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  1. I will check the temps of my positive terminals right before I swap them out with new batteries. Not sure having them “on” during the trip from storage to our driveway will show much. My new batteries have shipped and they will be installed before our next trip. I’m just not comfortable with the overheating/fire risk to keep using them. Mike
    4 points
  2. The shorter your jacks, the more stable your trailer will be. We use the round Andersen Jack Stands. The Jack Stands reduce the jack extension by approximately 7"+.
    2 points
  3. “Battle Burn” 🔥 C/A questionnaire. If this link is accurate it would appear the class action sharks smell blood and are circling in the water. If only BB would have just come clean and owned the issue(s) from the beginning I think things would be different. It appears they decided not to and opted to just gaslight or manipulate owners into thinking there is nothing to see here. It falls into my bucket of; you maybe able to fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. IMHO, whether BB owns up or not this could continue to be a very costly miscalculation on their behalf. IF the attached C/A sign up is true and accurate, it appears they are looking at 2022 to present YM 100 AH batts as listed. This more than likely a vetting process to see if there are enough claims to even move forward. One thing is for sure, if there is no money to be made the sharks will drop this process like a hot rock and move on. Most class actions can take years to settle. It will be interesting to see how this all turns out. https://forms.classactionu.org/253644899937884
    2 points
  4. Good call @jd1923 on the Amp Meter Clamp. @Rolind - @John E Davies suggested this one in 2021. I also have it and it works fantastic for checking the brake wires going into the assemblies. I've used it a good bit tracking down bad brake wires on my rig. It helped me get and confirm my voltage was at 2.99v on each of the passenger side brakes, the farthest from the wire bundle on the driver's side behind the tires. Amazon: UNI-T UT210e Digital Clamp Meter AC DC Amp Meter Clamp Multimeter True RMS 2000 Counts Voltmeter Continuity Tester Capacitor HVAC Tool Multi Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBMKLL5H?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 Davies Post is here:
    2 points
  5. We have our original three Lithionics batteries for a total of 390 AH, and are considering an upgrade to two 320 AH Lithionics batteries (640 AH total). We have been camping with the 390 set up since 2021 and usually use about 10% of the charge per day when we are dry camping. For those of you who have upgraded from 390 to 640, do you think it was worth it in terms of extending your time off grid? Thanks for your input!
    1 point
  6. Bob, see page two of my upgrade post, when I went from 600 to 900 Ah. You'd have to remove the tray but I figured out a way to tie everything down nicely and lock into place! It didn't budge in the 920 miles we just put on to Sierra Vista/Bisbee and 8 days boondocking on several dirt roads. I've never priced Lithionics, but guessing 900 in Epoch is < money, though I'm NOT trying to change your brand preference. Epoch will offer 10-15% OFF again soon (4-5 times a year), so don't let them fool you with the 5% off they had going recently. If interested, get on their emailing list. Best wishes in your upgrade. Yeah, go for it!
    1 point
  7. We went from lead acid to 600 Ah 1 1/2 years ago. Different brand name which doesn’t matter. Large Ah capacity is great! Based on your numbers, we use much more electric than you do. In simple numbers, your proposed upgrade will give you 64% greater capacity (640/390)! What was 10%/day would be 6% per day with this upgrade! (390/10/640=6%) Having more is never an issue. Not having enough would can be! We just upgraded to 900 Ah, wanting to run our new extremely efficient Furrion Chill Cube A/C on inverter! I want to Boondock in AZ, not dead of summer, but running A/C for say 3 hours late afternoon each day. I figure we can do that for a week on 900 Ah! We did one 8-day trip. Left home at 80% SOC, came home just over 50% (we also have DC2DC charger). Chris worries when SOC is down in the 50s. I’ve learned not to. During our trip I told her, 50% of 900 is the same as 75% of 600 Ah! Just think we have 75%! 😎
    1 point
  8. When parking our Elite II on a crowned roadway, we use camper levelers for the jack, like those available through the link below, but upside down. We put the curved side down, with the larger end toward the curb, to create a fairly level platform for the jack. Ours came as a set of two. We use one red/black pair to raise one wheel on the curb side, and the other pair, inverted, under the jack on that side. https://www.lowes.com/pd/VEVOR-Camper-Levelers-2-Pcs-RV-Leveling-Blocks-up-to-8818-5lbs-Camper-Wheel-Chocks-Max-4in-Leveling-Height-Heavy-Duty-Curved-Levelers-RV-Camper-Leveler-Kit-with-Anti-Slip-Mat-Carrying-Bag-Level/7519497 The Snap Pads increase the surface area of the jack foot plate, so it is less likely to slip off a support block.
