Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/15/2021 in all areas

  1. I'm King Moon from Knoxville, TN. On 11/11/21 I took delivery of the last trailer produced for the 2021 model year - Hull #948 - Legacy Elite II - Twin Bed Floor Plan Delivery was great and the new camping spots right beside the factory are very convenient. The quality and attention to detail in my unit exceeded my high expectations. I ordered the trailer with the standard tops so that I could install the custom wood tops created by Foy Sperring. I ordered pretty much all of the pieces that he produces - in Black Walnut. I also ordered the Mega size for the dinette top (which is the largest of the 3 sizes he produces). I can't say enough good things about Foy, his communication with me, and his amazing wood creations. I would highly recommend working with Foy if you want to add beautiful wood products/tops to your Oliver. I have attached several pictures. I am looking forward to meeting fellow Oliver owners.
    5 points
  2. This may have been correct for older Zamp solar controllers in our trailers, but if I am not mistaken the current Zamp ZS30A PWM controller charges to 14.4V in Absorption mode, 13.6v in Float. That’s the way I interpret the specs (link below), someone please let me know if I have misunderstood these important details. Converting from PWM to an MPPT is a worthwhile modification, and it’s on my future mods list. In my case, the Zamp PWM is working fine for us with 2 Battleborn 100A LiFePO4. I don’t want to change it out now because of the cutout hole in the wall panel. I’m hoping Zamp will offer an MPPT in a year or so that will be a panel mount and can fill that hole in the wall. By the way, Battleborn recommends charging their batteries up to 14.4V periodically for optimum performance, so they seem to be similar to Lithionics in their protocol. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/wp-content/uploads/oliver-university/Component_Manuals/Solar/Zamp_Charge_Controller_Manual-revised.pdf
    4 points
  3. In the never ending search to buy stuff for the Ollie and TV. I was watching videos of the Overland expo on tools and gadgets. I thought the pictured tool bag was a good idea. Although the one in the video was selling in the neighborhood of $150.00 I found this one on amazon for $49.00 there are many mfgs and pricing for this type tool bag. I’m impressed with the quality and the ability to separate your tools in different pouches. It holds all the tools I normally carry. Then roll it up and store it away. I thought this was a good item to share.
    3 points
  4. There's probably a lot more that comes in to play when components are chosen for the Oliver, my 2019 has multiple Dometic products so I'm sure the more components the better the over all price point.
    3 points
  5. In addition to JD's sage advice, I would not recommend 65 - 70 PSI in our OEII E-rated tires. YES, they are rated for 80 PSI, and you yes you could use this high PSI. In fact it was as recent as 2019 that many of us were using pressures in the 55+/- range. I liked that higher pressure for on road and high speed freeway use only. But as has JD and others, we have taken it down to the 45 to 50 psi range to soften the otherwise harsh ride that we were causing our Oliver's (Bouncing cushions and kitchen ware). More importantly, off road you really need to consider a much lower pressure to avoid rock punctures. Suggest searching tire pressure threads and take note the date of posts and recommended pressures. You'll find that over the past 4 years or so, both the on-road and off-road recommendations have come down quite a bit. Mahalo,
    3 points
  6. Mike...good eye...It is the blanket that was on my bed for 4 years too.
    3 points
  7. FWIW, Oliver now officially recommends and is delivering EII tires at 55psi, per the latest new owner walk-thru video.
    2 points
  8. @Minnesota Oli, and just the likelihood of being able to secure components, with today's broken supply chains, imo.
    1 point
  9. The gains on an mppt controller vs pwm are somewhat minimal, on small solar arrays, like most olivers. There's been a lot of hand wringing on this in the past few years. Yes, you'll get a bit more. Is it worth the work and expense? Maybe. It really depends on personal camping style and needs. I suspect that for most people, the plug and play simplicity of the zamp systems is worth the bit of loss. Many, many new owners come from tent camping, or analog systems, or zero camping experience. For all of them, I'd say zamp is pretty much a great fit. For the experienced and more needy techies, victron or even blue sky may offer more flexibility, and some small gains. Even blue sky, with their great customer service, is far more complicated in changing settings. Victron could easily overwhelm new users. We have experience with both, btw.
