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Haven't had time to take many vanity shots of Pearl; 11 days on the road, preparing meals in hotel rooms, and transferring our gear from the back of the pickup to the trailer have been exhausting. Here is one quick shot at our campsite in David Crockett SP. I know, not too exciting. The park is wonderful and we found Tennessee to be beautiful, despite the trees all being bare. Trip report: I was apprehensive, driving cross country this time of year, but we've certainly been fortunate. The journey from Oregon to Tennessee was amazing. There was barely any traffic on I-80 and, although it was cold and we experienced a few snow flurries in Missouri and some wind coming through Wyoming, the weather has been great. We are now headed west, taking the I-40 route to Nevada then north to Oregon via Hwy 365 and I-5. Current weather forecasts don't predict any snow; perhaps a shower around Susanville, CA. Looks like clear sailing! We will get some practice dealing with cold temperatures, but I believe we can manage without completely winterizing, just draining the hot water tank during travel time from Flagstaff through the Sierras. While camped at David Crockett SP, nighttime temps were in the mid 20's, but were able to maintain 40 deg temps in the utility area with the furnace or an electric space heater. Our plan is to pass through from Albuquerque to Kingman and not overnight in northern AZ where temps will drop to the teens at night. Daytime temperatures are expected to be mid 30's to upper 40's. The only other questionable area will be crossing the Sierras around Susanville. Will be watching the weather forecasts daily.

This is a recent issue that several people have been seeing on the Xantrex Inverter. We have already been in contact with Xantrex to determine what is causing this issue as replacing the remote or inverter does not resolve the issue. At this time Xantrex believes it to be a software issue and they are working on a firmware update. I currently do not have any other information as we are waiting on Xantrex to complete the firmware update, test to ensure it does resolve the issue and then communicate to us and other service centers on how they plan to implement this new software update. Anyone that is having this issue, if you haven't already, I would recommend submitting a service ticket so we know who to contact once we have more information. Until the issue is resolved you can still use the inverter by turning it off and on at the main panel. The inverter is located under the driver side bed and the main panel screen looks just like the remote. Simply press the round button to turn the inverter on for powering the 120v systems with battery power. You do not have to turn this on when connected to shore power. You can submit a service ticket at: Service Ticketing System

Thank you to Mattnan and Mainiac for pointing us in the direction of Banana Banners for our graphics..

I have never used mine. For my small gas grill, I bought everything needed to be able to use it but have found it more convenient to just buy the small bottles. Typically, being able to move the grill out of the wind would require too much hose to be practical. Also, since I camp mainly in cold temperatures, conservation of my furnace supply is more important.

The lack of documentation in the current owners manual is a significant downgrade for the trailers themselves. It's a shame that Oliver doesn't see it that way.

My SoC is now 100% and reads 14.0 Volts. Interestingly, I was not able to get the batteries to 100% with the Xantrex inverter/charger - it stayed at 99% and the BMS continued to go into "standby" while the voltage would bounce between 3.7 and 3.6. I turned on the solar and it ran the voltage up to 14.0 and the BMS is reporting 100% and kicking into into standby. The amps coming in through the solar are still available - I turned on a bunch of things and the solar was powering rather than the battery. Pretty good!!

Fritz - Since our Forum is not monitored at all times by the staff at Oliver, you might want to simply copy your post above and submit it here. I'd suggest that you direct the message to either Scott Oliver and/or Rodney Lomax. Bill

