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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/21/2025 in all areas
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I came across the following post by a member of the iRV2.com community, by CC220 and dated April 2024, which may be of interest to some. Yes it is very lengthy but interesting, so if so inclined give it a read. As an owner, I concur with this author’s overall assessment of the Drieha Atmos 4.4 and look forward to furthering my personal experiences this coming summer. I just returned from SDG in Elkhart, IN ...after having the Dreiha Atmos 4.4 rooftop AC installed in place of the Dometic Penguin II our Coach House Platinum 220TB had been equipped with. Floridians and others living in the southeast, know full well the sweltering heat and oppressive humidity these climate zones generate in the summer, and their demand for consideration when scheduling outdoor activities and travel plans. Reducing the palpable humidity and creating a light breeze, immensely improves the air quality and comfort coefficient ...even when the temperature is lowered by just 2 or 3 degrees. The prospective ability to mitigate the steamy southeastern summertime 'misery index'...is what originally captivated my interest when reading about the Atmos 4.4 on the LTV FB owner-enthusiast forum. The unit is amazingly quiet, and I could envision an owner mistakenly leaving the unit powered on ...believing it had been turned off. Apparently, there is an 'LED light function' but appears available only when the unit is installed in a ductless configuration. (No part of the actual unit is exposed in our rig's ducted system mounting ...just a flush mounted filter cover. Admittedly, there are some 'unknowns' pertaining to the Dreiha corporation and their products, but obviously not of the type that dissuaded me from purchasing. Dreiha isn't (yet) a household name in this country, and in like fashion; Truma, required several years to attain brand recognition within the RV industry and amongst RV shoppers. Possibly adding to consumer name recognition challenges, is my understanding that the Atmos 4.4 is marketed and sold under another name ...as a virtual twin. We don't yet have access to sufficient user feedback in this country to evaluate long term reliability, but SDG owner; Kevin Searer's commendable reputation and the very favorable impression I received from him, leaves me confident that product warranty support won't be a problem. I'm glad to see Kevin and his great crew receiving well deserved recognition from the LTV community, and seeing more partnerships developing through which Dreiha brand HVAC products can be distributed, installed and serviced. To my knowledge SDG has expanded their dealership distribution network into Florida (CTM Customs) and if I recall correctly, a Solar-RV systems company in Texas. I thought it worthwhile to share some test results which compares operational efficiency of the Dometic Penguin II against the Atmos 4.4 AC. When using the Atmos AC function in either 'Dehumidifier' or 'Auto' mode ...its compressor and fan will alternatively cycle on and off during preset work intervals, greatly reducing an otherwise, constant high amperage power draw. The alternating compressor/fan cycle, seems in principal ...somewhat similar to variable speed compressors used in mini-split HVAC systems. That work/rest interval also explains the mind-boggling 'time remaining' estimates (shown in screenshots) produced by my Victron Multi-plus II inverter-charger, when the Atmos 4.4 is operating it's fan cycle in 'Dehumidifier Mode' on battery power. (I only tested using the Dehumidifier Mode, as that is most relevant to my climate zone, while also rendering the longest operational off-grid run times) 28 July 2024, 12:00pm Elkhart, IN (SDG HVAC parking lot) Ambient temp: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Battery bank State of Charge: 100% Dometic Penguin II, Set point: 75 degrees 151 amps: High setting, 130 amps: Low setting Time remaining on battery @ present rate: 3 hrs 52 minutes 1 August 2024 8:48 am Columbus, GA Ambient temp: 77 degrees (With humidity: "Feels like 84 degrees" Weather Channel) Battery bank State of Charge: 100% Atmos 4.4, Set point: 75 degrees ** Dehumidifier mode Between 77 - 111 amps (compressor cycle) Between 4 - 7+ amps (fan cycle) Time remaining on battery @ present rate: (compressor/fan) Between 6 hrs 27 minutes - 3 DAYS 10 hrs!! Testing initiated with a 4-5 minute compressor cycle, followed by a fan only cycle. ** When compressor kicked off, and circulation fan was activated, amps decreased from 8.55 to 5.21. Just over half an hour into the test, the projected 'battery discharge time remaining' topped out at over 3 DAYS ... while the battery bank State of Charge REMAINED at 97 percent. I documented an unbelievable 35 minutes of AC cooling, with only 28.3 amps used. That current rate of efficiency would extrapolate to over 90 minutes of AC operation ...for less than 90 amps expended. INSANE! At 1:42 pm. Temperature was 94 degrees (With humidity: "Feels like 108" Weather channel) At 4:40 pm. Temperature was 97 degrees (With humidity: "Feels like 111" Weather channel) Mid-test number crunching & predictions: If the theoretical efficiency deviates little from operational expectations ...my 600ah battery bank would provide 9 hours of CONTINUOUS dehumidifier mode AC run time. The increased ambient temperature clearly altered the rate of energy expenditure, with compressor operation rising to a peak of 111 amps (40a less than the Dometic on 'High' setting) and fan cycle amps at 7+ ... with the alternating cycles appearing to occur in shorter intervals. ** Batteries finally died at 7:15 pm TOTAL run time was approximately 10 hours 15 minutes ** Cost vs performance analysis: The conclusion of testing revealed that the Atmos impressively exceeded the projected run time by more than one hour ...with the battery bank finally signing off after approximately 10 hours 15 minutes. A commonly cited 'AC on battery' energy formula, suggests that a 100ah lithium battery will yield approximately 45 minutes of AC operation. Thus, my 6 x 100ah battery bank would only be expected to provide 4.5 hours of continuous AC runtime. Consequently, the 10 hours 15 minutes of Atmos 4.4 AC run time ...appears roughly equivalent to having added SEVEN more 100ah lithium batteries. At a cost of $970 each ($6790 for 7 x 100ah Battle Born units) ... OR Installation of the Atmos 4.4 AC, for approximately 1/3 of the cost. I'm no electrical engineer, and therefore unqualified to say with certainty how much impact the three 200w rooftop solar panels may have had on the Atmos' operational longevity, however ...since the 'fan only' cycles of several minutes duration usually required less than 80 watts, I'm led to believe that the solar panels did contribute to the run time. Bearing in mind that the 3 hour 52 minutes of Dometic Penguin II run time was attained while connected to the same 600w rooftop solar array augmenting the 600ah powerbank ...clearly, no advantage was ceded to the Atmos. The Dometic's 'always on compressor' state, imposed significantly HIGHER power demand penalities of between 20-40 ADDITIONAL amps (versus the Atmos') while switching itself from 'low' and 'high' compressor settings. ** It's vital to consider that the Dometic AC did in fact, have the benefit of operating with the SAME SoftRVstart module (that greatly reduces the inrushing power spike imposed upon the battery bank) as did the Atmos, when demonstrating its superior energy efficient design, by operating in excess of 6 hours longer. The heat pump function on the Atmos not only operates to lower temperatures, and is quieter ...it also reaches set temperature much faster. The bonus feature from my perspective, is the Atmos' remote control interface, providing the ability to function independently from the problematic Firefly system that Coach House has discontinued use of. True, the wall mounted remotes and bluetooth phone app are viable workarounds for the Firefly's tempermental touch-insensitive main screen interface ...but I prefer the stability of decentralized, direct control of Coach systems. Truma's Aventa and Houghton rooftop AC units offer better performance than the Dometic, but I determined the Dreiha Atmos 4.4 to be the better value. SDG does also sell and install 12v HVAC units and mini-split systems, however ...their increased complexity/mounting space required and lack of a dehumidifier mode, were reasons for me to disregard consideration. Last Saturday, I was surprised to find HVAC technicians at SDG working on the weekend ...they were installing 12v mini-split HVAC systems in 3 Ram ProMaster vans that would soon be serving as ambulances. Beyond installation of a lithium battery bank/3K inverter-charger/optimized DC DC charging system, I now believe that fitment of a substantially more efficient HVAC system (mini-split or next-generation rooftop unit, like the Atmos) ...to be the next most significant systems upgrade one can make for conservation of their rig's vital battery bank power.4 points
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It’s been a wonderful Christian holiday weekend! 😂 Down here we had the usual gloom of Good Friday, woke up to clouds and rain, by evening it dropped 25 points, down to 32F and it snowed an inch or so, with more at the higher altitudes. It like never snows here in late April. On the beautiful Saturday, we played pickleball in the afternoon, currently 68F with a light breeze on this Easter Sunday! Picture from our deck. The closest mound is a portion of Point of Rocks in Prescott. Behind that, the hills of Perkinsville and in the far distance the San Francisco Peaks just NW of Flagstaff, “100-mile view!” Please share your Easter weekend and pics if you like…4 points
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I have a 50 foot view of trees in my backyards, so I'll just let everyone one enjoy JD's 100 mile view. Happy resurrection day, everyone.3 points
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Now at 69 participants on the site listing. Thanks for your contributions! We will be leaving for Alabama next Monday morning, so I'll post a last update on Sunday.2 points
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For anyone interested in Battle Born Batteries, they are having a sale starting today (April 21, 2025) and ending Friday (April 25, 2025). In addition, there is a 72 hour sale today through Wednesday. Go HERE for additional information. Bill2 points
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And great lakeside campsite you have! We had 80 when you had 94. Happy Easter, John & Wendy!2 points
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https://blinq.me/cm18wvz87005uzk4sxejr448g Jaron Tylock Very knowledgeable, fun, all-round great guide1 point
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I did the same thing adding the film to my exterior porch lights shortly after I brought my Ollie new in 2020. Many owners have done the same thing. It is one of the easiest, lowest cost, and most satisfying mods I have made. It only takes a few minutes to apply the film to the lights and the film is durable. The lights still look as good as new after four years. The porch lights also attract fewer flying insects now.1 point
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I was there a few years ago on my bike and stayed at the lodge. We have not camped there. View from the lodge1 point
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I will second JD's comment here. Don't buy into the EV propaganda. They are still a LOOONG way from perfecting them. Give them a few more years to work out the kinks. In the meantime, embrace the raw power of a 3/4 ton.1 point
