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Between Ronbrink's (very doable) MOD & JD's recommended straps, I see a winter project that I soooooooooo want to complete before our 2024 Alaska Oli-venture. The plumbers strap that held (past tense) the WH has snapped. And I have what I believe is a great replacement for it and to add it to the Heater while I am at it. Thanks Ronbrink & John Davies, B~out

H & E - I didn't download the required program that allows me to see the img, but, if it is the Oliver then you might want to know that several years ago a Forum member and former Oliver owner - John Davies - son made the first one of these that I saw also in 3D printed plastic. There is a thread here on the Forum about it. Bill

Less than two years into ownership, I made two repairs to the factory-installed metal straps used to secure the Truma water heater and the Dometic furnace. These straps were the typical HVAC metal galvanized hangers, which broke due to stress fractures likely caused by the over-inflated tires Oliver advocated a few years ago; at pickup, my 2020 OLEll Cooper tires sported 80 psi! The water heater strap broke first, repaired, then the furnace, repaired, then the water heater again. With each repair, I used a heaver gauge metal strap, to no avail. After the third failure, I decided to try some other means in hope to permanently fix this reoccurring issue. Aside from reducing the tire pressures to 55 psi, I utilized some cam-lock web straps for the fix. One year in and all good; no more worries of potential damage to the water and gas lines or electrical wires servicing these units from bouncing around while merrily driving down the road! Lines and wires at jeopardy! Cam-lock to tighten strap for optimum securement. Stainless steel self-taping screws and fender washers to fasten strap ends. Starboard strips to insulate web strap from heat and abrasion, secured with cable ties. Excess web strap bundled and secured with a Velcro cable tie.

They left the emergency brakes on?

Just to hopefully relieve some of the forum snarkyness. Trying to get to the last campsite before the other guy:

Here's my ad. I think it will work.....😁

Wanted to see if you had any additional feedback on your Victron Multiplus. I recently had to extract my 4 POS Briteway AGM batteries (was very unhappy with the switch from the Trojans listed in the brochure) as they had swollen up like a dead dear on the side of the road. Came to the dark side recently with the purchase of 3 BB lithiums. Now planning the install and possible upgrades to the electrical system. We have not done much boondocking, but plan to do a bit more in the future, especially if the trailer is better equipped to handle it. I really like the capabilities of the Multiplus, but besides the investment, there is some risk of putting all your DC "eggs" in the one component "basket". Feedback from your experience with it?

Well Kudos to them…I am thinking it would be great if there would be an Oliver store where we could buy cool doodads like this. I saw this on Etsy though and had to get it for Heather as a stocking stuffer. Eric

The high viewership of the Escape video could be all the Escape owners clicking to see how bad it is (Oliver owners too). The bear delivered the best lines in the spot.

Sure Mike, unfortunately we are home for at least another couple of months. We have room in our driveway for several Olivers so come on by!

It was a great bonding experience having you both here! We were glad you had not headed on to AZ before your retina detached. Do you feel like tackling another project? 🤣🤣Mike

As an alternative to lack of solar input, the DC-DC charger gets it done!

Just ordered this cute Christmas ornament off of Etsy.com. It’s 3D printed plastic. IMG_8238.avif!

Hopefully, I’m dealing with another retinal detachment. Thankfully it took place before we left for our winter trip. Stuck home for another month so who knows?

Love my ornament. Still hoping for the store

@Emgmtg, that's a curious situation. As you know, the function of the "fins" is to absorb the warm air in the fridge. Where that warm air that bypasses the fins will go, with the gap, is a good question for Norcold technical support, or Jason at Oliver. (Kind of looks like yellow insulation behind the gap in your photo. If that's so, I'm guessing it "could" collect condensation, like the fins. But, im certainlynot a fridge tech.) I don't recall ever seeing a gap like that in any of our 3ways. I think you're a brave guy, replacing your own cooling unit. Kudos to you. Our neighbor replaced the cooling unit in his older motorhome, but he used to run a small-scale appliance repair business, on the side.