    1 point
  9. According to AI as of 2pm 2-12-2026 There is not an active, certified class-action lawsuit against Battle Born Batteries at this time, but a class-action lawsuit investigation is underway due to reported issues with overheating battery terminals. If you own Battle Born batteries, a survey has been circulating to gather information for the class action lawsuit investigation. Key Issues Under Investigation The potential lawsuit stems from a reported design flaw in certain Battle Born battery models (specifically 12V, 100Ah, and potentially the GC2 models) where the positive terminal can overheat significantly during charging or under load. Design Flaw: The positive terminal design is alleged to be problematic, with plastic isolating the terminal post from the busbars, forcing all current through a single aluminum bolt and nut. This can lead to the nut loosening, the plastic melting, and dangerous temperatures. Safety Concerns: Temperatures at the terminal have been reported to exceed 250°F (120°C), posing fire and burn hazards. Company Response: Battle Born Batteries (parent company Dragonfly Energy) has stated the terminal melting is an intentional "thermal failsafe" feature designed to prevent heat from reaching the internal cells in cases of misuse or improper installation. Warranty Issues: Some customers report that warranty claims related to these issues have been denied, which critics argue is contributing to the call for legal action. For potential claimants, industry experts and consumers on forums suggest: Checking the temperature of your battery's positive terminal under load using a temperature gun. Contacting the law firms conducting the investigation, whose information can be found through resources like the survey link mentioned in the search results.
    1 point
  10. I’ve ordered my new Epoch 300aH batteries. When we, @mountainoliver and I, did my upgrade from AGM’s to the Battle Borns, we also recabled everything so that like John, I have one red cable and one black cable in the battery box. My Battle Borns are just over 5 years old. I’ll keep them for a while as this Dragon Fly crisis progresses. Mike
    1 point
  11. We, too, level and raise our Hull #1291 (2022) with the jacks. But, we always use support blocks for two reasons: (1) to avoid jack damage if we forget to raise the jacks before driving off and (2) to shorten jack travel distance. See photo below of one of our three support blocks in place under the front jack. Since that photo was taken, we have added Snap Pads, as recommended by Patriot, above. We like 'em. One caution: ensure that the jack foot is placed on level ground, or the foot plate can be bent, requiring replacement. If using the jack on a slope (such as on the side of significantly crowned roadway), place tapered levelers under the jack foot to provide a level platform. Don't ask me how I know...
    1 point
  12. Here’s a blog post we wrote showing the installation of snap pads on our 2019 back in 2020. It is so easy! Blog with installation video
    1 point
  13. Just more bla bla bla…when I read garbage generic responses like this I want to 🤮, the CEO’s coffee maker probably pulled this letter from their 10yo archives! Why not own up to the fact their batteries have an issue, or at least come back with a something /video some explanation that makes sense to people that have more than 2 brain cells why Will Prowse, and btw Lithionics who called them out for same issues year ago, are taking too much kool aid!
    1 point
  14. @ripple963 Consider a set of these for your new Oliver. We installed snap pads on delivery day and they have served us well. It advertises for a 2023 OLE2. Oliver has not changed the size of the leveler base plate to my knowledge. Keep in mind you will only need 3 snap pads. You could inquire with the company and see if they would sell you a 3 pack. Congrats on your new Olive and welcome to the fourm! https://rvsnappad.com/products/mini-6-4-pack?_gl=1*1v0inyc*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiAkbbMBhB2EiwANbxtbResXJ2E1axK6bHy80zoefux8nAjJbXwQ8Ok6W8Kv_TmK9BnMxXnMBoC3EkQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADD4zBgubd1W_JWGft8lx6EV5EltU
    1 point
  15. @ripple963 welcome to this awesome group of members. Like others have mentioned, I also use my jacks to level my 2016 Elite II. However, a few things maybe not mentioned here. I have already replaced the old Lithium grease in both of my Jacks in early 2023. So with 7 years of use, the original grease was indeed getting a bit dry or stiff. I think I got them just in time. Greasing jacks is also in the Oliver University video library. Put that on your long-term maintenance schedule. You should not need to worry about that until at least 2031/2032. Wow that seems futuristic to type. Anywho.... I'm always worried about bending a jack foot (round plate), so I always keep small, thin oak blocks in my truck in order to level out any blocking I use for my jacks - also good for leveling outside tables for cooking. We don't always get to be on nice level ground. And yes, like others, as long as Oliver does not change the jack models, I completely lift my Ollie off the ground for maintenance. I ONLY do this on completely level concrete/pavement if I can. As mentioned, I also use lots of good blocking so the jacks do not need to lower much. This reduces wear and the jacks do not rock back & forth nearly as much, making for a VERY stable camper. Good for normal camping and maintenance. SAFETY FIRST though. We all likely use additional jack stands when doing bearing/hub/brake maintenance. I will be putting on new leaf springs soonest and will have the camper jacked up for that too. I go slow when lifting the trailer, stopping for a moment in hopes of not blowing a fuse or other gear wear. Once you have your rig, add to your spare parts list the proper slow-blow fuse for the jacks. I think these days they wire all three fuses next to each other under one of the bunks. My rear fuses are near each jack. I have never found the front jack fuse if there is one in my hull. My used Ollie came with a nice aftermarket front jack and the fuse is outside with the jack. I have a new borescope camera now, I should look harder for the inner front jack fuse. LOL Good luck and keep using these forums.
