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Dean, many of us are looking forward to seeing your work and new Victron system! 😂 I think I have +/- 1000 hours in +/- 40 upgrades over 3 years, likely 200 hours in electrical upgrades alone. Yeah, I'm in Excel for everything from paying bills to keeping to-do lists. I have an Auto Maintenance worksheet with a tab for every vehicle we have or have owned. One for the Oliver of course, another for the TV and everything else. It denotes the dates of expenditures and maintenance completed so to keep a full history and what's needed next. My $5K included 900 Ah Epoch Essentials mostly at 2024 prices ($2,819 total). Today, I would go with a cheap model since the batteries I have cost $3,750 list price today. We spent $2K in Victron devices; a SmartShunt, the MP2 and two interfaces (Bluetooth and MK3-USB-C configuration interfaces), a 30A MPPT SC, the 50A Orion DC-DC charger, 15A SC for TV solar and 12|24 DC-DC for Starlink power. Then a 400A ANL fuse and housing, two 400A buses, 35A breaker, 4 and 10 AWG wire, etc. The first reason costs are higher now is two years of inflation (cost of copper!) but in comparing systems it's mainly the cost of dual 50A SCs (vs. my single 30A) and the "Victron Lynx Distributor, Cerbo GX MK2 with GX Touch 70 Display." Instead of a cabin display (I read my app more often when outdoors or from the driver's seat), I went with a simple VE interface for $83 which reads temp and is a Bluetooth interface for the Multiplus II. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCV43LQ/ The two GX devices are likely $500+ depending on where you buy them (do not suggest Amazon), more when buying from a "professional installation company." I went without Cerbo accessories for not wanting additional device integration, nor a cabin display. I used basic 400A 8mm pure copper buses, a pair for $40, where Lynx Distributors can be $200-400 each. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D59Z9S7W/ We all have different needs and I can tell you, when you do all the work yourself, have ready all the parts you need to minimize time (drawings, good planning), and buy all the hardware you want that makes you happy! 😎 As it costs 2-3 times as much to get this work done for you, labor included!

Sorry to hear that. Stopped by and dropped off the heater this morning. Bob

I am still in the process of completing my full Victron upgrade, which has taken more time than expected. Most of the delays have been due to limited installation space and having to wait for additional, unforeseen materials such as wire, wire mesh, lugs, connectors, bolts, screws ... John made several excellent points about the simplicity of having a single display in a Victron-based system. While a Victron upgrade is a very robust and capable solution, it does require configuration and programming of the various components. If the installation is performed by a professional, the programming is typically included as part of the process. Once everything is set up correctly, the system is actually quite straightforward to operate, especially considering the level of capability and functionality provided by such a comprehensive upgrade. At least that is what I hope to find once this project is complete. One display instead of multiple apps is one of my goals in this upgrade. I've been keeping track of nearly all of the project expenses in a spreadsheet, and I'm now over $5,000 invested and more than 100 hours into the installation. Once everything is finished, I'll start a new thread with a complete write-up and details of the upgrade.

How much does OTT charge for their Platinum package? The 2027 Oliver EII Platinum is $101,000. The EII Standard is $85,000. OTT's "most popular" package adds $16K for an array of electrical options. Now that's truly "money growing on trees!" 🤣 You get a 3K Xantrex inverter, 400W solar with SC from Zamp or Victron if you're lucky. Of do you? Would OTT instead install a "Rich Solar" system like we've seen recently? Add 640 Ah in Lithionics. What make shunt is used? It could be a Victron. And then some off-brand DC-DC charger that should NOT be wired to the 12 AWG AUX wire in the trailer harness in the first place! With 3-4 brand names OTT must drill many large holes into the pretty interior hull of your Oliver for multiple screens! If you prefer apps, you would need to learn how to use ALL of them. "Keeping life simple" is not happening here, not at all! Simplicity no, complexity is the word and there's only a few of us Oliver Owners on this Forum that understand most of it. In a fully integrated Victron system, add a screen if you like or not, and one user-friendly app is all you need to see status of all devices. Our hull has 6 Victron devices and 2 more in the TV. Include 900 Ah in heated LiFePO4 batteries and we have spent a total of $5,000 in Victron components, buses and all wiring, everything (labor not included). The DIY-capable owner should buy the new 2027 EII Standard and add their own solar-inverter/charger/lithium upgrade. For those incapable or not wanting to do the work, they'd have 10K for labor in buying the Standard over the Platinum model. Yes, 10+ have upgraded to Victron, discarding what was installed OEM. How many would make the choice if a Victron installation was offered? This is the real question. Want true simplicity? Skip all these upgrades, buy the Standard package and plug into 30A shore power! Or OTT could offer a fully integrated Victron system, first for superior overall performance and for the simplicity of the integrated system! 😎

We went through the same process. It saves water not having to make adjustments once you're in the shower. I like 105, and Deb likes 108. To further save water, we added a diverter valve to return water to the fresh tank until it gets hot. This saves anywhere from a quart to more than half gallon.