We spent four days there in mid September, the trailing end of the busy season. I don’t know much about the West Glacier part, we rushed through it on our way home. There are tons of activities if you like go-carts, zip lines and trinkets. It is just like Gatlinburg TN without Dolly Land. If you are headed east, it’s a great place to stock up on supplies and do laundry since things will get VERY bare in that direction. US 2 over Marias Pass is an easy, pretty drive along the Flathead River. There is a rest stop at the top with an OK view of the south end of the Park. Also a NFS campground (Summit, 12 sites) which is spread out but has minimal sun and no views. Elevation is right at a mile up so it may be windy and chilly. Once you start descending the east slope the dense trees go away and the terrain opens up. There is much less rainfall there. The Burlington Northern main line follows US 2 for many miles, be aware of this when camping and try to pick a spot a mile or two north or south and well away from any crossings. It is very busy hauling freight and coal. Amtrak has two stops, one in West Glacier and one in East Glacier. The East Glacier stop is a short walk from the huge, cool old hotel, so it is busy with visitors, many from other countries. There are mouldering 1930s cottages and tourist shops along the park road road for a mile or so, but nothing really worth a visit. There is gas outside ALL the entrances on this side, but prices will be 30 to 40 cents higher. Browning is the only “big” town (with 1026 souls). The Blackfeet Reservation dominates the entire area. Be very aware of their laws about firearms. If you have any, they must be empty and secured completely out of reach. NO concealed or open carry! Browning itself has cheap gas, a grocery store, post office and a few odd shops, and a museum, but other than despair nothing is present. It is known to be a rough town and you probably wouldn’t want to go bar-hopping there. Expect a lot of visible poverty and a few street beggars. The Museum of the Plains Indians is interesting if you like that sort of stuff. I found myself bored silly, but Jac liked it a lot. The Cenex north of town has a prominent sign posted "No Sticky-Fingers Allowed", with a long list of Blackfeet folks who were banned. The names were astonishing but I didn’t feel it would be OK to take a picture…. https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-indian-names/blackfoot-names.htm ... Two Medicine is a wonderful place, we spent four nights there. It is right under the craggy peaks and the boat launch/ day use area is a good spot for time lapse video of glorious sunrises. It can be ferociously windy and camping is limited now, but if you can snag a spot it would be better than St Mary. There were no generators allowed in that section in season, but they may have relaxed that rule when it went Primitive. Running Eagle Falls and Nature Trail is a delight, with short and easy access from the entry road. The camp store is closed this time of year. Bears are around, the rangers had to chase a sow and her two cubs from the campground by firing a rifle several times. Even when walking park roads you each need to ALWAYS carry bear spray and keep your heads swiveling! Narrow brushy trails are nerve wracking, keep talking or clap your hands loudly to alert any big predators to your presence. You can buy spray in the Apgar and St Mary gift shops. US 89 is the main RV route north from Browning to St Mary and Going to the Sun Road. At Kiowa Junction there is major MAJOR construction and the entire highway should be avoided They are ripping out the hillsides and rerouting and recontouring the road bed. Expect 30 minute delays, pilot cars and one way traffic. It is NOT a place to take a trailer. It might be OK on a dry day without the Ollie. MT 49 goes from East Glacier to Kiowa. The south part is fine as far as the turnoff to Two Medicine. Further north it is Not Recommended For Trailers. It is fun in a truck - the roadbed is heaved, repaired, potholed, washed out and extremely undulating. To get from East Glacier up to St Mary, go into Browning, gas up at the big Cenex a mile north of town, and take MT 464 as a 70 mph bypass. It is straight and smooth with some great views of the Park mountains from the higher hills. Watch out for free range horses on the reservation, especially just north of Browning. You may see them grazing on the shoulder! The Blackfeet love horses but some owners don’t care if they lose one to a collision… St Mary park entrance is busy with tour and shuttle buses. There is adequate RV parking. Since the GTTS road closed for construction on the west side of Logan Pass (September 16), it may be worse. It’s now the only way to access the high country near the Pass.If you want to hike up there, take the shuttle and don’t even think about parking your truck up there. There are several short hikes to viewing areas along the road that are worth visiting. Sunrift Gorge is gorgeous. Parking lower down should not be a problem. St Mary Campground is just OK, it has plenty of room for an Ollie and adequate sun exposure, but it has no views. One section is prone to flooding. It may be posted Hard Sided Campers Only due to problem bears. This is the best choice to stay on the east side of the Park, unless you luck out and find an open spot that is large enough in one of the other smaller campgrounds. I suggest that you stay here two nights. Explore the second day and keep an eye out fo rougher camping options that would be closer to the scenery. You can always claim a spot and leave a small tent or chairs there, and go get your Ollie that day to shift it. Many Glacier is drop dead beautiful, but crazy busy with back-country hikers. It allows low elevation access to a bunch of spectacular trails.The road in is very nasty, potholed and uneven. It is a disgrace for a national park. Parking will be very tough around the trailhead and hotel. You can go past that turnoff and find a spot along the road and walk back.The hotel has a nice affordable restaurant with stellar views out the back windows. The campground there is very tight and heavily treed and not a good spot for an Ollie. Plus it will probably be full of hikers and their tents. Waterton Lakes National Park - we did not go there since we could not do a Canadian border crossing, but it would be an excellent day visit. It’s about 30 minutes north of the Many Glacier entrance on a very twisty road. RV camping outside the Park - practically none. The Blackfeet do not seem to care to exploit tourist dollars. Most of the small towns outside The Res have an RV camp of some sort. Choteau to the south is a neat, prosperous town (it’s the county seat) with a nice little city campground and a $5 dump/ potable water station. Cell signal is spotty at best, you will be able to connect at the entrances and in the bigger towns, but forget about it completely once you are inside the Park. The campground hosts post weather reports in the busy season, that may not be an option this time of year. On a hike you should always carry enough clothes for unexpected rain or cold, and carry basic survival stuff in case you get stranded. A satellite communicator like an inReach provides great peace of mind and a limited degree of two-way communication. A big handgun is OK in the Park if you are legal in MT to carry one, but it is a crime to actually fire it inside there. It cannot be carried inside any Federal facility like a visitor center, so if you are using the shuttle system it probably has to stay at the trailer…. I am still working on organizing pics, I will post some later. John Davies Spokane WA

