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The Living Vehicle requires a 3500 truck as a tow. Is there a HD electric Vehicle?

Here is a follow-up on my investigation of Cilajet that may interest others. Well, I called the Cilajet company and received an email after speaking to the representative. This was included in her reply: "As mentioned, you ask about fiber glass. Cilajet can be applied to Fiber Glass and will provide great shine with long-lasting protection! Below you will find a list of authorized dealerships near you!" I was pleasantly surprised that one dealership listed was indeed near me, only twenty miles or so. (The next closest one was over 200 miles away.) So I called and spoke to the guy who does indeed apply a ceramic coating to fiber glass. He spent considerable time educating me on these types of products. First of all, he told me that he DOES NOT use Cilajet. He said it was "junk" and did not know why the company listed him as a dealer. He thought that Cilajet company was pushing an inferior product. He said that he uses a different product made in Japan. (I failed to take note of the name.) The most interesting part of this conversation was that he spent many minutes basically talking me out of using his service. According to him, all "ceramic" coatings were based on silicone dioxide. He explained that, once a gelcoat had even once oxidized (which mine had in the past), it was compromised in a way that the ceramic coating could not properly protect it, and the oxidation would continue under the coating. He said that he only recommends applying his product to gelcoats that have not experienced any oxidation. He said that the best I could do was to apply a synthetic polymer-type product, which will degrade rather quickly in the Arizona heat and that my Ollie will need frequent re-applications. I am unable to keep my Ollie in a temperature-controlled environment, so this is disappointing news, as I was hoping to find a product that would protect my trailer's gelcoat for longer than the products I have been using. (I hate doing this work myself, and I don't much like paying someone else to do it any better.) I was told that it is the heat, and not just the sun, that degrades the polymers, and that covering the unit would only partially protect the coating. I forgot the exact temperature he mentioned, but it was less than 100 degrees, I think, when the stuff "cooks," he said. While what he told me wasn't a pleasant surprise, I WAS impressed that he spent so much time dissuading me from using his own service. One thing he DID suggest was that, if Cilajet guarantees their product for a significant amount of time, it might be worth the cost to go with their product and service. So I just now called the company, located in California, and asked about a guarantee. This representative told me that she could not find any guarantee in her materials but would investigate and get back to me. We'll see. I would need to take my Ollie to the Phoenix area, a long and mostly unpleasant journey from my home in SE AZ to get the Cilajet coating. It DID seem a bit fishy that the rep could not immediately tell me if the product was guaranteed and for how long. I would think that a guarantee against oxidation for a number of years could be a great selling point; it might sell me. I might go with Rejex, as John Davies recommends, which is a polymer product. On the other hand, I just watched a video comparing different products on cars, and 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating came out on top. On Amazon, it is advertised as offering over a year of protection that somehow "reduces the surface temperature of your vehicle." It has good reviews on Amazon, although it leaves a "slightly grippy" feel due to the graphene: https://www.amazon.com/303-Graphene-Nano-Spray-Coating/dp/B08K3N5QP5/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Our country’s electrical grid/infrastructure is ancient and extremely vulnerable to terrorist attack. Or better said it just old and very out dated and would take very little effort by bad actors to take it down. The occasional peak summer power outages resulting in rolling black outs especially in west coast states is noteworthy. (Thankfully we don’t live there). It seems the cart is before the horse as a new secure and sustainable electrical infrastructure should be a first priority before attempting to over load the existing ancient electrical grid we all presently rely on. Interestingly enough Fords CEO went to congress recently to ask/beg for go green EV tax incentives to attract buyers to new EVs is a bit telling. It’s hard to imagine ICE going away anytime soon. Interesting times for sure. On a more humorous note…😂 I will be ordering one soon.

I put this setup together to augment the one I built for my trucked cover. I can connect all the panels in series/parallel for a total of 940 watts. (including the ollie roof panels) These are BougeRV 100 watt 9bb panels. Much cheaper than the portable offerings from Zamp. Hopefully I will be close to net zero while running the Houghton AC in full sun.

