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I have this exact set. I use them around the inside of the Clam and to anchor bungees to hold down the shade that attaches to my awning. For the rug, I use big nails 5-6” with a large washer. I also carry a set of heavy duty 12” Galvanized Stakes that anchor the straps that are attached to the middle of each of the Clam sections. I have a small sledgehammer with a short handle that I got at Home Depot to pound them in and a hikers claw hammer to pull them out. All of this (bungees and tie down straps included) fit in a small canvas tool bag. Mike

Victron Venus OS on Raspberry Pi I wanted access to Victron's VRM server for remote access to my solar/battery system, but I couldn’t justify the cost of the Color Control GX display or the newer Cerbo GX and GX Touch 50 display. While talking to a friend who has a CC GX, he mentioned the Raspberry Pi based CCGX. So this is the result. Mossey

I use Snow Peak pegs, which are similar to these - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XR4NWJK/?coliid=I1MUQN0AFAD1DL&colid=313GIXWETZMYH&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it I have two different sizes and they’ve never let me down. Some 8” and some 15”+/- which are my go to for holding down the Ollie’s awning. They’re obviously heavy though. You won’t ever bend one. I have the matching hammer that has the claw to pull them out. Stupidly expensive for what it is but does what it’s supposed to do and does it well - https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-N-002-Peg-Hammer/dp/B000AR2OBQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=snow+peak+hammer&qid=1619230731&sr=8-3. I’m sure there’s a knock off version out there by now that’s just as good for less money. I also have some various smaller stakes in aluminum and copper that I’ve had forever and which travel in our general camping box. I have a few sand stakes too that I’d bet I’ve never used but they sure seem like they’ll be useful some day. Related, I’m really happy with the newer dyneema cord and these little tensioners - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07LB8LK8K?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

A short camping trip to Sherando Lake Recreation Area in Virginia. First night. Second night at Lake Powatan National Forest near Asheville, NC. We had dinner with topgun2 and his wife. No pictures because they kept us out after dark. Third, Fourth and fifth nights. Sixth night at "Key to Escape" a Harvest Host located in Statesville, NC. Seventh and eighth night. Mossey

Uh, I could understand wanting Metal Tent Stakes, but Tent Steaks Metal might be a little hard to chew.

I have both plastic and steel tent stakes left from our tent camping days. Sorry, I do not have a fancy Snow Peak Peg Hammer. 🥺 Instead I have a hard plastic mallet, which I got for $5. Currently $9 on Amazon. It works quite well, with the bottom end working either as a lever or a pulling device for removing the stakes. After we got a shade screen, we had campgrounds where the tent pegs did not stay in the ground very well. Maybe the 15 inch Snow Peak pegs that @Overland mentioned would have done the job. I had read about spiral stakes, and I considered the ones from Valterra, Camco, as well as pet leash stakes. I ended up buying the Orange Screw Ground Anchors that @mossemi is drooling over for $22. So far they have worked well. I see that the Orange Screw design has been copied by others, and available for less money, here and here.

These interest me. You can use your power drill to set these in the ground, and to retract them. https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Seeka-Outdoor-Threaded-Stakes/dp/B07RXMVM8M/ref=asc_df_B07RXMVM8M/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385197825271&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12173547767707272533&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032898&hvtargid=pla-843618643122&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=81331770711&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385197825271&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12173547767707272533&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032898&hvtargid=pla-843618643122

I’m starting a Go Fund Me now. Help fund a commemorative hammer to help a poor overlander complete his Snow Peak collection.

I think I will get some of their stakes and the hammer, it is too cool, and read this..... I had no idea! https://www.snowpeak.com/blogs/explore/the-peg-hammer-story John Davies Spokane WA

I do not, and I’m sure I’d spot some rust if I cared to check.