After driving 2,500+ miles from Oregon, we are in Linden tonight . . . . picking up #699 - "Pearl" in the morning. Stay tuned for photos!

I use a simple inline Tee connector with a 12ft hose that I pass through the acess hole when in use. Its a direct connection to the propane tank no need to modify grills etc with pressure regulators . Works well for us, I don’t feel the need to have a hookup in the rear. The 12ft hose goes a long way, Maybe $60.00 at most.

It is so awesome that Oliver owners create there own style of ownership unlike the big mfg, out there. Nice work.

I use mine every time we camp. I have a Weber Q1000 and removed the regulator so that all I have to do is plug into the quick connect and start grilling. We’ve been doing this for 5 years. BTW, I do clean my Weber after each camping trip and it still looks almost new and has performed well over the years. Mike

I love the LP quick connect!!. We use it for our Camp Chef stove, our Weber BBQ, and for our Outland firebowl. We have a couple of 10-foot extension hoses, so we can easily place these devices at a desired location within the campsite. We have two 30-lb LP tanks, so we have never run out on a trip. We also have a Honda EU2000i generator modified for propane, so that we do not need to carry gasoline. It also runs of the LP quick connects. Decide on the quick connect option based on your anticipated camping needs.

I expect the bulk of differences to be on the AC side. Look for the PI EMS output to feed the inverter AC input through a standalone 30 amp main breaker, probably near the EMS. The inverter AC output (transfer switched) should go directly to the 30 amp main breaker in the PD5000 PDC as noted by NCeagle. For non-lithium models, the EMS output will go directly to the PD5000 main with a branch circuit suppling the inverter AC input, or external DC converter if there is no inverter. Out of curiosity I would be interested in seeing any pictures of the lithium DC side anyone cares to provide. Specifically battery cutoff types and locations.

@LiFeBlueBattery, Oliver has provided cutoff switches to enable isolation of the LifeBlue batteries - both from charge input and battery output. While camping and attached to either Solar and/or shore power, it seems that the solar and inverter charger(s) keep sending "float" voltage / amps to the batteries and they stay at ~99% most of the time. Would it be a good practice to use the cutoffs to the charge sources and let the LifeBlues "drain" a bit rather than continuously keeping them topped off while camping? I can't tell what the BMS is doing when the charge controllers are sending 3.6V (float). Maybe ok to ignore this on short camping trips but what about full timers and/or long trips? Thanks in advance!

You might try disconnecting the solar for a bit just to see what the batteries settle in at. Otherwise, I'm glad to see that the Zamp controller is indeed providing a decent voltage. Back to the previous discussion, I found this video today that gives a nice primer on battery to battery chargers, and also a good look at the Victron Orion B2B unit. You guys know that I'm a sucker for Victron gear. $220 is the best price I can find for the 30 amp version. They also make an 18 amp model for $165.

Beautiful pictures. What a great trip 🙂

I do not believe that the ZAMP controller is inappropriate for LifeBlue or Battleborn batteries (as it is spec'ed). Both batteries have BMS to prevent over/under charging and excessive charge/discharge rates. Some BMS also provide cell balancing capabilities. Advantages of the ZAMP controller is that it is relatively simple to setup and use and it is effective. Its disadvantages are that it is both less efficient and customizable than other options.

Ours worked fine at first... I think it got cranky on day 3. With ours, if you remove the remote panel, disconnect the wire, then plug it back in it works fine for a couple of minutes then goes back on the fritz. I do wonder about the connection at the inverter itself, which has a slight amount of play in it, but doesn’t seem to have an impact when I wiggle it. I was thinking of getting a new wire and running it through the hatch to see if that works, but may just wait to see what Oliver and Xantrex come up with. We’ve lived with it almost 3 weeks as is, doesn’t seem to create any issues, or at least we hope not. We know what the batteries are doing via the app, we know what the inverter is doing via the “hum”, and everything seems to be in order.

ZAMP specifies lithium charging absorption at 14.4V and a float of 13.6V.

