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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/02/2022 in Posts
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After a successful dry-camping trip to our favorite CT state park, where Eggcelsior performed above expectations (more about that in a minute) or new Ollie is grounded pending repairs. We got a phone call from Jason yesterday informing us that Dexter made a batch of bad axles in the last few months and that Dexter would be calling us Tuesday to arrange repairs. Only 12 new Ollies were built with this batch of NevRLube axles, so this is a very limited problem. I assume Jason has already called all the affected owners. Unfortunately, we're one of them. I have learned that this has been a bigger problem with Airstreams. According to an Airstream forum, several brand-new Airstreams had their wheels fall off while driving and Airstream suspended all deliveries while Dexter investigated. The issue has something to do with a faulty washer in the bearing assemblies and Dexter is sending new washers and arranging either service at a service center or a mobile tech to do the work. So, for now Eggcelsior sits at home. At least we got it here with all the wheels attached. On a brighter note, Eggcelsior did great at the state park. We were there for 4 nights/ 5 days. The holding tanks were plenty big enough. When we left, Fresh was at 38%, Grey was at 38%, and Black was at 31%. That was with us using the campground bathrooms during the day and only taking one shower each in the Ollie. As for power, we had a hard time even making a dent in the Lithium Platinum package. We'd watch TV, run a coffee maker, toaster oven, and hair dryer in the morning and only drop a few percent. With sunny days, we were back at 100% by mid-afternoon. Based on this trip, I figure we can stay at least 8 nights in a park with bathrooms without dumping. Now we wait to see what Dexter has to say and what it will do to our upcoming summer travel plans. 🤔7 points
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Back in February I was searching for advice of how I could reduce the Oliver overall outside height because my extra building garage door height was approximately (and only) 3 inches too small. Potential solution advice included raising the ceiling and/or door height, installing different but smaller AC, letting air out of the tires, taking the tires off and more. None of the ideas, while appreciated, just didn't appeal to me and/or would not work. So...I am lowering the floor! See the attached photos. We install steel rod and pour concrete during the next couple weeks. Photos of (the successful?) the completed project to be shared in the future. "If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain."4 points
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On a positive note, it’s great that both Dexter and Oliver are being proactive about the issue. I know you waited a long time to pickup the Eggcelsior and now you have to wait a little longer to use as you would like to,bummer. Mossey4 points
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Water pump, interior and exterior lights, stabilizer jacks, exhaust fans, radio, TV, and power awning are all 12 volt DC. Furnace and Truma hot water system are 12 volt DC for control functions but use propane for heating. Microwave, air conditioner, and 110 volt AC power outlets require either shore power or the inverter. 3 way fridge can run on AC, propane or DC.3 points
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John - you can re-list yours 🙂. Just sold our Dometic for $700 to a nice couple from Vermont. We agreed to meet in the middle and met them in New Hampshire. Super smooth transaction. Within 45 minutes of putting it on Craigslist I had interest. First person that emailed me bought it. Feel really fortunate. One less thing to trip on in the garage!3 points
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We had a switch (for the Cabinet Lights) on the main panel with an intermittent fault. Sometimes it wouldn't work, or it would flicker. I opened the access panel behind the control panel and found lots of fiberglass dust in there. I suspected fiberglass debris had fallen into the switch, fouling the contacts, so I vacuumed out the service compartment through the access hatch (wearing a mask to protect me from the dust) and, while the vacuum was running in the back, put canned air through the front of the switch (there's a gap around the rocker). This fixed the bad switch but (theory confirmed), fouled some of the others. I then air dusted and vacuumed the front of every switch and full function was restored to all. So, if you have a sketchy 12v switch, especially in a new unit, you might want to try this first.3 points
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I probably would have let the air out of the tires .... 3 inches3 points
