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Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/03/2024 in all areas

  1. Like others, we’ve been disappointed with the lack heating in the bathroom. In our Oliver, even the kitchen had minimal air flow and hot air was blasting under the bed. When I took a closer look at the duct routing from the furnace, the problems became obvious. There were two 4” ducts coming out of the furnace, one from the front outlet facing towards the registers, and the other from the rear outlet facing away from the registers. The front outlet was connected to the bedroom register with one 900 bend. It had the shortest run with the least turns, and twice as much air flow as the other two combined. The rear furnace outlet was connected to the kitchen register after making a 1800 u-turn. From there it was Tee’d and reduced to 3” to feed the bathroom. The 3” duct then takes a long and torturous path to reach the bathroom. The resistance from over 2800 of turns, and the longer run, resulted in much lower air flow to both the kitchen and the bathroom. I also found a hole from where the duct had been rubbing on the hot water valve, and the kitchen had a restrictively tight bend at the register. Fortunately this was a relatively easy fix, and the results were significant. Our 2022 Elite II has the Dometic furnace, but I suspect that other furnace brands could have similar ducting issues and it might be worth taking a look. The sketch shows how the duct routing was modified for better balance to all three registers. The bedroom and kitchen registers now feed from the high resistance u-turn at the rear furnace outlet. The bathroom has its own feed from the front outlet giving it the minimal number of turns possible. This modification involved moving the Tee which is under the kitchen cabinet. There is an access port under the forward kitchen drawers to reach the Tee and kitchen register, and it’s best to pull them right out of the access port to work on them. The 3” bathroom reducer stays in place and it gets a new duct directly to the front furnace outlet. The bedroom/kitchen gets connected to the rear furnace outlet. Rather than using flexible duct to make the 1800 u-turn, I used two 900 rigid fittings for less flow resistance. All of the parts needed for this modification are readily available at hardware stores. They usually sell duct by the foot, I bought 5’. Use sheet metal screws and foil duct tape for the connections to make sure they don't come apart. The kitchen register can be screwed together from the inside of the register rather than trying to do it from under the cabinet. I used an anemometer before and after the modification to measure flow, and a on-line calculator was used to get Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM): Before After Bedroom - 4” 100.7 53.2 Kitchen - 4" 39.3 65 Bathroom - 3" 11.8 30.2 Total 151.8 148.5 Cheers, Geoff
    11 points
  2. A DIY base which could be easily placed under any of the stabilizers. I used a 6” x 27” plate for the bottom of 3/16” steel and an 18” piece of 3” pipe. The threaded knob is 10mm. The pole is from Harbor Freight and adapter for the dish is from Amazon. I lined the pipe with the pvc ground sleeve included with the pole. I used gorilla glue to hold in place and then contoured the top with a small grinder. I also ground a 10mm nut to the thickness of the pvc pipe and installed on the inside with red thread lock to give a larger surface when clamping the pole. I finished it with bedliner spray. Total cost was about $120.
    5 points
  3. Thanks @mossemi, and @SeaDawg who wrote the manufacturer should be on the slides. I did not find a name on the slides but found part # 563H457-02B, which came up on Amazon as this: BLUM 563H4570B Tandem Plus Blumotion 18" Drawer Runner Pair for Face Frame, Silver - Amazon.com The latch mechanisms are much smaller on these. Last week, I took a chance and bought this Item: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08X1JLQSV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I was ready to return them today and thought, "Will they will work? And They did! OMG, I removed the OEM latch from the short drawer by the sink and mounted it to the larger drawer where the latch was broken. Then I put this set on the short drawer, and it works! All is good now! 🙂 If you buy these narrower mechanisms, they will work and latch to the slides. The original screw hole, the one closer to the outside of the drawer will work as-is and then, since these are narrower you will have to drill one new hole into the drawer bottom. Use a bit less than 1/8", only go only 1/4" deep and the original screw will hold tight. So, today I'm on Amazon to supply these links to other Oliver owners and this came up!!! Side to Side Adjustable Locking Device for 563/569 Series Blum Tandem Drawer Slide - 2 Pair (4 Pieces) with Installation Screws - Amazon.com Amazon is amazing, but their SEARCH engine S@cks! Why did this item not show up the 20 times I searched earlier? 100s of irrelevant items displayed every time! I just order this set for backup parts. OMG, I don't have to drive off Sunday with a broken drawer slide!
    5 points
  4. ...just some random snaps of the knuckleheads: It's exhausting traveling so much with dad... Magnus spotting a couple Olivers out in the Sonoran Desert... More to come down the road... Cheers, All!
    3 points
  5. The problem you and I and all the early owners are always going to have is the rear inset and cover are too small to accept a tire like those that originally came with our trailer. Now that they’ve gone down to a 15” wheel as standard (WTH is up with that?) and if you’re interested in going to a smaller wheel and tire the spare probably would fit under the cover. I wish 18” tires would fit the trailer, then the tires on the 3500 Silverado and the Oliver could interchange.
    3 points
  6. @DavePhelps, if you carry an inflater, you can always reduce tire pressure/deflate the spare, if it doesn't fit. Not totally ideal, but it can work. Others have done it in the first gen trailers. Our 2008 has a smaller cover than yours, so can't help on your original question.
