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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/10/2020 in Posts

  1. Imagine this. You are traveling a back road, because interstates all look pretty much all alike. The afternoon is getting long and then you see it. An old stone building along the side of a lazy stream. There is a slow turning water wheel making an occasional squeaking and gurgling sound. The trees are just starting to turn to a beautiful range of shades from reds to yellows to oranges. There is a wide flat gravel drive and a grassy area, with picnic tables, next to the stream. Scenes like this, and many others, are available all over this country. The Oliver is built for you to get to enjoy these scenes in comfort. Without plugging in you can have lights, heat, water, a bed, food, and other creature comforts only a few feet behind you as you gaze about to see what this country has to offer. Enjoy...
    6 points
  2. Mike, as your Oliver is one of the early ones, it likely has two 3-way valves instead of the 4 on-off valves of later builds. The is the original (as delivered) valves in our Hull # 050. Maybe this will help trouble shoot your valve positions. This a photo of the later valve layout. They both do the same thing, but the factory altered their manufacturing plan. I removed my manual valves and replaced them with electric ones. Now a flip of a switch takes me from "Normal" to "Auxiliary".
    5 points
  3. Hello, I never owned an RV but I am excited about buying one in the next few years. My wife and I (both in mid 50's) dream about doing the big sky country tour and seeing more of this great nation. I have been obsessively researching RV's for several weeks and I came across these great trailers. Awesome that it is less than three hours drive to the factory! Looking forward to learning from the forum. Safe travels...
    4 points
  4. Glad you've gotten squared away, it would take a very large gennie to run the A/C and the Water Heater. Ours is 3000 watts and it won't do it. I believe you will be fine now. Switch the water heater to propane and everything will be right with the world again.
    2 points
  5. EDIT 12/10/23. Useful link: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6720-natures-head-compost-toilet-troubleshooting-user-guide/ EDIT 06/06/23. This is an Oliver factory installation, not mine. One member has assumed that I did this. There are a number of threads asking about this toilet. I hope we can gather up a lot of the talk here in one place. I think there has been one other installation in an Ollie but there have been NO published pictures of any kind, that I have been able to find, even from the factory. This is baffling to me. I really wanted to cut the dump station umbilical. We routinely dry camp and finding an open station during a busy holiday weekend or off season is not something I want to face. With the NH toilet we can get rid of our grey water with a 3/4 inch garden hose. In many western states it is legal and encouraged to run a hose out to a nearby shrub and let your water trickle into the ground. The black tank, drain plumbing and vent system are all completely retained. The factory folks are extremely reluctant to delete these parts, since they are part of their certification. If you wanted to reinstall a regular toilet, it would be a very minor job. The fresh water line is even in place, next to the wall. You could sell the used NH for $400 and that would pay for the replacement conventional RV toilet, with a lot left over. An RV toilet is less than $200.... I chose to charge the base with coconut coir rather than peat moss, since it is a renewable resource and doesn't damage the environment. https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=coconut+coir I made the mistake of just dropping a dry 2 pound brick into the bottom, adding water and then letting it hydrate. I ended up with WAY too much material. You need to do this in a bucket, outside, and then transfer the expanded stuff into the base, and the leftovers into gallon zip bags. The correct height is even with the internal agitator centerline. Any higher and it becomes difficult to turn with the handle. It takes about two gallons, I did not measure. There are many online sources with info. To summarize: Sit to pee, everybody, so there is no splashing. The trapdoor stays closed and your pee goes forward, and then down into the reservoir. Which you pre-treated with a half cup of vinegar, to kill the odor. That part is easy. To poop, open the trapdoor, finish the job, wipe and close the door. Give the agitator handle two or three turns. The poop and paper will decompose rapidly once the natural process gets going, which