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Showing content with the highest reputation on 05/13/2025 in all areas

  1. On the way to Tennessee, I’m spending the night at R Shaefer Heard COE campground, in NW Georgia. It’s very nice here. Some sites have steep drives to access, and WiFi is spotty, but the lake front sites are great. My view from here.
    5 points
  2. Yes, it does. They can sit in brackets on the side of the trailer or you can drop them straight down to the ground. You can also stake them to the ground which I have done. With our sunshade attached the awning can withstand some pretty windy conditions. It’s not as easy to deploy as the electrics, but is not really a hassle either. Mike
    4 points
  3. While on our way west for three months we’re volunteering at Stratford Ecological farm outside of Columbus Ohio. This is our campsite for the next week.
    4 points
  4. For the amount that I use any of the four potable water hoses I presently have I'm too "cheap" to simply throw any of them out. I did buy one of those Zero G hoses a couple of years ago to be used when needed for length and/or as a backup in the event something happened to the other one I carry. However, when it comes time I'll certainly look at this Gorilla.
    4 points
  5. To all of you gracious responders: thank you!! I should not have posted until we are back home with said bike rack and receiver. We are near Grand Junction, CO, where Alcan Spring installed our new 5-leaf springs and 5200# axles yesterday. ☺️ I will take photos and re-measure the receiver when we return. I have a feeling, however, that we sloppily measured the receiver, assuming it is a 2" one.🙄 We certainly want to keep the 1UP rack.... Anyway, I'll humbly update you all in several days. Barb
    3 points
  6. @Ollie-Haus: Many thanks for showing this hose to me, @Geronimo John, and @Patriot at the rally! Definitely a no-brainer "must have" item - especially for space saving feature. I'm tired of wrestling with that stiff white Camco hose when rolling it up. Headed to Home Dumbo today for 2 of these.... We'll do an OPS-check this weekend down south. 2 is 1 and 1 is none!
    3 points
  7. Except for the marvelously non aerodynamic gull wing solar panels.
    3 points
  8. The early Elite II's were all delivered with the Fiamma awnings and they do have legs, they are adjustable in length and can be staked down to the ground or slanted back to brackets mounted on the side of the trailer. At over 11 years in, like Mike and Carol, we have never had a single issue with ours.
    3 points
  9. Use some acetone, it won't hurt the gelcoat and I'll wager the stain will come right off. I use it all the time. Will also remove mildew stains from caulk.
    3 points
  10. Storage is a premium in an Oliver. I like this idea and will be upgrading in the near future.
    3 points
  11. A big thanks to @Ollie-Haus for passing along this RV water hose upgrade while at the rally. It’s hard to imagine not having to wrestle with our fresh water white Camco hoses any more when storing them in the milk crate in our Oliver basement. So based on Chris’s recommendation, I scooped up (3) of these Gorilla collapsible 25’ hoses while at Home Depot this morning. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-1-2-in-x-25-ft-Marine-and-RV-Hose-GMAR0025/325990305 “Two is one and one is none”.🇺🇸🫡😊
    2 points
  12. I attached a nylon mesh bag on the back to keep the hose from catching on anything. Before that it was always push-pull until I was able to get the whole line out.
    2 points
  13. 2 points
  14. Headed to Old Mexico Thursday, we'll be walking the border crossing at Columbus over to La Paloma. Pancho Villa State Park is still having issues with their septic system so there's been no dumping allowed for almost a year now -- no biggie, as we'll only stay for 3 nights. Pix of the knuckleheads to follow, FYI...
    2 points
  15. That just looks awesome and assaults my OCD at the same time. Especially the finger swirls on the back windows.
    2 points
  16. If you don't have acetone you can try a bit of WD-40 or other penetrant. You shouldn't need much. Spray a dime size on a rag and rub where the marks are. Then wash and put a bit of wax on. Most penetrants use some type of solvent to help it flow into cracks and such and it's the solvent that will clean just about anything.
