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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/14/2017 in all areas

  1. Hello everyone from Micro-Air! Many thanks to Buzzy for his noticing my sign up to your forum and many thanks to Trumpetguy for his long-standing support as one of our exclusive "repeat customers"! We're thrilled to be here and very happy to see the interest brewing in our EasyStart products. I'm going to do my best to abide by your forum's rules and not post any links, prices, and such since I don't want to upset your moderators. Most of you have already found our website anyway, and all of the important stuff is there. Speaking of which, we're in the middle of a complete website and webstore redesign that should be launching within the next few weeks. Trumpetguy gave a great summary. To address some of Buzzy's questions, I looked at some photos of Olivers from past and present. I see that they at one time perhaps used Coleman Mach and Polar Cub rooftops, later changing to the Dometic Penguin. I just saw on your Facebook page a trailer with a Dometic Penguin II. The good news is we have now had hundreds of end customers and dealers install EasyStart with success on all of these models, and pretty much the rest of the model families from Dometic and Coleman (Airxcel). I have a vast library of wiring diagrams that I have drawn and accumulated since last summer. I can post any or all of those here once we know which models anyone might need help with. The generic installation instructions that come with EasyStart are straightforward. I've attached those here. As far as power sources go, the big thing that EasyStart enables is operation of the largest rooftops, 15kBTUs, from a single 2000W generator or inverter. We have confirmation of this with Honda EU2000i, the Yamaha EF2000iSv2, the Westinghouse WH2000iXLT, the Xantrex Freedom 1800 Modified-sine Inverter, the Magnum Energy Magnasine MS2012, and a few other inverter models as well. The only 2000W generator that doesn't seem to work with EasyStart is the Champion 73536i, which I wanted to mention up front since it is half the cost a few have customers have had trouble with it. The other nice benefit for EasyStart that I don't believe applies to Oliver trailers (yet) is that it allows you to run two rooftop A/Cs on a single 30A utility hook-up. I'm here to answer questions, so feel free to ask away! Thank you again for the warm welcome and for everyone's interest in our EasyStart products. EasyStart-In-box-Installation-Instruction-Sheet.pdf
    7 points
  2. Hello to all my Oliver buddies. I am glad to see renewed interest in the Easy Start because it is a terrific product. I introduced the company to my AS buds and a number have purchased the unit. One thing first...if you do buy the product get the one in the enclosure as opposed to just the board. If enough interest is expressed they will allow a discount. I did install the Easy Start in my Atwood Air Command 13500 AC I had on the Ollie. Yes I did run the AC on a hot Florida Saturday for eight hours on battery only. Bear in mind that I was using six Trojan T105s, and that the Atwood has probably the lowest AMP draw of any RV air conditioner. Not sure how a Dometic will do. During the eight hour test the Ollie was in full sun so there was some benefit from PV that reduced the draw on the batteries. FYI. The extra two batteries were in a marine battery case attached to the generator basket. I ran 1/0 welding cable under the dinette seats into the battery compartment. The Atwood pulls 60 AMPS when the compressor is running but remember that the AC cycles on and off according to the thermostat setting so an eight hour test might only entail six or so hours of running. The Easy Start is not a capacitor so don't think you can do this with a $10.00 part. All modern RV AC units already have a Hard Start capacitor anyway. Easy Start is a computer. It "learns" the characteristics of your AC unit within five starts and adjusts the amount of assistance at start up accordingly. Start up is what gives inverters and generators a problem. The "Locked Rotar AMPS" (LRA) at start up will approximate 5X the running amps of the unit. Even the Surge watts of a 2000 WATT inverter cannot overcome this. Easy Start reduces the LRA by as much as eighty percent to enable start up. It only operates on start up. An additional benefit is to reduce the cathartic bump felt when most RV AC units start up. One of my first mods to our AS 28' was to install the Easy Start. I have one Dometic Briskair 15000 BTU. My off grid set up is 500 WATTS of roof mounted PV (5) Renogy Mono Crystaline panels, (4) Crown AGM 6V Batteries, 3000 WATT Magnum Hybrid Inverter, 40 AMP Blue Sky Charge Controller with IPN remote. One day I hope to replace the AGMs with 400 AMPS of LIFePO4 batteries, but right now the price is too high. One thing has surprised me about my Airstream...it is not as energy inneficient as rumoured. There is about two inches of "pink stuff" insulation between the inner and outer skin. We have camped in 90 degree heat and 20 degree cold and were comfortable at all times. The furnace is so good we don't use it. Just carry a Little Buddy and keep it on low. I hope to see some of you on the road as we tour this wonderful land. If you are coming to9 the upper Gulf Coast of Florida be sure to send me a message and we will have a meet up. When will Oliver make a 28' 8 foot wide unit? Maybe soon?