My Camp shoes look more like this. Not suitable for dancing. 😁 Wish they were. Still looking for a pair like yours, @Overland

The thing is, everyone is correct. Because everyone has different needs, wants, and situations. Overland knows the calcs as well as anyone. We are severe power misers, accustomed to camping without power, and no 110 appliances or inverters. JED uses an inverter, at least sometimes. I wouldn't recommend a dc fridge to most people who have our puny batteries, and limited solar. Even though we doubled our solar, I'm still not recommending dc fridge to those who aren't willing to monitor limited agm battery power. I've spent (as I've mentioned other times) hours, chasing the sun with portable solar. And, in crappy days, I still have to run a fossil fuel Honda 1000 for a half hour to an hour in the morning. Everyone has a different plan, situation, and certainly, most have more battery power than I do. And, most don't want to limit consumption as much as we do. If I had lithium, I could certainly relax for a weekend. But, hey. I'm the one who monitors pretty much everything, at home, or camping. I know what we "need", and yes, there is certainly more I'd love to have. But, indecisive if it's worth it, for us, and our habits. More power to you all with lithium. (No pun intended.)

Pantry Lights We have used several different battery powered, motion detecting LED lights in our pantry. And we have never been happy changing batteries or waving a hand to try getting the lights to come on. I have seen Snowballs pantry LED fixture and really liked that application, so I went down that rabbit hole looking for my own solution. These are the lights and switches I used. Lights Switches Door magnet Frame switch Results

EDIT 05/10/21: related thread: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3247-how-to-external-solar-dc-power-cable-using-factory-furrion-port/ Some background.... most panels will come with “industry standard” MC4 connectors, which can be used with up to 10 AWG wire and are waterproof. But if you have one disconnected and drop it in the dirt it will fill with crud, so you would need to spray that out with contact cleaner or alcohol. Anderson Powerpoles are used extensively in ham radio and other applications, they are not at all waterproof, but they are self cleaning by design, the spring loaded contacts "wipe" each other when you plug them in. They are more compact and they are color coded. The connectors are goof proof, they cannot be plugged in backwards. For this application the 30 amp bonded pair connectors are appropriate for the wire size. You must use their ratcheting crimper or a version of it. I replaced every existing MC4 connector with the Powerpoles. My 100 watt Renogy solar suitcase came with the PWM controller mounted on a hinged flap, this is perfectly fine if the panel is to be used say 10 feet away, but you cannot place it much further because resistance losses along the wires will reduce the charging voltage at the batteries. The controller reduces the 18 to 20 volt panel voltage to say 14.5 volts, and it is less at the trailer. Ideally the controller should be located RIGHT at the batteries, and the panel itself can be far away. The (almost) full panel voltage is delivered to the controller, and at that point the controller reduces that value to charge your system. How far away you can place it depends on the wire gauge, the bigger the wire, the less voltage drop along the run (you must calculate the two wires as a pair, the "in and back" distance). I happened to have some of these neat MTM in-safe storage boxes, the small size fits beautifully. The price is for three, they also have a 12" long version if you want a little more internal volume). I mounted the controller using long 1/8" pop rivets with washers. I drilled a couple of 3/8" holes at each end so the cables could be fed through and the lid closed. It is not at all waterproof, but it is splash proof. The controller itself is advertised as "rainproof". (Older versions were NOT.) I color coded the connectors with self adhesive heat shrink tubing so that when swapping them it would be clear which was which. I modified my existing Furrion solar port harness (used with my ARB fridge in the truck) by splicing in a short pigtail. The wire is 12 AWG solar cable, for exterior use. It is very tough but not very flexible. In this pic, the solar panel is 20 feet away, and the controller box is tucked up on top of the front tire, for rain protection and so it won't get stepped on. The BAT lead is fully extended (not coiled inside). The charging section for my ARB fridge is coiled up when not needed (or it could be used as an extra 5 foot extension, if the fridge is not being used): Or the box can be placed on the ground: Or connected directly to a battery using the supplied alligator clips. You can add an additional 20 feet of cable, 40 feet total, it doesn't affect the charging amps.: I added strain relief ties to reduce stresses on the screw connections. Everything, including the extension cables, fits in the folded unit. I will hopefully get to test this in a few days, I will be camping in a shady site, if the sun shines I can try it out. John Davies Spokane WA