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Just for fun, I thought I'd throw this out there. For me, the very first "independent" camping experience was army surplus, from my uncle, thrown over a clothesline wire, between two trees, on our farm. Summertime, of course. Army blanket for a ground cloth, and some kind of cotton batten sleeping bags. I think I was not quite four. Maybe just over four? Not sure. My sister and I (she's a year younger) had a grand time. Of course, I had to "watch" her. That was ok, and still is. My little bff. And, of course, mom and dad were just steps away, in the house. If we needed them.2 points
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Mine wasn't so glamorous - I "ran away" from home and decided to sleep with my dog in the back yard in his dog house. I still don't know just how it was that I awoke the next morning in my own bed!2 points
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The red (or blue) one is the Escape Sport model. Their website isn't really clear on the differences between models, but the Sport has the rain flaps for the add-on panels and the upper screen windows zip completely open for better airflow on hot days. We like the white roof for hot days, too.2 points
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Congrats on the sale and garage space reclaim. I am so happy to hear it all went well. Great job!!2 points
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Glad you've made it this far without incident, and I certainly hope Dexter is quick in response. Your evening campsite photo is calendar worthy, imo. Looks so tranquil.2 points
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Just discovered the beginnings of a single-occupant wasp nest under the rear streetside compartment where the stabilizing jack lives. A bit of looking around revealed a gap in the inside of the jack post alongside the mounting bracket where it pierces the outer hull. This gap is just short of 1/4" wide between the jack tube and mounting bracket which has not been completely sealed against bug / water entry. There is sealant going part way around the post on the outside of the jack tube but the median (more difficult to access from inside the trailer) portion of the tube was unsealed leaving a gap of about 1/4" wide x 3" long which allows easy bug access. Turns out both rear jacks share this bug access point due to a lack of sealent. Easy fix from underneath the trailer - just forced up silicone caulk from below. Any other entry points anyone is aware of on the Legacy II's? Screens over fridge, heater & water heater vents are obvious and screens are available at the Oliver service dept. - we had them put on when we picked up #770.2 points
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Amazing what these "little" trailers can do! Sorry to hear about the axles. Hopefully "they" will get the situation taken care of soon so that you can get back to testing the limits. Nice pics! I didn't realize that Clam made a "red" one - thought that green and brown were the only colors even though they do make ice shelters in a number of colors. Bill2 points
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Yet another use for canned air. Always carry a can of that stuff with me. Fridge, water heater, furnace can all use a "blast" every now and then. Bill2 points
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For our friends and neighbors, and our few Canadian Oliver owners, happy Canada Day as you celebrate your heritage.2 points
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My RAM pickup, with the trailer towing option, has a mileage screen that keeps track of the mileage for when the 7 pin trailer wiring is connected from Ollie. This screen page also provides me with the way of adjusting the braking gain. A very nice option. No paperwork and it is accurate.2 points
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I'm on my second summer in NC with the Houghton and I've used it a LOT. I regularly use our Ollie as a quiet place to relax year round even when at "home". I do agree with all of @katanapilot's reasons, pretty much in that order too. My wife and I both agree that it's easily the best "luxury" modification we have made to our Ollie (second would be installing a dedicated shower mixer with the High Sierra head). @connor77, I tried to sell the lightly used Dometic on Craig's list for about half of what it's worth (as suggested by @Trainmanabove). I only tried Craig's list as I didn't want to deal with shipping. Never had any interest or offers so I gave up after about a month. Still sitting in my garage today. No chance I'll ever reinstall it, so I may end up giving it away - I'll wait until you have sold yours though. 😉2 points