    1 point
  16. Preview for Oliver friends: Since we're between trips with Hull 505, we decided to try out some ai song creation tools and do a road log video. This is the link below is to our page which includes the lyrics for the video shown below: Blog Article with Video and Lyrics Craig & Rose Video from our website below: Oliver 505 640 - SD 480p.mov
    1 point
  17. JD: your battery bay sure looks a lot simpler with your new batteries! Also like the cross strapping idea. GJ
    1 point
  18. We do use them for leveling and have done so since our first Oliver bought back I early 2008. Advice: Chock the tires fore and aft, then unhook the trailer and move the truck. Raise/Lower the front jack first to get the trailer level front to rear. If the trailer is not level side to side, use the jack to raise the low side to level. Then lower the opposite side to stabilize it. Make sure you place a block between the jack foot and the ground. That way when you forget to raise them before driving away, you won’t ruin $1200 worth of jacks. Routinely check the bolt that holds the foot plate to the inner jack tube. If this bolt works loose, you will lose the foot plate that will cost you close to $40 to replace.
    1 point
  19. Amazing. Just amazing. Have been to more than a few of the sites in the video, hope to do more. God willing. GJ
    1 point
  20. This thread has evolved into an incredible resource thanks to everyone's input. It’s worth remembering that none of us are affiliated with or endorsed by Battle Born. If a product fails to live up to the marketing hype, we have to prioritize the safety of our families and move on. We can only hope that BB management find their own way out of this. While the name 'Battle Born' implies strength and integrity, corporate marketing doesn't always align with the reality of the consumer experience. The best approach is to listen to those doing the real-world research and keep sharing what we learn. We won’t always have all the answers, but as a close-knit team, we’re much safer and more successful together. Keep the great info coming, Oliver family!
    1 point
  21. We have never used the remote. The Oliver is not that big, and it feels like more work to get the remote and point it in the right direction than just stand up, take 1-2 steps, and use the panel.
    1 point
  22. BB Owners: The above thread has some safety precatutions to think about taking if still using your BB's. They appear to be: Individually inspect and test your BB's as presented by Will P. Also inspect the BB terminals and ALL 4/0 cable lugs with an IR gun or IR camers to visually as suggested above. Only charge your BB's if you are present and can check in on them periodically. Don't use excessively high charge currents. My limit is 60 amps for three BB's. Install the temperature sensor that came with your 712 Smart. Place a rate of heat rise detector in your battery box. From AI: For an RV lithium battery storage box, a Rate-of-Rise (ROR) Heat Detector is generally recommended over a standard smoke detector. Because lithium battery failures often involve rapid overheating (thermal runaway) rather than immediate, thick smoke, ROR detectors provide faster, more reliable alerts by triggering when the temperature spikes quickly, minimizing nuisance alarms from dust or minor temperature fluctuations GJ
    1 point
  23. With all the cautions mentioned above, I do what others have mentioned. Get the trailer close to level using lifts or blocks under the wheels, if needed, and then use the jacks the last few inches to make the trailer level. The jacks are pretty robust and seem to lift and support the trailer without problem. Having said that, I also highly recommend the use of blocks under the lifts to reduce the amount they have to extend. I read this forum weekly if not daily and find it a valuable resource of information for owning, using and enjoying your Oliver.
