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WINTER STORAGE OF CAMPER When storing the camper for the winter you will want to ensure that it is done properly so you don't run into any issues when you get ready to get it out of storage. Winterize: Make sure you properly winterize the camper with an RV Antifreeze. Using air to blow out the lines will NOT remove all of the water in the system. There are valves throughout the camper that can hold the smallest amount of water, freeze and crack causing an unwanted repair. Make sure the filter or anode is removed from the water heater and it is empty. Batteries: The on-board batteries are susceptible to cold weather and can drain even when disconnected from the camper. It is best to leave the camper on a charge keeping the batteries topped off. This will prolong the battery life as well as ensure that the camper has 12v power when it comes out of storage. Tires: The tires on your camper may develop flat spots if left sitting on concrete/asphalt while being stored. This is okay as the flat spots should straighten out as you drive the camper down the road about 10 miles and the tires heat up. Even if the camper is being stored inside a building, if the building temperature is not regulated to stay above freezing and/or the building heat source fails, then you may have something freeze inside the camper causing damage. Winter Usage The camper is designed to be used during the winter months just as you use your stationary house. However, the biggest difference is that with your camper you may turn off the heat source and travel to your next destination. This trip might just be enough for the water left behind in your water lines, water filter, toilet, and or water heater to freeze and cause damage. Recommendations: While traveling in freezing temperature (32 degrees) it is recommended that you drain your water heater, cut off the water to the toilet and flush to remove as much as the water from the toilet as possible. Depending on the outside temperature and how long your drive will be, this may not fully protect against freezing. It is best to use RV Antifreeze to pump through the lines when in extreme temperatures to ensure that nothing freezes. What factors impact how quickly your water will freeze? Water Mass - 6gallons of water will take longer to freeze compared to 1ml of water. The valves inside your camper may have less than 1ml of water resting on them as you travel creating a potential freeze condition. Water Temperature - The starting temperature of the water before it loses its heat source. Water that is in the cold lines may already be at 50 degrees and it only has to drop to 32 degrees for it to freeze. Hot water in the lines requires even less time compared to cold water to freeze. Outside Temperature - If the outside temperature is 0 degrees then the inside temperature will fall faster than when traveling in 32 degree weather. Speed of Travel - When traveling down the roads at 70mph the wind chills across the camper can drop the temperature quicker. *When traveling during the winter months please keep up with each states laws for campers. Many states do not allow the propane system to be on while driving on roadways, bridges, and tunnels. Space heaters may keep the main cabin warm but may not provide a sufficient heat source for the water lines between the shells.

Wind Creek State Park in Alexander City, AL. It's 24 degrees & we are toasty warm while peering out the window at billions of stars.

We took possession of our Ollie this week. We spent two nights camping locally (Natchez Trace) which turned out to be a great idea as it gave us time to field test all of the systems and get comfortable. We are now home and planning the maiden voyage - a three week loop thru south Florida. Happy Campers with big plans - looking at her makes us want to leave home.

Hello Oliver friends, My wife and I have placed an order, sent a down payment, and have picked out most of the options for our new Elite II to be delivered in June. We both read the Forum on a regular basis and occasionally have thoughts to contribute. It seems time to introduce ourselves. I'm a high school shop teacher of 20 years who enjoys time off in the summer. My wife also works for a school district, but in a year round technology support position. When the two boys were little the three of us visited every State Park in Minnesota together while my wife was home working. Fortunately, she was able to make 1/2 the trips with us. Stopping at each of the approximately 70 parks took five summers. The trailer we traveled in was a 18' hybrid with two bunk ends. We tired of the set up and condensation issues that come with sleeping in the tent ends. The boys are off to college, or soon to be, so she and I are looking to move into a camper that will be a better fit for just the two of us. We have over a dozen summers of good travel memories in that hybrid camper, but it's time to move on. We now travel with our two hunting English Setters. Both are excellent travelers and ruffed grouse hunters with an occasional pheasant trip thrown in. Recently we upgraded from a Toyota 4Runner to a 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser for our tow vehicle and my daily driver. We are very much enjoying the new Land Cruiser with it's 5.7 liter V8 and the upgraded trim level. We will contribute as we are able and look forward to continuing to read the forum. Ken and Julie

I'm not a tech, but I think that your flush valve is leaking. When you press down on the pedal that opens the valve, water is pushed through the vacuum breaker and into the toilet bowl, if water is constantly flowing into the bowl the valve is leaking and the vacuum breaker is not preventing the water from siphoning back to the valve. One other thing you might try, when you flush, let the flush lever snap back, it might just reseat the valve. Steve

So happy to see that you have picked up your trailer! Hope you enjoy as much as we are enjoying ours.

