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Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/11/2021 in all areas

  1. Steve Landrum Update The past weekend, a fellow traveler and Oliver owner , Steve Landrum / Tali were preparing their Ollie to travel to the Oliver Rally in Florida that Foy Sperring is organizing. Steve was gathering up his gear and went to open a large gate at his home. It held stubbornly tight and then suddenly released sending Steve to the ground where he hit his head. At first he seemed to be OK , but last night at 12:30, Monday morning, Steve requested Tali call an ambulance because his pain was so intense. At the hospital the exam revealed Steve has a subdural hematoma, a bleeding of the brain. The bleeding was significant but treatment with blood thinners and new blood was necessary before surgery. Early this morning (Monday), the surgery was completed and Steve is currently in Intensive Care Unit at the hospital in Tupelo Mississippi where he and Tali worked for years. The physicians are saying that if all goes well, Steve should have a 90% recovery from this accident. However, the next 4 days are critical. The doctors are constantly monitoring Steve’s progress, his blood and carefully regulating his medication. Tali recently had surgery on her foot and recovery for her is slow and painful. Today while Steve was being treated, Tali had to go in to her surgeon for wound care and treatment. Mobility for Tali is very difficult for her now. Steve’s daughter and son-in-law live nearby and are providing care for both Steve and Tali. Tali’s desire is that she be able to focus all of her attention on supporting Steve as well as recovering from her foot surgery. For this reason, Tali requests that you turn toward God and spend time in prayer that Steve will have a full and complete recovery. She values the prayers from each of you and Steve will greatly benefit from Our Lord’s healing grace that will result from your prayers. As I receive communication from Tali, I will post Steve’s progress. Thank You
    6 points
  2. Over the years I've tried almost everything out there to include taping the ends, putting sticks/nails and other commercially made "stoppers" in open tubes of caulk. But, nothing really did a great job of keeping the caulk from drying out. Early last year I saw a Youtube video that talked about a canister that is used to help save open tubes of caulk. So, I bought two. Today, I had reason to use both a Liquid Nails solvent based construction adhesive and a DAP latex sealant/caulk that I had last used about 11 months ago. Both were not much different than when I put them into the canisters. With the price of caulk as high as it is, I'm convinced that the AirTite canister will save me money and the hassle of adding to the landfill. I bought mine on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQSZ5YH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Bill
    6 points
  3. Steve had surgery for a “brain bleed”. Carol just texted Tali and he is now out of surgery. Keep him in your prayers. Mike
    5 points
  4. Steve's a tough old bird. But, none of us are so tough that we can do without some prayers on our behalf. Steve and Tali deserve all that we can throw their way.🙏
    4 points
  5. Read on Facebook in the Oliver Trailer Group that Steve received a serous injury this last weekend. Please pray for Steve and Tali.
    3 points
  6. Say your prayers because Steve and Tali need them. Mossey
    3 points
  7. It’s pretty flimsy material so it would be best to have some internal support for the duct. Maybe disconnect it at the point closest to the tear and work your hand/arm or something similar into the duct while applying the foil tape. Mossey
    3 points
  8. There are foil tapes made just for this - ask you local hardware store. Standard duct tape will age and powder out over time especially in the presence of heat. Some brands, like the Gorilla tape, will last longer.
    3 points
  9. I am so very sorry to read about Steve's health issues. Brain bleeds can be so very serious. He and his family will all be in my thoughts, my heart, and my prayers.
    2 points
  10. I think it got torn trying to raise it up to get to the fresh water tank drain valve that is located just under it. I am leaving this Friday so I will just use the aluminum HVAC tape for now as it is unlikely we will be using the heater and then come the spring check to see how it is holding up and repair it more then if needed. Thanks all. Imelda
    2 points
  11. Most certainly there are probably differences between the manufacturers of these TPMS systems. But, it is also fairly likely that the basic systems are similar. In the case of the EEZ TPMS their website states the following: "Tire pressure sensors are directly mounted on tire valves and transmit tire pressure and temperature information to TPMS monitor on a 6-second interval continuously even when vehicles are not moving. TPMS monitor is motion sensitive and will go into power saving mode if no motion is detected in 15 minutes to save battery."