    7 points
  3. And I wanted to post this separately: To show our appreciation for everyone's interest and Buzzy's kind invitation, like we did for Trumpetguy's AS friends and family, I've just added another coupon code to our webstore for all of you Oliver owners. Just enter "OLIVER" at checkout to receive $50 off our EasyStart 364 model. Please know that I'm not here to force the "hard sell" on anyone. I'm just a part of the product development & manufacturing team that wants to make sure you have all the right information. That way, each and everyone can make their own decisions and choices on how best to resolve their particular situations when it comes to A/C operation on generator or on inverter/solar power. Many thanks again for everyone's interest and consideration!
    5 points
  4. Forum Members, I noticed a new member, Micro-Air, joined on April 11, 2017. A review of his/her profile indicates a YouTube link to a variety of videos which can be helpful to our community. In the past, our Forum has benefited from vendor representatives, such as Sage at Andersen Hitches. Perhaps the Micro-Air representative will step forward? Have any Ollie owners utilized the equipment manufactured by Micro-Air? Buzzy
    4 points
  5. Just ordered mine!
    3 points
  6. Me too :) Just ordered. Thanks guys :) Heck it should be coming as a stock accessory with all Ollie's soon at this rate, I would think :) Being that I also have the Xantrex PROWATT SW SERIES/2000W inverter, will the wiring be the same? I would like to just be able to turn on the inverter and then run the AC to see how long I can run on the battery. I have a Honda 2000i and a golf cart charger, along with the Solar package, so quick charging the batteries isn't a problem.
    2 points
  7. Even the AQtwood needs 60 amps on start up. A honda 2000 won't do it alone.
    2 points
  8. David, Hats off to the development of your Easy Start, solar, and battery system!!!!!!! Very impressed when you first posted your system here. If we install the roof solar charging system on our Ollie, will borrow yours and everyone involved in development ideas, if you don't mind. On the 28' Ollie, there are rumors floating around.
    2 points
  9. 8 hours? Yes, we definitely need a full report on that, especially if he's able to do that in a larger and less well insulated Airstream. I wonder what his solar and battery capacity are.
    2 points
  10. David Kemp (trumpetguy) was using this equipment in his Oliver. He is now using the same in his Airstream. In full Florida sun, he was running his AC off the Trojans for as much as 8 hours at a time! Hopefully, he will chime in here with his experiences. The company has a complete Dometic Penguin II installation instructional on their website. It fits neatly inside the unit on the outside. The necessary unit costs a little over $300.00.
    2 points
  11. A few people have the Easy Start installed, and have said great things about it. I'm considering it, but if I go with the Atwood AC I should be able to run it off a Honda 2000 without one. However, if I'm not mistaken it was Trumpetguy who said that he could run his Atwood off of battery by using the Easy Start. Not for long, of course. After reading about it here, I'm also considering installing an easy start on my home AC. We've got an old house with iffy patchwork electrical that's been changed and added to somewhat, uh, creatively over the last 100 years, and the AC is a definite strain on the system when it cranks up.