    2 points
  17. eTrailer has always been good with customer service. I try to buy from them whenever they are competitive in price. Self-adjusters on drum brakes have gotten a bad rap on this forum starting years ago with @John E Davies. I argued with him two years ago that I'd rather have self adjusters. If you go without self adjusting, you better jack your wheels off the ground and remove wheels or get under your trailer to the adjusting port on the backside of the braking plate and adjust each one manually before every long road trip. Not me. I've owned at least 10 old cars, worked full restorations of brakes systems and everything else and self-adjusting drum brakes are standard equipment on every post-war car into the 80s, and btw my 2001 Dodge Ram has rear drum brakes. I adjust them regularly by driving in reverse and applying the brakes 5-6 times and they get tight again. I learned on this forum from others that trailer brakes self adjust goin forward instead. The shoes eTrailer replaces will be no different. You will just need to replace the item pictured without the self-adjusting gear. Likely a simple replacement part, check John E's old posts. I imagine something else went wrong with Craig's brakes, but would not know unless I disassembled everything myself and was lucky to find the causal issue.
    2 points
  18. We had Oliver install bug screens on the fridge and furnace at original pick-up.
    2 points
  19. I have some Star Bright black streak remover scheduled to arrive from Bezos on Wednesday. That stuff works miracles on stubborn stains on fiberglass. I'm sure it will work on that.
    2 points
  20. @John and Debbie Here you go and it’s even on sale! 👍🏻 https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Valterra/A10-1314VP.html?feed=npn&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1672411894&gclid=CjwKCAjwuIbBBhBvEiwAsNypvQ1XKW9UZOvykONtRfVuZZ7Oa3mCtQb5eZYfkAeF53AIxmbXV19a9hoC2MYQAvD_BwE This looks exactly like the screen I installed. Patriot🇺🇸
    2 points
  21. Yes, John, Oliver used to sell those upper screens...don't know if they still do. We used small zip ties to hold them in place. Been there for 3+years...no problems. Good Luck, John Amended...forget the zip ties, not needed. I was reverting back to my old Casita days :) Patriotus gave you the correct info! And the mother ship may still have some in stock. John
    2 points
  22. I'm not sure how you can enjoy a roomy spot with nice grass and a view. Hope you can make it through the week 😉
    2 points
  23. Bill, yes there are. The farm manager said that there’s so many that you hardly need bait!
    2 points
  24. That's a bummer that you don't have a bigger covered picnic area! 🤣 Looks nice - any fish in that pond? Bill
    2 points
  25. Boy - I can just taste that beer you owe me. Cracking it open on that deck overlooking the lake would be awesome! Bill
    2 points
  26. Yesterday I left home, driving North out of Southwest Florida (aka The Swamp) and to my great surprise, only 90 minutes out, I spied an Oliver heading South on Rte 17 into Nocatee! Thanks for the smiles! A decent day’s drive, in spite of the weather and traffic. Only one pit stop. Northwest Georgia today, and the OTT Mothership tomorrow. I love my Oliver.
    2 points
  27. In the winter when heating with a portable heater we use 99% of the time, we find condensation between the hull in the rear section (in our experience), if a de-humidifier is not used. We use a small de-humidifier in the rear upper storage "Oliver Sign" area and another one on the kitchen stove top area to resolve this. Checked other areas between the hulls and did not find condensation present.
    2 points
  28. Just a quick note about headroom from another tall guy. It sounds like you haven't yet been inside an Elite II so you may not be aware that the bathroom celing height is lower than the main cabin. The main cabin is 6'6in but I'd say the bathroom is 2 or 3 inches less. If someone here knows maybe you can correct me. Just wanted you to be aware. I don't know how tall you are but I'm 6'5" and I do have to crouch to take a shower. I shower quickly as we are usually boondocking without water hookups and I just deal with it. For that matter, the 75" bed is not quite long enough for my 77" body. I've removed the nightstand and have a few mods I've done to allow me to better stretch out when needed. Now, My main point is that I'm fine with it -- because of all the other points you mentioned! It's a fantastic trailer and I don't think there is anything else out there that can measure up. The feeling of it from inside is unlike any other RV I'v seen - so clean, bright, modern and you can just sense the solid quality from front to back and top to bottom. Congrats on your upcoming retirement!
    2 points
  29. That is just up the road from my house. I may give that place a try.
    2 points
  30. The hose is soft and pliable even in cold temps. It rebounds to its original flat shape, self draining in the process. I roll mine up in a flat coil for storage. It’s specifically for potable water. When pressurized, if it gets a kink, just give the hose a flip and the kink pops out. We’re a year into this hose and won’t be going back to a “ regular” hose ever again. It comes with a very good warranty on top of all that. Home Depot is the source.