Interesting comments by Toyota can be found HERE. Bill

I await a company which will develop and launch a true Series Hybrid HD pickup, capable of towing on diesel long distances while running on battery short distances for errands around town and unladen commutes. Then I will get excited. Full disclosure, our household has utilized a Chevrolet Volt for 6 yrs and appreciate the EV operation for commutes, errands and short jaunts near home, while having the option of heading cross-country on gas at 45 m.p.g.

I really like the Kidde unit, I have one in my garage and one in my house next to the thermostat. The big deal about it is that it records the concentration level history, and you can push the button to see the peak level and erase it. A dumb detector is just YES or NO, which tells you nothing at all until it alarms. Anything up to 50 ppm on the Kidde can be ignored. 50 to 100 is getting hazardous, you should investigate. My garage unit peaks at 55-60 when I run a car engine nearby, that doesn't worry me any. Repeated high levels might mean the furnace or water heater is acting up. I screwed it to the wall next to the thermostat, for easy visibility. FYI, Ollies come with two detectors, a Smoke/ CO unit in back, and a Propane/ CO detector near the galley floor. John Davies Spokane WA

This is from the Toyota Cruisers and Trucks e-magazine.The author test drove three models with this engine, including towing a 5500 pound Airstream. I find the dyno graph to be enlightening, showing how the electric and engine power overlap. 600 ft lbs or torque at about 1300 rpm! 😳😳😳. That is about what my 2006 Ram 5.9 Cummins made at 1800. And the peak torque is 800? I actually find it hard to believe since they advertise 583 ft lbs. Scroll down to page 18. Toyota Cruisers and Trucks Winter 2022. Maybe those power figures are hypothetical, and they dial it way down for longevity…. John Davies Spokane WA

No worries. Just wanted to point out that at least some owners needn't go to the step of adding a shunt to their system to get such info. But the notion of adding a shunt is a great piece of info for anyone who doesn't have this already built in.

My original combination detector was getting close to retirement (72 months). It is a really expensive unit ($90 to $160 online) and a little hard to find in stock. I bought these units: The propane detector has to go near the floor, because the gas is heavier than air. Here is the Oliver installed one: Size comparison: The difference in thickness and weight is enormous, too bad Oliver doesn't use these from the start. The RV Safe unit comes with two big bezels, to cover up the big ugly hole when you remove an older unit. The small one worked fine here, positioned vertically. This position makes it easier to read the label when crouched down under the table: It uses the same amount of power as the old one, about 50 milliamps. The big difference is size and (if surface mounting) the need to only drill a 1/4" hole for the wires to pass through. My detector has a power switch: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5330-how-to-propane-co-detector-on-off-power-switch/ John Davies Spokane WA

RV Safe describes their gas detector as "battery powered", that is misleading since you must hard-wire it to a 12 volt source. It has no internal batteries. This is what Kidde says, they market it as a portable unit. "Protection Everywhere. This is a battery-operated, free-standing carbon monoxide alarm that can be placed on a counter, nightstand or tabletop, or it can be taken with while traveling or camping so that you can always be sure you are in a safe environment. Additionally, if it is your preference, it includes the hardware necessary for installation on walls." An RV isn't going to hurt it, There are no moving parts except the battery door and the push buttons. I imagine Oliver chose their galley combo unit way back when there were few alternatives. It may also have to do with certification and expected life span of the gas detector part. John Davies Spokane WA

Grease the upper cover: Set the gear and shim down over the lower part, align the gasket and install the cover and the four bolts. Tighten the three set screws firmly, be careful they are steel in aluminum. Clean off the top and make a record of the service: Test the jack for proper operation and shift all your tools and stuff to the other side. My street side gearbox looked very similar - too little lube, some gear wear: Each jack took a couple of hours, most of that time was cleaning out the old contaminated grease. A future service might be a whole lot faster, you could just take a look and add some more CV-2 if needed. I do NOT recommend leaving the old white lithium grease in place, it will not mix well with the full synthetic, and you should get all those black metal particles out!. John Davies Spokane WA

A nice solution, and the original combo detector mounted by the floor doesn’t make a lot of sense since the recommended locations for CO vs. propane are different. A CO detector should be mounted higher, while a propane detector should be close to the floor. Thankfully Oliver installs the other smoke/CO detector up high back by the beds.