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From what I've read, you'll get nowhere near that 500 miles range while towing an Ollie with that vehicle. Depending on which model you get, I'd be planning for closer to 200 to 225 miles between charges.1 point
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Get a 2500 truck and you shouldn’t need the Anderson WDH. Really, an EV truck as a tow vehicle? Think about that decision. The Oliver is an easier decision. You’d be the first here with an EV TV! Most RVers have enough trouble keeping their house batteries charged!1 point
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We stayed there a few days last year while visiting family. Most are in the Dardanelle area. It is about 5 hours away depending upon traffic. Due to work demands, we won't be able to break free for a while yet.1 point
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We were there a couple of weeks ago. Very nice. We especially enjoyed the view from the lodge1 point
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Yesterday we camped at Dark Sky outside of Kanab. Quite the upscale treat. For example the showers are full master baths with outdoor AND indoor showers, and heated tiled floors 😆 We also hiked The Wave with a guide from Dreamland Adventures. Overwhelmingly beautiful in every possible way. Then we went out for dinner to celebrate. And my wife noticed that the bolt that holds the Anderson chains to the hitch was missing 😳. Apparently the idiot who uncoupled the trailer (me) left it on the bumper. After an hour of panic, our guide from the hike gave us a replacement. How lucky are we? And finally, as we drove away from the campground this morning, we found the bolt on the street about a mile away 🤯 PS We saw our FOURTH Ollie in the wild today driving East between Zion and Kanab PPS Happy Easter to all 🐇1 point
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Just an observation. I went to the Cow Barn last Friday to check on the Oliver and run the Atmos on the LFPs in order to drop the SOC below 75%. I do this routinely when in storage for lengthy periods to cycle the batteries and exercise the charging system, which has dual chargers kicking in at that specified level of charge. As the Atmos was running to cool the interior, I referenced the User’s Manual and learned how to operate the Sleep Mode. The unit was whisper quiet and I could only tell when the compressor was running by watching the VictronConnect app as it kicked in. During the interim however, I was also watching the humidity levels as the Atmos cycled in this mode. I observed a 5% fluctuation in the humidity between compressor cycles, which remained steady for the duration of this Sleep Mode test. As it may relate, the interior temperature inside the Oliver was 87° upon arrival (stored inside a totally enclosed storage facility), outside temp was 85°. Because the dehumidifier had shut off due to a full reservoir, a reading of 58% was observed, outside relative humidity was high (>70). During initial operation in Cool Mode, the interior temp dropped to 76° and humidity to 50% in 20 minutes. For the remainder of operational time in Sleep Mode the compressor cycled with a 3° fluctuation in temp and humidity range of 49-54%.1 point
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This is what I used. Used it around the spare tire cover and to cover the rough edge on bed rails, too. Rubber Edge Trim, U Channel Edge Trim with Metal Clips Edge Guard Protector1 point
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Woke up to several inches of snow on our last morning in GC. Then I learned that it is unwise to use my bare hands to wrestle the Anderson chains when they have been buried in snow. 🤣 Later, we spotted our third Ollie on this trip. Whoever was headed south on 89 near Camden, Howdie! 76667912346__E5263CEE-8B76-4C5E-9E91-6C46970D4CE0.heic1 point
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@ZLarryb - if you still are not able to get grease into some of your wet bolts after trying @Ronbrink's suggestions, you may wish to consider removing those wet bolts that aren't behaving and check for correct grease journal orientation: 1. Carefully jack up the affected side 2. Use a floor jack under the closest axle to adjust its height to completely neutralize the load on the affected wet bolt 3. Stabilized the Zerk end of the wet bolt with a wrench and remove its nut. It's important to stabilize the wet bolt so its splines (on the Zerk end) do not strip-out in the hanger when you're un-tightening it. The splines are intended to keep the wet bolt in place such that the grease journal remains oriented either at the 3 or 9 o'clock position - this is the position of slightly less pressure which allows the grease to flow easier when trailer weight is on the wheels. 4. Tap the wet bolt partially out of the hanger with a brass punch - as the bolt slides out a bit more than half-way from the leaf spring hanger, look for the grease journal at the mid-point of the we bolt. It's a small hole allowing the grease to lubricate the brass (sometimes plastic) leaf spring bushing. Attach your LockNLube and give it a squirt - this will test the Zerk and remove old grease from the wet bolt. 5. Rotate the bolt until it's oriented at the 3 or 9 o'clock position. Clean the Zerk end of the bolt and mark it with white paint in line with the hole. This way you'll know during future lube jobs that the grease journal is oriented correctly or if the wet bolt rotated after you've corrected the issue. 6. Carefully tap the wet bolt back into place, stabilize the Zerk end and torque to specs (45 - 50 lb-feet) 7. Grease the Zerk Hope this helps.1 point
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You might try this if you suspect (or know) the vent pipe is blocked by dirt daubers. Make sure the back flow preventer valve is open. Remove the outside vent cover and stick a hose down it. Flush with a copious amount of water.1 point
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