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I saw this latch on a Polaris Slingshot and thought it looked like the latches on my Oliver, only it appeared to have a cut-key-lock instead of the stamped-key-lock I have. This is the stamped-key-lock on the battery compartment and basement doors on my Oliver. I looked at the Southco website and found that more secure latches are available. You might consider replacing the OE latch with one of these more secure options. Notice the cut-key “lock style 9” vs the stamped key “lock style 8”. https://files.southco.com/static/Literature/m1-c.en.pdf

Is Oliver still putting the Hull Number plaques inside the door? I spoke to Larry on the phone when I was trying to get onto the old forum. He was happy to get me on and also wanted to talk and ask about me and Carol and made me feel welcomed and comfortable well before we even ordered #135. Mike.

It's really nice for me to see "Mountainborn's topic" pop up in my feed. So, thanks for that, Susan Huff. Larry and Betty, (mountainborn) were the original Ollie pioneers. His grainy cellphone youtube videos brought a bunch of us into the first 50 ownership group. They're both amazing people, with vast camping, life, and outdoor experience, and we feel blessed to count them as friends. Sherry

Getting ready for an upcoming trip. I thought I'd share some of what I do to stock for camping. My first shopping trip is to the home fridges and freezer, and my home pantry. I pull staples from dry goods. Partial bottles of ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce are just fine. I might not come home with a partial, to add to another partial bottle. I often shop at Costco, so large quantities get broken down and portioned when I get home. Then, marinated or seasoned, and vac packed, labeled, and frozen, in the case of meats, poultry, and fish. I like to freeze items flat, on a cookie sheet,, so they stack better.. My freezer is a great start for camping proteins, just as it is for meal starters at home. The day before we leave, I usually make and chill a container each of pasta salad, potato salad, and cole slaw. Freeze sliced lunch meats. I precook a pound of bacon, and pack it in a flat container or ziplock. I cook/"boil" 6 to 12 eggs, as we like boiled eggs, and they can become egg salad for lunch, a quick breakfast, or a high protein snack. I try to make a list of proteins and ingredients on hand, so we often only have to add produce and bread in a two or three week trip. Sometimes, not much of that, either. I carry milk in shelf stable quarts. In cooler weather, I often make a batch or two of soup, and freeze it. Sometimes precook pasta, and store it in ziplocks, with a little olive oil. Depends on the season. I don't have a microwave, but precooked rice, pasta, etc, can be reheated easily stovetop, or in foil packets on the fire. It's nice to have some meal items prepped for the first few days or first week. Keeps dinner interesting, but easier, after a long day of exploring. Sherry

My alarm is really really loud. It is a residential unit intended to be mounted way up high on a ceiling, in a large room. Inside the Ollie with all its hard surfaces, and positioned three feet over the bed, it is just way too intense. This takes the nasty shreik out of it while still being easy to hear. Yeah, I know you are supposed to change the batteries annually, that is too often IMHO. When it starts to chirp once every thirty seconds, then change them. Don't wait longer or it may go dead.... My Duracell regular AA batteries last two years. Warning, if any of the folks camping inside the trailer are hard of hearing, it would be best to leave the speaker uncovered. Do this at your own risk. John Davies Spokane WA

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest some cooking lessons as a better alternative.

Bill, Indeed I did and paid too much...

Hi John. Good point. One thing you said is "22 minutes". No way mine drains in that time. More like 5 hours. I remember shortly after I picked it up, I had to replace the pump and there were a lot of plastic shreds in the filter. I also seem to remember the first time I drained the tank prior it did drain faster. I have a strong suspicion I have some plastic filings caught in the drain valve. I will blow it out from the bottom with air, but likely that will be temporary as they will just float back down there. Probably will have to cut the line behind the valve, then blow out and reconnect with alligator clip. Thanks for mentioning 22 minutes!

Hi, Chris. I had a hard time finding it on my android phone, too. go to my account, then account settings, settings area, and near the bottom you should see " signature."