may take a few days. The fan keeps a steady flow of fresh air into the reservoir and out of the trailer through the existing roof vent. I never noticed any bad odors except the first days, before I figured out that Oliver had installed the wrong fuse, a 1 amp, which had blown. Once I installed the correct fuse (2 to 5 specified, I used 3 amp), the fan worked as designed. The fuse is located in the main distribution panel under the dinette table, right row, bottom position (UN-labeled!). It is best to put only the absolute minimum amount of RV toilet paper into the base. If you put a lot in, it wraps around the agitator and makes it harder to turn. Only stinky paper goes down - the rest (damp with pee) goes into the small covered waste can to be disposed of weekly. The can came from Walmart, $10 I think. Cleaning is simple: spritz the area lightly with a dilute vinegar spray and wipe down with a disposable baby wipe, toss in can. Done. The residual vinegar and wipes control any odor from the can. The pee tank is big but it will fill up faster than you can believe if you have four people using it! Empty when it gets to within an inch or two from the top: Flip the two side latches, carefully rotate the top off the base, remove the pee bottle and cap it. Dump it in any approved location - a pit toilet or a rest stop restroom. Rinse with fresh water a couple of times and recharge with half a cup of vinegar. Reinstall into the toilet and close and latch the top. The pee will eventually form crusty yellow deposits. The fix, I have read, is to add gravel and water and shake it hard, then rinse several times. In two weeks of use I never noticed any significant deposits. The longer you let the poop decompose the better. If you can leave it over the winter, dump it out in the spring and it will be totally benign. If you need to empty it mid-season, remove the pee bottle and vent hose, unscrew the two hold down knobs and lift out the entire unit. Carry it outside and put a 13 gallon or larger trash bag on top, flip it over and empty the compost. Refill with clean coir to the centerline. There is NO need to clean it out. Any residual material will just help the next batch get started. The organic waste you can double bag and put in the trash, or if fully decomposed, it can be spread out in the woods, but not near a potable water supply or garden. The way to keep the smell in control is to keep the pee out of the main reservoir. It's the urine that makes a pit toilet smell so bad.... If you throw up or have a messy poop, you can add a little more fresh coir to help absorb the extra fluids. I keep a gallon bag of the hydrated stuff in the overheard cabinet (along with a quart of vinegar) and haven't had to add any extra. The fan has a dust filter that is supposed to be checked every few weeks, by removing two Philips screws. I think that is way too often in the clean environment of a fiberglass trailer, unless you have a dog that sheds. You can put your hand over the left (inlet) opening and feel a light suction. If that isn't present, you need to clean the filter. The pee bottle sits in a sealed cavity to catch overflows, This is a problem since when you take a shower, a bunch of fresh water gets trapped there. I intend to drill a couple of small drain holes in the bottom. I don't care if the pee bottle overflows onto the floor of the head, at least that way I will notice it! unless it is dark, and I am barefooted.... that would be bad 😉 This is why you want to empty the tank before it gets too close to the top. Agitator handle: ours fell off right away, the shaft has a set screw with lock nut. It is very easy to tighten correctly. I am not sure why the factory guy couldn't do it successfully. Spares: I intend to purchase a spare pee tank ($40), spare lids, and a fan.I already have extra 3 amp fuses. ... http://store.natureshead.net I intend to wire in a small LED in the wire harness to show that the fan has power. You can probably hear it running, faintly, if you are in a very quiet area and don't have bad tinnitus, as I do. The Nature's Head is a cool device, but it is really just a fancy bucket. A solidly built, very expensive bucket. I wish the price were about $250 instead of $800. That seems about right for what you get. OTH it is very rugged, and long time users seem to love it. My wife still has some reservations about using it, and we need to get a short step stool since it sits so much higher than even a tall toilet. This one might work well, and it might fit in close to the base with a bungee cord around it for travel: .... https://www.squattypotty.com/shop/poop-better/classic-ecco I am still learning, but I have no regrets at this