    2 points
  12. Any idea of why it tore? Another way to fix the repair - especially if the tear was caused by wear - would be to first place aluminum tape on it as per the above suggestions and then take either a larger piece of duct or one of the same size and place the existing duct inside it (i.e. wrap the new duct over the existing) and then tape it in place. This will tend to seal the tear a bit better while also giving that area a bit of support and protection. Bill
    2 points
  13. I agree with @mossemithat it would be best to support the flex duct from the inside when applying the tape. Unfortunately that may be difficult due to location or the duct being too small to get your hand into. Most aluminum HVAC tape is about 2" wide. That should be wide enough to easily span the distance between the spiral coils of the wire that give the duct its body and support. If you can go all the way around the duct with the tape while pressing it against the coils it will seal the tear. If you try just pressing against the "skin" of the duct you will struggle and perhaps make it worse. HVAC tape is wonderful stuff. It is widely used by professional insulators when applying foil faced sheet insulation to metal ductwork. Oliver probably used some to seal the seams in the insulation on your trailer. I think that I ran across some in mine. Good luck with your repair.
    2 points
  14. aluminum duct tape. https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-2-5-in-x-30-ft-Pipe-Wrap-Tape/1002947426?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-ggl-_-LIA_PNT_222_Applicators-Tape-Tools-Sprayers-_-1002947426-_-0-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnoqLBhD4ARIsAL5JedLDJJfSR561tDikPxT3o9hFO8zTMf0DXM5eANFFTNO9m4xVzjVuqWgaAjjcEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
    2 points
  15. I just found some information on the TST website that sheds a little light on how their system works. Below is a snippet of the information available at their website. Mossey https://tsttruck.com/how-it-works The monitor continually sequences through the sensors displaying each tires pressure and temperature. In the event an anomaly is detected, the monitor locks onto that sensor emitting an audible alarm and a textual description of the issue (fast leak, low pressure, high temperature).
    2 points
  16. When we purchased our 2015 LE2 used during 2016 it had two group 27 12V lead acid batteries without factory solar. The following information & installation has happened over a few years. Initially we purchased a Renogy 100W suitcase solar panel and used it charging the batteries through the trailer's 7 pin connector. Wanted to have a more efficient way to charge batteries. Installed a Furrion Solar port and mounted Renogy Waterproof solar charger in the battery compartment. Use about 36' of 10/2 cable with 12' sections from solar panel to Ollie's Furrion Port. Had to drill holes in Ollie's pretty finish for the Furrion Solar port next to battery compartment. Furrion inlet under port bed: Renogy Solar 20A Waterproof Charge Controller mounted on plastic kitchen cutting board in battery compartment: When Ollie is in the shade it's nice to be able to reach out up to 36' placing panel in the sun, panel in lower LH corner of photo. Highest charge amperage seen using 36' of panel cable is 6 amps and highest charge amperage seen is 7.1 amps using one 12' section of solar cable. We purchased a Honda EU2000i to charge batteries on poor solar days. Installed a EZ start on the 13.5K Dometic AC so the Honda gen-set can also run the AC unit, or microwave, or hot water heater. Been actively reducing Ollie's weight when possible, currently Ollie's ready to camp weight is around 4950 pounds with full 6 gallon hot water tank and all other water tanks empty as per CAT scales. Replaced two group 27 12V (125 pounds) batteries with one BattleBorn 100AH Lithium (35 pounds) battery for loss of weight and Lithium battery performance benefits. Also installed the Progressive Dynamics Lithium charging section in our Progressive Dynamics convertor that BattleBorn said would work fine with their battery. Using the Honda gen-set connected to Ollie's 30 amp connection, the Progressive charger slowly drops charge amperage then cycles charge rate between .25 amps to .4 amps at full charge. BattleBorn told me not to worry about TV alternator damage when connected to TV with 7 pin plug with our particular system. They said because of charge cable's small diameter and distance from TV to battery, would not see very high amperage charge with TV connected. So far with BattleBorn battery at 75% charge while connected to TV with engine idling have not seen more than 3.5 amps of charge. Our current TV has 180 amp alternator and with ignition turned off, the 12V power supply to Ollie is also switched off. Initially installed a Victron BlueTooth shunt to monitor the battery, but my Android 5 was not supported by the Victron system. Believe Victron unit is the way to go, but at the time my Android was not compatible so purchased an inexpensive shunt & monitor from Amazon to monitor the battery. Found a automotive 2" instrument mount on Ebay to mount the monitor: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FGFFHC6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details The battery monitor is not waterproof, use a 1 1/8" hole saw to cut out 1" OD plastic cutting board plugs to fill the existing ventilation holes in the battery compartment door. Did not want to mount these plugs permanently, sealed with clear RTV silicone for easy removal: The benefits of the Lithium battery is much faster charging with gen-set or solar panel with plenty of battery capacity for our style of camping. Will be doing more camping without electricity and water connections with this system, too.