I covered a lot of info here, read this thread first please: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4094-how-to-vip-3000-electric-stabilizer-jack-service/ FYI I used about 2/3 of a jar on two jacks, so a full one might be enough for all three. I finally got around to doing the rear ones, it is not especially hard but it is a little nasty. For the tongue jack, I removed the entire head unit and took it to the workbench. It is possible to remove the head on these rear ones, if you don't mind cutting and re-splicing the power wires. I chose to do the job in situ, with a couple of foam pads to cushion my knees. I wore a headlamp so I could see better. Loosen the three set screws a couple of turns, with a 3/16" Allen wrench. Once they are loose, the gearbox/ motor assembly can be swiveled around for better access to the top bolts; This is the CURB side one, the STREET side one has a lot more room around it: Remove the four bolts, tap the side of the upper cover carefully with a soft mallet to break loose the gasket. If it doesn't tear, you can reuse it, be careful. Both rear gearboxes looked a lot like the tongue one, except that the grease had not hardened in these. It was however contaminated with metal particles. There was not nearly enough grease installed at the factory, and there was some obvious wear from "dry spots". By lifting off the unit you can access the drive pin and the top of the jack screw. Clean off all the old stuff there with paper towels and a light dash of a solvent like brake cleaner. Lube with CV-2: Set the unit back in place and clean out the old glop. The top cover and big gear can be taken away and blasted hard with brake cleaner. Do NOT try that inside! Lube the bottom part. I used a small plastic piece as a trowel. Try to get the lube under the big gear and apply it liberally around the outside. Wipe off the gasket surface. Be VERY careful not to lose the little stainless shim that goes against the small gear face. When you reinstall the gear,use grease to capture the shim. John Davies Spokane WA

Totally agree. That was the part that bugged me the most as well. I agree this technology is not there yet for towing or even long road trips. It is interesting though with lots of things happening. Like the lithium-sulfur battery that some are projecting could do 900 miles. Early days still on all this, but exciting to see the innovation.

My 2018 has a fuse panel in the attic. Breakers would have been better!

Thanks. I just clicked on "read online," and read it all. I'm impressed.

OK, I guess they don’t want direct links. Try this https://tctmagazine.net/winter-2022/winter-2022-tundra-hybrid-test-drive-javex-2021-ut-spring-fling-misty-s-fjc-2023-sequoia Scroll down a little and hit the “Download Now” button. Let me know if that works. John Davies Spokane WA

Yeah, I went through different configurations and panel sizes in order to make that happen. I didn't want the panels to hang over the back in case a stray rock flew up while underway but it could only go so far forward to allow fully opening the cover. In the morning and afternoon that angle can take the truck array from around 230 watts to 290 watts. Every little bit helps.😬 John

Very funny.. Eventually, there will be. Electric motors and direct drive more resemble vin diesel. Just have to figure it all out. Newer lighter battery technology is undoubtedly coming, with more readily available components. Pretty sure Ford dropped the 350/450 ev exploration for the time being, as the Lightning has sold so well, and is so powerful. The 350/450 are work trucks. Got to have range, and capability. Frankly, I too would likely wait for newer lighter, more eco-friendly battery development. Or, look at the tech used for a long time for diesel- electric locomotives and ships. For me, I'd want pure electric. I don't really love the idea of hybrid, two systems to maintain. Personal opinion.

Watch RV Lcck's website for sales. They often offer 25% off, making the lock the cheapest I could find online. I had a issue with my lock and their customer service was great, walking me thru diagnosis then sending me a part to replace the broken part. Highly recommend them

Nice job on the tutorial John! Makes me want to at the very least, pop the cap off and add just a bit more grease right away while it's still new. Hopefully avoid some of the metal specks before I eventually do clean it out and replace it with the better synthetic grease.

When I can get 600 miles a day, without charging, I will think about it. Right now I get 1200 miles between refills. As long as they keep the 18 wheels let’s going, I hope I will be fine.