time. Questions? John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  6. Here are some pics of an inexpensive Oliver Elite II, everything is standard, except for the bike hitch, confection oven, LP outside outlets, and power door key lock. That is the stock factory white interior, stand flooring, and seat covers. The dinning table is black grained and goes with this combination very well. Everyone who looks at it says it beautiful, that's even other Oliver owners. Just something for new prospective buyer to think about, of course you won't be keeping up with the Jones, we have to park our trailer somethings way at the back of the camping sites use to be able to camp there. If you camp with utilities and have an iPhone you really don't need to much other stuff, which we do. trainman
    1 point
  7. OK, that one is news to me, it is the first 50 state CARB legal oversized replacement gas tank I have heard of. I sure hope they will make them for more makes and models. This adds a great big star beside the F150 if you want extended range. Thanks for posting that link. Edit: they do show a big replacement tank for Tundras, but it is not California legal. https://www.transferflow.com/shop/product/0800114225 John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  8. FYI the Titan tank is only for diesel F150 models, it is illegal to change out a factory tank to a larger size or add an auxiliary tank to a gas truck because the emissions system is designed and approved only for the factory tank the truck is delivered with. OTH there are places where you can get an aux gas tank installed, regardless of the legalities. For example the Australian Long Ranger tanks (three different sizes, up to 50 gallons extra) are being put in USA spec Land Cruiser 200s. They add a second Aussie vapor canister for the extra tank, extra gauge and transfer switch/ pump and somehow convince themselves and their customers that is not “emissions tampering”. It is very odd that diesel trucks can have modded tanks, but gas trucks cannot, when you consider how much more fuel a gas truck needs for adequate endurance in the boonies. Carrying jerry cans on the back bumper or roof is way more hazardous than carrying extra fuel safely tucked between the frame rails. I just don’t see any sense in the EPA’s logic. John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  9. All great picks. We did the Navigator L for a while and it did a great job - it is the fancy version of the Expedition Max . The L/MAX get a 28 gallon tank and the smaller versions get 23 gallons. The nice thing about an SUV, is your payload is all for payload. With a truck, you have to spend some payload on a cap/tonneau cover first. The only time it didn't feel good is with "M+S rated" all season in a blizzard with high wind. Once I had the actual Blizzak snow tires on, things felt way better. We now pull with a truck as someone _really_ wanted my Navigator. Life has changed for me and I no longer need to go to the airport as much, and then COVID happened so I don't go at all, so we went with a much bigger truck. Upsides for the truck for towing is you don't hear the hitch receiver clanking around, so it's quieter. Also, propane/gasoline runs are less sketchy with a truck bed. Also, while the Oliver is narrow enough that the Navigator mirrors could see past it, I do love the tow mirrors now. Ram's online guide will diverge from the sticker. I haven't towed with the Q7, but we had 2010 Touareg Diesel that turned some of the best towing mileage I have seen (22 mpg with an enclosed car hauler). I think we saw around $30k of warranty work as each computer box on it died over the course of a year - I suspect because the dealer killed the battery at one point and didn't jump it correctly. While on the road, there are a lot more GM/Ford/Chevy dealers than VW group. If it were me and I could wait, I'd look at what a 2021 F150 Ecoboost looks like in terms of payload and price once optioned out the way I want it. Maybe even take a look at the hybrid version. If Titan brings their 40/48 gallon tanks to the 2021, combined with the onboard generator, that'd be pretty appealing.
    1 point
  10. Plenty of places that don't allow gray tank dumping to environment, so to get from gray tank drain to pickup bed bladder is a couple feet of lift. For those spots where I am dragging the oliver up a potholed road, that we want to stay at for maybe two weeks. My camping partner isn't much of a water miser.
    1 point
  11. John, I don't know if you saw this on another post. I too needed the elbow room and started with the standard floor plan. We ended up not liking it and came up with what we call a modified twin. Works great for us. (Before and After Pictures) Andrew
