All Activity

LOL! Never is a really long time to NEVER run a generator. BTW great posting on how to increase power density of an OE trailer. Can't believe that just a few years ago 300 AH was tops. Wow how things have changed in the world of RV's and boondocking power. Glad to read your post. But NEVER? Really. 🙂 GJ

Where do I find this finished video?

Where do I find the video of the Zarcor Company staff's demonstration of the replacement of the door window in an Oliver that is referred to at the beginning of this thread?

When I get over to storage I will get the exact dimensions so I know exactly what I have to work with. I agree, the bluetooth apps are a must. Bob

1000 watts of solar does sound like a lot, especially when we are at 260. I think even if/when I find higher AH batteries I will add at least one folding solar panel. I should have done that by now. By the way, love the Adirondacks. I climbed all 46. 🙂

Update: spent on this item twice, but I'm saving the white one for an Oliver friend visiting here this summer! I had to go gray to match our color theme. This item fits the opening and screw holes, and comes in white too. Works smoothly, nice o-ring seal. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N71PRNQ/?th=1

Great information. Thanks so much for the reply. I will definitely add these to my list to investigate. Bob

Oops, forgot the part #: PR1022. But Check your door. My door is 11 years old! Dave

Just in case no one looked at Zarcor's website, the glass sold there is a Lippert product for their doors. My older Oliver Lippert door (2015) used screws to hold the window trim and the glass in place (along with some butyl weatherstrip). The newer doors use clips which complicate the switch but is still very doable. There are a few Youtube videos out there which I would advise watching if your door uses the clip system. The window I used from Zarcor was Tinted Glass, Lippert Style A, Valterra Style C Glass size: 21 7/16" × 12 7/16", Fits frame style A I would call them with your door information and they will set you up. The kit comes with the glass and butyl so nothing else to buy except maybe some spare clips if your door is that style, I've read that they can sometimes break during disassembly. Good luck! Cheers, Dave

Looking at your picture and these dimensions, two Epoch Essentials 300 Ah might just fit without the tray! You'd certainly have to replace these vs. adding more of the same, and of course measure twice before ordering anything! Length: 13.75" base, 15.5" at top for handles, Width: 7.63", Height: 10.0". For two batteries, you need a minimum footprint without the tray of 16 x 16" and 12" height. The Renogy product is pretty cool, but it's apples to oranges! It does not have internal BMS (why they are offering an external BMS), no heaters for charging below 32F. and comes without Bluetooth and app (something I could not live without).

We have the 640A/h Lithionics batteries, and in addition to the 400W of solar on the roof, I have three 200W folding panels. While 1000W of solar sounds like a lot, you'll quickly realize that (at least here in the eastern US) the roof panels are frequently shaded, the portable panels are sometimes a nuisance to move around, and that even on a perfect sunny day and constantly moving the panels, it would take 8-10 hours to completely recharge a battery from zero. The only time I've gone this route was in the heavily wooded Adirondacks last year when we were seven days without any hookups, and I don't have DC-DC charging. I only had two panels then, and the only AC we used was the microwave occasionally and the coffee maker once a day. Mid day, there were times that with 800W of panels exposed, I was getting less than 100W into the batteries. Driving home and one rainy night in a Harvest Host, we arrived at the house with somewhere around 46% state of charge. I thought that was pretty great! We didn't try to conserve power use. We just didn't need much. The biggest power draw was out fridge/freezer in the truck, which I had plugged into an Anderson Powepole outlet on the trailer.

Do you have (share) the part numbers of the window and any additional items to order to complete the project? Thanks.

Do you have (share) the part numbers of the window and any additional items to order to complete the project? Thanks.

Do you have (share) the part numbers of the window and any additional items to order to complete the project? Thanks.

The average vintage of RV owner's is such that Dragon Fly should be worried about just such a tragedy.

And - Don't forget that some of these lithium batteries can be placed in differing orientation (i.e. on the side or end versus the standard top up). Of course this will only matter if you have the "head room" in the battery box. Bill p.s. In investigating this possibility - check with each separate manufacturer as to what orientations they deem acceptable.

Not sure of the full dimensions of your space in LE1 but you may want to check out some of the 300AH mini batteries like this one from Renogy. Renogy 300AH Mini Core They claim a much smaller footprint ...but be aware,,,this model doesn't have self heating for cold temp charging, but they do have low and high temp cutoffs for protection. List prices are currently $879 direct. Here are Epoch Dimensions Just an idea of others:

Did you by chance have debris as acorns, broken branches that may have kicked the awning back out. Girard and Oliver say if you run it out and in you need to let it rest so you don't burn up the motor. You far exceeded that warning. There is something hear that just doesn't make sense. I maybe totally wrong, but I think the motor wasn't allowed to cool down and this was self-inflicted. This is solely my opinion.🙃

Your list looks good. I'd definitely look into bigger batteries. I know a generator is at the bottom of your list, but a little 1- or 2kW Honda would be more efficient than idling your truck and can be handy for other things, like charging ebikes, and isn't sun-dependent.

As John mentioned we used Epoch Essentials. Very satisfied so far.

I'm not sure what vintage the old unit was? However, I recall that there was some question whether it was an AGM only battery charger. So if your new replacement has charge profiles for both AGM and Lithium and you want to retain the lithium option - then it's not worth keeping as a spare. Besides, no telling if the resistor is the only issue. Glad you're whole again! Geoff

Thanks JD! To answer a couple of your questions, our LE I has a battery tray that has two 130AH lithionics batteries. They are 12.5” x 6.5” x 8.5” (L x W x H) with about an inch to spare. Without having the it in front of me, I think the tray is roughly 14 deep x 13 wide. Not a lot of room. Here's a pic I took a while back. It looks like the LiFePO4 (looking at the 460AH) dimensions are L20.55*W9.45*H8.58 so I will have to see if there is any wiggle room with the tray removed. I'll take a look at some of the specs on the other Li Time options. If I can't find a good fit, maybe a 400W suitcase panel plus the DC-DC charging will get us by until we find an option with the right footprint.

One lane, three mile long, dead road (unknown to us) deep in the back woods of West Virginia. Sharp fall offs on both sides of the road and absolutely no possible way to turn the truck and trailer around. Front hitch on the truck. I wouldn’t go anywhere without it.

I'd prefer not having another maintenance item, but thanks to Mike, next time our Oliver is home for service I will certainly open this junction box, remove all wire nuts and electrical tape, strip wires down to good copper, or replace wiring if necessary, and use butt connectors! Wire nuts and Wago connectors are not automotive grade! I've never used Wago products and likely never will. Wire nuts are for 120VAC residential solid-core wires. Wire nuts will not hold stranded wire effectively! Butt connectors are designed for stranded wire in automotive 12VDC systems to hold properly with movement/vibration. Another No-No is using ScotchLoks to add a wire. When I need to connect a third wire, I use a butt connector one size larger. Fold the wire to double thinkness on the side that has one wire. I had a boss years ago who said during a team meeting, "Anybody using ScotchLoks in installations will no longer be working for us!" OTT uses them often too and I remove them as needed. 😒

We have a 2022 elite II and this is something all together different than the awning opening while driving. We found out totally by accident that if the awning switch is left on the key fob for our truck activates the awning when you lock or unlock the doors the. This isn't normally a problem because the awning switch is not left on but it almost caused a divorce because we kept blaming each other for activating the awning when it was the key fob all along. Its always and adventure