Bryan, we have just picked up hull 688 last month. The quality and workmanship of the plumbing and electric is very impressive. I was worried looking at pictures and reading about the struggles of past owners with the quality of these internal systems, but I must say I'm relieved that 688 doesn't seem to have many of those older issues. I have one major gripe so far. The lack of up to date documentation on the electrical diagrams to me is unacceptable. I'm already frustrated trying to figure out electrical issues or questions by having to look at older owners manuals, hope someone from the forum knows where a wire is running or opening a service ticket. Thankfully Jason has been very responsive to the tickets I'm opening, but it still takes a day or more to get simple answers that can be answered by an electrical schematic. I can't seem to find the right person to bug yet at Oliver. I've tried my sales person and Jason. Jason says the service department doesn't even have any!

You will need to use a sound generator/toner to locate the wire. It will be approximately 17" to 18" forward of the Maxxair fan and off set to the street side a few inches. I can provide you with more detail and direction on the complete install. If you would like to discuss further, please PM me with your contact information. Andrew

Correct.. inverter is working fine, it’s just not playing nicely with the display panel..🙂 We’re #685..

JD, I saw a statement today indicating that MC4 connectors should never be used inside a vehicle. They did not elaborate on their point of view, but it made me think about your desire to eliminate the Zamp roof cap SAE connections. I think you could replace the SAE port with a stainless fender washer and gasket and mount a bulkhead MC4 connector to it. Just thinking out loud! Mossey

We have towed our Elite 1 for 6 years all over the country with a 4 runner. We have had no reason or need to use a WDH hitch. The Elite tows wonderfully for us.

There is still much to be said for the Lithium Pro Package, largely because of the lithium batteries themselves. But with recent threads about solar controllers, solar charging levels, DC to DC converters, and options for increasing current flow from tow vehicles, I'm inclined to think there are at least 2 relatively low-cost improvements that would make the Lithium package more much useful, efficient, and appealing. The first is to use a MPPT charge controller instead of a PWM controller. There doesn't seem to be a substantial cost difference, and the MPPT will allow batteries to reach 100% charge from solar. The second is to install a heavier gauge wire during initial construction from the hitch area to the batteries (with dedicated fuse) that can be used by a later, owner-installed charging system from the tow vehicle. Such a system would allow greater charge rates from the tow vehicle than is possible through the 7-pin connector. If the AC is to be run for short periods of time from batteries (e.g., for 15 minutes at a rest stop), it would be very nice to return portion of the battery charge during 2-3 hours subsequent driving (at least more than is possible through the 7-pin connector). A dedicated owner-installed heavy-gauge wire from TV battery (as LifeBlue has suggested) to the TV hitch is part of the solution; a matching cable from the hitch area to the trailer-battery area is another part (a DC to DC converter could also be installed later by an owner, if desired, but the harder part seems to be installing a heavier-gauge charge wire from the trailer hitch to the battery area). In fact, for those opting for the Pro package, a 12V charging port for connection to the tow vehicle may be more useful than the optional 30-amp connection near the propane tanks. Such a 12V connection could also be used for additional TV-mounted solar panels (with separate controller). I can only imagine that such vehicle-based charging will become more popular with hybrid and electric pickups. It seems both of these relatively low-cost improvements would make the Pro Package much more useful, allowing short-term use of the AC without needing to hook up a generator or plug into shore power to charge batteries afterwards (which kind of defeats the purpose of the beefier batteries, inverter, etc. Perhaps Oliver would be willing to weigh in on the feasibility of these changes for those of us in line for a 2021 trailer. And one other non-solar (but wiring-related) suggestion: might it be possible to wire one exterior light (e.g., the one by the door) separate from the others? This would provide lighting to enter or exit the trailer at night without needing to light up the entire campsite. Several others have commented on this; I think it would be a popular improvement. To Oliver: thank you for your dedication to thoughtful engineering and quality builds, and for the opportunity to have these community-wide discussions. My hope is that these suggestions could make an already stellar product even more so.

Thanks all for your opinions. As I expected (and hoped) I see no need for the WDH for my tow vehicle with the Oliver Elite Richard

I carry a 30 to 15 adapter with a circuit tester plugged into that. It rides in the door pocket of the TV. It gets plugged into every pedestal. I learned to do this at a campground. A lady said she didn't have any power in her camper. The breaker at her box wasn't tripped, but reset anyway. Went to her sub panel (at request of CG) and that breaker was ok. On to the main panel. That was ok. Back to the camper. Found out she had plugged into the pedestal, but had failed to connect the cord to her camper. The adapter device would have saved a lot of frustration and walking. There was correct power at the pedestal. We have the portable Progressive EMS. It was the only option when we got our 2017 Oliver. Remember we have already checked the outlet before unhooking and setting up. The EMS gets plugged in. The dancing lights gives us all the info we need, a 'one stop shop'. We don't have to get up and go anywhere. One caution: the dancing lights get noticed by curious passer-bys. Some are just curious by what the dancing lights are. We use a cable lock, designed to secure a pistol, to lock the EMS to the pedestal. Next to figure out is how to secure the cable to the box. More pistol locks? Just don't want either to get "borrowed"...