I'm interested in where this conversation, research and actual results pan out with these different coatings. We had our new Acura RDX sealed with a ceramic coating (guaranteed for 5 years)... and I've been pleased so far (9 months). I see there are some different recommendations based on some experience with one company... while others seem to like another company. I have been wondering if the same "ceramic" coating that is used for aluminum... Is it just as good on gelcoat? Waiting and watching to see and hopefully do the "touch and feel" at the rally. I really like to keep my rolling stock looking really nice but the truck already feels like waxing the side of a house... so imagine the Oliver must feel like waxing a barn! Another thing that I'd like to learn more about is the XPEL film. It seems to me that it would be ideal to protect the most vulnerable areas on the Ollie. I've watched a few videos... and I think that it's something I could do myself. Thinking about getting a small amount to try my hand at it on the truck. First attempt would be down low... just in case it turns out I was overly optimistic. I did follow the advice of many and get some mud flaps to reduce any potential damage. I would probably cry like a baby if I got a serious ding on our new Ollie.

Jim, we bought our #617 with BB batteries already installed by the former owner (incorrectly I might add) so I wasn't aware of what LifeBlue's BMS monitors. Thanks for clarifying. Charlie.

I love chili recipes too! 😵

Thanks for the tutorial John. Very helpful. The jacks are one of my next maintenance projects this summer.

I've read that rv designated units use a more sensitive reading than home units, as, at home, you have much more dispersement space available. ( my bedroom closet is bigger than my Ollie, honestly) I would not personally depend solely on a home battery unit for co detection, but that's not John's suggestion either, as I read it. I think it is his 3rd backup.

Lots of torque in electric motors so they are great at pulling things, but the range and recharging capabilities aren't where they need to be yet. At least not for RVing.

I've watched a lot of TFL videos and I like there views on there test results. My personal view on electric vehicles is pretty much a no go at this time and the more it's pushed on us the less I like it. I think for those who want an intown vehicle to run around in is probably a buyable solution for some and if it can help save the planet and it works for you, them go for it. Being retired and using so little fuel in our vehicles it would never work out for us to go electric at this time. trainman

It seems that Starlink has enabled roaming... So no more changing your address to get coverage. Here is a link to the availability map. https://www.starlink.com/map Interesting that coverage is almost complete in the places where you would need it the most. The Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming, etc. I am tempted to spend the $99 to waitlist just to get in the queue.

For sure the microwave plate is on our arrival/departure list. We use a large fluffy towel and wrap it well, and put it back into the microwave. Best place for it. Never had even a second thought about it there.

The detector uses a little bit of power, about 0.05 amps, even when everything else is turned off. Normally that isn't a worry, unless you want to keep the batteries connected long term and you are not plugged into shore power. A little drain over many months can flatten a battery bank. Plus it is nice to be able to silence a nuisance alarm or a failed unit by switching it off rather than locating and pulling its fuse (which is at the 12 volt DC bus under the rear street side bed). Here is mine, the location WILL vary because I moved mine to the back a foot, but the wire comes off the manual reset circuit breaker. I added the labels. The Oliver wire does have a factory installed label "1 amp" but it doesn't identify the purpose of the wire! Remove the fuse or disconnect the batteries! Remove the unit (4 screws) and cut the wires. Make a little bracket from 6061 T6 2" x 2" x 1/8" aluminum angle, and secure it to the compartment wall with 3M VHB (Very High Bond) tape. Epoxy would also work fine. The switch is a simple, non-LED On/Off SPST switch that matches the other Ollie switches. It requires a 0.800" hole, which can be made with a step drill AKA Uni-Bit. https://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-91616.html Any type of switch will work because it is not normally visible. It is similar to this illuminated model: I used the existing Red for positive and Black for ground detector wires. The factory harness has a Blue positive and Yellow ground. Unplug the switch. Splice the new harness into the old one, working outside the compartment (under the table). I was able to discard two feet of extra wires. Install the detector body into its hole. Feed the switch wires through the round hole and mount the switch (it presses in with two retaining clips). Note that it has a little plastic "key" under the lip, that needs a matching notch in the hole, or else just file off the key entirely. Cover the wires with plastic split loom and secure them with cable ties so that they don't flop around. The switch could be located anywhere, but this spot makes it quite simple. A location on the outside of the compartment would work, but it would be possible to turn it off by mistake, which could be dangerous or fatal. Put it somewhere out of the normal traffic flow, and not in a storage compartment where loose gear could bump it! You still need to check the unit for proper operation before each trip and then weekly. Finally, adding a switch violates the RV build codes! Do this mod only if you fully understand its benefits and its potential risks. Because of my extensive mods, I added a BIG information placard under that access cover, it includes information on the Propane Detector switch. Something similar to the last paragraph might be prudent. John Davies Spokane WA

