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I’m not sure if you missed anything, but picture this, if you will. You’ve had to travel, perhaps to a June wedding, maybe staged in the south or in the west, you made it through the ordeal and now you’ve got some free time so you decide to slowly make your way home, boondocking along the way thinking “this will defray some of the cost of this load of horse shite.” It’s HOT, daytime temps are consistently above 100°, it won’t cool off enough to sleep until well past midnight, if then. The ability to run the AC for even a short period of time to cool things down enough to go to sleep seems, at least to me, a pretty good option.

I recognize that. It is what it is, and I think we can all still be "virtual" friends. I disagree, on "tacky", as I've said before. You have your opinion, I have mine. My dad would have said, (as he often did) come on in, let's have coffee and cake, and work it out. Unfortunately, here, I can't offer coffee and cake, unless you are within an hour of asheville. 😃 I think we could all lighten up, and look at other camping styles and ideas. Imo. On any forum, all of us must recognize that everyone doesn't share the same lifestyle, camping style, equipment, or opinions. And, we must be prepared for opinions unlike our own. We are all different. Diversity of opinion is good, imo. I've learned lessons from brand new folks. And, from older owners, as well. For example, If you search "truckfridge " you'll find my very measured and honest reviews of managing a dc secop/ danfoss fridge with solar. I really think this is the op's goal. What works. What doesn't.

FYI: I ran the a/c on my LE2, while it was in my driveway, for 2 hours the other day, that test took my batteries down to 50%. Two and a half days of good sunshine had them back up to 100% with nothing else running. We have the Lithium Pro package on hull 1213. I hope this helps.

Just wondering if your original question was answered? The 1st two replies you received from John Davies and Steve and MA sum up the situation. The link in John Davies post explains the details. So now you know what your wonderful trailer will or won’t do in regards to running the AC off grid, only you can decide how you plan to use it. Maybe you will use a generator, maybe not. Perhaps you’ll use additional solar panels, some do, some don’t. No wrong answers. If you’d like to know more, you could do a search, there are several other posts that discuss the topic. Let us know if you can’t find the answers, there are many here that will help you.

Wow. Quite a first post. I have to agree with Sherry, a few (not many) of our members can be very tongue-in-cheek with their comments. Most of us who have been here a long time stay because we want to help new owners. We were new once too, and looking for answers. It’s a very congenial group of owners and I hope we can all work to keep it that way. Mike

Yes, you can, but for how long will depend on which lithium package you purchase. And, as John Davies points out, once your battery charge is depleted, you will need a means of recharge to supplement solar. Otherwise, your other electrical loads such as lights, fans, microwave, etc. will not work. Some folks have chosen to buy the Lithium Platinum package, along with additional portable solar panels, to maximize their AC run time when boondocking, and their solar recharge capability. But, even with that significant additional expense, they will not be able to run the AC for more than a few hours per day without a generator, even in full sun. For what it's worth, we have an Elite II on order with the Lithium Pro package. We expect we will be able to run the AC on battery power, through the inverter, for an hour or so at a time. But, we will also carry a Champion 2500 watt dual fuel generator and a separate propane tank in the bed of our pickup, so we can power the AC for longer if desired, and recharge the batteries when needed.

I've got the 390 ah system with three lithiums. Most of my boondocking so far has been in warmer weather, sometimes hot. The AC is very handy during meal prep (30 min?) or for a nap (90 min?) when it's just too darn hot inside. On those occasions the AC worked great and was much appreciated. With the Lithionics app on my phone, I can monitor in real time the draw on the batteries and watch them go from something like 87% to 65% for a longer AC use. I do this knowing that it will take longer for the solar panels to charge the batteries back up. I don't have a generator. I was told by Anita before I bought my trailer that the batteries would run the AC for four hours. I've never tested that. I think that once you have your trailer you'll be able to experiment while boondocking to see exactly how much you can use the AC. If you want to use it a lot on a regular basis, well, the batteries won't handle that and you'll need a generator.

I don't have Lithium Batteries, but I agree with some of the other postings that it would take a lot of batteries to run the AC for any length of time. I had bus conversion with 640AH of batteries, and I could not run the AC for any long length of time without a generator. The other side of the equation, is to getting those batteries charged up after being drained down with the solar. It is just not enough power. I ended up buying the Honda EU2200i generators to run the AC while boon docking. We only need it a couple of times a year, but we boondocks 3 weeks ago for 5 days and it was between 95-100 degrees. We hiked all day long and had a great time, but it was nice to be able to cool down the trailer in the evening so we could sleep. The AC had to run for 3 plus hours to get the temps down inside. It was also nice to be able to cook dinner inside the trailer in some comfort when it was really hot outside, without heating the inside of the trailer more from cooking. I love it that I can enjoy being out in nature, and still live in some luxury, No more backpacking and sleeping on the ground for me. Sometimes we will use the Microwave on the batteries/inverter to heat up water for our night time teas. The batteries can do this just fine, but you are only taxing the system for a few minutes.