    1 point
  10. Thank you very much for correcting this. I agree with after looking at the manual, and just to be sure, I verified with Zamp that the ZS30A PWM controller goes to 14.4V in absorption mode before returning to 13.6V in float. It does. So a full solar charge should serve to calibrate the batteries' BMS, resulting in a more reliable SOC. So then, if I understand correctly (which clearly is not always the case), the reason to install a PMMT controller is for a bit greater efficiency, which becomes more important for larger solar arrays. I also asked whether Zamp would be building one, and the rep said there had been discussion about this some time ago but he hadn't heard anything recently.
    1 point
  11. I got my Geology degree in 1975, I know how to use a Brunton compass, and how to pace off distances over rough terrain. I know how to use a primitive spring gravimeter. I also (used to ) know how to type paper punch card computer programming, and how to use a slide rule. I also know how to do excellent pen and ink drafting. Like drum brakes vs disk brakes, at some point you have to embrace the new technology. I embrace digital maps, but the Benchmark Atlas is always within reach. I use those analog waypoints, AKA self adhesive colored dots. for a real God’s eye view of an entire region, IMHO, for that narrow focus, nothing beats a GOOD paper map. FYI the new geologic map layer for GAIA Premium is quite nice. It used to be extremely lame, you had to refer to a color chart, just like those 100 year old maps, to see what was what. But now they give you a neat popup information window with that data. Welcome to 2021. National Park base layer: Geologic layer added: BTW that is White Crack campground, where my wife and I want our ashes to be scattered. John Davies Spokane WA.
    1 point
  12. Tons of questions can be answered simply by reading through the various posts on the Forum. I've never been on the Escape Forum but I know that there is a ton of information here. Have fun exploring and if we can be of help - simply ask. In addition to what JD says above, be aware that Oliver Sales reps will not "bug" you or put pressure on you in any way. They are a very helpful bunch! Welcome. Bill
    1 point
  13. https://www.nrs.com/ethafoam-blocks/pxkv?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1672873107&utm_content=68835701990&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAiAp8iMBhAqEiwAJb94z0uouUdxPvFm7ihNxq3GIntqQBJiImQQFLgVrm7c6Ds00S4PuKipBxoCYU8QAvD_BwE Available in 1" or 2". The 1" thickness should work, as it is much more compressible than HDPE, and so would compress enough to leave about a 5/8" gap for the drain hose once the top and bottom parts of the unit were secured using longer screws.
    1 point
  14. Welcome to the forums. There are a bunch of Ollies in Puget Sound, not so many in Canada, most likely none on Vancouver Island. But you can use this link to get a referral. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/see-an-ollie/field-visit-request/ Oliver Sales will fix you up, but one important thing they never mention, is to bring doughnuts. 😀 You can easily import a new Ollie, there is a page about it somewhere. A 2007 or later Tundra is fine, but a Sequoia is very marginal for an LE2. These are very heavy little trailers. Unless you are willing to waithttps://www.motorbiscuit.com/2022-toyota-sequoia-already-outdated-2023-sequoia-worlds-better/…. John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  15. I'd like to help you if I could. However, I have no clue as to who, what or where this "R&D Team" is located within the Oliver structure. If you wish your viewpoint to be heard within Oliver then I'd suggest that you send a letter and/or email in this regard to Scott Oliver. Bill
    1 point
  16. We dry camped this year in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, South Dakota and a few over nights in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska this Spring, Summer and Fall. No restrictions and 'wide open' for hikers and outdoor people in general. The Air was fresh, cool and brisk! A couple camped in Utah at 10,000 feet were staying inside their trailer wearing face masks. They never left their trailer. We found everyone was enjoying the outdoors and not concerned about what City Folk were fearing... no body. Had lively discussions about camping and how to find great camping spots. Known or undiscovered places. Smaller towns had a sign asking you wear a face mask. Many Service Stations did not in some less populated areas. It was hit and miss this Summer. Campsites... no Covid fears. Bow hunters... no Covid fears. Fisherman... the same. It was a wonderful experience getting out and feeling 'normal' again. If you are planning to Boondock in the NFS and BLM or State Lands... it was wide open in the Rocky Mountains. We laid back and aaaaaaah.... 