And, they came back to help the launch of the new Elite II in 2015. This is Larry, Betty, and a young family visiting them, friends from their work camping days . Poco, Larry and Betty's dog, is in the foreground. That fuzzy puppy in the loving arms of the boy in red is my dog Livvy, at her first Tampa Rv Supershow. I'm guessing I took the photo, since it's a bit out of focus.

Not in stock at my HD. Will you need to order ahead?

Shallowgal, I put several of a similar type light on the top and bottom treads of our home staircases. Really helpful when we forget to turn on the overhead light.love them. I've also thought about putting one in the bathroom of the Ollie. I'm used to a motion sensor light in our home bathroom. In our little shorty, I could see them useful on the outside step. I can find my way (3 steps) to the bathroom by the light of the stereo.

An accumulator tank is a water chamber which has a pre-pressurized internal air bladder. They are installed on the pressured side of your pump and dampen water pressure 'spikes', reduce pump cycling, help increase the pump's life and also save battery power.

Yep, SLOW is the word. I usually let it drain overnight.

You might want to add that it is on the outside of the Ollie - not behind the toilet on the inside 😆.

Here are a couple of useful tools to track wildfires and the nasty smoke they generate. Windy for Android and IOS. https://windy.app/ Many layers, the base one is wind direction and strength, you can show all sorts of extra info like Air Quality, the cool thing is that it will predict four days into the future and you can play the video to watch the smoke move. So you can plan a move, or get out the HEPA filter and crank it up to High. This is what the AQ in my area will look like in 24 hours. Fire Mappers. This is just one of several wildfire maps. https://napsg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6dc469279760492d802c7ba6db45ff0e&extent=-13924858.7766%2C5724880.0296%2C-12970924.6636%2C6317419.8728%2C102100 Here is a big one along the CA / OR border. It shows the perimeter and also “hot spots” which are thermal readings from space. Clicking on the fire brings you a pop up with info on size and % containment. In addition that site has locally produced fire maps with evacuation routes and road closures, and other useful links. Stay safe. Washington suffered over the Labor Day weekend with more acreage burned (330,000) than in the previous 12 entire fire seasons combined. Hurricane strength winds did not help, all fire fighting airplanes were grounded due to smoke and impenetrable dust. Here is what the west coast will look like Sunday..... Oh my..... John Davies Spokane WA

That bottom joint has a massive rubber gasket, if kept clean of debris it can’t leak. Even if it did, it would not matter since it is OK to introduce a little fresh water in there. Urine is a whole other thing, that is bad. When parked long term I usually have to run half a cup of fresh water from the sink faucet down into the coir every few weeks because it starts to dry out on top when not in use. But I live in a semi-arid climate. It may not be an issue where you live, but it will be if you visit the desert west. You do not need a shower curtain, but you will need to always rinse and then dry the walls after the last person showers, and also the floors, including behind the toilet. I use a California Water Blade followed up by a towel. And thanks for the kind words. John Davies Spokane WA

I like it the way it is . . . . . in RVs, everything is a compromise. I would not want to give up the microwave delete cabinet or the galley drawers for sake of a cu ft of fridge storage. We pack what we can and shop along the way, if necessary. We have a high performance cooler; a Coleman - not as expensive as Yeti (not as efficient I suppose, but more affordable and less apt to be stolen). We pack food items less sensitive to temperature (produce) as well as cold drinks, in the cooler. It is also good for pre-cooling items that require refrigeration, such as leftovers. We have three wireless thermometers - one each for the fridge, freezer and cooler. Acurite multi sensor indoor-outdoor temperature and humidity monitor I chose this one because you can see all three temps as well as ambient temperature on one screen; no need to cycle between channels. Bottom line: Food management, while camping, takes some thought and planning, but we manage to make it work. And, you can always carry a few freeze dried meals 😀

“Needs a good scrub. Previous owner painted it with latex”..... Good grief. OTH maybe cutting 8 inch holes in the hull and adding 600 pounds of cast iron and an open flame may not be the best solution. Not to mention all the soot inside the walls and cabinets. And the bugs from bringing in firewood. And the overhead clearance problem when towing...... Oh, never mind. This boggles the mind. John Davies Spokane WA

