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Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year! Enjoy the Oliver video! Mr and Mrs Patriot🇺🇸🎅🏻🧑🏻‍🎄

There have been a number of these types of "shelf mods" post here on the Forum over the years but this is one of the simpler examples. Since I travel mostly solo and don't really cook all that much inside the Ollie I don't have need for a shelf, but, to avoid splatter onto the bed area I have one of THESE. Easy to put up, take down and store and is inexpensive. But, it does not increase counter space. Bill

I think you are right on this Steve. I am going to go with 55psi.

@Coddiwomple From the way I'm understanding this chart (I may be off whack), that particular size ST at 45psi would support 2020 pounds for a total trailer weight of 4040 pounds. A fully loaded Elite ready to camp, I suspect would weigh close to 4500+ pounds. I believe, if that is your true weight, it would be better to go up to 55psi. To carry your GVWR, you do need to be at 65psi.

Awesome. Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! Hoping for a New Year full of travel and camping for everyone! Nice bottle of Amber Falls wine in the video, they are a HH if you want to do serious tasting then just walk back to your Oliver! Mike

The range extender does take up valuable bed space. Plus, it would get frustrating having to stop and charge, maybe even needing to disconnect the trailer to get into some chargers. Lots of RV’s in the western US and even if every gas station had chargers it would take a while waiting for the charging process to finish. I can fill my diesel tank in a lot less time. Mike

The reason I posted this is because a lot of us like to discuss new technology. There’s no suggestion that this would apply to the construction of an Oliver, it’s about a potential tow vehicle. I have no personal experience in working with steel or stainless steel as you do, I’m just going by the Tesla information that their truck panels are a special alloy that can’t be handled like normal SS. Mike

Anybody wanting to make a similar kinda mod?... You set all the magnets in the mounting position you prefer on the metal shelf, then clean all parts (and the cabinet edge to which it mounts) with alcohol and then apply the 3M tape on the magnets. Now you are almost there, Ready, Set, Go, no, no WAIT! All you have to do is push the shelf correctly into position! Better be straight, only one chance with VHB tape. Or there is another way. You can take hours to measure and tape each individual magnet, or why not make a CAD drawing first? 🤣 I would say that if you want to do it my way, practice the mounting movement a half dozen times, prior to taking the second side off the tape! Somehow, I got it level right up to the counter edge. Gotta love it! Wish my new water pump and valve switches install would go as smoothly!

I was able to install this without any permanent scar to the Oliver. The magnets came with screws, instead I used 3M 4950 VHB. The earth magnets are staggered for strength, and I taped an aluminum bar to the shelf (see pic) so it would not slide down. It sits on the upper 3 magnets. It takes a good pop to remove the shelf! Took more time thinking than the work to install. Figure the shelf will sit between the mattress and the nightstand when we are sleeping. Nice budget on this mod. Shelf, magnets and tape from Amazon. Amazon.com: DIY CARTEL Made in USA Linear Floating Shelf - USA Manufactured Steel - Industrial Heavy Duty Metal Wall Mounted Modern Farmhouse Rustic Designed Shelf (24-in X 8-in Powder Coated White) : Home & Kitchen

My husband Scott & I picked up our Ollie this past Monday. We decided to name her Pearl. She is now part of a growing family…. We have “Dug” (our Kioti tractor) and “Moe” (our John Deere rider) 😉 We’ve never owned a travel trailer before so there is a TON to learn. I love the resources that are on this site and really appreciate the advice that all of you give on a regular basis. We will hopefully feel more confident as time goes by. The only question that I have so far is an electrical one. We are storing Pearl at a storage facility that only offers a 110v outlet. They had an adaptor that they said would work, but it tripped the GFI on their outlet pole within seconds each time we tried to plug in. I”m guessing that maybe we just need a different type of adaptor? Have a great day! Scott & Cindy

We have a 2023 Elite 1 with Goodyear Endurance ST225/75R15 tires. We were told to inflate to 65psi. I just found the load chart and it indicates that we should be inflating to about 45psi if I am reading it correctly. I am assuming the weight listed in the chart is per tire (so half the total weight). On the scale, the trailer weighs just under 4,000 lbs loaded. I uploaded a snippet of the load chart. Can someone confirm this?

