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The picture below is from the Victron Multiplus manual. The first row is for 12V systems that need heavier AWG wiring than higher voltage systems. I and other Oliver owners have the Victron 12/3000/120, which translates to 12V / 3000VA inverter output / and 120A max charge rate) inverter installed. The inverter powering a microwave using 130A, a Dometic Penguin A/C or an 1800W blow-dryer (both about 150 DC Amps) takes more battery power than anything else. The 2KW inverter requires a 250A fuse and the 4/0 AWG wiring is overkill, very safe will never overheat. It can run the microwave, borderline on the blow-dryer which is generally only run for a few minutes. Borderline/not recommended to run an A/C unit as inefficient as the Dometic model, but fine for new inverter or variable speed A/C models. Victron suggests a minimum of 400 Ah in battery capacity (many have upgraded to 600 Ah and we recently added another Epoch 300 for total 900 Ah). Not sure why they call for 2x AWG 1/0 wires (maybe smaller wires are more easily routed in boats?), but cross-sectional surface area of 2x AWG 1/0 wires is just under, basically equal to one 4/0 AWG wire. The combined length of B+ and B- wiring must be less than 5m = 16.4 FT or larger cables are needed. In our hull the two cables add up to less than 12 FT. I replaced the 250A fuse with a 400A ANL fuse as spec'd in this chart and the OEM wiring OTT installed is just fine! 😎 I made the error of having our hot water heater turned on by electric, not realizing this I turned on the Dometic, no shore power, all on the Victron MP2 inverter. It ran for 10 minutes before I realized what I had done. The Victron output was over 3400W the entire time. It's rated at 3000VA but produced 400 more (there is some technical difference between VA and W which I do not yet understand). I believe they spec the 400A fuse so it can go over spec for short periods of time. The Victron MP2 is a beast!

I just finished cleaning up after the blizzard and this is what I was looking at this morning. It's getting old. On a serious note, there was a fatal accident after the storm when someone was trying to pull out a stuck snow plow with a tow strap attached to a hitch. The hitch broke off and whipped into the cab of the truck from the tension on the tow strap. Most hitches aren't designed to handle the forces involved in a hard pull between two large vehicles. Just a reminder to be careful out there.

Hello Friends, We got a Tire Minder i10 TPMS for Christmas and after reading over the installation instructions, I feel they have catered to our neighbors who have a battery outside their rig instead of like ours where the batteries are enclosed. I’m looking for some technical advice as to where I can access a reliable power source to power my TPMS. As always, your good advice is always coveted.

We saw that through TN, AL, MS, LA, and into TX. One of our usual COE stops was closed because of all the trees down in the campground. It was an eye opener.

While editing my above post, I thought again about this statement that I just wrote. Until I was educated by Alcan staff, I didn’t realize wet bolts should be torqued when doing maintenance. I’ve not noticed this in a service manual. I always thought a wet-bolt with a Nylok nut only had to be there, not overly tight nor loose. I remember having a suspension lock up in a flat bed car hauler. The mechanic at a trailer shop, merely loosened the bolts on the center link and the suspension dropped into place! I never torqued the wet bolts on the original suspension, though it was REALLY loose when I removed it. Thinking now that @Patriot has the right idea on this one. Crawl under your trailer once a year, lube the Zerks and check the torque on the wet-bolts and U-bolts. I also like removing the tires every so often, removing all gravel while inspecting, looking for punctures, clean the inner rubber. With the old-style bearings, pack them. Spin the drums and set the self-adjusters that do not always adjust adequately so the shoes are just rubbing. Im taking the wheels off anyway!

When I added the 45-degree Zerks, I tightened them down one-finger tight. Several of them at their set point were not at the optimal direction to clear the tires. When I lube, I loosen those Zerks a half turn to get a better angle, pump the grease to fill, then lightly tighten them back into place. Also, regardless of whether your Zerks are mounted inside or out, some may not want to take grease. Using the stabilizer jacks to lift the tire, take weight off, may help. If not, you may have to loosen the wet bolt, apply grease, then retorque the wet bolts when finished. Time to retorque all suspension bolts anyway. In my experience, this happens to 1-2 bolts each time. Check with Alcan ahead of time. They may not stock these parts, and you can always bring parts with you. BTW, given the age of your hull, if you’re replacing axles and springs, you’ll want to replace the EZ Flex center links too. Many have brought these parts with them too. Alcan will be happy to install them. Since you’re replacing the main components, replacing ALL parts at the same time makes best sense (see pic, I purchased 2 of these from eTrailer. The following thread is where I documented my DIY axle/spring installation:

For most tents, stakes they would work fine. But for our awnings and higher wind areas, I would consider increased diameter and length. Love the 20V impact to drive them idea. For our OTT awning, we carry two milk crates. One in the basement and the other in the basket. For high wind areas, we primarily rely on them with "locally sourced" rocks as anchors. One lesson learned is to emply quick disconnect so that in emergencies one disconnect and retract quickly. I have some ole D-rings that are over 100 pound rated and use them with mil-spec 550 cord as the connection means. Additional weight for two is less than a pound or two. GJ