Quite true, Overland. I didn't "double" my storage replacing the dometic, by any means. Maybe a .5 cubic foot. And, I got a smaller freezer. Susan, how I get that much "stuff" in my fridge is the same way I packed for the old fridge. Containers sized for the time we planned to be gone. Freezing items flat, so they stack better. Removing excess cardboard packaging helps, too. We also carry a lot of fruit and veggies, but many items can be stored outside the fridge . Tomatoes, onions, potatoes, squash, etc. are best stored in a basket, actually. Peppers, zucchini, waxed cukes are fine outside the fridge for several days. Apples and oranges are fine. Paul likes to eat them cold, so I just put one or two in the fridge each day, not the entire bag. We can manage quite nicely for two weeks without going to the store, if we like. And, that was the same when we had the Dometic. We also use a cooler for beverages, and sometimes put some produce in there, on top, as lettuce can freeze in the wrong spots in any fridge. Sherry

Speaking as someone who has a compressor fridge, this repetitive hand wringing about the absorption fridge has gotten ridiculous. Sure, a compressor fridge is better, but not by that much. If you don’t like it, then just put a fridge freezer in your truck. That’s something that will actually make a difference in how you travel.

Replacing the gas unit with a 12 volt compressor one can almost double your inside storage volume. Carrying a similar portable unit in your TV also works VERY well, if you have the space and are willing to deal with extension cords or a portable solar panel to keep it running when parked long term. I have used our medium sized (50 quart) classic ARB fridge for many years, but it only goes along on longer trips, over ten days. I plug the 12 volt power cord into the Ollie solar port with a 25’ extension cable. https://arbusa.com/portable-fridge-freezers/ If I ever get around to replacing the “Dumbetic” gas fridge, I will probably stop carrying the ARB one, since it won’t be needed. John Davies Spokane WAs

Sounds very much like what I do. Though I do like to cook, I'd rather spend my "camp time" enjoying the out doors. Throughout the year, as I prepare dishes at home, I make larger than two person amounts and freeze some for camping. Cuts down on the pre-trip preparation. Pre-cooking the bacon is a great idea - cuts down on the cooking smell inside the trailer. I sometimes do that with sausage. I'm amazed that you can get all that food in a small fridge. We are accustomed to a 6 cu ft Dometic fridge, but it is very poorly designed, so not the most efficient at storage. We usually carry a week's worth of meals, then stock up on groceries along the way, as needed. Very rarely do we eat out. I much prefer the interior of the Norcold, with the wire racks (ours are plastic) and larger door shelves. We plan to carry a cooler in the pickup for our journey from Tennessee to Oregon - December 7 delivery. It's not a Yeti, but a high performance Coleman. We cover it with a down blanket during the day and use large gel ice packs and a remote thermometer to monitor temp. It stays 40-45 deg for two to three days, without replenishing with fresh ice.

Thank you, very good information. I’ll have to share it with Krunch because my involvement in the food department has to do with grilling and chilling. Oh and the Oreo's are my responsibility as well. Mossey

I drive steep grades all the time, it is hard to escape them in this part of the country. When you see a percent listed on a sign it is the average “top to bottom” value. On Interstates and major highways that may be fairly accurate. On back roads, it is a fantasy. There is a popular bicycle road going from the bottom of the Columbia Gorge near Lake Chelan, to the high rolling wheat fields up top. I have driven it several times in both directions. It is posted as 7.5%. In reality it has 15% stretches. It is a first gear, pedal to the floor experience going up with my Land Cruiser, and a first gear, sphincter tightening descent with way too many brake applications. My GPS is set to show elevation and grade all the time. When it gets over 16% I start to get pretty darned concerned. Diesel trucks with engine brakes rule in this area. For your entertainment, Harry Chapin 30,000 Pounds of Bananas .... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDws John Davies Spokane WA

