Leaderboard

Our hull is near 10 years old. The PVC was dried out, chalky to say the least and I wanted to replace it last year but never got around to it. It took me over an hour on Amazon to find one with exact measurements. Most important is the diameter of the screw hole pattern. I found this and after installing it, I like it's better than the OEM. The threads are much larger, easier to turn with less/wider threads, and it seals better. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H4HX29J?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1 As with all things OTT installs, it took me a full hour of labor to remove the silicone caulk. I installed the new one with dum-dum ONLY (what us installers called butyl tape back in the day). Why would you caulk something that does not have to be waterproof anyway? The bottom side of the doghouse is wide open, right? And butyl when squeezed out is waterproof enough. The original hatch had tiny screws, maybe 1/2" #6 screws. I upped the size to 3/4" #8 screws, drilled the holes out to 9/64" and on the back side I used speed clips on the underside to hold them tight. This way you can torque the 6 screws tightly and evenly to squeeze the butyl. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08H8STNFJ/?th=1

I quickly threw together a little shelf for travel books and maps that fits under the dinette table. I didn't put a whole lot of thought or effort into it. I just made it out of scrap wood as a prototype, but it seems to work better than I thought it would. Im sure its been done before but I thought I would mention it. IMG_0248.HEIC

God willing we will be at F56 on the 29th. We also will be going birding a few mornings for anyone who wants to join us just look us up.

It's a lovely day in Minnesota, so I decided to reintall the Epoch batteries. This is the wire arrangement that I came up with. What could be improved or what is absolultly wrong?

Very clean install, well done!

WOW! I've never actually seen RV antifreeze - FREEZE. Nor do I want to ever see it freeze. Bill

I had a similar problem finding a decent A/C cover that would hold up and actually fit right. I ended up going with Klyoutdoor rv covers and was surprised by how well it matched my dimensions. The material seems solid so far and it holds up fine during wind and rain. I didn’t have to modify anything, which was a relief. Worth checking out if you’re still looking.

All buttoned up, with the exception of the temperature sensing wire. I got rid of all the split loom in battery compartment. The Blue Sky Solar seems to remember it's settings, making it a good day!

Wow Bill, this looks great! I'm not a woodworker so this would take me a bit of time! Two 1" squares of 3M 4950 VHB tape on the lower back sides would keep it there nicely. BTW, if you save your photos as .jpg vs .heic files, they will show on the page and not have to be downloaded.

Basically I did the same thing several years ago by using a wall mounted file holder similar to THIS ONE. Bill & Nancy are certainly correct in that this holder greatly reduces clutter on the table and put travel documents all in one place. In addition, I always have a copy of my "medical file" in this right in the front. This is so that (if needed) it will be visible to anyone coming into the Ollie and easy to grab in the event of an emergency. Bill

For sure Bill, and you and I are good ol' school restorers! If you were to paint this part, I would suggest removing the lid to paint and just mask the surround and paint it attached. Removing it and remounting was truly a pain! In this case, paint would not help. The threads were bad and would stick. Also, check out my cropped pic. There were chips and scrapes in the plastic and a 1" x 1/4" gash in the top opening, just left of the word "close!" 🤣 This part had seen its better days!

Click on my second Amazon link for an example. Just like dum-dum the term speed clips is shop talk I learned from other automotive installers in Chicago during the 70-80s. 🤣 They help to install parts faster where you would otherwise have to get a nut behind the item. You can clip these onto sheet metal and they are ready to be screwed down. However, in the case of this hatch plate, I did not clip them on as that would not allow for a flat seal. I just held the clip on the underside to thread the screw. On the doghouse with 3/16" thick fiberglass you can hardly put a lb-ft of torque to the screw. Turn it more and the fiberglass will crack or shred. With these clips you can torque them down and they will hold tight. OTT made up for the weak screws with extra sealant and caulk. These clips are great to have on-hand. I was getting low on parts I've had for 40 years and when I found this Amazon listing, I purchased all 3 sizes; #8, #10 and 1/4-20!

That manual is an amazing resource @Ray Kimsey. Thanks for posting. I was starting up my Norcold after winter today and it was throwing an F code. Symptom: On GAS the Norcold would ignite, but the igniter circuit kept clicking and clicking until the unit shut down and threw an F code. I was concerned that it would be one of the harder to find parts like the igniter board etc. I downloaded the manual you posted and followed the F Code troubleshooting flow chart. Upon opening up the burner box, I spotted that my burner area was very clean but the sensor was practically touching the burner, and needed to be adjusted out to 3/16". I did that adjustment by sliding a 3/16 hex key along the burner and squeezed it into the igniter so it was set for 3/16" Re-tried the fridge and it started with no codes and is still running. The gap between the igniter was fine but the sensor was too close. The PIX below are from a service posting showing how the parts are supposed to be aligned....and what a proper flame looks like. https://www.arprv.com/norcold-gas-valve.php

John - With the relatively low height of the Oliver, I've never had a "problem" with height for overpasses and/or bridges. Since I travel alone a fair percentage of the time, I find that the large screen of the Garmin 890 really helps, plus, I don't use any of my cell phone data with the Garmin. Also, the Garmin will automatically re-route me in the event of an accident or road closure or simply heavy traffic (if it determines that there is a quicker route available). Having said all this - I do also use the Ford Navigation on longer trips. There have been a few times when arriving at an intersection, the Garmin and the Ford do not give the same directions. If I'm not familiar with the roads and/or where I'm headed, I'll usually default to the Garmin. Bill

Yes, agreed it’s really good stuff and all our Truma appliances have really served us well. Great move by Oliver to transition over to all Truma products. Zero complaints here. A little Truma trivia. The Truma Coporation is actually named after US President Harry S. Truman! 😊🇺🇸 Truman was instrumental in the his role in the Marshall plan which really helped Germany become industrialized after WW2. 😎 Wishing you well with your retro fit @DavidK let us know how it works out. Patriot🇺🇸