With the right adapters, its not a big deal My advice would be to wait and see if you actually need anything, at all. Zamp is a big cost difference. And 46 vs 16 pounds is huge, at least, for me. Portable solar is the easiest add on, ever. See if you actually need/want it.

The Zamp connectors are proprietary, but apparently do not have reversed polarity. From the Zamp website (https://www.zampsolar.com/pages/faq): "Is the Zamp Solar port reverse polarity? No, but they are different from other brands of solar ports because all of our SAE plugs are polarity-protected for safety reasons. That means the positive pin on all of our SAE plugs is set back and covered to prevent accidental contact that could damage your panel, short your battery, or give you a pretty nasty shock. So, because of the polarity protection on our plugs, Zamp Solar ports are only compatible with Zamp Solar SAE plugs."

Oliver uses a Zamp connector on the trailer - which is proprietary, if I recall correctly; though I believe that it is a standard connector with reversed polarity. You can buy a Zamp to MC4 pigtail though, as well as polarity reversing adapters. I think that at 600 watts, "portable" is debatable. I have a 200 watt pair, and frankly, for me they're too cumbersome and heavy to deal with. Three of those and I wouldn't have any room in the truck bed for anything else. Though I also have 200 watts mounted on my truck, which I could attach to the trailer if needed. That would be my advised route for anything more than say a 100 watt suitcase, which I think is the sweet spot for portables. Portable pros are more watts, of course, and you can position them where you want, move them about, etc. Cons are that they take up valuable storage space, are a pain to set up, and are easy and very attractive to steal. Given all that, my personal advice is: a) Determine what you need and resist buying more just because it's more. You can always buy another set later, and it's almost guaranteed that it will be cheaper when you do. b) For anything larger than 100 watts, buy a separate charge controller and convert the panels to 24 volt. That will allow you to run longer and thinner wiring while keeping the voltage high enough to get a full charge. Which means, to get back to your original question, if you're buying a charge controller, get whatever connector fits your new controller.

The grass is always greener ..... With that beast of a tow vehicle you will not have any problems anywhere towing the Elite II. And, you certainly will not have to deal with the weight distribution hitch unless (for some reason) you want to. While all of this may seem confusing and perhaps difficult at this point, it really isn't all that hard. Checklists are your friend, particularly when first starting out, when its raining, when you are in a hurry, when "stuff" happens, and, pretty much all the time. The only reason(s) that lithium batteries make sense is if you want/need to be able to have air conditioning (without using a generator), you are a very large power user, have issues with the weight of the camper, or plan on boondocking extensively. On this last point - I still have my original 4 lead acid batteries with the Oliver solar package. I've been without being plugged into shore power or generator power for as long as 7 weeks and the batteries have never been below 82% FULL! No worries. Bill

Label ties: Nylon Marker Cable Ties, 250pcs 6 Inch I paid $10, I do not know what happened to that seller. Do some searching for a good price...., A brand NEW Sharpie Fine Point pen (not the Ultra Fine) works great to mark them - don’t use a worn one with smooshed tip, that is a mess. John Davies Spokane WA

Yummy. Gumbo is one if my favorites. The lighting makes it look red, but no tomato in my gumbo. Ever. Its really more brown. My recipe is 2nd hand, via an old friend, who got it from a NOLA chef. Simple , but great. The veggies, andouille sausage,, and seafood create the flavors.