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Battery systems as provided by Oliver: Standard - 2 x 12V Lead/Acid @ 100Ah wired in parallel - total Ah=200 - Usable Ah=100 Optional #1 - 4 x 12V Lead/Acid @100Ah each all wired in parallel - total Ah=400 - Usable Ah=200 Optional #2 - 4 x 6V Trojan AGM @ 200Ah each 2 pairs wired in series and each pair wired in parallel - total Ah=400 - Usable Ah=200

Installed the new inverter today. All operations are normal again with inverter output to microwave and AC outlets. Before unpowering the old inverter I put a test light in the GFCI outlet to test the inverter output. Power looked good until the GFCI tripped. Pretty expensive GFCI failure... I will probably look into replacing the faulty GFCI when I have some spare time and get a little smarter on shorting out the internal capaciter without lighting myself up. The End ??

1. Always turn Propane tank valve on VERY SLOWLY, otherwise the force of rushing gas can cause safety valves on furnace, frig, or hot water heater to shut that appliance down. Only remedy is shot of gas, reset appliance, then turn gas valve VERY SLOWLY. Seemingly faulty appliance has always worked after that. 2. Always lock bathroom door before driving even the shortest distance. Otherwise it will be broken for sure from swinging open. 3. Never camp between other RVs that run generators with exhaust pointed towards your Ollie. The CO detector will go off. NEVER ignore your CO DETECTOR!!! You might die in your sleep. 4. Never run propane appliances while driving. They can cause gas explosions at gas stations. 5. Viair Air Compressor makes winterizing water lines and keeping tires at proper pressure a piece of cake 6. Anderson Leveling wedge is worthless on ice and snow. They need a studded version. 7. Boondocking in Winter requires a decent and quiet generator. Solar power is gone for perhaps weeks. I recommend the Honda 2200i. 8. Protect front lower sections of shell from rock chips with plastic coating. Tow vehicle will spray a ton of gravel into it, especially in Winter. The folks who applied 3m film to my Audi are doing my Ollie. 9. Keep Drain hose attached to outlet in rear bumper and simply cap the end. This is way easier and cleaner than taking it apart each drain cycle. And always drain Black then Gray for odorless hose 10. Dehumidifier is a must when Winter camping. Otherwise condensation runs amuck everywhere. 11. Hoppy Rearview Mirror Level on front of Ollie saves tons of time. And, your head doesn’t get nearly as wet running in and out and in and out etc, etc in the rain and snow to get the darn trailer level. 12. Use other Ollie owners for tips and advice, especially for Set Up and Departure Checklists. They are valuable beyond belief. I’ll add more as they happen. Happy travels

UPDATE 4/15/2019 The Andersen Hitch company has once again designed a new inner cone for the ball housing. This new cone is supposed to resolve the grinding/binding issue that has been occurring for some owners. The new design does require that the ball assembly be shipped to Andersen for installation of the new cone as well as the new collar on top that was designed to keep the cone in place. Any customer with questions regarding this new design or how they can get their current Andersen Ball assembly modified should contact Andersen Hitch at 800-635-6106.

[attachment file=2 HOBOS.jpg] Got the permanent tags for hull #414 which we will take delivery of on 1 May. This was the very last 2018 Elite II produced. Getting really excited. 2-HOBOS4.pdf

We pay around $70. It will be a little more this year because I got a “Texas State Parks” license plate and there is a fee for that, most of which goes to the Parks system which we use a lot. Mike

I tend to agree about the superior protection you get with a quality marine paste wax. I store my Ollie outdoors all year. Two or three washes and two waxes a year, one in the Spring and the other in the late Fall. By the beginning of Spring, my trailer is a little green around the edges here in the NW. A month ago, after a quick wash before a future Oliver customer came by to have a look, the water still beaded up like it was just waxed after being out all Winter. Yes it's a bit more elbow grease to apply paste wax, but not that much. I have had no issue cleaning off bugs, tar, road grime, or whatever with a quality paste wax underneath. I personally really like Collinite Fleetwax, but I'm sure the others mentioned here are good as well. I also use a WHITE 3M scotch-brite pad, along with a sponge when I'm soaping down my trailer before I wax. The white pad is the equivalent of 1200 grit sandpaper. It has just enough tooth to cut through the tough stuff without affecting the natural shine of the gelcoat. It leaves the trailer smooth (no small embedded particles) and very clean, almost like it was clayed before a paint job. This has worked very well for me. https://www.collinite.com/marine-wax/fleetwax-paste-wax/ https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/Scotch-Brite-Light-Cleansing-Hand-Pad-7445/?N=5002385+3293194061&rt=rud Dave

Here's a photo of what I was talking about. Upper part waxed with Rejex, lower not waxed at all. It's not like it's sheeting off either, just holding onto the water.

Mike, I think you just identified the perfect customer for the new tracking system: No room left on top and not wanting a portable system. The tracker would solve both of those problems.

Our first night in Hull #444, at Montgomery Bell State Park. We are learning.

Well I hope no one takes my questions as criticism. After all, I haven't even seen it. I'm just impatient to know more!

Some of the questions about this system are valid. I agree that a bigger array of panels would do the same job as a smart, GPS tracking smaller set of panels. My thought is that I don’t have the real estate on top for much more solar capability. I’m also not interested in carrying and deploying portable panels that have to be watched or secured. I wouldn’t want to have to put away a portable array each time I go hiking or decide to take a nap. The ability to sense movement and then track a moving trailer is also a benefit. So, it will be interesting to see and hear the details about this at the rally. Mike

Raspy, et al You make some good points. The idea was born from necessity. My first time at Quartzite, I watched an Oliver owner going up and down a ladder several times daily adjusting the height of the solar panel. My trailer does not have solar on top. I bought a large suitcase and spent much of the day adjusting the vertical and horizontal. As soon as I did, I could see the watts spike , but after a while begin to diminish. This year, I returned to Quartzite with a Elite II with solar. This year, it was windy, cold and occasionally rained. There were only a few hours of sunlight and somedays the solar panels were far from fully charged. By sensing the sun and turning the panels to the optimal direction, the solar tracker should be able to better optimize the battery charging. We will have the prototype at the rally. It would be foolish to develop the solar tracker without a plethora of input from the end user. We have developed the panels for the Elite II. This is the majority of the Oliver solar panels. If the panels are smaller, no problem on the fitting. If larger, the solar sensors, GPS, cell phone and other electronics may be blocked. We have designed the framework, the electronics and beginning to develop the software. When everyone comes to the rally, we will have the prototype there. We want to hear from everyone as a potential customer. We value everyone’s opinion in the development of this new product. We will have the two engineers that have developed the design. We want to hear fro you thanks coy

The fixings will ALWAYS be on hand for a good gin (tanqueray) & tonic. Come on by and I'll fix you up. I suspect my bride will have a variety of beer and wine available to share too. (I think that's why our TV is a full size truck).