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Prior to delivery of our 2022 LEII in mid-February, I posed a question on the OTTO forum asking how many owners had installed odometers on their trailers, and if they had, what brand they had selected. I was surprised to learn almost no one had installed a hub odometer, with most relying on manual logs for mileage tracking I did not want to be bothered with keeping a manual log, knowing I would inevitably forget to enter tow vehicle mileage when towing our LEII. Undaunted, I began to search for a suitable hub odometer. I found few offerings for travel trailers, but did come across the TrailerLife Odometer line. On their website is a Ratio Selection Guide for determining which model odometer best matches the outside circumference of the tires on the trailer. I checked with Oliver Travel Trailers to confirm the tires to be installed on our LEII were 225/75R16 Cooper Discoverer HT3. On the Cooper Tire website I found these tires have a diameter of 29.21", a width of 8.5", mount on a 16" rim and make 710 revolutions per mile. The calculated rolling circumference= 29.21" x 3.1416= 91.73" I contacted Veeder-Root, the manufacturer of the TrailerLife odometer product line, where their tech support recommended using Model 714. They also recommended using one of their wheel center caps for a 4.25" wheel center hole for a 6 lug wheel. Otherwise, a hole must be drilled in the center of the standard Oliver hub cap to accept the mounting stud of the odometer, I placed an order for the Model 714 odometer, $84.99, and the wheel center cap, $15.99. The total was $104.56, including $3.58 for shipping. Front View Profile View The TrailerLife odometer and wheel center cap were delivered one month after I placed the order. A week or 10 days after placing the order, I called to inquire of the expected delivery date. Only then was I told the item was backordered and could be six weeks for delivery. Fortunately, I received the odometer and hubcap in time to take it with us for the LEII delivery date. On our LEII delivery date, the weather in Hohenwald was miserable, with pouring rain and cold, with temperatures in the low 20s at night. I asked Oliver to install the hub odometer, which they did during the delivery process for $20. I thought this was reasonable and was glad to have the odometer installed at the time of delivery. I asked to have the odometer installed on the street side rear wheel, since this is closest to the primary service connections and storage.. I don't believe it matters which wheel the odometer is installed on. The hub odometer now shows we have covered over 3,000 miles since delivery. I am sure the miles reported by the hub odometer are far more accurate than I would have manually recorded. Being a first time RV owner, I was (and still am) focused on learning the systems on our trailer and the procedures for using it safely. Manually recording the mileage traveled was not high on my list of priorities. I am keeping a log of our travel destinations, maintenance, modifications, etc. Don1 point
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The water pump ONLY runs on DC. I always carry a couple of milk jugs filled with water right near the toilet. That way I do not have to carry any water in my fresh water tank but still have more than enough to flush the toilet. This tactic also comes in handy when it is cold outside and I don't want to have water in the plumbing lines due to the possibility of freezing. Bill1 point
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Welcome to the forum.. The water pump is 12v dc, like pretty much every other rv made. You won't need 110 for most essential systems. A/C requires 110, however. Fwiw, we camp without hookups, most of the time. No inverter. Fine, since 2008. 12vDc is the main power system in a travel trailer.1 point
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Congratulations, @connor77! @NCeagle, might be more takers in the summer heat? Mine was old (2008), but worked, so I listed parts for free. No takers in a week, so it went to recycling.1 point
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How do you plan to deal with outside storm water? Will it have a natural surface escape route on the driveway? Do you have a plan to keep the slab catch basin and it’s drain pipe clear from dirt and organic debris? I have dealt with drains that are prone to blocking and it is best to design them to be very easy to maintain. Have you considered a trench drain? Otherwise you might hate it. Especially if you can’t access it without hitching up the Ollie and moving it out of the way. NDS 864GMTL 5-Inch Pro Channel Drain Kit with Metal Grate, 5 in, Gray Make sure the pipes have at least a 1/8” per foot slope or they won’t flow well. John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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PLAN WELL AHEAD and consider avoiding this vendor. On June 10, 2022, I ordered the same hubodometer and 4.25" wheel center cap that dhaig ordered from sptech.com for the Elite II we plan to pick up in November. 18 days later, on June 28, 2022, it still had not shipped. So, I emailed sptech.com's customer service. The order was shipped the next day. But, the invoice emailed to me confirming the shipment referenced a 3.19 wheel center cap, not the 4.25" wheel center cap I had ordered, and which is referenced on the email confirming the order. When I again exchanged email messages with an sptech.com customer service rep, I was told that they had shipped the wrong wheel center cap, but that they would not ship to me the 4.25" wheel center cap I had correctly ordered until I return the wrong part they shipped back to them, and they receive it. That process will likely take several more weeks. They did not even provide me with a return shipping label, but instead insisted that I go to a UPS store (which is 50 miles away from my home) and use their UPS account number to arrange the return shipping. I consider this abysmal customer service. When combined with the slow service detailed in dhaig's post quoted above, you will be wise to find another hubodometer vendor.1 point
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Not light, for sure. From renogys website, 36 pounds for 200 watt suitcase. (But less than zamp legacy) I wonder if that includes the cable? We really do have to take weight into consideration. I don't like to bother to take out my coleman panels of we won't be in the same spot for awhile. Too heavy.1 point
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Wood is a beautiful natural resource and one that I feel fortunate to work with daily. This mahogany extended dinette for hull 444 was crafted from a single timber 13” wide and 10’ long. Applying the satin polyurethane last night took my breath away as its waterfall grain with tiger stripes popped out. Only a few times have I had the pleasure to craft with wood this unique. NOTE: As of August 1st, I will be increasing my prices by 15 to 20%. I do not take this lightly and can only hope prices will come back in line over time. All the materials I use in my craft have seen an unprecedented rise in cost, especially wood. For those who have orders in process, you are grandfather in at the current pricing. If you are planning to place an order, all new orders until August 1st, will still be honored at the current catalog price. I will be publishing a new catalog on August 1st, with the price increases. My current catalog can be downloaded HERE1 point
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I have a similar pole barn storage situation, it is heavily shaded, no direct sunlight. Despite this, my panels get a charge during daylight. In your situation, it might be enough to keep your batteries charged up. Given that it’s only a 3 week period of storage, perhaps you could not bother to disconnect batteries and check on it periodically to see if it’s doing ok? If you have a generator, you could charge up the batteries in a pinch. As a future mod, you may want to install a battery disconnect switch. Several posts on alternative ways to do this in this forum. Your Zamp controller does not require this. It will boot itself up quickly and work fine as soon as it gets sunshine.1 point
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All this talk about TV makes me wanna drink .1 point
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https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/477198-3m-4000-vs-4200-a.html 5200 is forever, with a very tenacious grip and quite difficult to remove. Think joining the deck of a boat to the hull. Or the top half of an Ollie to the bottom. (I don’t know what they use but this would be a great choice.) 4200 is similar, but with less grip and easier to remove, not UV (sunlight) resistant. Good for below the waterline hardware in a boat. Fast Cure 4000 UV is my go to sealant for exterior parts like windows or roof vents, where the 4200 would not be appropriate. It holds up well in sunlight and does not yellow. https://www.amazon.com/3M-Marine-Adhesive-Sealant-4000UV/dp/B0000AY0ND/ref=asc_df_B0000AY0ND/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193131231816&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10666757639209084638&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033787&hvtargid=pla-340533059924&psc=1 All have adhesive properties but IMHO they should always be used along with mechanical fasteners or tape. 3M VHB is used when there are no screws or rivets, for example you want to attach something inside the cabin where you don’t want to drill holes. When used outside it should always have sealant applied around the joint to prevent water intrusion, and for better appearance. Even if there are no penetrating holes, you want to keep all water out so it can’t freeze and harm the bond. IMHO! In reality any good quality (name brand) white marine grade silicone sealant is OK for outside stuff. FYI all have expiration dates, you can sometimes cheat on that, but don’t be shocked if your recently opened tube of 4200 is rock hard the next time you use it. Write down when you bought or opened the product ON the product. Read and follow the instructions! Some solvents can’t be used because they might affect the cure. I have some long expired VHB tape that I will continue to use, but I always test a small piece before committing to using the rest. If I had a really critical application for the tape, I would use brand new product, just to be safe. Look at this thread for how to use VHB tape and sealant for a professional looking result. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2082-how-to-install-a-big-bubble-level-no-drilling/ Does this help? John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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Nan, when you install your screens, put a small tarp on the ground in case one of the little spring hooks flies off the little tool. It makes finding the hooks much easier. (Ask me how I know...😂😂😂)1 point
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