNP South Unit (but not associated with the park) is worth a visit, allow yourself at least 4 hours and be sure to buy your timed entry tickets ahead of time, so you can choose your preferred time of day There is a lot to do in the Medora ND area, including hiking and historic sites to visit. Of course, I was also busy playing some RadioSport (Parks on the Air -- aka POTA).

Thanks for the input. And yes diesel would be nice, but I can't justify the cost of ownership when towing a trailer this size

We have had our F250 7.3 for a few years now. It has been great for towing. We are in the PNW area so are going up and down mountains all the time. I will not claim it is as good as a diesel, because it is not, but it has handled 8% grades well with downshifting of the 10 speed transmission. The extra payload has also been great as our bed is full and I try to not let our second row become an example of "Oh, what a mess back there!" 🙂 I would also recommend the 4x4. I like the extra alternator for DC-DC. We don't have either, and have not needed that level of quick charging. We are coming off 9 days off grid running inverter for starlink and laptops working all day and batteries are at 75% still (we have had good sun as well). After 9 days we need to hit FHU to reset tanks, do laundry, and top off batteries anyway.

Ron, My gate valve and the popup drain plug were all installed by Oliver. I've done nothing aftermarket save for removing the popup plug so I could use the mushroom plug. That screw should come out and your drain will look like mine. Try some PB Blaster lube on it. You could also try warming it up a bit to help the lube penetrate. Give it a few hours to work. That gate valve should stop any backflow. If you're still having that issue, then it is not closing properly. When you pull the handle do you feel some resistance? When it is pushed in does the shower drain still work or does it back up? (it should back up) If it just pulls out and pushes in with no resistance then the wire that attaches to the valve has probably come loose as Galway Girl mentioned. Unfortunately, for you and me, to access that valve, afaik, would mean removing the furnace. I would call Oliver and see if there is an easier way! Maybe that gate valve is somewhere else, I just have never been able to locate it. Hopefully the cable is still attached and the valve just need a good clean and lube. Hair is a real PITA with these valves, which is why I installed the mushroom plug in the shower. Good luck and let me know what you find out. Dave

Charging on the "7-pin connector" has come up now twice in two days! (see "Rich Solar" post). Not sure why OTT would think to install a 20A DC-DC charger on the 12 AWG black (aux) wire of the 7-blade coupler. For years, they had been disconnecting that wire on lithium installations. I'm pretty sure 20A is too much current for 12 AWG wire over the roundtrip distance, truck alternator back to the trailer house batteries! Yes, you are correct! 10A can run on 12 AWG, I believe for 20A charging 10 AWG is required (so the OTT DC-DC charger installation is truly unsafe)! Your delivery is next year. If it was me, I'd ask them to skip this "DC-DC charger" installation. Or have them do the trailer side of a proper DC-DC installation with dedicated wiring. IMHO, the black/aux wire should be disconnected in all travel trailer installations, given the trailer has house batteries. Most DC-DC installations run dedicated 4 AWG wire (or heavier) for a 50A charger. We have been averaging +40A on the road. And yes, I upgraded our truck alternator to handle the extra amperage. @Chuck and Beth, who already has the new DC-DC charger installed by OTT, has set theirs down to 10A to be safe. For us +10A charging is nowhere near enough. Say you have OTT's best Lithionics 640 Ah batteries installed. A 10A charge will give you +1.5% SOC for every hour towing. So 40A provides +6% SOC per hour. Wish we had the new 70A Orion but boy-oh-boy copper wire is about as expensive as diesel fuel is these days. 🤣

Final day in Yellowstone. It has been a great trip. Spent the last week in Slough Creek Campground in the northeast section of the park. Wildlife has been sparse outside of Bison and Pronghorn. 9 days off grid and Ollie did even better then expected. Running the inverter all day during the week to power laptop and Starlink (I know I need to do the DC mod) for work. Batteries are at 70% still (we have had sun most days). And fresh water at 40% with showers every other day! We have been very pleased. @jd1923 Crowds have been pretty good. I have not been here in summer for the peak but traffic has been easy (minus Bison jams of course). The major attractions on the weekends get busy between 11-3pm. But outside those windows they slow down. After 5 parking lots a near empty. We pulled into Old Faithful area on a Thursday 15 mins before she was due to erupt and walked right in and got a seat on the bench. Lots and Lots of international tourists. We had fairy falls all to ourselves for about 30 mins on a Friday.

Any idea how I can remove the center piece/stem in the drain (see photo)? I tried a a little penetrating oil and flathead counterclockwise but it wouldn’t budge a Thank you Ron

Spotted our fourth Oliver at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Shipwreck Campground, Two Harbors, MN Hull #1045, Jolli Olli says happy camping to Hull #475. Sure would love to know more about your small window awning/shades

Great Photos. Have fun at the Rally. We decided not to go this year.🙃

The cable that runs from the valve to the handle has a set screw at the valve. Sometimes they will loosen and the cable slides back & forth but doesn’t fully close the valve. Check that by manually pushing the valve body closed and the T handle all the way in…then re tighten the set screw. Here are 2 photos of the valve as setup properly in a 2019 EII. when closed for travel When open for camping For the T handle remember Drive In ….Camp Out hope that helps.

If you want to consider the smaller LE I check out this post. We have been very happy with the smaller unit.

