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I consider Vicky's one and only post as spam due to the link she included. I did not hide or delete it because it has been responded to and some may find value in it.

You may want to make sure nothing else is drawing off the AC power while you are trying to run your A/C. I make sure the refrigerator is set to propane and the breaker for the charger/converter is off. I think that may resolve your problem if your generator is putting out advertised power. Also, if you have an ECO mode, turn it off. Andrew

The park is compact enough that you can get out and visit the other areas and talk to fellow owners. We’ve been in a couple of areas but still walk around to visit old friends and meet new owners. Many of the activities are up at the lodge or down at the lake pavilion so your camping location doesn’t matter for those events. We’ll be looking forward to meeting you and as many other new owners as we can. It’s a fun weekend. Mike

I got a portable solar panel (aka blanket/suitcase) to hook up to the external Zamp port. The price was good, so I thought I'd try it. https://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-783-0100-01-Portable-Charging-Kit-100W/dp/B07QYCHG6V/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2Y0HK1F42H1U1&keywords=xantrex+solar+flex+portable+kit&qid=1661499580&sprefix=xantrex+solar+flex+portable+kit%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-3 Hooked it up today, seemed to work fine. The top connection in the port is the positive, so I made sure to connect the SAE connector correctly. This panel comes wired correctly, so I didn't need an adapter to reverse polarity. I turned off the rooftop panels then checked the Lithionics app, which didn't show the batteries getting any juice from the portable panel. Don't know why. The controller showed 5.0A, not very much. It's really light and easy to hook up but I'm not sure if it will give me enough juice to make it worthwhile. In truth, I haven't had a problem with AC/DC while boondocking. I might run it down to 60% at night, but the next day it'll charge back up to 85% or 80%.

Thanks again Andrew and Mossey: I tried the generator after turning off the inverter 15 amp breaker and turning off the dehumidifer. The AC and AC compressor started up immediately just like it was on AC shore power!! KenB: Thanks for the suggestion. I have the Truma instant water heater so no 110 switch for the electric heating element. Problem solved. This is a great forum for solving problems.

My 2008 Honda EU2000i runs my Dometic AC unit equipped with a MicroAir EasyStart. Does your generator have an ECO mode? My Honda will not run the AC in ECO mode. Do you have the ability to test the amp draw of your genset when connected and starting the AC? Mossey

Another part of the lithium equation is vehicle charging. Your truck won’t charge them correctly (too low a voltage) (Oliver leaves that wire completely disconnected for the lithium packages), so if you need that capability you must add a DC to DC smart charger, that steps up the voltage. If you boondock under tree cover or on a gray day you need that capability, or else use your generator for a few hours, as needed. My Redarc charger will deliver 11 amps hour after hour when towing, that is a 50% charge for my two 100 AH batteries during a long 9 hour tow….. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5270-how-to-redarc-dc-to-dc-11-amp-output-trailer-charger-installation/ John Davies Spokane WA

Like Mike intimated above, there really aren't any "bad" sites. I do hope you'll come, it is a really fun time.

After each camping trip I wash (and usually wax) our trailer, going on 7 years now. When I’m up on the ladder doing the top and solar panels, I check each knob, they are always tight. I think I had to tighten one the first time I washed after our pickup trip in May ‘16. Mike

This is pretty similar to what my friend made. Weave some lacing, and good to go. That frame could allow you to use some landscape timber spikes, if you drilled some holes, or wrapped it with webbing straps and tent stakes, to anchor it in the wind. Still adjustable to the sun. The grommets are for securing the panels. Most people leave an airspace beneath the panels so they can dissipate some heat. But, some boat owners "stitch" the panels to a canvas Bimini, with a washer type plastic beneath. Solar panels don't work as well, overheated, and flex panels don't last as long either, without some air space. We used flex panels on our boat, hard Bimini. They're already showing some wear, 5 years in. But, they work. And keep the battery banks charged. We could not use rigid panels in that application, practically. https://gnomadhome.com/pvc-solar-mount/