Like JD - I too have never had a problem in this area. And, I keep my tires at 62 to 65 psi. And, I have traveled down some pretty rough roads. However, it is what it is and your solution to the issue appears to be a good one - nice work. Bill

These were some heavy-duty straps once used to tie down an ATV. I modified them for this application; the end hooks were removed, length shortened and cut ends heat treated. Although the Truma is tankless, it still has substantial weight; and restricting movement imperative, in that the lines are hard plumbed. I am very pleased with this mod.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/health/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/index.html I am guessing many of you are aware of this, and probably already do "Tick Patrol" when you return from hikes or at the end of the day. Do you also check your "Furies" when they come in and lay on the floor or bedding? Although this article references adventures down to Mexico, RMSF and "Lyme Disease" (a different bacterium) occurs within the boarders of the US. So far AK does not seem to have an issue with either at this time. (we were already planning to travel to AK 2024...) We have lots of opportunities to temporarily host "Ticks" up here in ND (where Lyme disease is more common than RMSF) even without getting beyond our yard. A family member did get a bite a few years back, we monitored the "Red Bite Ring" (never found the "bitter") and there did not appear to be any after effects from it. It just seems that some of the diseases and infections we are now subjected to, are more common but aggressive than they were 50-100 years ago. Yes, we have better medicines that can help if administered in time, but some of these illnesses are becoming resistant to some of the go-to medicines of the past. I am not trying to start a long thread of "war stories", but just a quick reminder to "Be Aware" and monitor, if you or your "Furies" do get the "Red Bite Ring"... Just like tire pressure and battery usage, another thing to be aware of, but not prevent us from going on our "Oli-ventures". B~Out,

The early models were notorious for this happening. I fixed mine and several other owner's units back in 2015 using jacks with supporting pieces of 3/4" plywood on either side of a cross brace. You don't need more than 1/8" of clearance to put the rubber strips back into place. The fiberglass will easily give that much without damage. Wetting the area well helped to facilitate. Using the quick clamps as above should make the job easier. The sealant mentioned by @SNY SD UP between the frame member and the rubber is an excellent idea.

That's valuable info, from a retired pharmacist, scubarx. I'm sure the gp would give same advice, as well as warnings in the med. Or, prescribe a different med. Btw, whatever you carry, it's a good idea to check the first aid kit for expiration dates at the end of season, and replenish at the first trip. I have a number of med allergies, and learned my lesson after an accident in Amsterdam, years ago. I like to have a broad spectrum antibiotic that im not allergic to, and my own first aid kit with me, wherever we go. Several years back, a friend camping with us in the Yukon developed a respiratory issue. I was glad I had a supply of guafinesin with me, til he could travel over a hundred miles to the nearest clinic, with a video connection to a doctor. (At that time, it wasn't available over the counter in pharmacies in Canada. I think it may be, now.)

Thanks, @Patriot and @SNY SD UP Preventing the bites, and early detection, are key to both rmsf and Lyme disease. Unfortunately, the woods we love are where the ticks live, too. Long pants and sleeves, tucking in, and light colors help. If you are like me, and don't like to spray your skin, spraying your clothes after dressing for the day will definitely help. Ticks don't normally attach "immediately. " They wander, looking for the most cozy, warm and moist spots. A scrubdown after a day in the woods will eliminate most. Shower within an hour or two of coming back to your site. Do a body check in that big shower door mirror, just to be sure. (Or ask your spouse/partner to check.) If you do find a tick (especially unattached, or not engorged) you really don't need to panic. Not every tick carries disease. WASH your hands after removal and disposal. I kill ticks by wrapping them in a tissue and burning, or drop them in a lid with rubbing alcohol. Of I've removed an engorged tick, I drop it in a zip lock, with a short spray of insecticide, and save it for later examination.) If, however, it's engorged, and well-attached, you may want to start antibiotics, before signs appear. (The target doesn't "always" appear, anyway.) Doxycyclene is effective for both diseases, administered promptly. I think it's best within the first few days of discovery. Your gp should be able to give you a script , so you have some in the first aid kit, so you can start battling, until you can take the offending bugger, and yourself, to the local doctor. We camp in tick country every year. We do find ticks, but usually before they attach. None of us, nor our pets, have contracted anything, yet. Btw, protect your pets, as well. They're low to the ground, and need your help. We inspect our dog every day, at least twice, morning and evening.

Great reminder. Here is a little info on RMSP. It’s worth a read. https://www.healthline.com/health/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever#pictures

Thanks for the reminder. Good advice everyone.

If a review of the link posted by rich.dev above doesn't help you then I'd suggest a call to the Service Department of Oliver. They might be able to give you some quick "hints" as to how to get that fridge out. Good luck! Bill

I hadn’t seen any posts about this, so I thought I’d share this perfect little Amazon bungee cargo net: Powertye 15in x 30in Elastic Cargo Net with10 Adjustable Hooks and Tight 2in x 2in Mesh, $17.99 I originally bought it to carry firewood, and it can cover wood stacked higher than the bin if aluminum carabiners are used to make it a bit larger. Otherwise it holds a Costco storage bin just perfectly. Cheers, Geoff and Tanya

Maybe this thread will be of help?