🙂 Planning a Western Adventure? No congestion of campers... the trailer crowd were at RV Camps. The public lands were wide open during peak season. It was a pleasant surprise that we were all... alone. Popular areas like Cedar Breaks at 10,200 feet in July & August, just east of Cedar City, Utah had 80% vacancy in the trees and in the wide open spaces. It snowed and hailed one day... in August by Duck Creek. Enough to cover the ground for several hours. Anyone who says the RV Parks were crowded... they missed out on the wide open trailer accessible dry camps. Those who manage to be comfortable Off the Grid... do not Plan to go out West into the Rocky Mountains. Just... GO and be the 'accidental tourist'. We have done it since 2006 and return to many of our favorite campsites... never to be disappointed that the area was full. We even got a Daily Campsite on the west side of Flathead Lake in Montana... by just driving up and had NON Reserved spots available... for people like us. No Plan. No Reservations. No worry... Try it. You will become Young and Ambitious Boondockers. After a few attempts learning how to manage at the worst spot in nowhere... it is better than having neighbors within five feet of you camped! Any day. Even Meteor City, west of Albuquerque, New Mexico... was great. Blue Heelers, too.
    1 point
  17. Welcome to the forum and to your future Ollie. There is a growing number of us from MI (part and fulltime). Gotta know though, are you a Yooper or a Troll?
    1 point
  18. We have an Elite II on order for delivery in 2022. I emailed our sales rep, Anita, asking if Oliver would install a Houghton/Rec Pro AC unit in our new Elite II if I purchased it from Rec Pro and had it shipped to Oliver. I noted that this would save Oliver the cost of the Dometic unit, which could be installed in a different Elite II. This is Anita's response received today: That is apparently something done after the units were picked up. Th guidelines we go by would not allow us to install something that hasn’t been approved. So, this is something that the owners are doing themselves. I will send the email to upper management to see and send research and development on engineering side can look into it. So, the answer is "NO," but Anita did copy me when she forwarded my message to "Rodney," apparently with Oliver's R&D team: Hi Rodney, I know that this is something that we can’t do, however advised the new owner that I would refer it to you. That maybe research can be done. So, the AC upgrade request has been delivered to Oliver's R&D folks. I expect time will tell if Oliver presently has the inclination and the resources to adapt to customer requests for product improvement while struggling to make trailers for a lot more buyers, like us. Many thanks to Katanapilot, NcEagle, Minnesota Oli and others who "blazed the trail" enabling this upgrade with your informative posts on this thread. Whether this upgrade will ultimately be done by Oliver, or by us after we bring our Elite II home next year, remains to be seen.
    1 point
  19. Congratulations. It's beautiful.
    1 point
  20. Looks great! I have to ask about the gray blanket with the gold stripe on your bed. It looks like the gray blanket that was on my cadet bed at West Point…. Mike
    1 point
  21. Not at all, IMO. The only benefit of the DC to DC charger is if you want to charge your lithium batteries using your TV while driving. Without DC to DC charging, the batteries will charge with solar (if you have that option) while you are driving or parked (as long as there is sun), or with shore power at night. Not sure about other lithium batteries, but the Lithionics batteries want to be fully charged (to 14.4 V) at least once every two weeks. There are at least 3 ways of doing this: (1) plug into shore power (or perhaps a generator), (2) use DC to DC charger while driving, or (3) have an MPPT solar controller that allows the batteries to reach 14.4 volts from solar (Oliver currently installs a PWM controller, which charges the batteries, but not to 14.4 volts). So whether or not to use a DC to DC charger might depend your battery requirements and on the way you intend to use your system. With batteries like the Lithionics, extensive boondocking (i.e., no shore power) and avoiding a generator steers you to either option 2 or 3.