    2 points
  31. They are like fire hoses, they don’t shrink up just flatten out. Very easy to handle and use. We’ve been using these type hoses for years. I don’t have much patience for traditional hoses, especially in cold weather.
    2 points
  32. Agree John, this has to be better than trying to put that a hard white plastic mind of its own magical “Camco Geine hose” back in the bottle. 😂
    2 points
  33. Sorry, I must have missed your mentioning the scuppers in your post. They do act like drain holes in the event of a leak. However they also act like vent holes particularly when you are moving down the road - much like scupper holes in a boat. Using the Venturi effect a difference in air pressure is caused between the outside air and the air between the hulls. This, in turn, draws air through the area between the hulls and out the scuppers thus drying the area between the hulls. The faster you drive, the more air that is drawn out. Physics. Bill
    2 points
  34. We just worked on completing the last 3 of our lower 48 states with a trip to the South East Central US. Stopped at some cool Harvest Hosts along the way and got a nice riverfront site at Maumelle Park in Little Rock. (Only one lower 48 left, our neighbor, RI.)
    2 points
  35. We’re heading east to Kentucky and stopped for our first night at Fort Parker State Park in Mexia, Texas. Like most Texas state parks it’s well maintained but the sites are old and not very level. It took some effort and we made it work. Bulldog is almost on the ground! Very quiet with a good view of the lake.
    2 points
  36. We found a great area up in the White Mountains of Arizona with the help of a couple retired cops. They were out turkey hunting and happened by us when we were deep in the woods and came to a crossroads. In both directions the signs read, "Not Suitable for RVs or Trailers." They said the road to the right was a bit rocky and the warnings are for when it rains or snows. We liked that the signs would keep most RVers away. Then they said, "Follow us and we'll take you to our marked campsite." Check the Campendium Map and compare our blue dot to the known campsites! Miles and hours of dirt between and dozens of campsites along the way. We'll keep our high country spot a secret for now and should be meeting some Oliver friends up there in July when the weather is perfect. However, when we left on Monday it was snowing and the daytime high was to be 42F. The campsite was at 8,920 ft and on the drive home we climbed a bit more and I snapped this compass shot at exactly 9,400 on AZ Hwy 273. It's amazing you can drive down a highway at this elevation in Arizona (common in CO of course) and see mountains above and lush meadows everywhere with streams and lakes.
    2 points
  37. Hello, I’ve been on the forum for some years and I’m closing into retirement and making my decision. Started with Ollie years ago, drifted over to the Escape, then Bigfoot camps as I thought the Ollie too expensive, small and overbuilt. Now with the tariffs I was forced to reconsider them as they are US based, and realized it was for me. Escape 23 is pretty expensive now for what you get. Bigfoot length/width was silently bothering me for handling, plus the old school decor isn’t great. I toured one, a big issue is interior height. My head brushes the ceiling and I barely fit in the bathroom. I’d have to crouch to shower. Plus I’d have to do a bunch of mods, they don’t even offer lithium, and the tongue weight pushes the limits on my TV. So with the Ollie I’ve got the interior height I want. The size is fine for a couples camper, plus an easy to tow and park size. Especially with the Black cushions it’s an elegant interior. Finally, I’m retiring from engineering and don’t really want to DIY. Done enough engineering projects in my time, once you start you’re never done 😅. The Ollie is the only one that comes exactly as I want. So I’ll be placing an order later summer Platinum twin Composting Street awning Platinum batteries (more than I need but might as well, plus I like the integrated heating) Now to make the horrific price easier I’m actually extending my retirement date. It’s free money if it’s past my nominal date, right? 😅 Only thing is I might actually buy sight unseen. No nearby dealers, nor LE II twin. Shouldn’t be a problem … Cheers
    1 point