    1 point
  24. Yes to both. I used one to change a tire. After I level, I have used one rear jack to tweak a side.
    1 point
  25. We use ours for leveling all the time, have for the last 10 years. I’ve also used them to change tires. As Bill mentioned, this has been discussed a lot here, if you want more data do a search and you’ll find lots of opinions! Mike
    1 point
  26. ripple963 - First - Welcome to the Forum. There is a TON of information here and it is amazing what one can learn by simply "poking around". There is also the Oliver University where you can find videos and help on all sorts of things involving your Ollie. Please do not hesitate to contribute to the Forum with your own ideas, mods and travel experience - pictures are especially welcome (they to say 1,000 words). Second - You can use the "search" function to find previous "threads" that just might help with what you are looking for. Unfortunately, our search function is not what one might call "the best" and there have been posts here over the past few days regarding ways that you can use to help refine your search and to actually speed up that search. Third - Your question - there are numerous threads on the Forum regarding this very question. There was a time a number of years ago when Oliver actually noted that our jacks could be used for both stabilizing and leveling - and - jacking one side of the scamper in order to change a tire! However, due to a number of "issues" over the years, Oliver now only recommends the jacks be used for stabilization. Having said this, there are many of us who still use the jacks for all things even to include tires changes/bearing service, etc.. Please note here that if you are inclined to use your jacks for purposes other than those recommended by Oliver, you do so at your own risk and should take ALL of the proper precautions in order to protect yourself (and others) from all relevant risks similar to what you do when jacking a car/truck wheel off the ground. If you intend to do this then I'd highly recommend that you read everything that you can find here on the Forum so that you are aware of how to do this properly without damage to your new Oliver and/or the people near you. Forth - Congrats on the new Oliver! The longer you live with this camper the more friendly it becomes. Bill
    1 point
  27. Given the known failures, if Battleborn was to provide you with new batteries under warranty at no additional cost, would you install replacement Battleborn batteries in your special Oliver? Here's another example from a full-timer and YouTuber =>
    1 point
  28. Not kidding, just stating that each 300 Ah Essential can take 200A in or out but of course when you run multiple units in parallel, agreed there would be other limiting factors. For example, the Victron MP2 can only charge 120A and requires a 400A fuse which is the max DC in it can invert! As mentioned before, you’d have the run the A/C, microwave and more to hit that limit. As you pointed out, same 400A limit on the 4/0 wire. There are at least a half dozen Oliver owners that have made this purchase, at this price point, two more with Ken and soon Mike. But don’t spend $2400, wait for the 15% off. I think it’s worth it. I spent $1800 on 600 Ah summer 2024 and $1,020 for the 3rd Epoch 300 during Black Friday sales. So my 900 Ah total is$2,820. Isn’t that close to the cost of three 100 Ah Battleborns for 3x the Ah?
    1 point
  29. And yet more potential bad news for BB. They better get a handle on this or they may have some rough times ahead - true or not. Will's latest YT video "Battleborn 270Ah Failure! Yikes!" has been up for 1 day and viewed more than 87,000 times. 🤦‍♂️ Looking from the outside in, it appears BB may indeed have an engineering issue on their hands. I think Will was a bit shocked at how the 270Ah was constructed. Not sure why BB chose to completely seal the batteries without screws. Maybe to save money and/or safety. Who knows. This situation, if true, is cyclical - not the first time, and not the last time, as long as we roam the Earth we'll see this stuff. Experience should have taught us that we seldom get a "good deal" for less money spent. I think that's now a law, isn't it? If so, I can't stand that law. 🤣 The best thing to take away from all this social media is, at least, awareness. As I recently discovered my girlfriends very dry lead acid battery about to explode from heat, this is a bit close to home for me. I nearly burned my hand on the battery plastic housing, it was that bad. It's always a good idea to carry a digital thermometer or even a thermal imager for your phone. I was going to be adding a thermal imager to my gear soon, even before these vids started showing up. I might drag my butt out to Texas for five weeks of RV tech training after retirement. We'll see if I have the continued inspiration.