A really simple way to provide a manual disconnect feature for a single source is to use one of the very nice Bussmann circuit breakers, these are available from 25 amps to 150 amps. There is a bigger model that goes higher. You should already have one or more, my Hull 218 has one for the “house bus”. You just push the red Test button and it opens the circuit, simply swing the yellow bar back into place to close it. I plan to use at least two more in various applications like a MPPT solar controller and a DC to DC Redarc charger. They are better than a single massive switch because you get individual control over each circuit as Overland mentioned, plus they allow you to throw away either a fuse or a stupid automotive style auto reset circuit breaker. Don’t pay over about $30 for one, they are easy to source. Several of them located in a neat row will look way better than the odd mix of electrical parts Oliver installs. If you are determined to buy a Blue Sea switch (and they are most excellent) I personally would choose a pair of their mini switches, with their switched sides going together at a positive bus. You could even add more, for other stuff like a portable solar charger, and make a pretty marine style panel. It can be mounted in a number of ways, I am not sure if that applies to the big switches...? I think a master power control panel with flush mounted switches below the rear dinette seat would be quite cool, if you have room there. https://www.bluesea.com/products/6005/m-Series_Mini_On-Off_Battery_Switch_with_Key_-_Red They are quite dainty, about 3” square. .... http://assets.bluesea.com/files/resources/dimensioned_drawing/M_Switch_Key.pdf John Davies Spokane WA

I always recommend that a towing virgin with zero experience simply rent a small U Haul open trailer for a long weekend and just drive all over, and on Sunday morning practice backing and tight turns in an empty shopping center parking lot. Get a skilled friend to teach you a few tricks like S turns while reversing. You will feel a whole lot less scared on delivery day and can focus instead on orientation and enjoying your new Ollie. Some of those twisty secondary highways around Hohenwald are more than a little intimidating... https://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/5x8-Utility-Trailer-Rental/AO/ The base rate around here is just $19 per day. John Davies Spokane WA

Here's a picture of a partially installed Zamp Obsidian 100 Watt panel on the front part of the roof. This super simple addition doesn't require any changes to the standard Zamp 30 Amp charge controller or access port on the roof (there are only 2 of 3 ports used). Anything additional will require an upgrade to a 50 or 60 Amp charge controller. There's still a decent federal rebate for solar this year. Before anyone goes crazy, I haven't finished mounting this yet. I've got a question in to Jason about using some sort of stainless screws in addition to the VHB and then I'll seal it up with 3M 4200 just as Oliver did to the mounts on the other 2 panels.

Gusty winds are so common and unpredictable out West I hardly ever deploy my manual awning. It just shakes the trailer too much, especially since I prefer to not deploy any stabilizers unless required.... I have been thinking about removing it entirely. I tend to scoot my camp chairs around the trailer, following the shady patch. One time at Moab (White Rim Road, boondocking) a violent dry microburst came down out of nowhere, sending up mini dust devils and rocking the truck violently. This was pre-Ollie, but I did have a small awning deployed from the truck roof rack. It basically disappeared, never to be seen again. ..... the tent stayed put, probably because I had anchored all the pegs with large rocks. https://wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-microburst.html John Davies Spokane WA

Perfect weather for picking up Hull #676! Staying one extra day at DCSP.

Picked up our Ollie Thursday and enjoyed a few days at Davy Crockett. Met another Ollie couple that was just driving through (I don't remember their hull number --- I think 256) It was cool and nice seeing and talking with them --- Considering there are only 673 Olivers out in the world.

Hmmm. . . . .762 . . . . . . we pick up our Elite II on December 7 . . . . . . . maybe it will be #777 . . . . . . should entitle us to a jackpot . . . . . . maybe a free Oliver Travel Trailer? 🎰

It is smart to check the park website as often as possible, the campgrounds fill up fast; Two Medicine Campground and vicinity: The lighting changes dramatically minute by minute, and the mountains are either shadowed or lit up brightly. It is really hard to get good pics due to the variations....

Jason just told me that he's been asking for them as well and that the Service department hasn't even gotten them. So I'm not sure of the plans.