    2 points
  12. Hello y'all, My name is Jason and I started here at Oliver Travel Trailer about 3-4 weeks ago in the Web/IT department working under Matt. I am here to help with web development, marketing, seo and to help make the web/forums better. I figured I would come in and introduce myself and give y'all a hello since I have been rather creepish on here for the last 3 weeks! Lol. Glad to be here and excited to see what the future holds in store for us all! I hope to see you at the 2017 Oliver Rally at Thousand Trails Natchez Trace this year! Thanks, Jason
    1 point
  13. This is something we have discussed and are still looking into how we will go about it as well as considering the time management into a large project as it can become. At this time there is not an ETA so to speak but it is on the list of to-do's. :)
    1 point
  14. Another Thanks to David & Matteo!!!! Want to buy a 2000 Watt Quiet Yamaha or Honda GenSet that will run the 13.5K Dometic AC unit for short periods on the Ollie. Will purchase the EasyStart 364, too.
    1 point
  15. In the Oliver, he was running it with the standard 4 Trojan T-105's and the 320 watt solar. He later added two more batteries so he had even more reserve power.
    1 point
  16. Hi Jason, Welcome! It is good to hear you and Matt will team up to help our Forum. In the past, Matt had high hopes for posting videos to aid existing owners. A video on “Winterizing an Ollie” was one which comes to mind. With all the duties and responsibilities, I suspect there was never enough time to focus on the “How to Videos”. Any chance you and Matt will have time soon? Thank you, Buzzy
    1 point
  17. I also creep around here not logging in a lot. Welcome Jason!
    1 point
  18. End result looks really good. The grooves for the king bed table mount/bed are still under the twin bed fiberglass extensions, for those not wanting to cut up the rails.
    1 point
  19. Where's your baby's cover? Sometimes it gets cold at night!!! Very well done, and a great idea. Good work.
    1 point
  20. Looks pretty nice! We have a couple little ones too. They are bed hounds as well. We hope they will be content to have their bed below the nightstand on the floor. One is small enough to fit okay on the bed with us but the other not so much. We will see soon I guess. Thanks for posting. You did a great job! yvonne
    1 point
  21. I am going to try this with a front mount bike rack have not gone on a trip with it yet I did try it around town and seem to work well. I will have it on my trip to the Rallies next month so that will be my first long drive test. I did get the one that the bike tires are what is supporting the weight on the rack and it had a 45 lbs capacity per bike vs the Swagman like this one was 35 lbs. We will see but I put on my own front hitch which was easy took less than two hours and can even use to pull my Trailer around to park if needed. At least another option I'll try a few photos. Thanks Gary
    1 point
  22. Would something like this work for you? It might be preferable to keep the weight off the back of the trailer for sway prevention. https://www.etrailer.com/ball-mounts/curt/d210.html
    1 point
  23. We almost never use the jacks on the trailer. I almost always use the Anderson levelers at every stop. The jacks will do the job just fine but I find the AL to be much more convenient and easier to use and they will stabilize the trailer much better when it needs to be lifted several inches off of the ground while camping. I weigh 250 pounds and the Oliver is so stable that I feel very little movement in the trailer when it's up on the AL. We did have one of our jacks fail while in Alaska and while the trailer was under full warranty. Oliver called and made an appointment with a large RV shop, overnighted the jack to them and had jack replaced PDQ. As a side note, the dealer in Alaska said that they had never ever worked with an RV manufacturer that was so determined to make a customer happy. They were extremely impressed with the trailer and the Oliver company and so were we. We own 4 Anderson Levelers and sometimes keep our trailer in a storage facility that is mostly gravel and grass and use one under each of the 4 tires when it is parked for several months. Of course, we only carry two AL with us when we travel. We have owned two Oliver Travel Trailers. As always just my opinion. Hap As in Happy just to be here.
    1 point
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