    1 point
  12. Data delay is about 5 min.
    1 point
  13. Thank you all for the input. I am 'that' kind of sleeper, on back, elbows out or above my head and wish to roll over without repositioning. That made up my mind to go with the std king layout. However i like the idea of a queen across the back, sleep E-W and have two seats at the galley/pantry end of the bed. That would require a custom mattress (I think) and a partial centre support (ie: half the table.) I will have to speak with Oliver before I finalize the options. Thanks again, John
    1 point
  14. Thanks John... good info. Mine is an early unit, hull 061. My pluming looks quite a bit different than the pic you've attached. Your point thought about the airlock sounds like a strong possibility as it worked fine before pulling in the bleach and probably some air. I'll check it out, but it will be a few days before I get around to it. Appreciate your suggestions. Mike
    1 point
  15. That is the moisture cover for the failure prone circuit board (igniter circuit) for the standard Suburban HWH. It failed once already a couple of months after delivery. That is a horrible location for it, right under a pressurized water hose, but at least it is easy to access if it fries again .....l I just never got around to moving it to a more logical location ☹️ John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  16. Roughly how up to date is the radar data? I use the free version of the My Radar app and really like it, but the radar delay is around 10 minutes.
    1 point
  17. You may have an airlock in the hose running to the pump. Normally a little air won’t hurt but a lot of air will cause complete loss of suction and pressure. The pump will run flat out and nothing else happens. You need to: Close the valve going to the faucets. Open the valve going back to the tank. That will let the system flow freely, recirculating from tank straight back to tank with no restrictions, and should remove any air in the pump lines in a minute or two. While you are in there, turn off the system and remove your pump strainer/ filter to see if it is plugged with plastic shavings (construction debris). It is just forward of the pump assembly. This is pretty normal at first. One owner found a kink in the suction line to the pump was blocked by those shavings, he had to use a wire object to remove them. Good luck. PS, please add a signature with your hull number, it helps us to understand what systems are installed, since there are evolutionary changes through the years. Also, if you want to easily use those valves, label the direction of flow and where the lines go, like this (Hull 218) - yours might be different. I am a little surprised that they don’t do this at the factory. John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  18. Our T105's are almost 5 years old and still very strong. I did not purchase the hydrolink, it is no problem pulling the fill covers and checking the water levels. In all of my years dealing with very large battery system, I saw problems with hydrolink systems not maintaining the correct water level in wet cell batteries. If you pull the covers and check the water level and keep it adjusted to the proper level the batteries will last a long time.
    1 point
  19. After 3 years, I have learned something again. The AC is still running on gennie. I would have eventually figured it out. I check fuses, breakers, turned water pump off and completely forgot about water heater. Thanks for being there ScubaRx and Overland!
    1 point
  20. Scubarx,I just turned the water heater off. It seems that was the trick. The AC is now working. Been running for 3 minutes straight. So, I guess I never in consideration the water heater used that much juice. That may have been the answer. It is still running. I will update in a few.
    1 point
  21. You're overloading the generator it appears. That will shut off the electricity coming in (without killing the generator.) Make sure your water heater is not on electric. Check your generator for an overload indicator or reset switch.
    1 point
  22. How to inspect and clean the TWO vent air filters. Yes, there are two, one at each side opening. It is really easy if you do this when the toilet is removed for servicing and cleaning. I set mine on a workbench for easy viewing. Front exhaust filter. Remove the two housing machine screws and lower the unit onto the nearest star wheel arm to support the delicate fan wires. Remove the two fan screws and carefully pry the fan and filter away from the rubber gasket. Leave the gasket undisturbed. Seperate the fan from the filter. Blow off the accumulated dust from the filter and the fan blades (hold the fan with a finger so it does not spin). Reassemble. My filter was visually clogged with fine coconut coir dust but it was still pulling air. Note: if you keep the coir moist with fresh water from the sink sprayer, it reduces the amount of fine particles that might get sucked into the exhaust fan when the wheel is rotated. If it is allowed to dry out (turns a very light brown color on top) it will send lots of dust into the filter. Rear inlet filter. Remove the housing and then the filter, clean and reinstall. This filter was barely dirty. This was the first time I have cleaned these in 18 months. The manufacturer recommends to check them every two weeks. LOL.... I think annually is fine, unless you have really fluffy dogs that shed. After cleaning the fan did move more air. It is really important to keep positive flow of air through the toilet for it to function well. John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
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