    1 point
  17. It is under the curb side bed under the furnace ducting. Probably 1/3 the distance from the kitchen to the back of the trailer. Mike
    1 point
  18. Anything is doable! We have two 60# doodles & chose RV travel partly [mostly] because of them. It's great & it's a pain. They are fabulous security alarms & motivators to get out on the trails. How particular are you about cleanliness? 🐾 Invest in a good cordless vacuum. 🐾 We have two Grassworx clean machine doormats (Ace) one outside, one inside - if they made a runner, I'd buy it. 😁 🐾 Buy throw rugs you won't mind tossing in a dumpster. 🐾 We all use the microfiber camp towels [everyone has their own color] which are great for wiping off dog feet--before they jump on your bed. (Terrycloth never dries, ever.) 🐾 Shower door stays open because bowl is in shower on top of Foy's beautiful mat. 🐾 So that our pups won't become projectiles while traveling, we harness & secure with seatbelt attachments, all purchased on Amazon. 🐾 Hubby built a platform so they can see out the window without standing plus it creates storage underneath. 🐾 Important: put together a doggy first aid kit. 🐾 More important: train them well. [Mine are so-so, but we're working on it.] They make traveling fun!
    1 point
  19. Troubleshooting the electrical system on the forum is perhaps something like testing whether or not the spaghetti is cooked: we can all toss suggestions up at the ceiling and see what sticks. So, no reason to bow out. I may or may not have it right. Yes, I agree that the lithium batteries and accompanying inverter/charger are more complex than the older systems (at least the ones that I'm familiar with). Understanding how these electrical components work as a system is--at least for me--a work in progress. I've begun trusting the lithium system a bit more as I learn a bit more about it.
    1 point
  20. We will certainly lift Prayers up for Steve and Tali. 🙏🏻🙏🏻 David & Kathy
    1 point
  21. Didn't know Steve... but clearly he was loved and appreciated by many and I said a prayer for him, his doctors and his family as soon as I heard.
    1 point
  22. Have you calibrated the State-of-Charge (SOC) readings since you purchased the trailer 2 months ago? If not, the SOC reading may not be accurate, and the battery voltage may be below the low-battery cutoff point (probably about 12.5 volts) even though the SOC reads 80%. In this case, your 12 volt system may appear to be working, but the batteries are too low for the 110 volt system. In our case, we inadvertently ran the batteries down to 12.1 volts (in which case nothing worked; we had to hand-crank in the stabilizers and awning), even though the SOC read 60%. To calibrate the inverter SOC readings, you should run the batteries down to 12.0 (or 12.1) volts, then charge them with shore power to 14.4 volts. This process should calibrate the SOC readings. (When charging, the batteries will reach 14.4 volts only fleetingly, and then revert to about 13.6 volts. Unless you are checking frequently, you may miss the batteries reaching 14.4 volts). To test whether your SOC may be an uncalibrated value, you might temporarily change the low-battery cutoff value in the Xantrex App (under settings) from 12.5 volts to something like 12.3 volts. If the 110 volt outlet works then you know the battery SOC algorithm needs to be recalibrated. Hope this helps.