The Oliver battery bay is designed to hold the weight of 4 LA or AGM batteries. Given you still have 4 AGMs proves this point, as it’s been holding for 10 years. I see real issues with the picture you shared, that you truly should investigate. Two bolts are certainly required to hold two support beams together. One bolt allows for the angle to bow, two will not. It’s that simple. Looking at your picture, the lower beam doesn’t look square to the floor! Is it still connected to the frame? No added gizmo will correct for a failed foundation. I’d be pulling up the insulation around the base to verify if the support base is still welded or bolted to the frame. Then do the work that David showed above. We’re traveling again in 4 weeks and the support lift/2nd bolt addition is top of my list. We will NOT travel again until this issue is corrected! But we all do what we want in this life…

We were in Hohenwald today, and signs of how severe this storm was are everywhere! We came into town from the east on 412, and saw broken trees and power poles by the hundreds. There seemed to be a pile of debris collected along the road every quarter mile or so, some as big as cars. Then we left to the north on Rt 48, and it made the eastern side look like a teaser. Thousands and thousands of downed trees for miles! The worst ice damage I’ve ever seen. Hopefully, no one was injured and folks are somewhat back to normal now.

I would be fine with a better installation, ease of use and longevity of the cable over a larger storage space. I believe this is a good example of OTT improving their design through the years! In our Oliver, Chris uses this space for storage, a small pressure cooker, yes TP and paper towels, extra coffee and a whole lot of dog food and treats!

Funny! Moderation with AH is the key! 🌋🔥 David

Thank you JD. I am hoping that @Patriotwill weigh in with a photo. However, it might indeed be easier to lube the zerks with the 45 degree bend. So with the angled zerks, you wouldn’t have to remove the tire unless you wanted to? I am sure Alcan would put the angled zerks on if I went that route. David

I was wondering if anyone would notice those. The latch is still in working order, but I know many trays with a single latch would sheer off. Those blocks of oak wood with two screws in each have been there since 2021. I think Jason Essary even mentioned them when he saw them, and how they seem to work well. LOL You have a keen eye Bill. You win the prize for spotting them.

More like this. But still the same idea.

You mean like - THIS VIDEO Bill

So this may have been covered bf, but my shotgun rider pointed me to a video that used 8” stainless lag screws and 1 1/2” fender washers to use as tent stakes for our clam screen house. Boy what an easy way to secure your shelter. Beats the rock hammer by a mile.

Hi Steve, thanks for your assistance with this plumbing project. I really appreciate it. Marc

Thank you

We know that most of the older PD's had two RP fuses, and likewise some had the Lithium switch. I suggest testing the unit amp output to definatively end the discussion. Just turn off the solar controller, turn off the Inverter (If installed) turn on the Converter, and either check the SOC reading at the SOC display (If available) or use a clamp-on-amp meter at the battery to measure voltage and amps. Hopefully you see higher voltage and amperage when you think the Converter is on. If not, cry.

When I first read your post, my first comment was 🤣!!! Just search for keyword 'Victron' to find MANY upgrade threads! Here is my DIY thread, new Epoch batteries with Victron MP2 and components. We now have 7 Victron components (see app screenshot below), from the Smartshunt to Solar Chargers, to DC-2-DC chargers, etc! Adding the Victron Orion 50A DC-2-DC charger => Only a couple of Oliver Owners had upgraded to the Victron Multiplus II inverter/charger and Epoch batteries before I did ours, summer of 2024. And many have done so since. In this post Patriot shows an excellent professional installation! You have dozens of upgrade threads here you can study to make yours what you want!

David, @Patriot should chime in. He prefers mounting the wet bolts, Zerk fittings to the inside. You get full clearance but the down side is you have to crawl under the trailer to lube the suspension. I prefer mounting the wet bolts in the standard direction, facing out, but then I replace the straight fitting with a 45-degree Zerk fitting to get the required clearance. I usually have some reason to remove the wheels every year or two and always lube the suspension at that time anyway. Your old suspension likely has 6mm x 1 threads on the Zerks. I'm pretty sure the Alcan wet bolts use 1/4" x 28 fittings. You can verify this with Alcan. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQBPTK3Y/?th=1 Get one of these too, and many of us use a battery-powered grease gun. I have the Dewalt model with the LockNLube coupler attached and just the other day, I was able to lube the suspension on my truck in minutes! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H7LPKKU/?th=1

The existing wiring is adequate just as long as you don’t try to use all 600 amp/hrs at once! 🌋

Thank you Mountainoliver. There is the cost differential from the 3X 105 to two X 300 AH batteries versus, but two 300 AH would allow for future upgrades and it’s good to know that the existing wiring on my system would be adequate. Thanks again. David

Yes, the monsoon season, late July through September has chance of flash floods, but it would also be > 110F! Will soon be in the dry season, Q2 starting with April winds! It’s so BRIGHT up here, my eyes hurt after 3 days! Even with back to the sun, the Oliver looks like a high-powered light bulb! Maybe should have parked with curbside to the north. Chance of rain this week is 0-0-0-0-0-0-0!!!

Thank you for the advice, I will certainly look at them. Ron