    3 points
  7. When I was staying at DeSoto State Park, I met a couple that were traveling in a SpaceCraft 5th wheel, pulled by a heavy-duty truck. I was talking to them about their internet provider and they told me about Calyx Institute. I have done quite a bit of research on this and thought I would provide a little info here for people that might be interested in mobile high-speed internet. Disclaimer: I have not yet received or tested the device, but I will update this thread to let everyone know my experience. I am not connected with Calyx Institute in any way. So, the interesting thing about this organization (I don't call them a "company") is that they are a non-profit. If you make a donation, you will receive a WiFi hotspot device and a SIM that operates with the T-Mobile network "for free" for 12 months. In fact, the company I work for even made a matching contribution to them when I provided my receipt. They are based in New York as a registered charity. If you are interested in learning more about their charity work, check out their website: https://calyxinstitute.org/ I joined at the "sustainer" level, which will get me a 4G/5G Hotspot device and 1 year of service for a donation of $750. Subsequent years of service require a donation of $500. There are lower levels of membership that start at $500/$400. They have been doing this since 2010, so I think they will be around for a while. You can do your own research about the organization - I haven't found anything negative about them or anything that suggests they are not 100% legitimate.
    2 points
  8. @Mark and Lorraine I find the variety of solutions among Ollie owners to the same need or issue, to be truly amazing! Very nice mod. Mossey
    2 points
  9. Very nice mod with a simple approach and excellent results! Thanks for sharing. Mossey
    2 points
  10. Yep, it looks like a bike water bottle, but I purchased these and removed the magnets (always save extra parts for future project!): Amazon.com: Magnetic Cup Holder, Durmmur SUS 304 Stainless Steel Magnetic Cup Caddy, Magnetic Drink Holder for Tractor Mower Truck School Bus Refrigerator Treadmill,Magnet Can Holder on Metal Surface(1Pack White) : Home & Kitchen The shelves used are these: Amazon.com: Z metnal White Wall Shelves, Small Corner Floating Bathroom Shelf, Lack Slim Metal Decor Display Modern Long Shelves for Action Figure Collection, Wall Mounted, Rustic, 16 x 5 inch, 2 Pack : Home & Kitchen And the L-brackets, needed a light-weight bracket are these: Amazon.com: WINKER Corner Brace 8Pcs Shelf Bracket Heavy Duty White Steel L WINKER Corner Brace, Decorative Joint Angle Bracket for Shelf 5 InchX3 Inch Shelves Wall Hanging Bracket with Screws(16PCS)) : Tools & Home Improvement Got cold today, so got the furnace running so the tape would stick nicely. Put a 2x4 behind the shelf so that both sides would be mounted equally deep, street and curbside. Also used another 2x4 as a jig to keep the shelf about 8" behind the light and centered to the upper cabinet. This shelf is designed for use while camping, not for use as extra storage while towing. It turned out rather nice, can't wait to give them a try next week!
    2 points
  11. If you mean on the Calyx, there are no caps, it is unlimited. I have AT&T on my phone and I've been using that as a hotspot, but the idea here is that between AT&T and T-Mobile, maybe one of them will have a signal. Plus I want to have the Oliver with a more "permanent" hotspot so when I leave with my phone, it will continue to have a connection. Ultimately, I may setup a security camera and be able to use my phone to check it while I'm out and about.
    2 points
  12. Dave, sorry not getting back… I have a 2022 Elite with Cooper tires 235/65R16.. may spare is the same size .. cover fits.. dont know if the cover has changed since your eariler model.. Good luck.. I have about 14,000 miles on them, they still look in good shape..
    2 points
  13. Definitely disconnect the black 12V+ wire from the tow plug, regardless of battery setup. You still need the DC-to-DC charger, given you want to charge house batteries from the TV. If you direct connect TV Start and House with say 4AWG cable, your expensive new Li batteries will receive current at the voltage determined by your TV alternator. Also, whenever your TV is connected, engine not running, current would be pulled from all batteries. There may have issues mixing lead-acid in the TV with Lithium house batteries. I would suggest an "isolated" charger where there are separate grounds (4-wire) for TV and house: Amazon.com: Victron Energy Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-Volt 30 amp 360-Watt DC-DC Charger Isolated (Bluetooth) : Automotive You need the charger to supply Li battery manufacturer's specified Bulk, Absorption, and Float charge rates (there may be a 4th spec for Li too). Without this you will seriously harm your Li investment!
    2 points
  14. After routing wires and an Ethernet cable under the vanity into the closet for the Starlink system, it was time to finish up the “Cubby Mod”. Used some available 3/16” plywood from another project to fashion a shelf and bulkhead to help organize storage. Rattle-canned a white enamel coating and - poof! One and done: Added 2 extra layers of insulation while in there. Cheers!
    2 points
  15. @Rivernerd is a retired attorney. I suspect he knows what’s up.