I did this installation on my Elite 2 exactly as John Davies lays out at the top of this thread. I would like to give him a huge thanks for laying out the process and the exact measurements needed. Do yourself a favor and use a heat gun on low for this installation. I am really happy with the results.

Sorry, but I don't share that feeling. Sometimes, our comments don't translate as well as face to face conversation. That happens... unfortunately. It's not quite the same as conversing around the campfire, though we try. But, I'm a member of probably 20 other forums, sailing, rvs, home improvements, etc. and this is the most congenial of them all, imo. I see this is your first post. Welcome to the forum, as you just joined up!.

You can run the AC on battery power, but the solar panels can't recharge them as fast as the AC drains them. Don't expect to run the AC continuously on solar and battery alone.

Have you read the Trojan user manual? Everything is laid out in that. You will have to take them to a location where they can be kept mostly charged. They self discharge with no load at 5 to 15% per month. When they get to 70% state of charge they should be recharged. Can you take them to your home where you can keep an eye on them and charge them routinely? https://www.solaris-shop.com/content/T-105 Users Guide.pdf You can’t abandon them for months at a time, when spring comes they will be dead and if they freeze and split, the sulfuric acid will make a REALLY nasty mess in your battery box, and maybe destroy the trailer frame too... Keep in mind that they vent hydrogen gas when charging, so you can’t have them in a poorly vented storage area, it would be a serious fire hazard. I don’t know of any Trojans that are OK at colder than -20 F, but you should verify that. In your situation, with four year old flooded batteries, I would scrap them now and buy lithiums in Spring. Those are about a third the weight and can be stored off season in your bedroom closet 😬 John Davies Spokane WA

Ollie still in the wild - Love our trusty Weber Q1200. It will grill pretty much any of the meat, breakfast sausage, trout, or yard bird that we enjoy. Last night we enjoyed a little fire side “kickin chicken”. My bride enjoys chillin & grillin. 😊

Mike, you have always impressed me with your style of answers. You always show concern and try to help with any questions. Thanks. Have a great weekend. John

Thanks. I had heard they decided to continue production but was hoping they had an idea of when the newer version would be complete. I was advised (I think by Phil) some time ago, the new version will be wider and taller to match the interior width and height of of LE II.

Ok I’ll come clean. I never really intended to put wings on Martha’s Oliver. I just made the OP to see what reaction I would receive. I guess that makes me a troll? But after that post I have caught myself looking at the trailer in passing and imagining how it would look with wings and how I might fabricate and attach them. I might mock up something this winter and temporarily attach them just to see how they would look. The trailer in the OP is sitting at a new business that I pass every day. It’s a small camper sales lot that just started up and it’s owned by a young couple. I stopped in just after they opened to look the place over and wish them luck in their new adventure. The young lady behind the desk asked if I had an RV. I said yes, I have an Oliver Travel Trailer and proceeded with the usual explanation that it’s a fiberglass trailer made in Tennessee, but she quickly stopped me, removed her forearms from the edge of the keyboard and pushed her chair away from the desk and said in excitement “Oh! You have an OLIVER?” She continued saying that she knew what an Oliver was and had contacted the company in an unsuccessful attempt to be a dealer. After talking more about the merits of an Oliver Travel Trailer I left with that usual sense of satisfaction that we experience after being recognized as an “Oliver Travel Trailer owner.”

We took our LE2 in for annual service this past week. I was told by Phil - our sales guy - that a redesign is still in the works but they are still working on the details. Date TBD. In the meantime they have resumed production of the LE and are still taking orders for the original

Had an uncle from Maryland who was used to the "good life" who towed a HUGE Holiday Rambler trailer with his favorite automobile, a Chrysler New Yorker in the early 70s. The Chrysler had been modified to beef up the suspension and cooling system. This trailer was so large that when he and my sister were traveling through Missoula, Montana, the trailer knocked down the only traffic light in Missoula at the time. Oh the stories I could tell about Uncle Albert.....

STA, I agree. Dena’s question was very legitimate and I’m sure there are others that were following for answers and advice. There are a couple of members who have a specific camping style and make comments based on that style. My point is to let those comments go, understanding where they are coming from, and stay on topic without calling out comments that seem tacky. I’m also on many other forums and once comments start getting personal the community suffers. Odd, one off comments, that don’t contribute to the discussion should just be ignored. One “less congenial comment” need not be followed by another “less congenial comment”, then another, etc. Mike

I used to experience similar differences, usually it was on the sunny side. I just stopped worrying about it unless it got really hot. As has been stated, I checked the free wheel spin once a year (tire rotation or grease) and no issues. Sometimes we worry about nothing. Verify then enjoy.