    1 point
  30. I am going to go against the grain of this topic and ask 'who on this forum has experienced any problem with the Battle Born batteries'? The only BB failure that I am aware of on this forum was 1 of 4 BB's Overland installed is his LE2. I purchased 3 BB batteries in 2021, in part because of Will Prowse's review's and I have not experienced any problems as of today. I did have a conversation with the BB company representatives at the 2026 RV Super Show in Tampa this month and my takeaways from that conversation were: 1- the so called defect is a designed failure point. 2- is Will Prowse a Electrical Engineer? 3- how many batteries has Will Prowse designed, built and manufactured? 4- this all came about after Will Prowse's monetary involvement with Battle Born ceased. 5- I think Will Prowse's job title is ‘influencer' and his influence was a major contributor to my decision to purchase and install 3 Battle Born batteries in our Oliver Travel Trailer. Mossey
    1 point
  31. Rolind - Another possibility is that there is a short in the brake wiring. Several owners have noted wiring issues with the brake wires that are run inside the axle. I'd guess that the RV tech didn't check this and even if he did there is no certain way of checking this without pulling those wires out of the axle. Having said this - your Ollie is relatively new compared to those (that I'm aware of) that have had this issue. But, it is one more thing to be aware of. Bill
    1 point
  32. The mobile rv tech came by yesterday and was very helpful. He pulled the tire and drums and the brakes looked great. Little pad wear no rust, dirt, rocks or extra parts. Bearings are fine. He had no explanation for why the brakes would temporarily lock up. He suggested that perhaps there was a ply failure that resulted in a bleb that then resulted in increased wear. I think this is possible but hard to imagine occurring in the center of the tread. I am happy the brakes are ok but I suppose time will tell. I will be lowering my tire pressures as per JDs suggestion. I am not sure pressure had anything to do will our recent tire failure but lower pressures certainly seem to make good sense given the trailers weight. Thanks to everyone who posted advice.
    1 point
  33. A locked wheel could burn down a flat spot like that in just a few miles. @topgun2 Bill was correct in noticing from the picture that you're running too much tire pressure and so is anybody running over 50 PSI in an LE2, PERIOD! Unless you have D52 axles and HD springs providing a 10K LB platform and you've added upgrades and tools, every possible Oliver cabinet packed full, so your Oliver is up to 8000-9000 LBS. I know one owner that fits this description, but most of us carry under the 7K GTWR. I'm posting this table for the 4th time on this forum. These are the tires we have, but tire makes are all about the same. What's important is the tire size you're running and the weight you're carrying. Sure go 5 PSI over, but 10-15 PSI over effects the trailer ride and will over time deliver unnecessary stress and strain to your trailer suspension and all components. 65 PSI on our four LT225/75R16 tires carries 4x 2,620 LBS for 10,480 LBS GTW! 55 PSI on our four LT225/75R16 tires carries 4x 2,290 LBS for 9,160 LBS GTW! 45 PSI on our four LT225/75R16 tires carries 4x 1,950 LBS for 7,800 LBS GTW! @John E Davies towed his Oliver for years at 42 PSI, I fill up to 46 PSI, and filling over 50 PSI is ignoring the science for superstition!
    1 point
  34. The only thing that I can think of is that something got jammed in the brakes which either made that single brake lock in the "on" position or that something was like a stone that jammed the brake very tight to the drum on that one brake. Then as you backed up the trailer - probably into the camping spot - whatever was jammed became released thus causing everything to return to normal. I assume that your mobile tech will check the brake wiring, the magnet and all other parts of the brake (at least on that wheel) plus the bearings, etc.. What pressure do you run in your tires? I ask because the worn spot is directly in the center of the tire as opposed to being spread out. This might indicate that your pressures are too high. Also, can you tell us what TPMS system you are using and what your "high" temperature limit is set at? I would have thought that the temps should have reached a high enough level to trigger the TPMS unless (of course) the wheel wasn't really "locked up" all that long. Bill p.s. glad that other than the cost of the tire and the mobile tech that everyone is OK.
    1 point
  35. In all of my electrical upgrades, I went with NO physical monitors that would be wall-mounted in the Oliver. I like the cleaner look without and I LOVE the Bluetooth apps! 😎 I do have one of those sensors that came with the Victron shunt which I have in a box of extra parts. We have Epoch Essentials 300 Ah, ran two for 600 Ah last 18 months. Installing this week a 3rd 300. Given all this news, I will place a Ruuvi sensor there to measure heat for a while, but with 900 Ah I'd have to run our A/C, our Air Fryer and run a power cord to another RV to run their A/C to get anywhere the 600A of continuous power (2x for peak use) the spec of these batteries. 3x the 100 Ah Battleborns vs. 3x 300 Ah Epoch? 300 vs. 900 Ahs, we live in different worlds.
    1 point
  36. Hey John, pretty sure you have the BMV712, if yes it has a connection/terminal on the shunt to connect an external temp sensor, like THIS Victron temp sensor.
    1 point
  37. 0 points
  38. We found an extra brake backer plate nut loose inside one of our wheels. It would randomly get caught up in the brake assembly, emitting a terrible screech. Could be hard to notice because it would stick to the magnet.
    0 points
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