    1 point
  16. Initially I was thinking of a bedside cupholder, something to hold a drink cup or water bottle when in bed. Then we had our second camping experience, and I found my bed was filled with A/V remotes, my cell phone and water bottle! On Chris' side, she had a book, reading glasses and more stuff, with nowhere to put anything! This is what I came up with after numerous design thoughts, and measurements while holding the shelf in place when seated in the "watching TV position" (a later upgrade will be a proper headboard that OTT should truly consider). So many comforts are missing in this Oliver TT! Later hopefully tomorrow, I will show this build installed...
    1 point
  17. At first, I did not think the smaller latches would work. So, I removed the latch from the small kitchen sink "junk-drawer" to the larger drawer below to replace the broken latch, so we could use it next week. My thought was when leaving next week, I would prefer the large drawer to be fully functioning and the half drawer would be OK if only connected on one side. Then when I realized the smaller latches would work on these slides, I installed the two new thin latches on the half-length drawer. You only need to drill one new screw hole. Either model will work on our drawers, and all is good now! Thanks @SeaDawg!
    1 point
  18. We have a 2018 Elite with the same Cooper 235/65R16C tires as Golfnut, above. Spare is the same size. I don't have any actual measurements on the inside dimension of the spare tire cover. My recollection from the one time I had the spare tire cover off is that it fit fairly snug... unclear if it will tolerate a larger diameter tire without more careful inside measurements. I'm not ready to replace tires just yet, but a quick look-around suggests that most tires that support at least a 2500lb max load (each; +10% safety margin = 2750 lb max load each) are larger by about an inch, and sometimes more, than the above Coopers. I'm worried about wheel-well clearance and having to run a high psi to support the weight (which gives a *rough* ride). I don't have a good replacement plan yet...
    1 point
  19. It's a worthy cause. Do you know where your caps are on 5g/4g lte on your free service? Tmobile still doesn't work for us on our camping property in North Carolina, and it's disappointing. We have a tmobile phone, a Verizon phone, and a Visible phone (cheap moto, cheap plan, uses Verizon towers) as backup. Years ago, we had an Alltel, then Verizon jetpack, but gave it up when smartphones improved. My phone is my pocket computer.
    1 point
  20. I'm liking the re-purposing of the bike water bottle racks! SMART! 😎
    1 point
  21. Drove the TV today to fill an LP tank for our upcoming camp. At a stoplight I thought why not run "Speedtest by Ookla" again, but this time while driving. Pulled up the app on my phone (phone Wi-Fi connected to the onboard Pepwave router with T-Mobile Business Premium 5G service) and clicked go as the light turned green. The test was bouncing from here to a T-Mobile server in North Las Vegas. Checked the readings when I stopped for LP. While driving in traffic at 40 MPH I was getting better speed (132 down) than the 100 Mbps service most of America has at their homes. I'm not seeing the 5G symbol on my phone in this area but have in other parts of Prescott. Is 4G capable of this download speed? On the way back it just started pouring rain for a few minutes. Tried the Speedtest in heavy rain and speed dropped down to 40 Mbps, still quite acceptable. The new tires felt good in the rain too. It's a rare case getting a rain test down here! There certainly is 5G service in many parts of valleys of Yuma, Quartzsite and the West Valley of Phoenix, where we will travel next week. I will report on how this worked after our next road trip. You got to get one of these! 😂
    1 point
  22. In the meantime, @Nan, ask your wonderful grandson to go out on a nice day, and clean the area around the Oliver sign , and duct tape it like a new install window apron. A strip across the bottom first, then sides, then top, overlapping each way. Use white or clear. It won't take more than 25 minutes, including ladder set and cleaning, and you'll know the story, if it doesn't leak, when you test with a hose, or get a good rain..
    1 point
  23. Are coming to the rally as usual? If so, and it is still not repaired, I will personally take care of it for you. We might just make it a ‘how to’ demo for the group to watch and learn from. We can do it down at the Buckeye pavilion. Let me know.
    1 point
  24. I did this mod in 2019 and Oliver used the same latches a little differently than I did with their version. The latches I used, had a 5 pound pull. The initial latches I tried had an 8 pound pull which was too much. Mossemi
    1 point
  25. I concur with StillGame. I carry a 30A PowerWatchdog unit, which I plug into the campsite pedestal, then connect a 30A power cord to the PowerWatchdog. It saved me once from a bad power connection at the pedestal. Cheaper and easier to replace, if necessary, than the onboard EMS.
    1 point
  26. @SeaDawg thanks for this data! Are you in Florida now? The Sunshine State with 8,400 coastal miles, 66,000 square miles of line-of-sight flat land and 22M people, mostly cell phone customers? I know you go to a Carolina home often, but likely not in February and I'm not aware of your Florida location. You should expect these numbers in major metropolitan areas. Prescott is in Yavapai County AZ (population only 240K). Our county is almost the size of the state of New Jersey which has 10M residents, or more if you count the illegals. 🤣 It's amazing to get these speeds up here, at 5400 FT altitude, in the mountains! I was running errands today and noticed the 5G symbol at one point on my phone. Ran the Speedtest and got 332 Mbps! Last year with AT&T we'd get 10% of this speed on our cell phones.
    0 points
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