Thanks for posting! That looks like a great panel, I would have bought it over my big heavy Renogy one if it had been available, most flexible panels have been very costly in the past. Prop it up at an angle directly facing the sun and you will get a little more power. I believe these panels are more delicate so use care when cleaning and handling them. You can easily mod the wires so you can put the panel further away and still get full amperage at the batteries. This is my 100 watt panel 40 feet away tilted in full sun: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5478-how-to-remote-mount-the-controller-of-a-suitcase-solar-panel-not-inside-the-trailer/ Changing the controller to a high quality more efficient MPPT one will help also, but it isn’t really cost effective if you can just physically shift the panel around to follow the sun. (Tho the price of no-name ones is getting down to around $20😳) Please post some follow up reports. John Davies Spokane WA

Three days after we took delivery of Mouse, I climbed up my ladder for a check of the roof. Everything looked fine, except for the solar panels. Three knobs were slightly loose, perhaps a 1/16th of a turn. One was a full half turn loose. This is dangerous since a loose or lost knob could wreck the panel and possibly the vent and AC unit behind it, especially if you are towing into a stiff and gusting headwind. I got out my Dewalt driver drill and modified the knobs so that I could secure them tight. I can't recall the hole size, probably 1/4 inch, big enough for a standard sized nylon wire tie. This is just like safety wiring a bolt using steel wire, but the advantage is that the big white ties are highly visible from the ground, so you can include a visual check of all four as you do your final walk around before leaving. You must route the tie so that all the forces are acting to tighten the knob. I think this should be done at the factory, but in the meantime I strongly recommend that everyone with panels on the roof secure the knobs. A better fix would be to drill out the threaded inserts and install through bolts with self locking nuts, but this would make it very hard to reposition the panels for cleaning the roof underneath.... Here is a question: have you ever checked them? If not, then please do so before your next trip. They may be loose.... Be safe. Here is my Werner convertible ladder in action. It is good to have access to your roof, always. John Davies Spokane WA

Hi All, we are Bob and Francine (aka Frankie). We are retired and happy to be part of the Oliver family. We recently ordered our Oliver LE ll to be picked up next April (2023). After researching for quite a while, we kept coming back to Oliver. We live in Southern California and after contacting Oliver about their RV, we were referred to an owner not far from us who was kind enough to let us come visit and see their Oliver and answered a ton of questions we had. Shortly after, we made the trip to TN to tour the facility and instantly saw the quality and workmanship that is put into Oliver. Our sales representative, Jason, is great! He took his time with us and has kept in touch with us throughout the entire process. We’ve been shopping for a while and appreciated Jason’s excellent customer service. He’s been amazing and has answered all questions and concerns. We also like all the great reviews about their service department. We’ve heard nightmare stories with other RV brands and doesn’t seem to be the case with Oliver. We went on forums for other RV brands and there seems to be more complaining about quality and service than there are compliments. Oliver forum is amazing. Everyone seems so passionate about Oliver and will be so nice to be able to get advice and ask questions, as I know we will have some once we start RV’ing. Look forward to informative conversations with some of you. Happy camping!

It’s easy to forget the 110 switch for the electric heating element on the water heater. Is that turned on? I’ve made that mistake myself.

This is some Oliver provided information. Mossey

Welcome and let the fun begin. We recently picked up Hull #1182 in late July, ordered in October of 2021. That time in between was spent reading this forum, new posts as well as posts many years ago. There is so much information here and the people have been wonderful, I have learned so much. The Ollie was our first travel trailer (first anything except tent and cold ground) and we couldnt be happier. I will vouch for the Service Department and all the help they gave me on our week long trip to southern Tennessee and Northern Mississippi. I had newbie questions and they took the time to help answer questions along with taking care of a couple minor issues. I also highly recommend the Oliver University and the video sections on the website. Just tons of info. Others may have mentioned it but I also recommend videoing the delivery day walk thru. There is so much information given to you, our lasted 3 hours, by the time we settled in I couldnt remember anything and spent alittle time relaxing and looking over the videos again. The rally was over by the time of our pickup but we have a site reserved for 2023!! Safe travels and dont be afraid to ask questions on here.

Unless you have previously replaced the AGM batteries in your 2018 Elite, it is no surprise they are dead. 4+ years is within the expected life of batteries with lead-acid chemistry, including Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries cost quite a bit more, but have a much longer life, particularly if they are not used daily. Unlike AGM batteries, LiFePO4 battery life depends much more on usage than just the passage of time. So, unless you are full timing in your Oliver, you will likely get 10 years or more from LiFePO4 batteries. Worth the additional investment, in my judgment. There are some very useful threads on this Forum describing upgrades in Olivers from AGM to LiFePO4 batteries, including replacement of the converter. In your shoes, I would invest in a lithium upgrade. Otherwise you will likely be once again replacing your new AGMs 4-6 years from now.