You must blow out each and every outside water connection, not just the city water line. Even if you have not personally used the other ones there wll be undoubtedly be some residual water trapped in those other circuits. Don’t forget to drain the hot water heater, not just bypass it.... John Davies Spokane WA

has anyone found one that is accurate? This one looks promising.

Bill, I use it all the time and it has not failed me yet.

I've been using the Truma level check since winning it at the last Oliver rally and think it does the job. Here is a link https://shop.truma.net/products/truma-levelcheck

I saw this Truma device at the RV show in Tampa last month. It looked interesting and doesn’t have any weather issues as it is kept in your TV or OTT. Will it survive the inevitable drop? $69.99 from Truma. Mike

You really only need one sender, put it under the bottle that is being used, use the app, set the valve to Auto, then when that tank gets to empty it will switch over and you will know to refill the empty one. A sensor is $45 at Amazon. However, I see nothing about water resistance. From this video it appears that it will leak like a sieve - it snaps together like a car key fob. I sure don't see a case seal, and the electronics are completely unprotected by any sort of potting compound. I think the display looks really tacky, I would hate for that to be visible on the wall of my trailer, maybe inside the closet above the sewer vent lines.... but I would just use the App. I sent an email to the manufacturer: "My trailer has two bottles that are completely exposed at the bottom to road spray and fluids from washing. Is there a way to waterproof the sensors? Could they be enclosed in some sort of container and still function? How do they deal with lots of condensation dripping onto them from the tank as it is being used? Your product info does not address this issue, please advise." I am putting one sensor in my Wish List and I will await further feedback about how the sensor will survive an external wet environment. For an enclosed motorhome application, I bet it would be neat. John Davies Spokane WA

Jason and his team should be congratulated on the new web site. The colors are pleasing, and the photos on the main page are really great, especially Phil Andrews’ stunner of the Ollie next to a campfire with a kayak on the lake! They did a great job with the drop down menus, really increasing functionality for a potential buyer exploring the web site for the first time And, for us Forum users I see that they have just added Recent Topics from the Forums drop down menu. Thanks! I have two suggestions to improve the site. As a current owner who mostly uses the Forums, I accept the fact that the web site’s primary purpose is marketing to new potential owners. Two years ago when I was thinking about buying an Ollie, Wincrasher’s blog and video were very helpful to me. The fact that these were made by a current owner (I know, he subsequently sold the trailer), was very influential, compared to a video made by the manufacturer. There are now a bunch of other videos and blog posts, all made by owners. My suggestion is that the Why Oliver drop down menu include one more menu item, maybe called Owner Generated Content. (This is not the smoothest name, and I hope someone will come up with a better one.) This would lead to a web page that would link to Owner Generated Content, including videos by Buzzy, G&J Roaming and Rolling, Mountainborn, Reed Lukens and Wincrasher. Other videos? It should also link to the blog posts by Wincrasher and SuperSizeLife. There are probably other blog posts. Are there any legal / permissions issues here? Second, I would like to suggest the web page provide links to Oliver Owners’ Blogs. My idea is to have another item under the Forums drop down menu called Oliver Owners’ Blogs. (Better name anyone?) I have stumbled across the blogs of Mendofrank, Mike and Gerri, and SuperSizeLife and I have enjoyed them. I am pretty certain there are other blogs out there by Oliver owners, and I would like to read them. The Oliver Owners’ Blogs page could simply have a short description of each blog along with links. Again, are there legal / permissions issues here? The Oliver Forums have been a great community for sharing useful information, and I think these blogs would enhance that community.

Just a FYI Honda is replacing the 2000 with a 2200 this spring.