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Actual usage data to follow - Wow, we love our Chill Cube (and inverter/battery and DC-DC charger setup)! We left yesterday for a short trip to Walnut Canyon, just east of Flagstaff. With batteries fully charged overnight, I unplugged in the morning, packed the truck, and set the Chill Cube temp down to 73. I did so because we had pickleball from 2-4 PM, the Oliver with us ready, and our dog Charley would be in the Oliver while we played in the heat of the afternoon. We stopped for fuel and a snack (cabin nicely cool) and didn't make it to our boondocking location because of the very heavy monsoon rains in Flagstaff. We spent the night at Cracker Barrel, LOL! 🤣 (Can't drive down FS dirt roads in these rains as it's getting dark!) Checked battery SOC at 7 PM and it was 98%! We used net 20 Ah all day! Sun early in the day, cloudy later. We always have our Orion 50A DC-DC charger connected when towing. I figure it added approx 90 Ah while towing. So the Chill cube cooled all day using only 120 Ah, outside temps mid-80s. BTW, absorption fridge on DC all day too so this number could be less. The heavy rains made the cabin quite humid at 68% RH. Had our first experience with a leaky window (towing 70 MPH through monsoon rains). Thankfully only the dinette window leaked, beds dry. I switched the Chill Cube to DRY mode. Dog water bowl also spilled while towing. It rained until 10 PM while the Chill Cube dropped RH about 15% in the next couple hours, making it very comfortable to sleep. The DRY mode also made the cabin COLD overnight as it kept drying/cooling several degrees under the set temp (thermostat control issues common with many A/C models). Turned it off when I woke middle of the night. Cooked indoors powering the broiler in the Emeril. We'll be away 4 overnights and should be able to run the A/C on battery every afternoon into the evenings! 😎

When I entered John's Oliver, I was interested in seeing some of the modifications he has made. First I wanted to see his electrical area under the aft dinette seat, as I am trying to learn how to find specific parts. Then I checked out the air fryer (where a microwave used to be) and his controls (mostly different due to the age of his unit, but also because he has changed out a lot of the systems.) It was probably 10 minutes later when I looked up and commented on how shallow the Chill Cub air conditioner was -- almost flush with the ceiling, making a sleek surface. What I did NOT notice was that it was turned on. I couldn't hear it at all. He lowered the setting to make it blast and I believe my impression was that the noise was less than 30% of the noise of my Dometic. I rarely run my AC, mostly because it hurts my ears. On the outside, it's boxy. But on the inside, all I can say is "Wow".

We picked up our trailer at 11:30a and were at Great Sand Dunes National Park by 7p. It was a whirlwind, and for the first time ever we saw another Oliver at the same place We head out again this weekend for more Colorado adventures. Actually spent the past month getting better acquainted with our “Oscar.” Art and Beth

Staying here at Glacial Lakes State Park as campground hosts for the month of July has had me researching how to deal with all of the various annoying flying critters here. Minnesota is called “the land of 10,000 lakes” and humorously “and 10 million mosquitoes”. (I think that’s a low estimate between you and me…) Last year, the park manager told me that this time of year, flies are the bigger nuisance. She was right. We put if a cheapo screen house to sit in (when it’s not 95F of course) but when you’re walking, the deer flies have you at their mercy. The familiar stinky traps don’t attract deer flies, just “filth flies” (house flies). Have one up anyway and have harvested many thousands of those pests. A disposable trap fills up in about three days(!) A little research told me that deer flies go after moving targets, and go for your head or the highest point of whatever critter they’re annoying. I also read that they’re attracted to the color blue. I found a few articles - typically on equestrian sites - that told how to “troll” for deer flies using blue Solo cups and a sticky goo like “Tangle trap”. I used to use the stuff in my garden, so I was familiar with it. Amazon conveniently has a vendor selling a kit with the blue Solo cups and the sticky stuff. Since I couldn’t find any in the local hardware stores or Walmart, I bought the kit. I tried it out by painting the outside of one of the blue cups with the goo and taping the cup - upside-down - to my side view mirror. I took a slow drive through the campground and was shocked at how many deer flies I caught in just 5 or 10 minutes. I discovered that the flies attack - and stick to - the BACK surface of the cup. (Hitting their target from behind) So the next time I tried trolling, I put a cup on each mirror and only put the goo on the back side. Well, as I’ve rambled quite enough, so I’ll show you the pics of my 2-ton deer fly trap and the results. Now - if I could just find a way to ruin 10,000 mosquitoes’ day - I’ll be a very happy camper! (Here’s the kit if you want to make your own fly trap: https://a.co/d/00v6uY1Q ) ps - yes, I did get several quizzical looks as I drive through the campground with blue Solo cups taped to my mirrors….

