Mainiac

I found some of my shades loose at some corners. This was early on in our travels. We simply held them close and tapped them firmly with the palm of my hand. You could hear and feel them 'snap' into place. I check them all on occasion and have never found any loose again. I only assume ours were never fully installed at the get go? I was outside the unit the other day and all the shades were open. The person inside was waving and we could not see them. We assume the window tint and reflection were the cause. I don't think anyone could ever see much looking in, especially if any shade was down. We went in and looked out, and you could see everything. From the outside try looking in, you won't see much, unless the lights are on and it's dark out. For us I guess they work best to keep the light out at "nap time"...

I rotated one shade. The now top shade is too heavy and won't stay open. Wish we could "tighten" the opening/closing tension...

Welcome, we were in the same dilemma almost 14 months ago. Except we didn't even consider the spare room. We had more room in the garage. We set up the Camp Chef stove so we could try out the oven. We found we needed a folding table to set it on. Then the chairs, and another table for between the chairs, and a mat. A tool box, pillows, bedding, food, dishes, eating utensils, towels (paper and cotton) water, hoses, extension cords, adapters, and totes for the little stuff, whew. Then we had to see where, along with the dog, where it was all going to fit in the truck. Being 1500 to 1800 miles away we didn't want to run back home for something. We had blocking, chocks, even some firewood, and strike anywhere matches, even a toaster. Then came the realisation that they had stores like Tractor Supply, Wally World, and regional grocery stores near by. We probably could have left a lot at home. We are glad that we had an extra water hose, fittings and hose for sewer, and a 30 amp extension cord. Amazing how many times a campgrounds facilities are just out of reach. We are still removing "stuff" we have not used... We are most thankful that we found the Oliver. We started our research by looking at the Airstreams. Most of the used ones ads said new floors all done, and maybe only $600 or so for a nice polish job. Hmmm.

We won a pair at the 2017 Rally. We use one under the tongue and leave the other one home. We use 11" long 4 x 4 under the rear jacks and they stack easily in the back of the truck during transit. They have a hole drilled in one end with a spliced rope through the hole, much like the chocks that hold aircraft wheels. The Big red thing is bulky and hard to store. No hand holds either and the top holds water. Also when we took an extended trip at the end of February Big red was frozen into the field and would not budge. Luckily we had the 'spare' and recovered the other when we returned in early spring. We also have two stacks of the orange 'blocks', but have limited the use to occasionally making up ramps for the tires.

We like to open the windows, or sit under the awning. While doing that we like to listen to the crickets, or the birds, or the babbling of a lazy brook, or even the waves washing up on a beach. We like to leave electronic noise and devices behind. We never understood how people think it is ok for their noise to invade our campsite. Thought by most campers as rude, and the number one complaint to campground management. Just a thought!

There was discussion on here awhile ago about drawers opening while underway. At that time the factory was also using real short screws to attach the drawer glides. Under certain circumstances the drawers would end up in the aisle, and usually something would break. A search of the forum should show several methods of preventing. We got our supplies from a fabric outlet that carries material for boat upholstery. We used about 1/8" shock cord. Underway it just pops on. When stopped they coil up real small and fit in top right drawer. In the 5500/6000 miles since installed we have had no further incidents where we have had to repair a drawer...

Wade, At one time we had bought a Scamp that had been sitting in a field neglected for quite a few years. The owner dropped the price by 25% before we picked it up, because he found a big hole in the floor. We removed cabinets and partitions to repair the floor. While at it out came the ice box and in went a 3 way refrigerator. A toilet was added, drawers added, furnace ducts upgraded, new tires, a wash and wax, and so on. And then, the unthinkable happened. Someone came along, with cash in hand, and offered me 3 times what I had invested in it. As he left he also said he would have paid more. From this experience we learned two (maybe three) things. Some time later we found we missed the trailer. We started to look for a replacement. We knew something a little bigger would fit our life style better, but also we wanted some thing that would fit down narrow roads and paths. We started by looking at used Airstreams. One thing that struck us was a lot said floor had been repaired or replaced. Been there, not again. Most needed to be polished, and that lead to the discussion of dent removal and hail damage. Maybe time to keep looking. Then we found the Oliver, and the rest is history. Solar power, LED lights, warm even in a rest area when there is black ice and snow outside, high clearance, and great road manners. An awning that is easy to put out and a heavy aluminium frame that won't rust out. But maybe most of all, for me anyway, no particle board floors...

For those of us in the north, what is a y'all?

Hopefully it is just a plugged aerator on the faucet, which should just unscrew. Some have used the tips of needle nose pliers to act like a spanner wrench. If that plugs, I certainly would take off the line going into the toilet, and flush it well. The local RV $upply $tore wants over $60 for that valve if you have to replace it. We also use a Camco combination particulate and taste filter, and so far it has been more than adequate. What does a water softner system look like? Size? Maintenance?

Looking close: why is there a chrome (electrical hookup??) cover on the curbside of the propane cover on some of the units? