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So glad to hear that the 103 listed as still missing is now down to 3. 100 have been accounted for and are alive.🙏🙏🙏

FYI This part number is for a 45A charger, making it an even better deal, if that is possible. 😉 Mossey

I’ve been using the zero g hose for several years as well with no issues. Because they aren’t a flat shrinking type hose it fills the fresh tank quickly. I have four 25 foot hoses and typically only use one 25 foot hose but have used all four at times.

@jd1923, you're not likely to ever get full rated power from solar panels. The ratings are determined under standard testing conditions, carefully controlled, to have some sort of industry benchmark. Any honest panel reseller will tell you you are likely lucky to get 60 to 75 per cent of that rating, in real world conditions, even less if you park in the shade, or place portable panels where they may get shade. Why? Temperature affects production. The hotter the temperature, the less power produced. Pollution/smog. Clouds. Dirt on the panels themselves. Even partial shading of a few cells of a panel may severely reduce its output. When we built our house, we "oversized" the system a bit, with the help of our honest installer/privider. So in ten years, we've not had a power bill, other than the base grid connection fees. Those additional panels are long ago paid for. And my fuel cost for the ev is zero, when I charge at home. We don't have enough rooftop on an Elite to oversize a system, so some of us need and want portable systems when we are camped for a period of time, for the additional charging capability without having to set up a generator. Everyone has a different camping style and different needs. Glad the dc to dc charger is working well for your camping style.

Probably why we have that phrase “Your Mileage May Vary.” We travel pretty much all the time and have rented cars in several European and British Isles countries. Unlike the US, they’re always small - and always incredibly fuel-efficient. 50 or 60 mpg is pretty standard. Then again, most Americans wouldn’t be caught dead in a 3 cylinder, 2.2 liter engine vehicle. Dunno why a Prius - even with 4 pro footballers would only show 12 mpg. Keep in mind that “average” mpg is the goal, not the mileage displayed during some short-trip, 100F day with the A/C cranked to 58F. My Prius would often show “99 mpg” on my 8-1/2 mile rural trip from my farm to the local hardware store. It was cool for bragging rights, but I realized it was the perfect storm of a fully-charged battery and hardly running the ICE at all that made that display possible. I’m sure it made up for it at other times. HOW one drives is - and will remain - a factor in what mileage you get - regardless of the technology or fuel source of your vehicle. Hard acceleration, high speeds, high accessory loads, “tankering”, and failing to coast when it’s advantageous will earn you poor fuel efficiency. I drive with the fuel efficiency display primary on my TV and did the same with the Prius and any time I drive a vehicle that has the tech. I do my best to keep the instantaneous MPG number high, or the display on the “economy” range. Pretty much the opposite of a Paris cabbie. I always have to smile at the type-A guy who has to pass me up at extra-legal speeds, only to have to brake hard and end up with me smirking at him when we stop at the next light together. Hey - if he wants to get 12 mpg while I’m getting 28 - that’s his prerogative. I’m still looking for the most efficient speed to drive the TV/Ollie combo. It looks to be about 62 mph. Of course, smooth, level, dry pavement gives a huge advantage. If the speed limit is 70 or even 75 - I’m still puttering along at 62. Maybe 65 if I feel like it or going downhill. I just have to pad the ETA my GPS gives me. I’m at a place in life where I don’t “need” to sweat burning an extra gallon of dead dinosaur juice - or feel obligated to find the cheapest gallon of motion lotion - but I do it anyway because it’s a feeling of accomplishment that gives me pleasure. I picked the diesel drivetrains for my last two vehicles because they are head and shoulders more efficient than the gas engine offerings in the same models. Yeah, I paid more for the engines - but I got back more in trade because they had more life left in them as well as the same fuel efficiency offerings. Likewise, I picked a 1500 Sierra because it will capably handle a gross weight Ollie - both speeding up and slowing down. The exhaust braking of the diesel even gives me a little more capability going down long grades than a gasser can provide. Previous TV was a “mid range” GMC Canyon - also diesel (2.8l) that had the specs that said it could handle the Ollie as well. Three years and half a dozen 90 day trips backed up what the specs promised - including several crossing of the continental divide - up to about 9,000 feet if I recall. (Turbos are nice!) If anything, I prefer the Canyon over the Sierra. Though I’ve been driving for darn near 50 years - 20 years of that full sized van and pickups - I find the Sierra too damn high. Even the lowest-slung standard suspensions make for a nipple-high hood that’s impossible to see obstructions over. Even though the footprint is only slightly bigger than the Canyon, the height makes it a chore to park and makes driving through narrow areas an “exciting” experience. Anyway, you pays your money and you makes your choice. I like the “less is more” approach. Those who prefer “bigger is matter” can do as they like. Unless I’m gonna start hauling intermodal containers, I don’t need the Souper Doody TV.

