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It is without doubt that we will see the rise in cases as predicted, but accordingly, it will fall, as predicted, and eventually life will return to normal - whatever that is/was. But I am as confident, the vast majority of Americans will do the correct things, and as a whole we will keep the "curve" under control. Ollie will sit - waiting for the all clear to travel signal. Guess I'll get to that garden - time to plant a few things. Best wishes to all, RB.

If you don't already have the simple and inexpensive AC electrical diagnostic tools, you may wish to start your collection. https://www.amazon.com/No-Shock-Zone-Electrical-Safety-Michael-Sokol/dp/0990527913/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1584626401&refinements=p_27%3AJ+Michael+Sokol&s=books&sr=1-1&text=J+Michael+Sokol https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kill-A-Watt-Electricity-Monitor-P4400/202196386 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-GFCI-Outlet-Circuit-Analyzer-Tester-CE-GFI6500/305286301?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-202196386-_-305286301-_-N https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Non-Contact-Voltage-Tester-NCVT-1SEN/100661787?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-202196386-_-100661787-_-N https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-T5-1000-Electrical-Tester/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=wVO-GYCS0WzTjRP85UNv0g&hsa_cr_id=4038740680701&ref_=sb_s_sparkle&th=1 Mark

I am sorry if by closing the fed/state/local parks it means the RV parking spaces. I fully understand closing the visitor centers/stores/pavillions/etc as keeping them clean would be impossible. Being able to get yourself and loved ones out and about, away from others, and in a self contained RV spot would seem to me as a safe zone. Perhaps my knowledge level is inadequate in this area. BLM land? Seems like they have always been open. Perhaps that is the answer. Maybe meet with trusted friends/family and park within earshot for safety. Things will get worse before getting better and this greatly saddens me...for all of us. John Davis: I am so happy for you and your family that they are healthy and safe in NZ! NZ will and always has put their citizens first. Perhaps someone at their hotel can purchase the items they need for them. I would hope that this simple kindness is extended to them. Again, I am so happy they are safe and well. To all who read this forum: Stay well. Stay safe. Take care of those you hold dear. I will continue to pray for us all.

I think we need to understand that what the factory tells brand new owners is tempered by their extreme caution and liability concerns. Just like the sudden change from saying these three heavy duty jacks could be used to level the trailer, or raise a tire clear off the ground to change a flat, vs the new theory that all they can do is stabilize... Nothing about how the jacks are constructed or how they are mounted to the frame have changed, only the wording in the manuals. Use common sense, watch closely what your are doing, stop if something doesn’t look right, and think about consequences. John Davies Spokane WA

We just spent five days at the Grand Canyon. Highs around 50 and lows in the 30s. We set the furnace to 68 during the day and 56 at night. Also cooked every night and ran fridge. Used a little over half of a 30 tank.

I've spent some time on the phone with Battle Born. They tell me that their batteries are compatible with the Xantrex inverter and Blue Sky controller in my 2016 Elite II. Among the advantages they promote are: 1) you can draw the batteries down to 0% without damaging the batteries or reducing the lifespan of the batteries; 2) 3,000 to 5,000 discharge/charge cycles compared to 300-500 for my batteries; 3) a 10-year warranty: 8-year full replacement and last 2-years pro rated; and 4) they produce full power no matter what the discharge rate is. I don't know how many usable amp hours I have with my 4 Trojan T-105 deep cycle batteries. Battle Born says 2 of their 12v batteries would give me 200 usable amp hours, 3 would give me 300 and 4 would produce 400 usable amp hours. My camping style is to boondock as much as possible and to avoid times/places where I need to run my A/C. So, I don't use a generator (I don't own one) and I take full advantage of the factory installed solar panels and have a 120-watt Zamp portable panel as a backup. I've been very happy with my set up but I've had to leave great boondocking spots when the weather changes and a couple of days of rain set in. The Battle Born batteries weigh less than 1/2 of the weight of my Trojan batteries. 30 lbs. v. 62 lbs. The dimensions are 12.75L, 6.8W, and 9H--all in inches. The Trojans are 10.3L, 7.11W and 11.07H. I haven't tried to figure out whether I can fit 4 in my battery compartment, but I'm thinking of starting with 2 and upgrading if I need more amp hours. So, I'm interested in finding out if any of you on the forum have made the switch to Battle Born and if so, the pros and cons based on your experiences. Also, I welcome any comments by knowledgeable forum members who have not made the switch. I'm also curious about how many usable amp hours my 4 6V Trojan batteries povide. Cost is obviously a factor. The Battle Born batteries are "on sale" now for $949 per battery with free shipping and no sales tax.