I went down the same path, had brackets like this on my Amazon Wishlist! Also thought of 'Z' brackets and other removeable options. The folding option was not going to work for us because we just purchased 12" tall mattresses from Brooklyn Bedding (a Phoenix AZ company, see rvmattress.com) and with the taller mattress the shelf would not fold down 90 degrees. Then when I found this great steel shelf the magnets seemed the way to go. Wish they had a 30" shelf, to hover over the 30" wide mattress, but choices were 24" or 36". Thought for a day or two of buying the 36" length and cutting it down to 30" but I would have had to get a machine shop to cut this steel exactly square so that it would look right. My advice, choose your shelf first and then select the mounting. Yes, VHB either way and purchase 3M 4950 VHB. I had another 3M VHB, black in color and thinner. I used it to mount the aluminum bar to the shelf, but it is not as strong, so I did not believe it would support the shelf. I wish I could post a video of me taking this shelf on and off. When the magnets grab, it loudly clicks into position, and you can feel how strong the mount is. If I was to do this again, with the same parts, perhaps 5 magnets vs. 6 would be the perfect recipe.

This is the simple reason an EV truck is not a good TV, and likely will not be in our lifetimes (thinking those of us now at retirement age). But what if solar technology gets to the point that the TT can carry enough capacity to feed the TV? You would need a DC-to-DC charger is reverse! Then I'm in for an EV TV! Technology for technology's sake? I like to see application. But could I afford one? That's like political/government types thinking that everybody who drives an older car today can just buy an EV. They are not cheap. A $16 Range Extender means $16K in batteries and yes, they take space and GVW. "Can the charge cord reach you with TT attached?" Another good point. I only see charge stations at some hotels. Perhaps they're more prevalent along the Pacific coast. I wonder, who is paying for the electricity? RV parks would need dual hook-ups. Commuters will charge overnight without concern. Having a commuter EV that doesn't create emissions, need oil changes, and other maintenance of the internal combustion engine is where the EV will shine.

That's good enough reason and we all enjoy frequenting here for many reasons. Thanks Mike! ☺️ Some of my writing can be merely for exclamation, e.g. "Why are we talking about this here?" Didn't mean it literally, so please take no offense! This has been a fun post, even for us EV detractors! I've mainly seen stainless steel fab'd in the restaurant industry, where they curve the counter ends using a press and bend/shape SS panels to make exhaust hoods, etc. I didn't watch the video either and these fenders must be more than SS, as most stainless is relatively soft, and not at all "bullet-proof." You got me thinking of the DeLorean, after I posted that picture. I ended up watching some of Back to the Future which I had not seen in 30 years! 🤣

We used a similar approach for the upgraded copper bus battery terminal:

Should have watched the video first. I stand corrected. It appears to be bullet proof against pistol cartridges (.45ACP fired from a Colt 1921A1) - but I suspect a modern battle rifle cartridge (i.e., 5.56mm NATO) would sail right through it! Splitting hairs?

OMG, this truck is so, so ugly IMHO, and btw I love Elon Musk! Love him for his independent thought and relenting consciousness, his SpaceX and Tesla products, and buying Twitter upon disaster from his own personal funds, to stand up for OUR right to free speech! He is certainly one of the great thinkers and leaders of our time!!! 😂 Sorry but stainless steel can be stamped, fabricated and formed like any other metal (see the DeLorean pic). Give me a sheet of SS metal in my garage and I can bend it, hammer it and shape it, though it is more difficult to work with than basic steel. However, if your requirements require bullet-proof panels, then this is another discussion. This guy should cancel his "Cyber-Truck" purchase. Why are we talking about this here? If OTT was thinking this direction, we would just have an ordinary Airstream! But their metal is not bullet-proof and looks like cr@p after a few years. 🤣