    1 point
  23. Looks like your Ollie is a 2016, in which case your hull number will be the last three digits of your vin. That applies to most(?) owners, but I think in 2020, perhaps 2019, the hull and vin numbers stopped corresponding. Here are instructions on adding maps: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2567-how-to-add-forums-signature-maps/
    1 point
  24. Looks like my wife's new Lexus RL350 in the front, I'd hate to walk out in our garage and couldn't tell them apart, well you get the idea. I like the Japanese vehicles and would have purchased the Tundra back in 2019 when we purchased the 2019 Ram, but the Tundra was old school then. By the way the Ram is the best truck I have ever purchase to date. trainman
    1 point
  25. Thank you for letting us know. 🙏
    1 point
  26. Be very aware that there are many cheap, poor quality tapes out there. A good 2 mil thick (0.002”) one like the 3M linked above, would work OK. But there are heavier ones up to 5 mil that are much stronger. OTH they will be a little harder to work with. I much prefer a 2.5” wide 3 mil tape over any thinner version. It is also MUCH better for repairing any loose foil insulation inside the hull. I have used it in many locations. And on my home HVAC system. Two or three layers is better that a single layer, it results in a much stronger repair. It does need to be worked into place very well, a bunch of loose voids accomplishes nothing. I personally would cut the duct there and install an internal splice/ coupling. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  27. Yes, that’s why the sensors on the east side of my trailer have higher pressure and temperature readings when I’m heading north in the morning and then it’s the west side in the afternoon and they are pretty even during the middle of the day. The spare tire always reads cooler than the east or west side of the trailer, it’s always in the shade. And I know that tire pressure goes up when the tires are warmer, thus the advice to check tire pressure when the tires are cold. Of course that advice predates TPMS's, but now you can see it real-time as the tires heat up and the monitor displays the results. As far as the lack of information goes, that applies to anything I purchase these days. I don’t believe it’s an entirely new condition. I think you worked in a technical or engineering world if I remember correctly and if so, you would know about documentation evolving from hard to soft copies. I believe that change was driven by costs initially, but also believe the rapid changes in everything made currently, make it impossible for paper information to stay up to date. I just bought a new Apple Mac mini and the box included the computer, power, HDMI and USB-C cables as well as a 4 page booklet and an Apple sticker. The LG monitor I also purchased included a power cable, similar paperwork and a CD. If you don’t know anything about the Mac mini, you wouldn’t know that it doesn’t have a CD drive. So it’s off to google world. I will add that I have a TST system and their technical support is excellent and it was certainly worth the phone call. Mossey
    1 point
  28. Yes, I do the reverse when disconnecting. (By the way, I used to have a couple of Coleman pop-up trailers over the years. I really loved them but got sick of cranking up the roof and having all that canvass to dry out. Love my Ollie, as we can go camping and do not need to depend on CG facilities during the COVID times.)
    1 point
  29. Link to Catalog A lot of great ideas and craft have come together to get this catalog update ready. New products, new choices in wood, and new finishes to match Oliver’s décor options. I have used the most common questions about my craft to layout this catalog and help you decide what your style is and fits your needs. I now have a new email address for orders and questions – FoyablesInWood@gmail.com. Lastly – as we all have seen around us my prices have increased. Everything from wood, finishes, supplies, and freight has jumped in the last 4 months. If you have an order place with me, your grandfathered into the old pricing. All orders from October 1st are under this new pricing structure. Onward, Foy 517933762_FoyblesCatalogV3.1f.pdf
    1 point
  30. We have a 75 pound lab. She travels great. The bigest problem we have is what to do with her at non dog friendly venues.
    1 point
  31. We have a 105# male black lab. He stays outside as much as he can tethered on a long lead to the sturdy stairs. Sleeps on the floor between the twin beds on a washable dog rug, he’s snoring there now. We reach down and pet him before we get out of bed to let him know we are not going to step on him. I blocked off the aft furnace outlet vent so it wouldn’t scorch him when it’s running. We have to sweep or vacuum daily with a mini Shark vac. Water bowl is in the shower much of the time so the slop over is manageable. We spend a lot of time looking for swimming holes.
    1 point
  32. One of the issues with shedding is getting fur (or hair) on the "sail switch" in the furnace. Besides using JD's advice above regarding filters, a small can of compressed air could come in handy for blowing off the switch. Bill
    1 point
  33. We have one 100 lb Golden Retriever. He sleeps on the floor between the pantry and drawers under the kitchen counter. He sleeps on the floor at home too, in spite of having a large, comfy bed. Night trips to the bathroom involve being careful not to step on him. We leave a small light on so that we're sure to be able to see him. We spend a lot of time outside the trailer and that's fine with him. He barks at other dogs but we haven't really left him alone much and when we tell him to be quiet he's good about obeying. On our last trip we put him in Ollie and left for a short walk. We could hear him if he barked but he was good and quiet. Being a Golden Retriever, he loves to swim. We were camped right on a river on this last trip. We let him swim early enough so that he dries off before we get into the trailer for the night. I try to brush him each day to cut down on the shedding in the trailer and sweep the floor each morning. So far, we haven't had a problem with clogged vents. I think that we could make it work with 2 dogs but so far our experience is with only 1.
    1 point
  34. In regards to fur clogging vents, you could buy some inexpensive furnace filters or bulk filter material in rolls, cut out pieces and tape them over any openings at floor level, such as the furnace inlet grill and its outlets. Use a high quality blue masking tape like 3M, or even no residue gaffers tape, it won’t be hard to remove later and won’t leave residue. The masking tape should be fine for a season, since it will be out of direct sunlight, which tends to cook the glue…. Don’t forget to cover the propane CO detector too, it needs free airflow to its sensors. We used to travel with our two 40 pound Australian Labradoodles (99% non shedding) and it was fine except in wet weather, or when one found a mud puddle. But the older dog has gotten neurotic about traveling long distances, which freaks out the younger one, so we have stopped bringing them at all. My daughter house sits them for $25 per day, cheap compared to a kennel, which the dogs and their owners would hate. We and the dogs are happier with this arrangement. If we had to start over we would have only one animal, a mini Australian doodle of 20 pounds less. Non shedding, hypoalergenic, super easy to take care of, very people oriented. Great dogs! John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  35. We are planning to travel with our American Field lab that is a shedding machine. I have read other threads about dog hair clogging vents and in once case I think impacting furnace? What do you all do to manage fido's fur in your Ollie?
    1 point
  36. Our 2 dogs have a combined weight of about 35 pounds, but I did have the pleasure of sharing 7 years of my life with a 150 pound Irish Wolfhound. But that was in the 70's and before Ollie's. I don’t have any real world experience with sharing an Ollie with a large dog, but I think most dog owners would do anything necessary to accommodate their best friends. Our dog is movement and other animal reactive, so we like campsites on the perimeter of campgrounds to reduce his stimulation. Our female is 15 and pretty much blind and mostly deaf and can’t get in or out of the Ollie by herself and we carry her in and out. I’m sure you’ll adjust and make it work just like you do anywhere else. Mossey
    1 point
  37. Here's my .02 on the subject... Our "giant" black lab (100+ lbs) camps with us quite a bit and he is fine sleeping on the floor in between the two twin beds. This is despite the fact that we set up the dinette bed just for him. 🙂 Once you have one giant dog, I really don't think two would be a huge difference since there's still plenty of room on the floor and dinette bed. Just adjustments as @SeaDawgmentions... for example, getting up to go to the bathroom at night with a giant dog laying in the hallway keeps everyone agile. Having two on the floor would just make the obstacle course to the bathroom longer. 😉 We also don't ever hang out inside during the day, even if it's raining - I think that would be challenging after a while with any animal (including humans).
    1 point
  38. Kelly - Even though Shallowgal is currently on the road with their two large "doodles", I'm sure that they will get to your question when they have internet access. Meanwhile, I know that there are several other owners that manage to travel with large dogs - like ScubaRX and Reacher - and I'm sure that they will give a bunch of advice. Bill
    1 point
  39. HEB is finally coming to DFW and folks are thrilled to soon have another choice. Not a fan of Walmart or Kroger.
    1 point
  40. In Texas, our favorite, hands down, is HEB. In fact, we find we miss our HEB’s when on the road. When on the road, we venture into any grocery store that is convenient. We do prefer most grocery stores over Walmart, but we’ve given a lot of business to Walmart when traveling. We eat pretty simple, grill a meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish) and a veggie and we’re good. Walmart is fine for paper goods and non-food supplies. Mike
    1 point
  41. Someone posted that employees don't buy their trailers. First, I thought, whoa! Why not? Is that a red flag?! I wrote to Jason Lindsey of Oliver Trailers to ask why. The employees have access to an Oliver whenever they want to go camping so no need to buy. That's a nice perk of working there. I hope to order an Elite Legacy II very soon. Jason said that if I place an order today, delivery would be in July, so about 11 months from order date to delivery.
    1 point
  42. We use the Hydroblu Pressurized Jerry Can Water Filter. We have a Burke system at home but find the Hydroblu better suited for camping. The particle and carbon filters are modular and can be replaced separately.
    1 point
  43. FYI I got e coli fun from drinking water at Tumalo State Park in Oregon some years back. The morning after our first day there, they put up a "boil water!!" notice on all bathrooms and water taps. I saw it after a morning of writhing in cramp ridden agony due to the water I'd drunk the day prior. A hydrogeologist friend who does groundwater work for the state of Washington told me that in her experience State Park water supplies are dodgy. She explained that their systems are big enough to be tricky to keep clean but too small for them do have a dedicated water system expert dealing with the potential issues. So they are in a sweet spot for infected supplies, and she's seen multiple cases in WA state parks. I asked the ranger I saw later that morning at Tumalo how often they test, and she said "once a month, but don't worry if you were drinking water before today as we didn't see a positive result until this morning!" Remember that they'd not tested for a month before that morning, so this gives you an idea of how clear the logic can be on the part of the folks responsible for keeping these supplies in good shape. Thankfully the sort of e coli you will tend to get from this sort of water supply is NOT typically as bad as the stuff that kills people who eat lettuce at fast food chains etc. It only makes you have digestive fun for many months on end afterwards. Suffice it to say I do not drink unfiltered state park water any more. You can pay more elsewhere for more heavily marketed systems as I mentioned above, but I got one of these (you can likely create something similar from parts from a HW store for even less but I found buying this fully set up to be worth a small premium). I use this for both filling our drinking water jugs as well as filling our Oliver's tank from any supply I'm not fully confident of. I'm still wary of drinking significant amounts of water from my Oliver tank given the taste. We use portable jugs for our drinking water (including coffee) and use the Oliver tank water for showering and dishwashing etc. I have wondered if one of these systems ($$$!) would both remove the plastic flavor as well as protect against any critters my amateur sanitizing regimen might still allow to exist in the system. I know that a pitcher or something like the Berkey would cost less but damn it's convenient to be able to just get clean fresh drinking water from a faucet and it looks like I might be able to fit this in under the sink. And it doesn't appear to have too big a power draw. Could even be put on a switched line to eliminate any phantom draw... BTW I like a system that filters both particles and has a carbon element for filtering out at least some chemicals (including chlorine!). I have such a system under my sink at home that feeds a separate filtered water tap, and the water for sure tastes better than what comes from our tap, especially in warmer months when they seem to increase the chlorine load in our water supply.
    1 point
  44. Btw, your weight on an Elite II approaches that of a bloated Elite. You put a lot of thought, obviously, in what you "need" vs what you might "want".