We have noticed that when the bathroom vent is on, and the door is closed, the vent struggles to get air, unless the window is open. It creates what amounts to negative pressure in the bathroom. You can open the bathroom door and hear the fan relax. By the same thinking, or reverse scenario, when the heat is on, it must create a positive pressure in the bathroom. As the air will take the path of least resistance, it will flow out the two vents in the main cabin (if those vents are open), and that is where the thermostat is too, the bathroom will stay noticeably cooler. This is especially true if the door is closed. So, what we did, is cut a 3 1/2" hole up high in the wall between the two rooms. We cut it up high so no shower water should show up there. Without the furnace running there was no airflow through the hole. When the furnace came on, the airflow through there would almost blow the candle flame out. We put an adjustable SS vent cover over the hole in both sides so the the airflow could be restricted from either side, if ever needed. It will let the airflow coming into the bathroom have a path back to the furnace return vent. The easy way of course is to leave the bathroom door open, but that is an inconvenience when we are sitting at the dinette. I have pictures but this new device is hiding its secret on how to release them. AF26ACAE-E520-4482-A0BF-FF56435C2233.MOV AF26ACAE-E520-4482-A0BF-FF56435C2233.MOV

What DavidS wrote gives an excellent overview of what will happen. With 75%+ of everyone eventually getting infected by the covid-19 virus it is critical that our health care services are not overwhelmed with too many cases all at once. Equally important is that by slowing the spread buys time for the testing, manufacturing, and distribution of existing antiviral drugs, some which might work to lessen the severity of infection. Also, antibody treatments might be in the offing. Buying time is a good thing.

Paste this description below into the Amazon search bar and it should take you to the correct hose and connections. See the picture above MENSI 12FT Male/Female Quick-Connect RV Propane Extension Hose Compatible with Blackstone 17"/22" Griddles

The perks of owning an Oliver.

Maybe never wasn't the right word, but I was told to stop at gap closure when I picked up at the factory. I am able to get whaletale and pin aligned fine with the four spins and stopping the jack as the gap closes.

This is my last post to this topic : here is the reply from Timken, and it settles the issue. From the Timken rep: "Russell- thank you for submitting the photos. After reviewing the identification data shown in the photos I can confirm that the product shown in the photos is genuine Timken product manufactured in the USA in mid-late 2019 and appears to have been stored adequately. I would only be speculating as to how RBV Bearings sourced this product outside of normal procurement channels since RBV is an unauthorized distribution source. Going forward I would be cautious of any distribution source that does not clearly state they are an authorized Timken distributor." RBV should be RDV, purchased through Amazon.

An inside close-up view.

Earlier posts described the covid-19 epidemic as “blown out of proportion,” or “over blown,” or “media hype.” I have to strenuously disagree with those characterizations. This virus is extremely transmissible between people, and epidemiologists predict 40-70% of Americans will likely get infected. Yes, 80% of those people infected will have mild to moderate symptoms. However, 20% of infected individuals will have severe respiratory problems. Many of these people will require hospitalization. Many of these hospitalized people will require advanced interventions, including isolation, ICU care, and treatment with a ventilator. Unfortunately our health care has limited numbers of hospital beds, ICU space, and especially ventilators and trained respiratory technicians. The best estimates are that 1-3% of infected people will die. How many die depends upon how well our health care infrastructure can deal with the number of cases. In Italy they were slow to respond to the epidemic, and people are dying in record numbers. They don't have nearly enough hospital beds, and physicians are having to make triage decisions as to who gets treatment, and who lives and who dies. Read about it. It is very upsetting. You may have heard the term “flatten the curve.” Simply put, this means that if we do not shut down large gatherings and practice social distancing, based on the data from other countries, within a month we will have an enormous spike of infections, and 20% of those will have severe problems. Our health care system will not be able to cope, and many will die. If instead, we can slow the rate of transmission, then people will get infected over a much long period of time. This does not necessarily mean that fewer people will get infected, in total, but that fewer people will be infected at any point in time. That means there will be fewer people with severe respiratory problems at any one time, and hopefully there are enough ICU beds and ventilators available to meet the need. And that means fewer people will die. While each one of us is unlikely to have an infection with severe problems, it is nonetheless very important for all of us to do what we can to slow the rate of transmission.