    1 point
  22. We’re using the 2 5/16” ball to tow our 2021 LE2 with 2020 Ford F250. Like Fritz said, it’s probably overkill but I thought it worth the extra cost. We are not using WDH, tows very easy. I called Service well before production date and set it up. They installed it during manufacturing, not after the fact. Upon delivery, I had to pay an additional Service fee, can’t recall how much, but reasonable.
    1 point
  23. I am just strating to research upgrading from AGM's to Lithiums batteries and have been following the various forum posts the last few months. Question: Is it necessary when making the LItuium upgrade, to install a new DC to DC charger if you are not depending on the TV to be charging the lithiums while traveling?
    1 point
  24. Good perspective. A quick analogy: I was a pharmacist for 40 years. For me the glory days were 20-40 years ago. Computers came and insurance companies realized that they could put all the billing on to us. The new pharmacists coming on didn't realize that it was ever not the insurance mess it is now. We hope to get our Oliver next year so we won't have any reference point to compare how things were. Best wishes to you and your new Oliver.
    1 point
  25. We had water spots that normal waxing would not remove. Called Meguiar's and they recommended using Meguiar's #67 compound first then using Meguiar's Flagship wax, the combination worked great removing water spots and putting a great finish on Ollie! We used both during a two day "workout".
    1 point
  26. I posted initially because I like to do my due diligence. I try to identify as many potential issues as possible before committing to an action. In this case the question was: Are we foolish to drop a large amount of cash on a purchase we might not be able to fully enjoy? The feedback here has been helpful. In reality there were 2 questions that needed answering. 1. Do we want to keep camping, even if current conditions continue? The answer to that is yes. Even in the past year we were able to enjoy our current rig. We are looking forward to more camping after retirement. 2. Will the Oliver increase camping enjoyment, even if current conditions prevail? I believe the answer to that is also yes. Compared to our current fifth wheel, we will have more choices with our Oliver: more sites it will fit in, longer camping season, easier to haul long distances. Those things are even more important with the new influx of campers. Last night, just for fun (research?), I was putting random camping dates into the Disney World reservation system. (I figured Disney would be a good model for a hard-to-reserve camping destination.) What I found was multiple dates in 2022 where the only available sites were for campers under 25'. Tried the same thing with some state parks and got the same result. Bottom line, the Oliver will almost certainly get us to places we couldn't reserve with our current rig. And the solar package stretches that even further by opening up easier boondocking. Sure, we'll miss the good old days when things were easier, but the Ollie is still our best bet going forward. Where there's a will, there's a way.
    1 point
  27. CnC and JD: I extensively researched many Lithiums, and as other Oliver owners, narrowed the field to BB's and Lithionics. My factors in doing so were their USA mfg, warranty, reputation, reviews, quality and warranty considerations. In a previous thread, when JD called to our attention that the BB's were on sale ...at a great price... that pushed me over the line to purchase BB's. My trailer electrical loads during travel are to resupply the power used by trailer brakes, DC refrigerator, and to recharge of lithiums for power used overnight. These estimated suggested that for my use, a 30 amp DC to DC charger is optimal. Anything larger would be unnecessary. The 30 Amp Victron Orion cost me $220 with Military Discount and free shipping from BB. The 25 amp Redarc lists as $389, and the 40 amp at $452. +1 for VO. As importantly, BB highly recommends the Victron gear. For similar reasons, I chose the Victron 712 Smart and Victron Orion (VO) 12|12 - 30 DC to DC Charging System. +1 for VO FULL DISCLOSURE: I grease my Anderson Ball for friction reduction. My rig is tongue heavy, and I have never experienced any trailer sway even under extreme crosswinds, grades and trucks blowing by out west. My choice, but greasing the ball "could" be contributing to a restricted return ground path. My F-150 Lariat, SCrew, 3.5 EB, FX4, MTTP comes with fuse #43 that is a 25 amp slotted M-Class fuse. Unfortunately, when Ford went to the aluminum body, the wire size to the 7 pin was reduced. Granted fuse #43 will protect the wire, but it's voltage drop is significant enough that I do not believe it could also feed a 30 amp load to the Lithiums. I have noticed that during the past four seasons using L/A batteries, the 7-Pin trailer connection has significant heat generated discoloration for both the Charge Wire and Ground Wire connections. (And yes I do use di-electric grease to control corrosion). My opinion is that the existing Ford and Oliver electrical wires (Out and Back) are