Good tips! Refigerator/Freezer space is limited so I plan our meals in advance so that we only take exactly what we need. We're leaving in a week so today I made lentil sloppy joes, sweet potato and black been burgers, vegan chili and chunky veggie soup. Those are now in the freezer ready to go. I used to put brown rice in freezer bags but since freezer space is so limited, I now purchase the brown rice in those shelf stable packets that I keep in the pantry. We use shelf stable soy milk that can be stored until ready to be chilled in the fridge. At home generally I eat a large green salad each day for lunch and during our last trip I made individual containers for the week but they FROZE 😳 I think the fridge was stuffed too full? Since that trip, I've decided that veggie sandwiches will be a better choice. Oatmeal for breakfast with berries. I find the fridge and freezer are large enough for a weeks worth of groceries, we eat LOTS of fresh fruits and veggies and they are bulky. We find that taking a cooler helps, we keep waters, beer and wine in that and it helps free up room in the trailer refrigerator. I'm thinking of figuring out some menus using freeze dried components because those are lightweight and can be put into baggies just like the backpackers use. Mostly for soups, stews, chilis.

We were signed up but had to back out of being in Guntersville. We will be at Smokemont in the Smokies with family staying at our Maggie Valley house. I guess we have it good when our kids run us out of our house but we get to stay in the Ollie. Looking forward to a normal year sometime in the future and being at the Rally!

We won't be there. When we have traveled this summer, people look at our florida plates and take 10 steps back. I don't blame them. We're very careful, observe the rules, but that's ok. A different year, for us.

Not ALL - I've met one of your "treasures" and she is definitely NOT "junk"😁. But, then again, I'm guessing that you would be in very deep trouble if you even mentioned Krunch and raffle in the same sentence🤢. Bill

Sounds like fun and I’ll give it some thought. But I must warn you that all of my treasures are junk. Mossey

I know many trucks now have displays that show pitch/yaw etc. but they are usually in degrees. It' handy to have a table like the one below to know how the GRADE sign might look on your display in degrees. So for John's example above the 15% grade would show up as about 8.5 Degrees in angle on the dash display. And 8.5 doesn't sound bad, but it feels horrible if you're being pushed down hill by a trailer that's heavier than your Tow Vehicle.

Change smoke/ CO detector batteries and test detector. Check egress window function. Re familiarize yourself with operation, best with eyes closed for nighttime egress. Check torque on all recommended bolts. Check/ replace batteries in fan and TV remotes as well as any other battery powered items. I like to replace seasonally to protect against battery leaks. My approach. Put 1/4 cup bleach mixed in 6 or 7 gallons of water. I do this with my portable water jug. Draw through boon docking feed then repeat with another 1/4 cup bleach mixed with water. I then put a little bleach and water in the jugs and the fresh water hoses and sanitize them while I'm at it. Fill remainder of tank and run through all of the lines. I usually let sit overnight. I think it should be at least 12 hours though. Drain and flush all lines until clear of bleach. If you have a septic at home I wouldn't drain the bleach into the septic. You also will need to be careful of the deodorizer you use. I like John's method of letting the chlorinated water slosh around some. Clean water pump screen. Get underneath and visually inspect all of the welds for cracks. Check tires for uneven wear, cracking and pressure.

Having one of the new trailers with the water feed from the top, my guess would be that debris from the hole cut found its way into the drain line and possibly clogged the valve assembly. The beauty to pex, cut the line somewhere before the valve, take it in the house and clean it make sure it flows good and then Sharkbite it back together, it's just a drain line. Make sure the tanks empty before you cut that line though...

Oliver should install the more secure locks . . . . . what are there, two on the exterior? In the least, they should include the cut key on units with the Lithium option and build the price difference into the upgrade price. Warning: Do not mail keys in an envelope. I mailed our son a car key, when he lost his, The envelope was sent through the franking equipment and tore. The key jammed the equipment, shutting it down . . . . . thank goodness the PO assumed responsibility . . . . . . Could have been an expensive key!

OK, this one is really disturbing. Real Time Air Quality Index Map Here is Oregon. Anything above 200 is very uncomfortable, above 300 is nasty dangerous. Tap one of the icons and up comes a pop up window with stats. John Davies Spokane WA