I usually find stones or rocks to lay on top of my ground cloth near the front door, but on the last trip there were NO rocks of any kind, just the heavily compacted gravel site pad. I have a bunch of the plastic sand stakes and the little aluminum stakes that are from an old tent, which bend over when they encounter a rock.... What do you use to anchor a tarp or fancy rug into gravel? Do you add a loop of rope to each to help pull it back out? I found these: .... SE Heavy-Duty Metal Tent Pegs Stake Set (10-Pack) (Strange Amazon pricing, order 20 for just $1 more...) I know this is a weird topic, please comment. I don’t know why I didn’t figure this out in say 1970..... John Davies Spokane WA

This Raspy (John). I haven't stopped by to say hi in quite a while. As some of you great folks here know, I sold my Oliver (hull 92) and bought a Black Series HQ19, in 2019. As usual, I've done a lot of mods and we've been traveling a lot in the West. Utah has become our favorite area. I think it was 2017 when John Davies posted a picture of the suspension on a Black Series trailer and piqued my curiosity. Eventually, that lead to us getting one and that lead to me starting a business selling Australian articulating hitches (McHitch). I retired from my other job at the end of 2017, but now I'm back in business and looking to retire again! Sheesh. Every time I see an Oliver somewhere I smile. We would have been at the Rally in 2020 if it wasn't stopped by Covid. We won't be going to Guntersville this year either, but I'm hoping we can get clear over to North Carolina and Virginia, as we make a loop around the Country late Summer or Fall. I really enjoyed hanging out with all of you, both here on the forum and at the Rallies in 2018 and 2019. If any of you need a place to stop, near Lake Tahoe/Carson City, we have a full hookup site here at home. BTW, do any of you know where Hull 92 ended up? After we sold it, the new owners sold it again and I have no idea where it is. I hope they are out having fun with it. Take care everyone! John

Yep - that is what makes them go around those big rocks 😆

We initially attached a simple white plastic paper towel holder above the sink with double-sided tape, because at that time I was afraid of drilling through the fiberglass. After several years it started to come loose. I then put up the wonderful Kamenstein paper towel holder holder above the sink, using screws, following @mossemi's instructions, including "the holy grail, stainless t-nuts." With the stainless t-nuts, the nut does not disturb the surface of the rubber mat in the cabinet above.

I have been drooling over these stakes for a while. https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Screw-Ultimate-Ground-Anchor/dp/B01B28QS8G/ref=bmx_2?pd_rd_w=EDWAf&pf_rd_p=b56a886c-2bb4-4e74-b4cf-23d7a76693c8&pf_rd_r=T750X98JKNJ13S99QAFR&pd_rd_r=661c6fd9-b230-421a-8005-69cfa8d51c6a&pd_rd_wg=xyJE8&pd_rd_i=B01B28QS8G&psc=1 Mossey

Well after reading that I feel like I’ve disappointed someone by not oiling them. I also feel like I’ve backed myself into a corner on those shoes. I’ll stick with my cariuma’s for the moment though. Hipster tent pegs and hipster shoes - can’t really separate the two.

@SeaDawg if only they came in red.

Yeah my camp shoes are just old hiking shoes so I guess not the best choice. Maybe those dancing shoes will do the trick. 🕺🏻

Nor do I, but man that gravel sure does like to hitch a ride into the trailer on my hiking shoes.

Mossemi Most likely it was you, things happen in a flash you see the Ollie out of the corner of your eye then do a head snap at 70mphs it was my first Ollie sighting. If your ever in bad weather conditions which happen quickly in Florida and Ocala is close by I have plenty of room for an overnight stay. Bad weather or good.

We have reservations at Sherando Lake Recreation Area in Virginia next month; this is a hard place to obtain a reservation, it has always filled up fast.