The following example took place 10 years ago, and perhaps hybrids are better today. At a job in Austin, 4 of us big guys 800+ LBS total, went out to lunch together a few times a week. One guy had a Prius and he bragged about MPG when commuting! When the 4 of us, packed in like sardines, went out to lunch in the Prius, the onboard trip computer showed an insulting 12 MPG, equal to an old 80s carbureted pickup truck! 🤣 On lunch days when I drove our 2014 VW Passat TDI, getting 38 MPG commuting daily with no measurable difference with 4 big guys onboard, seated comfortably! When we moved from TX to S Fl, Chris drove the Passat alone while I pulled a cargo trailer with the Ram Cummins. We packed every cu ft of the Passat, passenger side, back seats and trunk full. We got 45 MPG highway the whole trip one way! I’ve had 2500 series diesel trucks for 22 years now and will continue to do so.

OK just checked my PM's and looks like my charger has found a home in csevel's Ollie! 👍 Onward. Dave

No experience with this SL pole setup, but years of using the same suction cup mounts on an actual 16’ fiberglass flagpole from the same company; a WeBoost antenna was also mounted at its top. I never had a suction cup loose grip. Yes, they do require a daily check and a couple strokes of the integral pump to maintain adequate suction; a visual indicator on the pump is used to ensure optimum suction. If there is too much obstruction at the Oliver, I like that the SLM can be mounted on the van with magnets while parked in close enough proximity to the campsite for Wi-Fi reception in the trailer. That said, I have parked at the COW Barn several times in like manner and been able to operate the Atmos via the Cielo and steam movies.

@Ronbrink Ron, I like everything about this SLM mod! It’s seamless, clean and neat it appears and easily deployed. I also like that you can locate it in different walls on your Oliver, vs the flag pole stationary flag pole mount on the front cargo box. Have you had any field experience with this yet? How well do the suction cups hold on? Do they have to be checked periodically? Well thought out and executed! Thanks! David

Here -https://www.starlink.com/us/roam?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3VXVoA8Gb9hdnLaMWqBcXsa1BfRBdqm_l2iKkNW-Va5r6RJiPc2u8PpD0_aem_DeHBx7JMI-i_vIWAYBg03Q

Very true...we use a short non collapsible one for that :) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0894GTNZN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Correct, but not for just a small few of us who need to pull water (vs. push) though the Boondocking inlet. When a hose shrinks or flattens it cannot be used as a suction line. We just had a thread on this subject.

I think this is about right by my informal data and 62 is way better on the suspension than 70 mph. I don't have the patience for 62 so I will be more in the 65 to 67 mph range but keeping it under 70 dramatically improves the mpg and it just is a safer and less jarring drive. This is another reason to get off the interstate as well where the speed limits are lower. It may be only a few miles per hour difference in the end, but fuel consumption/drag and the dynamics of hitting bumps are not linear with speed.

A number of us have purchased these hoses, and there have been no reports of issues using to fill fresh tank or for city water. Use the search and type the word: Hoses

We’ve also been using Zero-G for years. Both at home and while camping.

Be sure to check the internal wiring of the external Zamp connector - ours was 12 AWG. Per wire calculators even with short lengths, you may have some issues at the amp loads you are estimating.

Right you are! I was thinking of the service rating for the trailer. It is a 45 amp charger. Hope someone could use this. I was hoping to keep it "in the family"! Cheers, Dave

When I think of mpg difference between my Duramax diesel empty vs pulling the Oli, it is easy to understand how a comparable range drop (or worse) occurs with an EV truck. I don't see EV trucks replacing my diesel for a long time unless they significantly increase the size of the batteries for towing. That said, I am suspecting my next car will be an EV but I think I will lease as the technology is still changing.

I will mail it out to anyone who could use it FREE of charge. PM me with your address if you are interested! Dave

“Beauty (or ugly) is in the eyes of the beholder”!

Just before leaving on our current trip, I covertly made a new cherry table and installed it to the surprise of wifey. She had wanted to keep the Oliver’s stock modern look, which is understandable considering that the house is already full of custom wood pieces. But after using it on this trip, we both absolutely love it! If I were to choose to have only one Oliver modification, it would be the enlarged table! The original table was small to fit between the seats for a third bed, and it is barley big enough to fit much more than a two piece place setting. The new table is 28” x 37” (about 10” longer and 5” wider) and it makes a huge difference to have the extra tabletop space. We can now fit the computer and our place settings. I realize not everyone has access to a wood shop to build such a table, but there are consignment woodworkers just about everywhere that could easily do it. As wood working projects go, it doesn’t get much simpler to joint and glue planks together and sand them flat. Many hardwood lumber shops even have wide belt sanders available to flatten tabletops. You could even have a lumber shop cut a nice piece of hardwood plywood, round the corners with a saber saw, and dress the edges with real wood self-stick or iron-on edge bands, just like they do for kitchen cabinets. I recommend experimenting with a cardboard template to determine the optimum size to fit your body types. I also remember a guy who advertises wooden accessories on this forum who might sell larger tables. Anyway, it’s a worthy project or expense to think about! Cheers, Geoff

Beautiful work, @Snackchaser!

Dave, What is your asking price for the charger? I bought one off of Ebay from Canada that included the 'Li' switch for lithium.. however, I'm disappointed because after install, I still have a high pitch sound coming from it when under load from lights, etc. I'm not sure if it was a defective part but I'm not going to go through the hassle of return.

George Strait is also doing a benefit concert here in our hill country town of Boerne (“BER-nee” for out of staters!). It also sold out in a day or so. George lives here and does a lot of local charity work with his buisiness partner Tom Cusick who is a local business owner. Great folks. George Strait Hill Country Benefit Concert Mike

I always thought that it we had a blackout or local crisis, God forbid a forest fire (we live in the Prescott NF) that we could get in the Oliver and relatively quickly get to safety! Those of you in hurricane climates should certainly understand the idea! We keep ours as many of you do, 95% ready for the next trip. We start the fridge, stock the pantry, pack clothes, fill the TV with grill and lawn chairs, all kept in one area of a shed, and we're ready to go in little time. So we just got back from a 5-week trip, washed and parked the Oliver Saturday. Were out for the day yesterday and when we returned the house felt hot. Later is was apparent our home A/C was not cooling, thermostat set at 77F was 83F actual. We didn't sleep well last night, opened the windows where at our elevation we got down to 75 hours after the blazing Arizona sun had set! Called for service and the best they could do is Wednesday afternoon. We plugged in the Ollie this afternoon. We are back to camping the next two nights on the edge of our property! 😂

Same here, Patriot! We installed a 12.5kw LNG unit 4 years ago... It's kept us high and dry on many occasions. Self-tests weekly and notifies us via the app if activated when we're away. No more thawed/fouled meat surprises after a road trip!

Covered this topic in the blog post below as FYI: https://4-ever-hitched.com/blog-articles/f/here-comes-the-sun The Oliver Elite II units with Solar Options have an external Zamp Connector on the side of the trailer which is connected through a 20A fuse to the trailer batteries. That Zamp Port doesn't connect to the onboard Zamp Controller, so you need a second controller for external panels that are to connect to the Oliver trailer.

I suppose if we needed to we could move into our Oliver where it’s parked here at home. Our steel “Ollie Hangar” was put to the ultimate test while we were camped in Yellowstone and it survived the brutal rain and hurricane force winds of Helene… a blessing for sure. As for back up power we installed a 24KW LNG whole house generator and never looked back. There is no better feeling than when the power goes out within 8-10 seconds our full home power is restored. Our generator ran for three days while our county and large parts of Western NC was under a complete outage. Neighbors thought I was over the top having a generator installed. After Helene hit and they lost all their frozen food, frigs and freezers, well they thought it was a genius move. 🤔 Several neighbors now have whole house gens🤷‍♂️. Keeping up our preventive service of HVAC and our generator is a high priority for us. But yes, things can and do happen. As for bugging out in the Oliver, we live pretty rural and in a small lake community. Leaving our home is more than likely not going to happen. Where we live we are 911, I will leave it at that. 😉😎 With 2.5 years in, I highly recommend if you can swing it in your budget consider a whole house generator, preferably one that runs on LNG. This gen set immediately notifies us anywhere in the US via Mobile link with a txt and email when every it exercises or runs due to a power outage or if it needs maintenance. Stay safe, stay prepped, and stay cool! 😊🇺🇸

@jd1923 The Progressive unit (for at the pole) has a metal loop so you can lock it to the power pole, so hopefully it is harder to disappear.