A couple folks had asked about the stops we made for Alaska 2023. Here's an updated map with the list of stops spelled out on the map. We share the number of days we stayed at each stop in parenthesis each way (Outbound, Return) Red stops are the ones we made down the Casiiar HWY as our return route. We had a couple of Alaska Commercial RV parks we wouldn't suggest staying at: 1) Trapper Creek AK - Don't bother with the mudpit called Trapper Creek RV park, there are free sites or State parks all around that are much better. We were simply looking for a dump and that was the suggestion from RV apps. 2) Northern Nights in Glenallen AK....is now under new ownership...and it's chaos there. There are other State and National Parks near there which are much better. If you have specific questions DM me on the forum. Craig - Hull 505 - Galway Girl

So, as Jimmy Buffett asked, "Is it ignorance or apathy?"

Do you only have the plug in 12volt anti-freeze heater kit option installed instead of the standard filter? If so, then yes you will need a standard filter to do the de-calcification process. They are available on Amazon from Truma, but pricey! And check in the Truma compartment thoroughly by opening the outside Truma access door. Some owners (and Oliver service folks) tuck the standard filter into the Truma unit in the area of the wiring harnesses. It just fits in there for storage but can be well hidden. Truma AquaGo Replacement Filter | Compatible with Truma AquaGo Hot Water Heater https://a.co/d/3KBZRdb

2 filters if you have the antifreeze kit. The original filter is used to decalcify the unit.

EVs are for commuters, grocery-getters and soccer-Moms living in cities and suburbs, where every 24 hours you know exactly where you are going to plug-in (at home)! And it is in the cities where lower emissions are needed. No interest at all over here. Used my diesel truck recently to drive to Las Vegas for work. There and back, went 580 miles, on one tank of fuel. Try that with a gasser or worse yet an EV. Figure we will get a good 480 miles a tank towing, though so far we have only taken local camping trips. Camping with an EV TV? Which one are you going to plug in? 🤣 Tesla cars look odd enough to my old eyes. This truck looks worse. Couldn't they spend a little more fab time and round out those wheel wells? Really bad lines! Yuch

@2500 watts and 12 volts Your amperage would be around 210 amps most I ever plan to use. Keeping the length of cable down is critical. Keeping cables under 10 ft should be o..k.k. for 2/0 according to many of charts I have looked at. Critical to have good fuse. Thats what protects your wiring.

An Elite interior, which we looked at very briefly before ordering our OLE2. It was just a bit too cozy for us and not as tall an interior if you’re over 6’2. A show stopper for us.

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.

Those straps look great!! We just replaced our broken straps with new plumbing hanger material and some fender washers. We are hoping that the fender washers are enough to spread the load on the new straps but we definitely will look at the nylon strap solution if there’s any more trouble.

Thanks for the Map, site info, and pics you were willing to share on this adventure. It sure looks like you had a wonderful trip. I am counting the days until we get to take a trip north.

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

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.

Somewhere in your Ollie you should have a relatively small screen that (at least with mine) will scroll through a set of numbers - including the voltage coming into the Ollie from the external electrical source and several other single numbers that are code numbers for any "faults" that the EMS unit detects (like open ground, low voltage, etc). I'm not sure where in your Ollie this screen is placed, but, I'd look in the rear most overhead cubbie first (normally called the attic). Bill

Thank you @Ollie-Haus & @Steve Morris. I am not familiar with the Xantrex app yet (so far we’ve only downloaded the Lithionics app. But I will research that today. Sounds like it would solve our issue for sure - thanks again for the advice.