I never thought about this - great idea. I will try out - soon.

I will add my own ORF musings! I think we all embrace any technology that is capable of making our lives easier, as long as we can figure it out. My first bite of the Victron apple was adding a BMV 712 battery monitor and I continue to add Victron equipment as I find it beneficial to maximize my battery usage. And Victron’s technical support is truly world class. And if you have any doubts about smartphones making you stupid, just leave it at home when you head out camping! After all, the only phone number I remember off the top of my head is 911! Mossey

Put me in that camp.

Likely: 10+ / (the current number of OTT Owners) = a stastically insufficiant number of reasons However, if money grew on trees, many of our owners would like to have the "Gismology" of an all Victron Package. But likely more would not want the complexity of them. Keeping life simple is also a virture for many of us. Just the musing of an Ole Retired Fart! 🙂 GJ

Boondocking: Reasonably often an occasional hot shower is wonderful! RV Parks: Not too often. GJ

Our OE2 is in the sun out west in hot, dry and abrasive areas 3 to 5 months a year. The rest of the time it is stored covered in a dark barn. This year, our 9th season, I noted that I needed a finish tune-up, especially on the frontal facing areas. Was time to get out th Rupes dual action, and execute a full cut and polished. Used your method with great success. In retrospect, my annual Meguiars waxing has done the job well. For our use, I will endevour to repeat the Full Monte every five years vs. pushing a decade. The two products only cost $35 at Amazon.com and about the same at Super Walmart Centers. A good investment. GJ

Of course, that's were it should be. Having it poked up the tube is not ideal, but at least he has a screen.

Prior owner left us a roll of this and more of it was under the cushions. This stuff works, Con-Tact Brand Grip Premium by KITTRICH Corp.

Water would be "our biggest constraint" if we did not have our secondary fresh water tank. Yes, we always fill both tanks before leaving home; the 32-gal in the Oliver and 35-gal in the TV (a lifesaver): https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horizontal-leg-tank-35-gal-2137324 Also, we do not use onboard water for cooking or drinking. So we also carry 10+ gallons drinking water in 1 and 2.5 gallon food quality jugs. And with cold water in glass carafes in the fridge AND truck fridge, we start with about 80 gallons total. Our Wisconsin friend @FloraFauna also always carries an extra 35-gal fresh water! Steve once wrote something like, "I wish it was larger!" The most we ever got out of our Oliver Fresh Water tank was once 28 gallons (measured when refilling). More often it's closer to 22-24 gallons when you can here the water pump taking air. Lift the front jack another inch and you could get another 3-4 gallons but it's time to refill the tank. With the TV hitched, 35 ft of hose (10+25) will connect the secondary tank to the Boondocking water connection. It's so easy with Eley hose quick-connects on all parts! When refilling the first time, I use about half (18 gal) so that we can refill again. Water in tow we can last 10 days, with quick showers every other day. So given we have enough water for 10 days and our 900 Ah with solar suitcase we can also last 10 days. It's the Black Tank that limits our travel. We can dry camp for 10 days, IFF we dump the black after 5 days (based on 2 of us). If you have composting then you would not have this constraint. I mounted our tank (special order mounting straps) and put a cloth cover over it to keep direct sunlight out (unnecessary with a truck cap). Put it in the middle of the bed, the area which is hard to reach for other items. I could not see carrying 5-gal jugs to the rear. What's 5 gallons, about a half day of usage? Gotta have water, the more the better and more so in the desert southwest! 😎

Once you setup your Starlink the dish is locked to your account. So it is useless to someone who wants to just pick it up and walk away with it. Now, granted, not all thieves know this as many are stupid hence their trade. But we have always left ours out overnight and during the day (unless we need it in the truck to have a single).

We leave it out at night. One exception, we stayed at a sketchy campsite one night where I did not have a good feeling re the neighbors (van life types and some living out of cars). So I brought it in before going to bed and we left next morning to find a better campsite! I bring it in every time we leave for the day. In fact 90% of the time we use the truck mount, so we have to pull it down. I put it in the Starlink travel bag ($40 option includes a dish frame and bag) and it with the 2' pole extension sits in my truck tool box. Takes 1 minute to mount or remove. Once camping outside of Durango, we drove into town and halfway there I realized the Starlink was still up on the truck mount, NP! 🤣 Most of you have truck caps. I believe you could easily side-mount the base-mount 2" PVC pole to the side of the cap. The second removeable piece of PVC pipe mounts above to provide height. Paint it to color match and have it there ready. Ron and others have tall poles, mounting suction cups, etc. I just don't want the hassle, love the truck mount. If you can move the dish 10 ft up to avoid trees, you can also move it 10-20 ft over to a clear spot. How far? We've never needed the dish more than 30-40 ft away from the Oliver to clear trees, but we're not often in heavy woods. Where we camp, the Ponderosa Pine is our tallest tree. You wrote "WIFI to WIFI." I believe you mean what MobileMustHave.com calls "WiFi as WAN" (check them out, they have videos explaining everything). I have a Pepwave router which is capable of this and so could your router. Just recently I created a hardwire solution for my truck mount (30V power and Ethernet LAN). So now I have the Mini wired to the Pepwave router directly which allows us one login. You should have up to 50' distance with Wi-Fi as WAN, though it will depend on your router antenna. We have the extremely capable Parsec Husky which in my experience covers 100+ ft radius in broadcasting Wi-Fi. When I cannot park our TV in clear view of the northern sky, I will use the portable stand with battery and change login to the built-in Mini Router. I installed our router in our truck for a number of reasons; 1) our Internet connection ALWAYS travels with us, day trips too, 2) The Oliver will be parked in the shade more often and the tow vehicle can be moved some, the trailer not so much, and 3) when we travel for business or pleasure without the Oliver we have our Wi-Fi, no need to use unsecure hotel or public Wi-Fi. My portable stand is large and clumsy. Next mod will be to remove the post and replace the large plastic tank with a flat metal base. A short pole and flat base will be much easier to store when not in use. Very often with our router setup and T-Mobile Business 5G Cell SIM card ($30/mo) we do not need the Starlink (80/20 rule). Boondocking in a canyon? Time to connect the Starlink! This link will go to my final post of the thread, when I hardwired the Starlink. =>

Thanks JD. We are weighing all of our options for replacing the Dometic. The Chill Cube is certainly getting a lot of play with people. And Inverter Service Center, the place where Steve got his electrical upgrade done, recommends the Chill Cube and may actually start installing it at some point. Thanks again!

@jd1923 that’s a clever solution! I’d rather not be internet connected all the time (boo!), but since I need it for a ‘retirement’ business with my son it’s a business expense writeoff (yay!). Anyhow this looks super simple and clean, couple questions … Do you put it away at night in case of a two legged wildlife? Also if you leave the trailer, seems like there might be a lot putting it away and out again, or not? The reason for a tall pole seems (to me) obviously not satellite distance but rather to get above obstacles including the Oliver, for better line of sight. Thoughts? I have a WIFI on the trailer, so this would be the upstream WAN, either hardwired if on the trailer or as a hotspot (e.g. WIFI to WIFI), how far away do you usually place the dish? Non related question - you always carry an extra 35 gallons? I like the idea, we’re testing it this week on a trip to our relatives. I filled the tank and have 30g in the truck bed, and we’ve made it last nearly a week. Water is our biggest constraint so I really like the idea of always being prepared, just wondering how that’s worked out for you?

We placed rug gripper pads under the cushions, but they still slide off. We're going to try a different brand and hope we have better luck.

I've added the Texas Rally info to the new rally map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1dsUQmPEsXOhV3KgTIkwI1QzIeWChkCw&usp=sharing

We did the same thing years ago. Has worked great. So well I forget it was an issue.

Scotty is camping and he might not have a pic before he filled the holes. I filled mine too but have this picture from before. You can see two holes in front and look closer to see two more on either side. The Dometic P2 was twice as big inside and out. There are two more in back 6" beyond the much smaller Chill Cube. Notice the headroom too! Another reason it's quiet is the air handler/fan are not hanging down into the cabin interior like ALL the others! Scotty got his installed at summer end, and he was only able to test the A/C minimally. He got the newer Heat Pump version and we hope to hear about that function soon. The link below goes directly to page 2 of my Chill Cube post which shows the installation. Pages 3-4 have some of my reporting on its efficiency. We ran ours all summer (all of 2026) and we just LOVE it!

LAST CALL! These are at the Rally now, so please write me if interested. Thanks, JD

There are number of brands in the market that refer to products as "extended season" campers. Lance is one of those but there are few others and this is where at most I would categorize the Oliver, although admittedly one can get by for a day or so in some rather cold temps if you can put up with the noisy furnace if not plugged into shore power with AC heat source which we have also done a few occasions.

Hey Scotty. Would you mind posting a few pictures of the air handler unit in the cabin after your new Chill Cube was installed, especially with holes you filled? As you mentioned above, there is a bit of difference between the Penguin and the Chill Cube inside. The Chill Cube is intriguing and seems potentially like a good choice, especially for energy management. And have you had much of a chance yet to try it out? I’d be interested in further reports. Thanks.