I suppose that is possible. Our curbside drums register a few degrees higher than steetside. I'm very confused by your big difference. I think? that pur difference is normal, due to road crowning. Idk. I'd open a service ticket, if I were you.

If I were in your situation, (and I'm very sorry. That's not much of a range to work with) I'd spend a little more on a marine 12v dc secop/danfoss small portable fridge. I wouldn't trust thermoelectric, nor fake secop fridge. Too critical. John's idea of adding thermal mass to a small fridge is stellar, imo. I use thermal mass to regulate my truckfridge. Cold sink, vs heat sink.

New video! Oliver Legacy Elite II Bedding. Sheets, Comforters and Matress Pads

I always wondered the same thing. Now my wife is on medications that need to be stored strictly between 66-77 degrees F. The A/C is on for the meds, not for us. Suddenly found myself in somebody else's moccasins.

One other aspect of running ac on batteries is that the inverter gets VERY warm under continuous heavy load. If the inverter is not vented to the outside, then you're just adding more heat to the inside.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6966-quick-dirty-ac-test-with-platinum-lithium-package/ Do not rely on solar to recharge, because you never know if you will be in shade or under heavy cloud cover. You will still need to carry a moderate sized generator. John Davies Spokane WA

Just did this mod a few days ago. I had bought the EZ gutter material but hadn't had time to do the install. My wife and I were camping about 1.5 hours from our home recently and I left my window open and got soaked during a heavy shower in the middle of the night. Needed to get a few things done at our home and returned to it leaving the camper at the campground. Referenced this thread and I cut all of the gutter material to length based on JD's "9.5" up from the belt-line" guidance and, probably most importantly, warmed the material before installing it. Obviously, I spent a lot of time cleaning the surface with alcohol too. I would never attempt to install these on any kind of a curve without heating them up a bit. On the low setting, as JD mentioned. Warming the material activates the adhesive and really made it less difficult to make the turn around the corners of the windows. As another mentioned, having it extend further down just creates that much better of a bond. I used a plastic tool to really push the gutter on while it was still warm. And I was lucky to have a warm day to do the install. No painter's tape was needed. They're on there and good. As the instructions state, make sure to clean the surface really well but I think it's equally important to warm the gutter material too before installing it.

Brian, did you see where they mounted the smart shunt itself (not that remote display)? Did this reduce the clutter inside the battery box? Did you see any sign of vents inside the cabin for the electronic bays? Which they need 😬 More PICS please! Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Paul and Santina - we pick up our Ollie II in early January. We live on the West Coast but have a place in Williamsburg. That'll be our base station for exploring the East.

Well, thanks everyone for your great advice! The adhesive melted in the WD40 while I went for a walk, and I gently wiped the mess away when I got back. Neat to learn such an easy solution. You are the best! Mary

Agree, WD40 then use a microfiber towel to not scratch panel.

I’ve used WD40 for tape residue and goo gone as well. A plastic razor blade will help. Mike

I think the most active ingredient in wd40 is mineral oil. I'd try that. Let it sit. Out of sun . Don't use any mechanical scrapers, unless plastic, imo. You don't want to damage the panel coatings. And, no residue duct tape is the way to go, as @Rivernerd said, in the future.

First thing I would do is jack the wheels off the ground and see if they spin freely to see if brakes are dragging like JD said. If bearing (spindle) nuts are too tight, it could cause drag and heat, too.

WD40 is my adhesive residue cleaner of choice. It softens the adhesive enabling removal, yet should not harm the solar panel. Spray it on, let it soak for a few hours or overnight, then wipe it off with something non-abrasive, like a shop towel. If necessary, repeat. I now use residue-free duct tape!

Thanks, Mike. A first-time poster but not a rookie. I have RV'ed for several years and am taking delivery of my Elite II soon. I have followed this forum for several months looking for insight and have gathered a lot. Trainman's comment "I fail to see where this makes sense to me, let's see we go Boondocking to get away an be in nature, now we want to set inside with A/C, did I miss something here." was tacky. It is as if his style of camping is all that matters. Dena's question was legitimate and did not need to be met with condescension. Some people, other than trainman, might want to camp with AC. Several posters had really good advice specific to Dena's question. I applaud the relevant replies to Dena's question. My comment to trainman's comment was no less congenial than trainman's comment itself.

I'm sorry you see it as judgmental. I did not. I do understand your point. We've encountered snow in October, freezing weather in July, and crazy hot in September in various places, in our travels. It's good to know your options, and be prepared. I certainly agree with that. Please , take a look at the current threads that are discussing your very questions. I think you'll likely find them helpful.