undersized. As does several other Ford and Oliver owners. Research into this lead me to use a "Non-Isolated" DC to DC which requires running both a + and - cable to the trailer systems. It's wiring diagram is slightly different than the one you posted. Good news is it will also significantly improve the return ground path between TV and Ollie. My measured distance for running these electrical home runs approaches 50 feet out and 50 feet back. Although 6 AWG stranded copper could be used, I, BatteryCables USA, and the Victron Forum felt that using the larger 4 AWG was the proper choice. (Not to mention that's what Galway Girl determined as well.) I think we can agree that all DC to DC chargers require careful attention as to how their "waste heat" is dissipated. After all, this WAS the point of my creating this thread. For the VO at least I could find published specifications that quantified the input power and output power needs. The difference between the two is waste heat that must be dealt with. For the Redarc I was not able to locate such data. My experience is that when a manufacture does not want such a comparison to be made, they don't provide the specification data to do so. -1 for Redarc. Regardless, as a PE with extensive heat transfer professional experience, I prefer the fact that the VO is addressing the heat build up issue front on. Large heat sinks and their optimal vertical placement of heat sink cooling fins for heat dissipation was noted. +2 for VO. However, as you indicated, this negatively impacts the number of suitable locations for installation. So, - 1for VO. I am sure your hole in the plate is a good idea to help out the Redarc in this regard, but where are it's external heat sinks? Or do they need a supplemental cooling fan or artificial airstream to keep their cool? Not evident from what I can see from their limited pictures or descriptions that I could find. -1 Redarc. In summary, I thought that since about the only time I will be using my VO will be when I am traveling, why not put it vertically in the front dinette under seat area. With the cushion and hatch cover removed there appears to be space for heat flows up and out of the under-seat area without providing any additional heat to the OEM street-side bunk area. So, maybe a +1 for Geronimo for creativity. This effort has a nice but steep learning curve. Getting my arms around it has been a fun challenge, but doing so would certainly not be possible without the expert inputs that you both, and others have and are providing. They are much appreciated and I look forward to every response. GJ
    1 point
  28. Life’s too short for me to wait for the conditions to be perfect….
    1 point
  29. We each have differing thoughts on how to use our trailers. We bought ours to use and go wherever we want whenever we want. I’ve got some nicks and chips on the front from gravel roads and I have a less than pristine undercarriage due to some snow driving. But, we’ve had fun and our 6 year old trailer still looks new and will continue to be used for travel adventures. We had someone walk by while we were in Branson last month and asked about the age of our Oliver, when I told them they were surprised it wasn’t new - and that was with bugs on the front and mud and dirt on the sides after traveling through Colorado and northern New Mexico. These trailers are sturdy and clean up well! Just go camping!! Mike
    1 point
  30. When we find ourselves disappointed because Oliver “didn’t do this” or “didn’t provide that”, we also need to consider the efforts that the service dept. puts into trying to resolve customer issues. I would not trade that level of performance for any of the things that I think should have been provided by the factory including the elusive wiring diagrams.
    1 point
  31. I thought so! My son and his wife are class of 2004. I’m 1976 (genuine old grad), just had our 45th reunion. Mike
    0 points
  • Recent Achievements

    • TimD earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • francescaskinner earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • GreenFlash went up a rank
      Rookie
    • theOrca went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • ZLarryb earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • HDRider went up a rank
      Rising Star
    • TimD went up a rank
      Rookie
    • ZLarryb earned a badge
      Collaborator
    • Aluecker went up a rank
      Rookie
    • LCH earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • LCH earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • LCH earned a badge
      One Year In
    • SecondTimeAround earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • SecondTimeAround earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • SecondTimeAround earned a badge
      One Year In
    • doc foster earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • doc foster earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • doc foster earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Lisa Rae earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • dhaig went up a rank
      Community Regular
×
×
  • Create New...