    1 point
  45. Last month we were at Costco and saw the Outland Mega Propane Fire Pit for $99. Amazon has this model for $160, although right now it is $130. I had not seen these so I read about them when I got home. The reviews are impressive. You don’t get smoke in your face and clothes with these. The flames are pretty to watch and it gives off good heat. So we bought it, brought it home, and I carefully unboxed it. This is the Mega model with a 24 inch diameter, and we decided it was too large for our needs. So I boxed it back up like new and returned it. We then bought the 18 inch model from Amazon for $130. LOL, we paid more for the smaller version! Go figure, this 18 inch model is currently $160 at Amazon. (I can’t figure out Amazon price changes, but if you want to follow the price of an item over time check out https://camelcamelcamel.com, where you can also set up alerts for price drops.) We used the Outland Propane Firebowl on our trip last weekend, and it was great. You can sit fairly close to get the warmth, closer than I would with a regular fire. I swapped out the propane hose for one that uses quick connect. I think the propane firepit takes up less room in the tow vehicle that the box of firewood we took to Moab in April. There is one major advantage to the Propane Firebowl over a regular fire. We made fires every night when we were in Moab last month at a BLM campground without water, and we had to use water to make sure the fire was completely out before retiring for the night. We were boondocking, and water is a precious commodity to use for putting out a fire. David
    1 point
  46. This is one of those stories that I thought hard about sharing because it was such a great example of a classic "stupid attack". In the end though I decided if I can save someone else from themselves it was worth being forever thought of as "the guy who did that". Our 2021 elite 2 has a composting toilet partly to extend how long we can stay off grid but also because I hate dealing with black water tanks. Since my trailer still has a black water tank even though it is not used I thought it would be great if I could use it for grey water storage to even further extend times between dumps. NCEagle had developed a system to pump grey water to the black water tank through the black water flush port and I shamelessly stole his idea and put together a little kit I use to move grey water to the black tank. I have been using this system since last summer and it works great to give us a couple extra days between dumps. Last week we had just returned from a 10 day trip and as the grey water tank was starting to smell not so good I decided to do a good flush of both the black and grey since I had been using the black for grey storage. I was using the black water flush port to fill the black tank carefully watching the level indicator to make sure I didn't over fill and run water up the black water tank vent to the roof. The first flush went fine. On the second flush however in the middle of filling the black tank my wife Pam decided it was a good time to strike up a conversation and I bercame distracted untilI I looked over and noticed water pouring out of the weep holes in the bottom of the trailer suspiciously near the bathroom area. I quickly turned off the water to the black tank and muttered "Oh my God" and some other words not worthy of this audience. I ran into the trailer and into the bathroom and to my horror could see yucky water gushing out of the composting toilet. How on earth could this be! This just can't be happening! Its a composting toilet! It has no connection to the pluming system! Slowly the gushing stopped though and gave me time to scratch my little bald head long enough to reason through what had happened. What had happened was this. The composting toilet uses a vent fan and a plastic tube to vent that air out of the trailer. What I didn't realize until then was that Oliver had connected the composting toilet vent piping to the black water tank vent that goes to the roof. When I overfilled the black water tank the water had obviously backed up into the vent and found its way into the composting toilet vent piping where it ran downhill into the composting toilet until it overflowed into the bathroom. The toilet had 10 days worth of use in it at the time although at least the urine tank was empty and clean. Ten days worth of use in the solids container though mixed with a lot of water and blowing out the top like a volcano made the mother of all messes in the bathroom. After about a day and a half which included complete disassemble of the toilet and a detailed cleaning to the bathroom and venting systems it looks like all is well again. I will continue to use NCEagles great system going forward but will never again be distracted while cleaning the tanks out. Mike
    0 points
  47. My batteries have stayed in year around here in Maine, since we brought her home in 2017. It has not been plugged in once since bringing her home either. We do not cover her. The sun keeps her charged up even with some snow and ice on the panels. If we get a couple of feet of snow I will go down and pull most of the snow off with a foam "roof rake". I have been known to go down to the field and plow a road to the Oliver near the waning days of winter. As I have hooked up and started to pull out, we had to switch to 4 wheel drive. The chocks were all frozen in and we had to pull over them (we were able to dislodge most of them from the frozen ground with a hammer once exposed). If there had been a cover caught in the ice and snow we probably would not have been able to move, unless we cut the $$$ out of it. Also we have seen other campers have their paint wiped out by flapping covers, in the winter wind.
    0 points
  48. (FYI they service the old XP Camper models.) “With 60 some campers in the field we find ourselves doing quite a bit of service and upgrades. One of the more significant upgrades we offer is our comprehensive electrical system refit. We gut the entire electrical bay and install a custom Victron/Blue Sea/Sterling system with BattleBorn LiFePO4 batteries. It's a big, complex upgrade but ends up performing, and looking, amazing. The Victron Color Control consolidates all the controls and information into one easy to use intelligent display, making monitoring your electrical vitals a snap. You can also monitor and control everything by Bluetooth on your phone or even access and control it via the internet (great for monitoring when stored).” https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/nimbl-vehicles-build-thread.214598/page-3 One can only dream…… John Davies Spokane WA
    0 points
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