Check each brake physically by spinning the tire with it in the air, to make sure that none are dragging. The auto adjusters are unreliable at best, especially as they age and get cruddy/ rusty. One can quit adjusting and that makes the other(s) do more of the work. I replaced all mine with manual adjust, that makes one less thing to worry about…😳 I adjust them until they don’t rotate, then back out 8 clicks. John Davies Spokane WA

Good eye! Thank you. I've been looking for something like this. It would have to be accurate, though, not dropping below 66 degrees. We've found that the lowest right kitchen drawer is the most thermally stable part of the trailer. It warms and cools the slowest, so we can usually keep meds in there until mid/late afternoon before firing up the A/C and putting the meds in the main cabin.

Dena, I doubt trainman was doing anything but musing out loud, as his camping style is probably different from yours. As is mine, and, we probably all live in different regions... We've actually only used ac a handful of times in 15 seasons in our Elite, as we try to camp in more temperate climates. We tend to "chase the cooler weather." Since I can't actually help you with your question ( I have only 2 x 105 agm batteries, and no inverter, don'tuse ac much, but boondock almost always) in any other way, I'll just point out that there are a couple other threads running on this same topic right now that may be of interest to you, and provide some answers. Your question is certainly valid, if you camp in regions of extreme heat, and are spending the extra dollars for lithium. Welcome to the forum.

Buy a small dc fridge, that can EASILY be kept at a constant temp. No way are you going to be happy with maintaining that temp inside the trailer all the time. This one works up to 68 degrees F. VEVOR 12 Volt Refrigerator 10 Quart , Portable Mini Freezer (-4℉~68℉) With APP Control Car Compressor Fridge Cooler 12V/24V DC and 110-220V AC For Camping, Road Trip, Travel, Boat, Skincare, Outdoor and Home Keep additional thermal mass in there like water or soda in cans to help stabilize the temp when you open the lid. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks so much for highlighting this in 2022 Owners Manual! I also checked the 2021 manual for my trailer in the Oliver University and that manual has been updated with many electrical layout diagrams. While they are not detailed wiring schematics, they are a big improvement over the blank pages that were in the manual when I received my trailer. Not sure if you newer folks have seen some of the posts, but a lack of electrical schematics in 2020 and later have been the source of many posts & complaints. Looks like somebody at Oliver responded with a compromise. If you do need more detailed wiring schematics, you can refer to the 2019 Owners Manual, which will get you close. You can also put pressure on your Oliver Sales team in advance and request them on behalf of us all.

Ollie in the Wild still camping at Interlake CG at at different and larger site….the weather has been incredible. Tonight’s low 58d. A little exploring on the Hunter Mountain Sky Lift in the Great North Woods. We had the Skylift just about to ourselves, a perfect time for the higher elevations of the Catskill Mtns.

FYI, this is important, the 1-Up and some other expensive racks like that Yakima Stage 2 have a proprietary locking mechanism to stop play (rocker stopper). The 1-Up rack is made primarily of aluminum, yay, but it uses a steel stinger which has a great big stainless steel ball that cams out and locks to the inside of the female receiver. It is extremely effective! BUT you need a steel receiver, because it will literally destroy an aluminum one, plus there would obviously be dissimilar metal corrosion worries. That rack is used with my Land Cruiser, I don’t have a square receiver my Ollie. I mentioned this part in a different thread, but I will do again here. I would simply bolt on this unit to the top of the factory cross bar, with an insulating pad between the two parts. It would probably be cheaper than having a shop fabricate one from raw steel. And this has a pretty powder coating, the shop would just spray it with some rattle can enamel without bothering to prime it. So you would end up redoing it yourself in a year. 😀 Ultra-Tow Step Bumper Receiver - Class II, 3500-Lb. GTW, 2in. John Davies Spokane WA

When you go to NY, don't miss Watkins Glen. We stayed in the local town park campground. Hiked the Glen early in the morning to avoid crowds.

Congratulations and welcome to the Oliver family. Hope you can narrow down where the hum is coming from. Let us know if there are things the forum can help with. Mike

I learned to sail on Chesapeake Bay - many fond memories. Crab cakes at a little dive in that big town of Suicide, MD after a day on the water🙂. Enjoy your new baby and welcome to the Family! The next time you are backing up your Ollie and thinking that it is a bit of a problem - recall those days trying to dock with a raging wind and terrible current. Land yachting is easier. Bill

Welcome, and hope you have a great camping season. We are sailors as well. There's a lot of carryover, but obviously, other things are different in a land yacht. When you visit NY, I hope you will find space at Letchworth s p for a few days. It's a beautiful park, and worth several days. (My husband hails from western NY.)