Are you sure you want 6 volts? If you do lots of camping while connected to shore power, cheaper 12 volts ones might be worth considering. https://www.getawaycouple.com/6v-deep-cycle-battery/#overall If you do boondock a lot, switching to lithium is expensive at first, but a no brainer in the long run. You would also save a ton of dead weight which gives you back more payload. It also helps tremendously with resale value. I don’t think anybody who has done this regrets the decision. https://battlebornbatteries.com/product-category/lifepo4-batteries/ They have one called the Gamechanger. I think that is a great description for lithium RV batteries in general. John Davies Spokane WA

I am very impressed. In 9 years now, I've washed ours maybe 3 times, had ours washed maybe 4 times and, unless you count CGI's ceramic coating, it's never been waxed. Same here, none have ever been loose.

Most fruits are great on the grill. The heat kind of carmelizes the inherent sugar in the fruit, heightens the sweetness,,without adding sugar. Have you tried grilling avocado? Nothing to add but a bit of cooking spray. Cut in half, ditch the pit. (Or save, to amaze a grandkid with "how to grow a tree", with the toothpick thing). I grill canned pineapple rings, even, with chicken or ham steak. Not as great as fresh, but adds a lovely flavor to the plate. Fyi, Costco has a great little Kirkland ham (boneless.) If we have a group, I can cut ham steaks for six, still have extra for thinner slices for campfire breakfasts, and dice the end bit for pie iron breakfast or soup. The added flavor from quickly grilling ham steak (spray with oil, lightly) is amazing, on the fire. It, too, takes on a bit of smokey sweet. As I am writing this, I'm listening to owls and cicadas. I so love the woods. And, cooking with fire.

Check FiberglassRV forum or the Casita forum the next few months. Someone will post the dates. We will be in AZ the month of January, so I’ll be checking as well to see if our schedule will fit with a Quartzsite visit. I’m sure if someone here finds out the dates there will be a post on this forum! Mike

Here are our recent experiences with this. For reference, we have the larger lithium package (630 Ah) with the soft-start Dometic A/C and an older Honda EU2000i (2000W surge, 1600W continuous): Dry camping. Weather: low-80s, humid. Trailer solar panels in full sun. Thermostat set to 70 degrees. Started generator at 11:30 AM daily and ran the A/C off the generator until 1:30. This also provided a very small charge to the batteries, enough to replace what we had used overnight. (We limited Xantrex setting #28 to 15A.) Shut the generator off at 1:30 and ran the A/C off the battery bank/solar until 4:30. This depleted it to 70-80% SOC. Shut A/C off at 4:30 and restarted generator. Used microwave, etc. for dinner and batteries were fully charged by 6:30. Our reason to use the A/C on batteries was to spare our neighbors the generator noise during midday. (Most people around us were running their generators around lunch and dinner, too.) So, in those conditions we were able to run A/C on batteries for 3 hours and replenish that in 2 hours with the generator. We used approx. 1 gallon of gas daily in this mode. (Because lithiums take a charge so well, the little generator ran full out while recharging). Our little 2000W Honda did fine running the A/C or charging the batteries, so the original poster's Yamaha should do just as well. However, if we wanted to bulk charge our batteries and run the A/C simultaneously we'd probably need a bigger generator. Hope this helps.

There’s bound to be cancellations, even if not before you go you can check when you get there to see if you can move.😃

The flexible panels all have grommets. One of my friends uses a flexible 100 watt. She built a little pvc pipe frame, with cords, and uses that to strengthen the panel. General thought is it's more efficient, with some airflow beliw. Broken down, the flexible panel is stored under the mattress for travel.

I realize I might be an odd duck, but I can't say enough about this national monument. It's strange but I love it. There are about 50 campsites, first come first serve. No reservations. I pulled in today at 11:30 and had my pick of almost any site. Some too small for the Ollie but most are plenty big. There are nice flush toilets nearby and water faucets spaced throughout. Most sites aren't too close together.