Leaving this weekend for a month in KY, TN and AL. Then in July we’ll be in CO all month. Thinking of a UT, NV, CA trip in Sept/Oct. I’ll let you know if the fall trip to your neck of the woods happens! Mike

Our towel rack is screwed in, with short enough screws that they don't penetrate into the overhead compartment and a little adhesive caulk on the screws to hold them.

Need is a word that gets thrown around a lot right after someone does that mod on their own trailer, lol. I don't think it applies here, because, you know, generators. But definitely some thought needs to go into both power sources and storage. Like SeaDawg said, expect your electric bill to go up by anywhere from 50 to 75 amp hours. So, you can plan to recover that each day by some means, and/or, up your storage to get you from charge to charge. We use roughly 70 Ah non-fridge, and 60 fridge - so, 130 Ah total to try to recover. To get that from solar exclusively, that would equate to 650 watts (rule of thumb = 20 Ah per 100 watts of solar). So, that's not gonna happen without serious modifications. You'd also in addition want 3 days of battery storage to get you through cloudy weeks, or 400 Ah - an easy but expensive upgrade. You said you had LFP batteries, but not how much. 400 would be the minimum in my opinion, but SeaDawg is reading that and laughing. But, you might not be able to hear her over her generator 😜. If you got the 600 Ah option (platinum, natch) then you've got the extra amps in the bank to get you from charge to charge. 4 or 5 days, easy, more with good sun. So unless you're a dedicated boondocker, I'd say try it and see. Or get that generator. Or get a new truck. Those F150 hybrids with the built in generator are pretty sweet. I do however agree 100% that you should put some thought into a truck fridge. We've got a DC fridge in both truck and trailer and I wouldn't give up my truck fridge for anything, except perhaps for a larger one. In fact it's become permanent. It's very convenient for grocery runs, when you don't want to head straight home to put everything up. But just as importantly, we can stuff 3 weeks worth of food in there.

Landrover, Krunch and I passed through Ocala Sunday on I-75 S somewhere around 5 PM. As I remember, it was raining because it rained on and off all the way to Lutz. We were booked for the night at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, but it was raining when we crossed the Georgia state line and radar suggested the rain wouldn’t pass through until about 11 PM. We decided to head home, so it may have been us you saw on I-75 S. Mossey

Mattnan, The service was great. There were a couple things we still had questions about and the service guys were very helpful . No complaints

Ollie in the vineyard - We stayed last night at Hodges Vineyard near Camp Hill Alabama last night. Our first Harvest Host Experience and it was really great. Free samples at the wine bar great cheese straws and full hook ups. We already booked again for an over nighter on our return trip from Pensacola Beach. Very kind staff and a quiet place to relax. Happy Travels!

Drawer Locks There have been quite a few postings about galley drawers opening during travel. I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity and craftsmanship of my fellow forum members. My first drawer management version consisted of small Harbor Freight suction cups and 1/2” PVC pipe. It was a simple fix and worked well, but then I followed topgun2's recommendation to clean the inside of the dog house with the Norton's Duragloss recipe. The inside was clean, shiny and so slick, I couldn’t get the suction cups to stay in place any longer. So we once again had the unexpected open drawer experience during our rally trip this year and the hunt was on for a new solution. This was the product I chose and we will test it on our next trip with fingers crossed. And this is how I mounted them to the cabinet supports and drawers. Edit: The drawer locks worked very well on our last 2900 mile trip. Edit: The link above to Amazon actually takes you to the 8 lb. version of the latch. I used the 5 lb. version and corrected the Amazon link. Mike

I believe I can do anything that the standard CCGX or the Cerbo GX and GX Touch can do. Since I have never had a chance to play with a CCGX, I’m not really sure. And I only have a MPPT CC and a BMV, so I can only see the DC side of things. You tell me if it looks like any functionality is missing. The missing data is while out camping as I don’t have any connectivity without WiFi and my storage solution didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board. Mossey