I'm not sure if this will help as I don't know if a 2017 trailer was wired the same way as my 2020 trailer. I disconnected my charge wire when I upgraded to lithium batteries a few months ago. Mine did not have a bus bar. I couldn't find anything under the seats or bed. Inside the bathroom access panel under the sink I found that my 7-pin cable entered a standard galvanized steel junction box containing all of the connectors. Each was connected with a Wago lever connector and then wrapped with electrical tape to safeguard the lever coming undone from vibration. I just found the black charging wire, unwrapped the tape and lifted the lever on the connector to pull the wire. I capped it, taped it and then put everything else back together. Oliver's electrical connection design was less than elegant but it made for an easy disconnect once I found the junction box.

Certainly no hijack, this is the named subject! Yes, that's a positive busbar. The 3 yellow 30A fuses provide power to your hitch jack and two stabilizer jacks. Hard to know where your hitch B+ aux wire may be. You can always use Mike's method, disconnect it up front, no more need to be looking. Now, my hijack... 🤣 Just LOVE seeing where OTT installed the display for your Progressive Industries EMS. At least you have one! Our hull came without one, so I installed the same model myself. It was good of OTT to make you lift the streetside bed to read the display (assuming the location of your picture). Now they put them up in the attic. Not quite as bad, but still crazy since it's a long hike up inside the Oliver after connecting shore power. You could fry a whole bunch of wire and accessories while you get up there to read possible error codes! Don't worry reading the display, the PI EMS will protect you! I installed our display inside the Oliver "trunk" right where we store our shore power cable. Plug into shore power and read the display immediately without going anywhere, simple as that! What would it be like to be inside the head of the average OTT installer through the years? Must be like some kind of bipolar disorder! Let's do it this way on this hull! Let's make it better (or worse) on the next hull! Changed my mind again, OMG! 🤣 It's almost too late now but perhaps OTT needs to hire someone with military training or real manufacturing engineering experience. Somebody needs to be in a position of power that truly understands the concept of continuous improvement or simply the meaning of the term SOP!

Our Oliver has been an escape pod for two hurricane evacuations and a winter storm retreat when power was out for several days. Times like these is when our COW (Condo-On-Wheels) and the Westinghouse iGen4500DF are put to good use in survival mode!

The Victron Multiplus II and many other capable inverter models have a built-in ATS. The 2KW Xantrex OTT originally installed in our hull had an external ATS and remote power switch. These are two different worlds. True for those not connected to shore power, without rooftop solar and/or who store long-term indoors. If not, as in my case the solar produces 10x parasitic draw on a daily basis. In fact, I can be 60% SOC on 600Ah LiFePO4 batteries, running exterior courtesy lights and in a few days SOC is 100%. Even in winter sun in AZ, and yes as you wrote in our "home area." However, I truly recommend those who have full inverter/charger capability, 3KW with built-in ATS, Xantrex or Victron, leave your inverters ON always when your Oliver is in use (I know some manufactures say not too, but I have trouble being told what to do without valid reason)! It protects against power outages, brown-outs, if Victron it provides power-assist and more. Heck, I've been running our A/C one hour prior to arriving at a full hook-up site and when we get there the cabin is cool and no hurry plugging in unless SOC is near 20%. Of course, you must have viable Ah capacity in LiFePO4 to do so. Use the technology that God and Mankind has provided us! It's wonderful and we finally had a wonderful 5-week trip to truly experience the amazing features, in all the upgrades I've made to our Oliver and tow vehicle! 😂

it is my understanding that the A/C loads are run through a separate Auto Transfer Switch. The ATS is then connected to the inverter. The reason is to allow the A/C load to be powered up by either the ATS (On shore power) or to be powered up by the Inverter. It would seem logical that regardless of how wonderful (Yes inverter envy) your inverter is , it would still be switching between an ATS or the Inverter power created by the Iithos to the inverter. Not having either a separate ATS or an Multiplus 2 (Inverter envy) would when running the A/c and microwave would over amp the OEM single ATS. It is for this reason that John Davies encouraged us to add a second ATS if going to battery powered A/C. That's a valid choice for your home area. But for others: One reason to turn it off would be parasitic draw, Over time even in standby mode, one ends up using a lot of power regardless if on shore power or not. For some : OK for some Not. A second is that all electronic components have a finite life span. That life is generally determined by the number of hours it is turned on. There is an exception to this concept and that is for folks in a high humidity areas. Keeping the home fire burning to keep the electronics' dry works well for some. But not everybody.