Update: We got the power back up and running today, installed the new transfer switch, and my electrician wants me to power up at least twelve hours before shutting down and seeing if the batteries hold their full charge (I am doubting they will). He is going to look at possible options regarding going with one 12V AGM versus two 6V AGM. My wife and I decided not to upgrade to lithium due to present expenses and we will both be happy if we have to replace our new AGM's in four or five years (meaning we got to live and travel some more). I will update as soon as I decide and we see what tomorrow brings regarding the present batteries. I did notice that the two 6V AGM's I had in my Amazon shopping cart were 1" taller than my current AGM's. That isn't going to work as the battery compartment is already way too tight. FYI: The error codes flashing initially after powering up and rotating on my surge protector were as follows: 117; 23A; 60H; and E O. Can anyone translate this for me or tell me where to find this info? I know the last one means everything is OK.

Roguebooks, Yes, you could replace your two 6 volt AGM batteries (220 ah at 20 hour rate) with one 12 volt LifePO4 (lithium) battery (100 ah) and it would actually be an upgrade in performance under most conditions. Some reasons for this are: 1. The AGM's are rated at 220 ah when discharging over 20 hours which is an 11ah rate of discharge (220 ah/20 hours). At a 5 hour rate of discharge storage falls to under 190 ah of which only half (95 ah) is usable without dramatically shortening battery life. Lithium batteries do not lose storage capacity at high rates of discharge like the AGMs and can be discharged down to 15% without any significant voltage drop or shortening battery life. This benefit is very noticeable if one has an inverter and occasionally places large loads on the batteries (microwave, hot pot, etc.). 2. It takes hours to charge the AGM batteries the last 20 percent no matter how large a charger you use due to internal battery resistance that increases with state of charge. Lithium batteries can accept very large charge currents right up to the point at which they reach full charge. It can mean the difference between running a generator for 2 hours versus 5 hours. It also means that you will always be able to continuously store the full output of your solar panels unless the batteries are completely full. 3. AGM batteries perform poorly at cold temperatures due to significant voltage drop. At 32 degrees F, an AGM battery loses 15 percent of its capacity. The lithiums lose almost none. If you do have an inverter/charger installed in your LE , it almost certainly has a LifePO4 charging profile in which case there is nothing else to do to convert to lithium batteries besides removing the AGMs and putting the lithium (s) in and reconnecting the battery cables. Steve Here is a link to a testimonial from a mariner who made the switch and discovered the more obscure benefits of converting to LifePO4. He explains all this pretty well. https://panbo.com/lithium-battery-math-better-than-you-may-think/

I removed the links. Owners can look up cgis solar, if they care to. The link was to a Chinese rv equipment manufacturer. Not malicious, as far as I know. But, better safe than sorry.

I have a Powermate PM2000i Inverter Generator which I bought very cheap, since it was not running. I had to unfreeze the cylinder as the previous owner had not used it for 3 years and let the fuel dry up. I also had to clean out the carb. After spending some hours working on the generator, I finally got it running and it runs fine and provides the proper power. This generator provides 2000 watts Surge and 1600 rated watts running power. My Oliver AC has the soft start installed. When powering up the Oliver using the generator, the AC will start and run but whenever the AC compressor tries to come online, the generator slows down. After a few seconds when the compressor does not come online, the generator will come back to full speed until the compressor tries to start again after around 5 minutes. Is the 2000/1600 watts to small to run the AC compressor? I see the Honda EU2200i and the Yamaha 2200i, the rated wattage is 2200/1800 watts (surge/running power) and people on the forum say they run their AC units with those generators. The Honda 2000i generator provides only 2000/1600 watts of power like mine. Can people get their AC' compressors running with their 2000i generators? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks Andrew. My electrician just showed up so maybe I'll have something positive to write about tomorrow. When it rains it pours. I'll PM you if I need you to explain something better. My electrician is pretty sharp and also lives pretty much full-time in his RV on some land outside of Gainesville. He is also going to research some on what battery/batteries to purchase for my situation.

Yep.That's a far as I could get, 11.1 and I know that is also why I get the red lights and blinking. I'll have my electrician test the AGM's but I am quite certain they are ruined. This morning they read 4.1 before I set up the solar suitcase. Four hours later it is only reading 8.9 so the charging is working inside and out but the batteries won't hold a charge or get fully charged or get the controller to settle down. I still don't know where those darn 40 amp fuses are in my trailer from the panels to the controller and the controller to the batteries although I assume they are ok.