Thank you Bill and nice to meet you. Boone is such a beautiful area, one of our sons attended App State. As for Michigan, my husband and I grew up in Lansing and now have a home near East Jordan up north. We just picked up our Ollie on Monday so the batteries are still over 90%, we may just be that we had the wrong adapter or accidentally left something on inside. Thank you for the thoughts though. We have a lot to learn about our new Ollie 😉

Welcome! There is an option on the Xantrex app under "Settings" that allows you to change the input Amp draw. When plugged in here at home, I set mine to 15 Amps, and have never tripped a circuit breaker. I'd tell you the exact steps, but mine is not plugged in, so the Xantrex app can't currently see the settings. But the name of the setting is something like "Grid Load" or similar. It is likely set at 30 Amps. Just remember to change it back when you go to a campground with 30 Amp supply.

Or slowing the rate of charge - if possible. Another Ollie in NC - yeah! We're located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Welcome to the Family - glad that you are here. I see that you have used the "signature" feature. But, if you could add a bit more information about your Ollie it might help you to get better and quicker answers to questions you might have in the future. Information pertaining to your Ollie's options such as type and number of batteries, toilet, water heater, etc. Bill

The Elite II trailers now being made, which include the Truma Varioheat furnace system, can be used in temps down close to single digits F without modification. The thread below includes my report using the stock trailer down to an ambient outside temp of 11 degrees F last year. With the furnace set at 70 degrees F, temps in the lower, more exposed parts of the trailer did not get below 38 degrees F, so I did not worry about plumbing freezing. The thread also contains lots of ideas for mods to expand the cold-weather capability of an Oliver trailer. With the right mods, it appears the Oliver can be used (with the plumbing not winterized) in temps down to the single digits F, so long as the furnace is kept running.

@Minnesota Oli posted his mods to make his camper 4 season in my native Minnesota. (Hats off to him! I don't want to camp in sub zero weather, though some of my Minnesota nieces and nephews do... ice fishing, etc.)

That is a GREAT idea. I just looked for a 5 ft hose on Amazon and its only "11 bucks! Thanks so much! And then it is not in the way in the bathroom!

Instead of moving a 42 pound machine in and out of the trailer, why not just use it sitting in the outside front generator basket. It would be very simple to run a water line out through the front of the trailer to the washer or if you're in a campground simply run a hose to it from the campground tap.

Update to the weight of the purifi washer. It's 42 lbs not 50 lbs. Sorry about that!

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!🐰

Happy "late" Easter Sunday from Elephant Butte Lake State Park - New Mexico.... 1st "official" camping trip with our new-to-us Hull #226...

Happy Easter :)

Happy Easter to all! A special day! Mike

Happy Easter/Resurrection Day, Grace, mercy and blessings to all. 🙏🙏🙏

Yep, I get your point. However I meant the underside of the drawers (the side you don’t see), just as an overkill measure for those not in agreement with the glue.

Not really, with respect to the effects of longer term humidity, at least that's my understanding from my woodworking days (where we used a lot of spray on polyurethane and still paid attention to things like attaching table tops to aprons in such a way as to allow for expansion/contraction of solid wood tops). But that's a bit academic IMO, because as I noted (and is described numerically at the link I shared) plywood does not expand/contract very much with changes in humidity. It would help a bit with any spills or leaks as long as you catch them reasonably quickly.

That is an important consideration, definitely. In this case I am not concerned since the drawer sides and bottoms are both made from wood. If they were different materials, then definitely do not glue. I think this is one of those situations where you have to decide whether you want the bottom to bow down and perhaps fall out of a groove, or stay in place and possibly crack. If an owner is concerned, he can Google “floating drawer bottom”, do some reading in the woodworkers forums, and decide for himself. BTW, I live in, and generally camp in, an arid part of the country, so prolonged high humidly or dramatic moisture changes is rarely a worry. And a couple of my drawers are quite heavily loaded, they are not all filled with plastic utensils or lightweight personal items. Thanks very much for the comment. John Davies Spokane WA

Here is a pic from that other thread showing how the screws can pull out of the front part of the drawer. John Davies Spokane WA