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Here are the floor plans from the 2016 Elite Brochure.

Here are a couple of useful tools to track wildfires and the nasty smoke they generate. Windy for Android and IOS. https://windy.app/ Many layers, the base one is wind direction and strength, you can show all sorts of extra info like Air Quality, the cool thing is that it will predict four days into the future and you can play the video to watch the smoke move. So you can plan a move, or get out the HEPA filter and crank it up to High. This is what the AQ in my area will look like in 24 hours. Fire Mappers. This is just one of several wildfire maps. https://napsg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6dc469279760492d802c7ba6db45ff0e&extent=-13924858.7766%2C5724880.0296%2C-12970924.6636%2C6317419.8728%2C102100 Here is a big one along the CA / OR border. It shows the perimeter and also “hot spots” which are thermal readings from space. Clicking on the fire brings you a pop up with info on size and % containment. In addition that site has locally produced fire maps with evacuation routes and road closures, and other useful links. Stay safe. Washington suffered over the Labor Day weekend with more acreage burned (330,000) than in the previous 12 entire fire seasons combined. Hurricane strength winds did not help, all fire fighting airplanes were grounded due to smoke and impenetrable dust. Here is what the west coast will look like Sunday..... Oh my..... John Davies Spokane WA

We changed our cushions and covers. I still have the original tan cushions but went with a dark blue sunbrella material a couple of years ago.

Here you go! I have found the generator or cargo box extremely useful. I am very happy we added it as an option.

The 2200 will run the A/C as long as you have an "Easy-Start" type device wired to your air conditioner. Bill

We had an error on our Truma this AM after changing it from ECO mode to COMFORT mode. The remote was flashing. I checked the external LED and confirmed the message to be the Truma circulation pump not having sufficient water, no prime. We are using our fresh water tank at this campground. It didn’t take long to realize that after I had sanitized the fresh tank, which requires bypassing the Truma, that I hadn’t turned it back on. We hadn’t used any hot water since arriving so hadn’t noticed. We turned the valve to inline and heard the water fill the Truma, but shortly after cycling the outside and remote switches we still flashed in COMFORT mode. I was puzzled for a bit, but the error was the same sssllsll indicating the Truma circulation pump had insufficient water aka prime. I then bled the kitchen hot faucet and had spurts of air and then steady flow. I recycled the outside and remote switches and we were back in business. I believe the Truma didn’t flash in ECO mode because there was water in the unit.

Just stirring the pot. I usually open mine for air whenever draining. Truma does call it a "Test Lever"

BillGHON, Search for and reach out to Elite owner DonnaDuane. He is a skier also and I believe he has done a fair bit of winter camping while skiing. Mossey

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

Hello All, We are honored to be a supplier of Li-ion batteries for Oliver Travel Trailers. My purpose on the forum is to offer you the best customer service and support. If you have any questions let me know how I can help. Larry Crutcher, GM LiFeBlue Battery sales@lifebluebattery.com (920) LiFePO4 (920) 543-3764

We've owned two Airstreams, but next time it will be something different. I am starting the search early since I want to buy something in a couple years. Really impressed with the Oliver's in the videos I've watched. Came here to learn more.

Grays and browns...blah! JMHO, but still would love to see dark blues or green. The white could use some color. Why is it that most RV manufacturers go with black, gray, and brown for the cushions? Some might even choose a happy red for interior. Again, JMHO.

Hello George, Here's a link to the data sheet on the LiFeBlue Battery website: http://www.lifebluebattery.com/ewExternalFiles/LB12200-HCLT Data Sheet.pdf The low temperature battery was introduced about 1-1/2 years ago. It is the same as our standard 200AH except it has the heater circuit. The latest version, and the one that OTT uses, is model LB12200D-LT. This version has an RS-485 data port built in for programming and future use. We have been selling our batteries for about 4 years now. Our OEM is Shenzhen Topband Battery Co. and they design and manufacturer our cells and custom BMS. Topband has developed Li-ion batteries for over 13 years. They have worked with us to consistently improve our battery features and quality. You can learn more about our manufacturer in the attached video.

Now that is just lovely!! Wonderful change.

I really like this format, especially the condensed view, on my phone. 😀

Thanks, John.

In ECO mode the circulation pump, and burner, won't come on unless the internal temperature is below 41degrees. In Comfort mode the threshold is 102 so what you experienced could be normal operation under the circumstances.

One of the things I was told during delivery was to bleed the air out of the Truma when starting it up the first time after being drained. I think that the small reservoir in the unit won’t fill properly unless you open a faucet to let the air escape. The easiest way to do it is to use the pressure valve on the unit itself. I’ve gotten into the habit of releasing the valve for a second whenever I turn on the outside switch, just to make sure. You should probably test that valve once a year anyway, just to make sure that it’s working.

Your title probably would draw more interest if it had the number 50 in it 😉. I'm guessing that the answer to your question is multi-faceted. Many times these things are in the eye of the beholder. And, or course it can be argued that black, grey, and brown do not show the dirt as fast as many other colors. However, with the Olivers it is so easy to decorate with just about any colors you want. Even the cushions are easily changed if that is your desire. Bill

I think the ASI is what Oliver recommends now, which makes me think that's what they used on the window that yellowed so badly. In the past, they used 3M 4200FC, which is a polyurethane based sealant and never seemed to cause any problems. The 4000UV is supposed to have much better UV protection than the 4200FC, so I'm hoping that it will be both problem free like the 4200, but as long lasting as the ASI.