Wut Wut. What have I started..... Lol.

OFFICIAL SPECIAL HOLIDAY NOTICE: D and I are happy to inform the Oliver Family that we'll be receiving an extra special Christmas Cheer this year. Our eldest daughter, Meghan and our son-in-law, Clayton are expecting their first (and our first grandchild) on 25DEC! We'll be leaving a week prior with Casa Blanca to the Dallas area and await the arrival... Very exciting holiday this year for us! We hope ya'll's will be exciting as well! Holiday Cheers, to All Y'all! A & D

Great graphics! Love the holiday cheer!!

You do know that your response could be construed the wrong way by the PC. But in the vein of being all inclusive...

Ho, ho, ho!

My order details.

You are the one who brought it up by asking me why, publicly. I just clicked that sad button. Anyone here can have an opinion and nobody should try to silence or put down dissenters who don’t toe the line…. John Davies Spokane WA

We also were caught up in the Texas deep freeze that year. We were traveling through Texas and had stopped for a week or so to help Mike and Carol with an Oliver project. On the morning that we were to leave the San Antonio area I woke up to find that I had a retina detachment. A long story short, after emergency surgery Mike and Carol insisted that we stay in their home for several weeks, canceling their own camping plans until I was able to travel. We moved to a campground about 45 minutes or so north of San Antonio in the hill country. I still couldn’t travel due to the gas bubble in my eye so needed to stay close to the San Antonio area for another month and had to cancel the rest of our annual western trip. The deep freeze hit Texas about a week after we got settled in our campsite. During the deep freeze the Oliver protected us from the ice, snow, single digit temperatures, and constant 20-30 mph winds. We didn’t have cell service, WiFi, or television for a week or so. We were able to share our water with some of our neighbors as well. All of the other stick built campers, including the campground experienced frozen plumbing. When we heard that there was freezing weather and snow on the way, we filled our fresh water tank and put away our water hose. We were able to go to a grocery store and load up with non perishable food and some bottled water in preparation. The entire community and little town that was close to us (as well as every other town in Texas) was shut down for over a week due to freezing. Fortunately the National Guard was able to get through and bring in water to the area. Interesting experience but I hope we don’t have to go through that again anytime soon!

Very well stated @ScubaRx on all levels and I agree 💯. Patriot🇺🇸

It actually happened a couple years ago, back in 2021. https://www.marinebusinessworld.com/news/237945/Dometic-acquires-Zamp-Solar

I like the idea of keeping the camper cool during hot weather while traveling to the next stop. With the DC-DC charging the bats from the truck, we can leave the inverter on and run the AC on low while driving and when we get to our destination, the camper is cool and the batteries will likely be 100%. No sense letting that alternator capacity go to waste.

Oliver #117 takes offense at being called "Older"! I'm not exactly sure what question you are asking. My solar system still works just like the day I took delivery and there have never been ANY issues with it. Its a little hard to tell exactly from your picture - but - is the battery terminal at the upper right as tight as it should be? Is the wire/spade on the second terminal from the left tight? I would not trust a bungee cord on the batteries but would contact Oliver Service and ask them to send you a new battery strap. Or, make one yourself. Bill

Nicely done and good for Tochta. Perhaps this proves that there are companies other than Oliver that do business the way it should be done. Bill

I finally got this project done. I ended up ordering a mattress from Tochta with dimensions of 78x75x10. When I put the mattress in the trailer and unpackaged it the actual dimensions we 78x77 which was too long. There was zero room around the top and bottom of the mattress. I called Tochta and they asked me to send pictures of the measurements. They got back to me and offered to give me $400 back if this mattress would work or to just have me donate this one and they would send me a new one. I chose a new one with dimensions of 76x74x10. It arrived less than a week later and fits perfectly. Mattress is very comfortable and Tochta's customer service is top notch! John

No one said they don’t work hard or they don’t care. It doesn’t matter that they are a small company, Marketing and Branding is all a part of growing your business. It’s just smart business.

Thanks, Brian, We traded the KTTs out at Oliver back in May. We're happy with the Tochtas. They are actually a lot lighter than the KTTs and easier to move around for hatch access. John

@JRK: Here is the Dexter chart that reflects what I thought concerning amperage to their dual axle brakes: