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Headed out to one of our favs for a short 1-nighter. It's a very cool hot springs resort about 2.5hrs south of our place that accommodates up to 6 RVs. We've been visiting Riverbend with our various campers for over 10 years. It's a cold and windy day here and perfect for this type of OTT "little getaway" adventure... Pix to follow... Cheers

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

This pole extends 20’ plus the dish post, so roughly twice the height of the trailer. Raising and lowering is not an issue for me. The gen 2 weighs in at 9# including the base which is not used. The new version looks like 7# including a smaller base. As someone previously noted, it’ll be nice to get the dish off the ground. One less thing for me to trip over.

Please understand that the limit of 200amps (really 400 amps because you’re buying two batteries and wiring them in parallel) will never be an issue. That is a massive amount of current would never flow through the 7 pin wire. Any dc/dc charging off the tow vehicle will require heavy gauge wire to be added from the truck battery/alternator back to the trailer and a dc/dc charger.

I haven’t used it yet, but it’s much heavier and longer than other tire mount flag pole holders sold on websites and as mentioned, made out of 3/16” steel plate. I plan on setting the base under any of the 3 stabilizers depending on which location would be best to extend the mast to give the dish the best view of the constellation. The pole is aluminum and is from Harbor Freight. The base is very stout and doesn’t flex, however the pole does a bit depending on how height and windy it is. The dish actually does a good job of not catching much wind. There is plenty of clearance and does not contact the hull. I’ll update with it in use in a few weeks when we travel.

If upgrading to lithium, I would disconnect that charge wire. You might be fine, but honestly, you don't want to fry your alternator. There is a reason why this circuit is disconnected for trailers originally equipped with lithium. Best of luck with your conversion, and we'll look forward to hearing about your process, and progress!

"Here's looking at you, kid." Bill

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have learned a lot about tires and wheels throughout this inquiry! I have given up on getting new 15" wheels (this is a good thing). One consideration with my Oliver are the leveling jack pads. On my trailer, the pads are just 1" away from the tires when retracted. The 16" Ion wheels on my Oliver have a -8mm offset (about 5/16"). This moves the centerline of the tire away from the hub mounting surface (and the leveling pads) by that amount. I would not want the tires to be any closer! All the 15" wheels I could find had 0mm offset. So I'm sticking with my stock 16" wheels with their -8mm backset and 3300lb rating. That will save me a lot of money as well. I didn't know about those LT235/65R16 tires. Cooper makes them, the Discoverer HT3. A little wider (.4"), but 1.3" less diameter. So they should also fit as a spare as it has for other LE1 owners. Lucky for me, I have a friend close by with a LE1 with this tire setup. Tomorrow I'll swing by and get his spare and see how it fits on my trailer. Fingers crossed. Dave

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!

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!

@Danno and Donna This YouTube link is to a Victron video about burning up an alternator while charging lithium batteries. It is about 4 years old and caused quite a bit of controversy at the time. Mossey

this is helpful I guess the pieces must all be for spacing. If we can’t figure it out I’ll open a ticket. And yes it’s 2018 TB model. Thanks everyone!

2019 F-150, 2.7 ecoboost, 10 spd trans, 2whl drive, elite #1403

posted... looking forward to the results

Same

Posted.

Doesn’t this depend on the TV make/model? I don’t believe Big Ruby, my F350 has power to the 12VDC to the charging circuit when the engine isn’t running.

OMG! We totally love that movie! Thanks for posting, @Wandering Sagebrush!!! D's enjoying a sunrise soak next to the "Big River"...:

@Mark and Lorraine Nice set-up, brother! FYI: We just converted our SL to a dedicated "OTT 12vDC system" from their original 120vAC router - in fact, this message is being shot out ATM with the "new" config. You'll love it when you get to use it in a few weeks on travel - for us, because D's working from "home", SL has been a total game changer. Enjoy yours! Here's our mast config and ethernet wire connection - on this, quick 1-nighter, trip we're using the flagpole at the lowest height setting (6-foot) just to get Dishy off the ground: Cheers! A & D

I have, like many other old school trailers, 2 x 105 agm 12v marine batteries. So, 210 ah, total, marine deka/East penn group 31 batteries. I probably come close to your description above. We can get appreciable charge, when traveling. We also have 400 watts of fixed solar, now, so less important, these days. But still important for those who don't have solar, and have lead acid/agm batteries. Level the front, with the jack, disconnect from the truck. With the plug dangling, not too hard to remember to reconnect in the morning.... Remembering to unplug from the tv is kind of ingrained, from old school days, so not a big deal. We're used to it. Many years of practice. As times change, and most people get lifepo4 batteries, Oliver may discontinue the charging wire. As may other manufacturers. We'll see. Times change. Batteries change. Practices change. Just saying, for those of us without lifepo4 batteries, the charge wire is helpful . PS, we live quite well, many months of camping each year, with 210 ah of battery power. We have learned power management. We camp, don't have an inverter. Everyone has a different camping style. Mine is different from yours, I'm sure, and I'd never criticize yours. We each decide what is most important, and work within our defined limits.

Sorry, but the "unplug overnight" is BS! Uh, what if you forget? Understood that's the OTT company spiel. Give them another few years and they will not wire this at all. The ONLY reason for the black +12VD is for cargo trailers back in the day without batteries, so you can (when connected) run a dome light. There is no modern reason for a 12 AWG charge wire, to or from the truck! Unless next time you're wiring a new hitch plug, you want a little 12V shock. Disconnect this wire asap and never consider it again! There is no purpose, unless your "House batteries" are in fact just one group 24 "Marine battery." Is there an Oliver with less than 200AH in batteries? If so, you need to do much more than disconnect this annoying little wire!

Sweet! A few questions. Where do you attach this? How does it function in windy conditions,? Does anything bend/sway/ rub on the Oliver? Is your pole fiberglass?

...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!

The Plexiglas insert on the lower panel of the screen door has proven a success... The two knuckleheads take turns sniffing through the screen door... HA! Great traveling buddies they are!

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!

Living in Central Arizona we are surrounded by so many great day trips! Less than an hour to Jerome and Cottonwood, 1 1/4 hours to Sedona, 2 to the Grand Canyon. Check out Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area, even better (2nd largest canyon in Arzona) just 90 minutes, just past Williams. Just to name a few! We're here for 3 nights, at $14 a night or $7 with the Lifetime Senior pass. Where can you get 3 nights in a most beautiful canyon for $21. No hookups, but a dump station and a separate freshwater station. 85 miles and 2 hours from our home. Burro Creek Campground | Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov) NO cell service though. Starlink would be great to have here. Also, no TV or even radio reception in the canyon. At just under 2000' elevation, winter is the season here. Low mid 30's last night and at 1:40 PM it's now 62 (a cloudy day today, otherwise it be 70+). It's too hot in the summer here. Half the sites were empty, many of them listed FF on recreation.gov. I'm thinking if you could get service here, this place would be fully booked. Stopped for lunch at LUCHIA’S RESTAURANT - 136 Photos & 97 Reviews - 15797 S Hwy 93, Wikieup, Arizona - New American - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Yelp Highly recommended on any Phoenix to Vegas trip, quick stop on the Hwy 93 just north of Wikieup, AZ. They have guest Wi-Fi. Much more re our trip when we get back home this weekend, as we plan to spend our remaining time offline! Note in the first pick Charley is busy watching Dad setup camp.

HA! Couldn't resist quoting you on this one, JD! Magnus (4 years next month), the white one hails from Colorado Springs, Oscar's pedigree, OTOH, totally unknown to us. Doesn't matter, IMO, he's a rescue about 10 years, also 65lbs, but he's still able to jump up to his rack (with the help of the table top on top of the rack rails). Plenty of room for all 4 of us because the "boys" usually curl up into little "Husky Doughnuts": But then again, sometimes we need to deal with serious "Dog Logs" in the passageway: HA! OMG, we love traveling with these two Knuckleheads! Cheers!

These are big improvements. I have had to replace batteries because, in the rush to get settled in camp after a long drive, I forgot to turn ours off! And, on ours there is no indication that it is on, other than the switch, which is hard to see.

We are satisfied. As noted by others, it is quite useful when leveling the trailer side to side, as you can see on your phone in your tow vehicle how close to level you are. Then, of course, the front-to-back leveling is done after disconnecting the tow vehicle.

I realized Chris had taken a picture of the lone Joshua tree, looking down at Wikieup and the Sonoran Desert below. He somehow drifted away from his family on the other side of the range in the Mohave!

So here’s the finished product, box, sprayed with Line-X, a Leer cap and cargo glide slide! 🙂 Now, what are you all using for storage on the sides of your slide, the gaps in front and behind the wheel wells?

I would be interested in hearing how this turns out.

DYMO Label Maker with Adapter | LabelManager 420P High-Performance Label Maker, Rechargeable, PC and Mac Connectivity, Bright Backlit Display, Easy-to-Use, Portable, for Home & Office Organization This price has dropped 46% since I added it to my Wish List a couple of years ago. I just ordered one and a bunch of generic bulk packed tapes, the Dymo ones are from europe and are $$$. Plus a padded case (this unit doesn’t come with one). Reviewers comment that the 420P fits it fine, it is returnable if that is incorrect. Case Compatible with DYMO Label Maker LabelManager 160/280 Portable Label Maker, Label Printer Storage Organizer for AC Adapter, Tape Cartirdges and More Accessories(Box Only) Black You can get flexible nylon tape for wires or cables. It will print up to 4 lines on wide tape, for example addresses or barcodes, rechargeable battery, computer interface, etc. Make an Ollie label, stick it down, add a strip of regular clear tape on top for protection. It will beat printing from my iMac, laminating, trimming, and sticking down with double sided tape. I hope…. These are a blowout sale, this price may not last long. John Davies Spokane WA