Hi Steph and Dud This is very useful. Is it possible to start the AC using the inverter and then switch from the inverter to the generator without the AC dropping off? The new AC may need a large inrush that inverter can handle but possibly not my 1600/2000 watts generator. Thank You for your comments.

Steve, you might be in the cheap seats but you won't be in a cheap travel trailer...looking forward to seeing you there. Brian

If your batteries are only getting “up to 11.1 volts”, they are not charged. 11.1 volts is a dead battery (less than 10% charged). 7 volts is really dead. Sounds like your batteries do need replaced.

Welcome, Bob and Frankie, If you'll be picking up in April you should travel to Alabama for the Oliver rally in May. It's a class act and you'll learn many things. Hope to see you "out there" Wen and John

I will try to post some pictures tomorrow when it is light. Thanks

Taking a close look at my connection with a flashlight it looks like the valve screw is broken. I will post a picture tomorrow.

I do not see any valve shut off. It's dark out so I cannot take a picture. Thanks,

SeaDawg i totally agree with you. i also want to carry the smallest possible generator.

I guess we'll be back in the cheap seats. 😉

We will be picking up in March and attending the Rally in May as well. Brian

A higher wattage generator will charge lithium batteries faster. And, they can accept fast charges. We have agms. Solar does the heavy lifting, with our Honda 1000 as backup. We use the 1000 genset early in the day, bulk mode, to let the free solar do the slow charging, later and slower, as necessary. Much of the time, we don't need a genset. I don't know about you, but I don't want to carry a genset I can't easily lift. And, I don't want a big genset on the tongue. It's all about your comfort zone, how you camp, your tow vehicle, etc

I use these ties all the time on my tower and antenna cables. They are UV proof and releasable! Grip Lock Ties (kf7p.com) Not saying this is the only source for them, I shop with KF7P often and he is good people. Brian

We attended the rally for a few years but not the last couple. My understanding is that the organizer quit organizing and now it’s just an informal gathering. There is usually information over on FiberglassRV Forum (I just checked, nothing on 2023 yet), this years was in early February. Mike

When we bought our fridge/freezer in 2016, there were very few choices, and all of them expensive. The "in" fridge was the ARB50 at $850 plus $150 shipping. We were visiting the Conqueror trailer importer in our home town of Bellefontaine, Ohio, and he was swapping out the National Luna 90 Twin fridge that came in the trailer for another combination fridge/freezer. At the time, the NL 90T retailed for $2700, and we got one from him for $1000. That's a lot today, but a steal six years ago. National Luna is what is in UN vehicles, and what the Red Cross uses to transport organs in Africa and other remote areas. They have since designed their own more efficient version of the previously used Danfoss compressor, and reduced the price by about $1000. If you want the best available, check them out at the sole US importer, Equipt1.com Their custom service is second to none, and owner Paul May goes out of his way to accommodate your needs, often at his own expense. Mine has been running in the back of my black Toyota 4Runner and now black Toyota Land Cruiser for 24 hours a day, March through Christmas since early 2016. We've not had a single regret. https://www.equipt1.com/collections/fridges

I love the looks of that panel, it looks so lightweight. Thank you for sharing the photos.😍

Here’s the Facebook post from Oliver with the actual dates of the rally

Has anyone investigated or formed a plan on how to deal with the seven years of bad luck resulting from the breakage of said mirrors?

I am camped at Kettle Falls (Lake Roosevelt COE) campground and the solar exposure is not great in the afternoon due to trees, so I set up the Renogy panel in a bright spot using 40 feet of cable. No worries, I am seeing a steady 6.5 to 6.8 amps, and the big rooftop ones are only putting out half that, and it is highly variable. Yay, I am pleased. Highly recommended mod! John Davies Spokane WA

Good Catch John, Most of ours were slightly loose to loose. I thought about using a lock nut behind the attachment flange but there is no room for a wrench in that space. So I used the nylon safeties after drilling the handles. I drilled one 1/4" hole thru the flat end and fed the safeties thru the bracket , then thru the handle hole and secured it. I was able to tighten each of the 4 knobs to the vertical orientation a seen. It should keep it from rotating, but I will continue to check them. While I was up there, I noticed that, at the junction box, there is a spare input receiver with a cap on it. Can this be used for an "add on"? Cheers, Terry