Thermal tripping can be caused by a bad connection. With a corroded or loose connection the increased resistance will cause a voltage drop. Yet the loads will still operate at the same wattage. To do that, the amps increase. The heat generated usually is AT the corrosion site. Hence needing a thermal gun as well a clamp on Multi Meter. GJ

I was wondering it anybody would catch that one. LOL!

I have a 2K watt Champion inverter generator that I just plug in to, I haven’t used a special plug. I guess I need to look to see if the Champion is “bonded to ground”, something I wasn’t aware of. Going on 10 years and still learning…. Mike

Here is how I remember it: The Inverter's job is to Invert your power. It takes DC from the batteries and turns in in to AC via a transformer an turns it upside down again and a gain to create 60 hertz Alternating Current for your 120 V systems. The Converter takes 120 volt power and Chargers your batteries. Normally the Auto Transfer Switch causes the Inverter to not be energized at the same time as the C. nThis is because the inverter is not needed when you have A/C power from a shore power source. But it is possible and desirable to charge your batteries using the C and also power it up by your generator providing the energy to do so. This can be a high draw and "sucks up" much of what the main breaker will allow. Since I don't have clue what systems you have in a wonderful 2024, I can only suggest that if you have the ability to change your C charge rate, it may be pulling a lot of power that overloads the breaker. Hence some folks have dialed down the charge rate to leave more power available for other uses. You can check this by flipping the C's breaker off and see if you are still tripping the main breaker when on generator. OH one more hint. Many generators require us to use a bonded neutral plug. Like Honda's for example. I would start with that topic on the forum. The Progressive Industries EMS will no allow power from an unbonded neutrall for such generators. But failing to do so has not tripped a main that I am aware of. It willl however preclude shore power from getting you to your 120V loads. Hope this helps out a little bit. GJ

Hm. 3? Maybe 5. 3 is just a buzz.

If you start with 3 beers it makes the process go a bunch easier - you don't give a ....! Bill

I prefer the word efficient to lazy. Less time to set up/break down means more time for the important things. Like beer.

Used Camco water hose, free delivery within 10 miles.

I will be the first to admit that I lean toward the lazy side of the street! This is my method for storing the Gorilla Marine and RV hose. Mossey

I’m a zero-G guy, carry three for dedicated purposes; freshwater fill, black tank rinse and general wash hoses. I find them easy to roll up and stow; they are very flexible and durable. Each are setup with quick connects and accessories for their respective applications.

@Ollie-Haus: Many thanks for showing this hose to me, @Geronimo John, and @Patriot at the rally! Definitely a no-brainer "must have" item - especially for space saving feature. I'm tired of wrestling with that stiff white Camco hose when rolling it up. Headed to Home Dumbo today for 2 of these.... We'll do an OPS-check this weekend down south. 2 is 1 and 1 is none!

Anybody know of this style hose in 5/8” or 3/4” ID? On second thought, I don’t think we could use a flat hose. We have a 10’ hose and water filtration system with a 4’ hose attached. When at a campsite with water, this 15’ length is all we need. Then we have a 25’ hose when a longer reach is required. I need the 25’ plus 10’ hoses to reach from our truck 35-gal water supply to the Boondocking port. This is where a flat hose will not work since you cannot pull water through a flat hose. We fill this way more often than we connect to campground water. I've found if I wind the hose in large 3’ dia loops, squeeze it oval shaped to get it into the Oliver trunk, it unwinds nicely. If you coil tight, it’s hard to get the hose to lay flat.

We use quick connects. I also use a Y adaptor with individual gate valves at the park spigot to depressurize the line before disconnecting. Seems obvious but if you ever forget things get exciting quickly, especially if you use one of the expandable hoses. Also, the search function on this site sometimes is not very helpful. Others have posted a web format to use to make Google search the site more effectively.

I did the search before posting and did not come up with any of those threads you shared. Thanks for the help. This how the stainless steel McKillans look on the Oliver. Carl

I purchased a six foot water hose from a big box store, and cut it in half. One end goes in my truck to help me fill my Reliance 5 gallon tanks from a hose bib. The other us used to suck out water from my 5 gallon containers when boondocking it into Ollie. Both of the cut ends of the hoses are beveled 45 degrees to keep them from "sucking down" in the containers. GJ

I've looked at a number of conversations on the mini, on Reddit and other spots. Sweet. Runs on 12v, with mods to the cord. 50gb limit is fine if you just surf the web, do email, etc. Don't count on several movies a night. Download ahead of time. Nice addition to the starlink stable.