One picture came through. I'll try another.

Started journey south with hull number 412 bound for warmer weather. I stopped for diesel for my Duramax. Diesel on the pump was listed for $2.94 per gallon. Using my TSD/EFS fuel card, I paid $2.28 a gallon. It saved me a total $12.99. The app showed the location of each truck stop on my route. I was traveling on I 65 southbound when I refueled in Alabama. My receipt showed up in the app almost immediately. I will get another receipt tomorrow which will show the debit from my checking account.

I had a bad experience at Loves Truck Stop. This is a word of caution to watch your surroundings at these big truck stops. I was at Loves truck stop at the Florida, GA, line. All the pumps were full, very busy. I used my credit card and started fueling. There was what appeared to be an employee at the pump with a bucket and cleaning supplies. Like most, you want to fuel and get back on the road quickly. Which i did no problems. After many hours of driving it was time to refuel. Using my card again it was declined. Calling the card company they informed me that another $500.00 fuel purchase was put on my card at the Loves truck stop at Fl Ga. I called the manager of that loves, and explained what happened. He explained that there employees must wear reflective vests that say loves. And when they clean the area, the pump section is closed off. The manager contacted the State Police who then contacted me. The State Police was able to make an arrest based on video recordings. I was told that Five other Truck stops were hit the same way. I was also told this is a common practice that the bad guys go to the busiest truck stops, blend in and are able to get your card info. They said this guy read my card as i put it in the pump. I am still amazed this guy was not that close to me. And the State police said no electronic card reader was used. Beware. Lesson learned.

Darryl, You answered my questions better than I could have hoped for. You're step-by-step explanation was perfect. Makes me feel much better about applying for a card. Thanks

I received the card on Monday. I was excited (yes, excited) to use it. So, I drove my Duramax to the Loves Truck stop 10 miles away. I did not have the Oliver in tow. I just wanted to test the fuel card. I followed the signs to the Truck Diesel. I pulled into an open lane. There was no RV lane. There was a FedEx semi to my right and another semi to my left. I swiped my card. The pump asked me a series of questions such as control number and pin. I received these numbers when I got my card in the mail. I then filled up. Also, I told the pump that I wanted receipt. Receipts would be picked up inside. The nozzle had no problem fitting in the Duramax fuel opening. I placed the pump nozzle on the lowest speed. I was apprehensive about increasing the flow rate higher. The lowest flow rate was fast enough. After fueling, I pulled away from the pumps and drove a short distance to the back of the Loves where I viewed other trucks parked. I walked in and there was a numbered shelf. I had fueled at pumped 18. The shelf was numbered 1-20. I took the receipt out of slot 18. It showed $47.00. Within 10 minutes, I had an email from TSD/EFS showing my cost of $41.30. This morning, I received a final receipt. The only addition was a .57 cent fee for processing. I just checked the app on price of Diesel at a couple of locations in Virginia. A Pilot in Harrisonburg, VA; diesel for users of card is listed at $2.55 and Richmond at a Loves $2.35. Hobo, I hope this answers your question. It sure beats paying the listed price.

Like Andrew said, you can fit 4 BBs in the tray if you stand them on end. They're a pain to wire up that way, but that's the only problem. You can get the replacement converter section for the power center, and it will shorten your charge time plus probably (?) give you a more ideal charge curve, but before that module was available, BB used to say that it was no problem using the standard PD charger. Think hard before investing in them. For those who need them, they're awesome; but in most cases for most owners, I'd argue that your money is more wisely spent elsewhere.

I have the Battleborns. The only con is their size. But you can fit four in the Elite II tray if you place them vertically. Also, you’ll find that while technically you can use 100% of their capacity, their voltage drops off a cliff at about 90%. Still, that’s a considerable improvement over lead acid, and from a performance standpoint I have zero complaints. The Lifeline rep at the rally said that they will be introducing a similar product soon. Resellers have a good margin so you might be able to find a better deal. I got mine through Inverter Supply. I would suggest that you upgrade your battery monitor at the same time, since it’s more difficult to judge an LFP’s state of charge from voltage alone. A few of us have the Victron BMV, which are highly rated. If you get their Bluetooth version, then you won’t have to mount anything in the trailer. Simply secure the monitor in the hull and use their phone app.