My trailer already has DC-DC available through the truck 7 pin connector, and that is why I thought it would be smart to upgrade the trucks' power output. However, I have not looked into any detiails on this yet and I am new to solar/lithium world. I was aircraft electrician in the Air Force back in the day so I think what you're getting at is upgrading the OEM DC-DC charger and installing larger gauge wiring in the TT & TV to handle more current to charge faster on the road?

Not certain but I believe this the replacement shower / sink sprayer assembly I have. You should verify compatibility before making a purchase. I can't vouch for this vendor or price. I'm sure you can find this at other suppliers. good luck https://autoplicity.com/9052881-scandvik-46011p-mixer-shower-comb-wt-wcvh-5?msclkid=1b467852aeba146fab1d12ec8d533aec&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax: Shopping: Smart - ROAS 1500&utm_term=2334400625425951&utm_content=AG1

I replace part of the bathroom hardware a couple years ago but don't recall the supplier. I did my research in the marine network to get good quality parts. I purchased Scandvik branded parts. I have found them to be excellent quality but spendy. I'm assuming the Oliver factory can provide you with options if you wish to have the same/ similar as the original parts.

Hi Dave, Yes, I. Have the pull handle near the toilet, but it doesn’t seem to stop backups from the shower drain. You are correct about the cable disappearing into the abyss. I am assuming that you had someone install the gate valve? Once you had the gate valve installed, I am assuming that you eliminated the shower drain pop-up and then installed the TubShroom, is that correct? I am headed back into the city tomorrow for our next trip, I am going to raise the from as high as possible prior to closing the valve and then head to HomeDepot and pick up a new pop up seal, We’ll see if that helps. Once you remove the pop-up cap how to you remove the stem that the pop-up screws onto? Thank you Ron

Hey Ron, I've been offline traveling so sorry for late reply. I have hull 107, made 2015 so very close to yours! Do you not have the pull out handle for the shower drain gate valve in the bathroom? It looks like you do from your pic (it's on the right). Unfortunately, to access the valve itself, it looks to me like the furnace needs to be pulled. If you follow the cable, at least mine disappears under the furnace to parts unknown. Can't even get a light and mirror in that space.... I replaced my popup drain stopper with a Tub Shroom to catch any hair going down the drain to help keep the valve clean and I will say it has worked incredibly well: https://www.amazon.com/TubShroom-Revolutionary-Protector-Catcher-Strainer/dp/B01M0H7YC2/ref=sr_1_8?crid=12WS1LAY6YT97&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.g8t4bB4wE-ABrU2hIjG-OEf59IQDu4YYj74RxX4gRTRMO-pNC5YzIDgcdARM5gMkt3BeoqbZvhjC0tEboU3X7mtiNc5Z-RuOWtb48vaBAqBemKsaHlvIQ0yMVjT0EJE7b0NP8hNY4YhGsjs5sSIKkPnJokl_r4VPmEE919PljlNOccutEWvd_mtBsH4awR_DWdJz-VVEcBM33jVmOLN1eGtG4qOFgCW63nZ9_6rJ96Fo2y-rjo-OmLI_PFTg3Re2afIJ1G0H9gbnuK0IwlIAxxNYxKU-XUNAqircRMWU3DM.u6_Bk5YtKMGcGJKZ5RPjLbh4mWNzQwDDzzt0RzCjLnk&dib_tag=se&keywords=mushroom%2Bdrain%2Bhair%2Bcatcher&qid=1790815043&sprefix=mushroom%2Bdrain%2Caps%2C672&sr=8-8&th=1 That popup drain plug was not up for the job of resisting back flow, so the gate valve was added. I've never had a backup so far. Not sure but I may also have that HEPvO valve Bugeyed Driver was talking about. I have a vague memory about Jason telling me about it. I add gate valve lubricant to the drain maybe twice a year as I want to keep the valve happy as it's inaccessible. Push the handle in to close the valve like all the others while on the road! Not sure what else to add. If you do have the gate valve, run some house pressure hose water down the drain to try and clean it out and then pour some lubricant down the drain and work the valve open and closed to lubricate it well. A call to Oliver might enlighten you as the type of drain they used for your model. I think they were experimenting with different systems around that time so yours may be different than even mine. Good luck! Dave

There shouldn't be any real struggle unless adding DC-DC charging. The trailer only pulls up to 12A when braking. Taillights etc. are negligible given LED lighting. There is the black wire on the 7-blade coupler which should be disconnected. Otherwise truck and trailer have mostly independent electrical systems. Given the standard alternator is 190A, the 350A dual on the same truck has net 160A free! The dual-battery HD alt upgrade option was first established for northern trucks to have enough battery power to operate a snowplow. DC-DC charging is one of our favorite upgrades, hands-down! Say you install the new Victron 70A Orion (with your new setup I would for sure go 70A) and you net +60A actual. That means for every hour you're towing you're adding a 60 Ah charge back to your house batteries. Tow a 4-hour half-day and that's +240 Ah, wow! The Orion 70A will need some heavy gauge wiring and should get +40 Ah even at idle! I posted this in another thread about electrical options earlier today. Also relevant here, something you may want to consider after getting your Oliver. OTT can do the trailer-side installation, but they don't work the truck side. Any auto accessory installer, a good truck shop, could work the full install, or DIY as many of us have!

Still heading towards rally. Visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton , now in Custer SD. site at Legion Lake CG

Yes, when I was researching I figured the single battery and standard 190 amp alternator would have strugled when connected to the trailer