Welp, after first talking to Anita in 2021 and putting maybe 30k miles on the microminnie we ended up with, we paid for an X23 build slot today. We live in SETX and have been scheming for an Oliver for a while now. Did the factory tour 2 years ago. We should be taking delivery during our annual trip to Tenn. to see family. Decided to skip thr solar awning -- spider sense tells me we'd break it somehow. We'll catch flack, but we'll be using our 3rd gen Tacoma as a TV for a good while. No plans for mountains, and when we do we'll get a full-size. We live in SETX, and it is _flat_ here.

@Boudicca908 I just noticed something else in the picture above. Notice the shackle dropped and is in the wrong position. After you left here and drove over a step or bump in the road, it likely gave a big thump and reset itself. If it is still dropped this way, driving on and angle slowly over a curb, should return it to correct position. Or it may have reset itself after we mounted the rims and lowered the hull. This happened to my old springs too. When you upgrade to Alcan Springs it won't ever do that again. They are too stiff to allow the axle to drop this way. See my Alcan picture for correct shackle orientation.

His first time camping.

Best gift ever! Some of my greatest memories were out camping with my folks and grandparents in our “swanky” Sears and Roebuck canvas tent. Oh if they could see me now…🤣

Spotted this Oliver Northbound on I-5 in Everett WA Based upon the location of the SAT antenna and type of battery doors, looks like an earlier unit. Hope they are having a fun summer.

It's been a full year for us now. Last fall cancelled some trips because we were considering selling our house and needed to finish several things before putting it on the market, then my knee finally went caput. Operation in late February for replacement, recovery is going well but can only walk or light hike for about 3-4 miles without straining things and making it worse. The good news is I can bike much better and have racked up about 240+ miles in the last few months of light to moderate mountain biking. So with this situation no solo trips or the two of us traveling to the SW and other places. Glacier is not an option currently but might head to YNP later in the summer or early autumn if things keep improving. Old age is not what it's cracked up to be. Not for sissy's.

Great job Jason and Aaron!

Since you had the latch pinned, I would assume that the issue was caused by the wire part that connected from the latch to the collar. I don't see how that collar can slide back allowing the coupler to open without some type of deformation to, or disconnection of, that wire. Let us know what Bulldog tells you.

Greetings to the Oliver I saw parked at the Ridley’s parking lot in Pinedale! I think you are from Louisiana — but there’s no mistaking your Oliver! “Our Escape Pod”!

Greetings! Has anyone ever tried using "quick connects" on your city and fresh water inlets? It seems it would make things a bit easier if you are moving campsites regularly. I think it would be straight forward on the city water inlet but there might be a problem on the fresh water inlet. I have noticed that after filling the fresh water there seems to be water that flows out after I disconnect the hose. Is that water that from the fill tube into the holding tank. Would that cause any siphoning effect of the fresh water if the rubber plug was not re-inserted? I use stainless steel quick connections from McKillans on my power washer. They make an amazing product. I was wondering if their garden hose quick connects might work on the Oliver water inlets. Thoughts? Carl

I posted this back in 2018 but was reminded of this again this morning. While disconnecting my hose I noticed my city water female hose connection fitting was loose. The picture below shows the fitting after I removed the strainer/ washer. You need to carry a 1/2 inch hex key (Allen wrench) or you’ll have to use a bolt with a head that fits a 1/2 inch wrench. Just snug this fitting up after removing the strainer/washer. Be sure to replace the strainer/washer after tightening the fitting. Here is the post that I made about this back in 2018. Just disregard the threadjacking in the middle of the original thread.