  38. I just completed installation of a Victron Smart Orion 30 amp isolated DC to DC charger after reading all the great information provided in this forum by MAX Burner, and others. I really appreciated all their groundwork and details, so I wanted to share some of my experiences in the hope that others will find it useful. I used #4 AWG wire for ease of installation and for better termination options. BatteryCablesUSA recommended their “Jumper Cable” wire and it was the best deal I found at $197 for 55’ x 2. It consists of a black and red cable joined together like zip cord, and it’s flexible enough to lay flat under it’s own weight. Their lugs and heat shrink were also reasonably priced. I sheathed the full length of the cable with 3/4” braided cable sheath for extra protection and good looks (Amazon Keko 100’ roll for $21.) I seized the ends with Amazon XFasten fabric Wire Harness Tape (5 rolls for $14.) BatteryCablesUSA also recommended Anderson SB50 connectors, instead of the larger #4 AWG rated SB120 connectors that I originally planned. They said that #4 AWG wire would fit in the SB50 #6 AWG contact pins, which it did. I used Trailer Vision covers for the Anderson SB50 connectors. A TV-201426-50 surface mount receptacle with hinged cover plate was installed under the truck bumper. It has a red LED power indicator that I discourage from connecting because it’s on all the time and annoyingly bright. They also offer a flush panel style mounting. The sheathed cord on the trailer side got the Trailer Vision TV-328993-50 plug cover. It has a protrusion that catches on the mating receptacle’s hinged cover to stop it from pulling out. It’s similar to how the 7-pin connector ports hold the plug in. It also has a LED power indicator that’s more useful because it’s only on when connected. It uses a compression gland for the cable that I filled with black RTV. Powerwerx company sells Trailer Vision parts, Anderson connectors, and other accessories for reasonable prices. Get at least 4 extra #6 Anderson pins for connecting to the Victron compression terminals as explained later. Powerwerx also sells the “PanelpodSB,” which is a surface panel mount Anderson SB50 housing for $11.99. I mounted one on the Oliver’s cargo box for “parking” the Anderson connector when it’s not plugged into the truck. It keeps with my existing theme of parking places for the 7-pin cable and RAM rear view camera cable. They also sell a tethered cap to keep it clean when traveling. The engine compartment wiring was straight forward. I connected the cable’s red wire to a 60 amp terminal post fuse on the battery positive. The black wire terminated to the battery negative. The trailer half of the sheathed cable went through a penetration behind the LP tanks. A hole was drilled through the trailer wall next to the existing penetrations with a 1-1/8” step bit. The sheathed cable passed though an Amazon PA66 1” nylon cable gland ($7.99 for two.) I used a short piece of heat shrink over the sheathing where it passed through the gland and filled the gaps with black RTV. The shelf under the bathroom sink has to be removed for access to the inside cable penetrations. From there the cable can be simply pushed under the floor to the rear dinette seat where the Victron was mounted. The Victron has some great safety features that will automatically reduce, or shutdown, the output if it gets too hot or the input voltage drops too low. It’s important to take this into consideration because it would likely happen while driving, and you wouldn’t know it without constant monitoring. Voltage drop especially comes into play with the new smart alternators that lower voltage output to save energy. The Victron’s default voltage settings account for this. However, due to the longer run of cable needed with travel trailer installations, the cable resistance can cause enough voltage drop where it can go below the default settings and cause the Victron to derate it’s output. I calculated the voltage drop for different wire gauges at 35 amps (nominal input current) and a cable distance of 53’ x 2. The results don’t include the connector and termination losses: 1.46 volt drop for #6 AWG 0.92 volt drop for #4 AWG 0.58 volt drop for #2 AWG Per Victron’s instructions, a 0.6 voltage drop can cause a “Voltage Lockout” with the default settings. There are many factors that can affect this, and fortunately the Victron defaults can be adjusted. To account for my voltage drop, I decreased the “Start Voltage” from 14 to 13 volts, and the “Shutdown Voltage” from 13.1 to 12.8 volts. These setting were recommended by “Offgrid Power Solutions,” on a You Tube video called “Victron Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger settings.” Cooling is also an important consideration for the Victron because they create a lot of heat, and they derate charging current 3% for every degree above 1040 F. That’s almost 50% performance loss at only 1200. Maximum operating temperature is 1310, where I believe it shuts down completely. This is why I installed cooling fans (but also for the fun of it.) Amazon’s ”Sound Original” low profile blower fans (two for $9.99) were the right size, they had bearings, brushless motors, and a good mounting configuration for this application. The Victron was mounted on 1/4” standoffs to keep its cooling fins off the mounting surface, and it also helps the fans to distribute air more evenly. I used a Normally Open, 1040, 5 amp, thermostat switch to control the fans (Amazon Uxcell KSD9700 (2 for $5.49). The fans get power from the input terminals on the Victron so they can only come on if the truck is connected, and