I do see that Oliver offers an upgrade now for 2 6v agm batteries. Hopefully, that was true in the 2017, also. This reminded me of some very old posts, where early owners modified the early tray to fit larger batteries, and at least one owner did install trojan t105s. (Which, I agree, are very good batteries.) Sherry

Great suggestion Bill, Another hand pump option from Harbor Freight - $5 with a 20% off coupon. And Super Tech RV safe anti freeze- $2.58 a gal at Wally World.

Hello Mike, A MPPT controller should be used with any PV solar modules (aka solar panel, a misnomer) that has a Vmp (the operating voltage) of 17.0V or higher. It does not matter what kind of battery you have. A PWM controller is like a switch: it turns on and off and will only pass the rated current of your module. This causes you to loose potential power which I’ll explain later. A MPPT controller can capture all the power that a module can produce by using DC converters. Consider this example: 100W PV module rated at 20 Vmp and 5 Imp (the output current). According to Ohms law, Volts x Amps = Watts. So, for our above module, here's the math: 20V x 5A = 100W. Also know that a solar module is a constant current device. In our example, you will get about 5 Amps from 0 to 20 volts. A PWM controller will directly connect the PV module to the battery. A battery is a load and will pull down the voltage of the module. If the battery is 13 volts, here's the math: 13V X 5A = 65W. You only produce 65 Watts of power because the amperage is at 5A and the voltage is pulled down to 13V. If you use MPPT controller with the same module, you can produce nearly 100 Watts of power. The difference is that the MPPT controller converts the 20 Vmp down to 13V and raises the current at the same time. By this conversion process, you can raise current because the power (100W) is still available. You now get about 7.5 Amps from your 100W solar module. Here’s the math: 13 x 7.5 = 100W (you loose some in the conversion process) There are other factors affecting performance but using MPPT for high voltage modules is important. Hope this helps!

Susan, I just trip the breaker on the positive lead from the battery. The residual draw in our trailer is less than 0.01 amp/hour. At that rate, our two 100 amp/hr Battle Born LiFePO4 batteries can sit for more that two years without any problem. I just reset the breaker a couple of days before we are ready to head out and park the "Burrito" in the sun. Andrew

Just wondering why I would need those, my wife gets down on her hands and knees and put those pads under the jack as I push the jack button. trainman

Thanks for the kind words. See the second picture down from the top of Page 1. There is a significant lip around the seat part, under the lid, that keeps shower water out. You are correct, you want to keep the compost damp, but not drippy wet. Unfortunately, as I noted, there is nothing to keep shower water out of the hollow that the pee tank sits in. So when you are done washing, you can either leave that water sitting there, lift out the tank and dry the parts, or drill a couple of holes in the bottom of the receptacle .... NOT the pee tank itself, LOL. I plan to do the latter, but I keep forgetting. I suppose that you could fabricate a rubber seal around the top, but that might make removing and reinstalling the tank harder. John Davies Spokane WA

If you read those articles I linked to and talk to people who have these, it doesn't seem quite so alien. My wife had pretty major reservations, but she has come to accept it, if not exactly embrace the idea... ;) It truly is nastier dealing with raw sewage and the big stinky hose. If your husband is doing that job, then good for you. But if you have to do it yourself, you will soon understand that it is unpleasant at the best of times, and potentially VERY nasty if there is a spill, backed up drain, or ripped hose.... Dealing with soapy water from the grey tank is painless and odor free. Composting toilets have truly revolutionized toilets in cruising boats. They are starting to catch on in RVs. There is a steep learning curve, to get past the initial wierdness. John Davies Spokane WA

A teak mat won't be enough for a height challenged individual. My wife is 5'6" and she wants at least five or six inches of lift. At 6' I can get on OK but it is a stretch. I think the stool I linked to would work fine and take up minimal space when stored up against the base, with a bungee going to the two base knobs during travel. Purty it ain't, does that really matter? You can go with a purty conventional toilet, and admire the sleek lines, and then contemplate and smell your gross 3 inch Stinky Slinky and the nasty stuff coming out the end every time you dump..... your choice ;) The fan only uses about an amp, max. I would not bother with dumping before storage, but I keep my trailer in a conditioned RV bay, aka The Hanger Deck, and plugged in all the time. You would not want the parts to freeze more than ocassionally, especially if full. For outdoor storage in a freezing climate the head should be decommissioned in the Fall and unplugged. Useful links: https://theboatgalley.com/our-composting-toilet/ The coconut coir I use: ... https://www.amazon.com/Planters-Pride-RZP3041-11-Pound-Beats/dp/B004HLSL7W/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1464718104&sr=8-1&keywords=beats+peat&linkCode=sl1&tag=theboagal0a-20&linkId=07579bfa2f7cd988a4f0550e9448ab6d John Davies Spokane WA