the temperature is over 1040. The thermostat switch resets at 860. The Victron was mounted on a painted plywood board that was attached to the forward battery compartment wall. It’s an easy to reach, out of the way location. I used 4 rubber well nuts that stay in place by themselves, but regular nuts and bolts could be used. The sheathed #4 cable was terminated to the Victron’s input compression terminals, with the fans power leads. I struggled at first with the Victron’s compression terminations, the wire wouldn’t fit, and I couldn’t find #4 square ferrels. So I was pretty pleased to discover that Anderson pins can be filed down to fit perfectly. Just be sure to cover the exposed barrels with heat shrink. The negative output of the Victron went to the main chassis ground post under the rear dinette seat where there is a 2/0 cable going directly to the battery negative. The positive output was connected to the line side of a Blue Seas 60 amp fuse block, from there it went to the line side of the existing inverter’s DC circuit breaker, which is jumpered to the battery positive with a 2/0 cable. With the TV at idle and the lithium batteries around 60%, the Victron output was 35.8 amps as measured by a clamp-on amp meter. The TV input was 42.5 amps. This calculated to 84% efficiency, which is close to Victron’s 87% claim, which I assume is under perfect conditions. I really liked the looks of the sheathed cable and Trailer Vision plug and receptacle,. The hinged receptacle cover will keep the dirt out when not towing. The plug and receptacle are locked together more securely with the Trailer Vision covers, otherwise the Anderson connectors can be fairly easily pulled apart and they might not stay together on a bumpy road. Cheers, Geoff
    1 point
  39. Rob, don't think or use torque values for rubber mounts. I've seen some pictures here that look right and some showing over-tightened bushings. You want to tighten them enough for the rubber bushings to pillow nicely, not enough so that the rubber will mushroom beyond the mounting plate which will cause premature failure of the bushings. The nuts are Nylok locking nuts so they will stay put.
    1 point
  40. Congrats on your new running gear. We have the exact same set up and are very happy. Lew and his crew at Alcan are pros and really do a great job. Well worth the trip and time to have this install done right. 👍🏻
    1 point
  41. John, yes I did check on those and they are ok. I am checking with Zamp et they said could be a resetting breaker between the controller and batteries? Not sure how to check that. They also indicate it could be the controller, I measured the input and output directly on the controller and waiting a response back from Zamp
    1 point
  42. David & Gail - If these marks really bother you then I think that you have basically two choices: 1 - Make an appointment with the guys at CGI detailing. I certain they can get it better than new for you. 2 - Polish it our yourself. If you want to go this route (I would) I'd suggest starting with a fairly light polish such as Meguiar"s Ultimate Polish - THIS STUFF. If this doesn't do the job then I'd up the ante to something like Shurhold Buff Magic Compound - THIS STUFF. I believe one of these two will allow you to buff out this stain by hand. After you polish apply protection to the surface with the wax of your choice. Bill
    1 point
  43. For a number of years I've had a similar hose - but - it is not any more pliable than a regular round hose and it gets a bit stiffer just like a regular round hose. Therefore, if you are in the market for one of these "flat" hoses I'd suggest sticking with this recommended brand. Bill
    1 point
  44. I checked mine today. It is plugged onto a 20amp GFCI. No issues.
    1 point
  45. On our way back from the rally we had to stop at one of our favorite pull offs on the Smoky Mountain Expressway. So glad this scenic highway is in our backyard. Loving all things in the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge! Mountains as far as you can see.
    1 point
  46. Dan, you are correct. I have not measured it but I'm 6'2" and if I stand up straight, the top of my head will fully contact the bathroom ceiling. So it's 6'2" or just a bit shorter. I was never interested in those fancy teak wood covers for the shower floor as that would lose another 2". I can almost lay flat on the bed if it wasn't for the curved corner. I'm a side-sleeper most of the time so the bed just fits but it's tight.
    1 point
  47. GJ, I have not used the hose yet, but it’s my understanding that they flatten back out to the shape you see it in the packaging. @Ollie-Haus or @Rolind can give more feedback on field use and storage.
    1 point
  48. When we get home. Carry 3 water hoses cooler in the bed. This looks like a winner.
    1 point
  49. Thank you Pete, you are spot on, these young guys are not technicians, but 💯 Magicians! 😊
    1 point
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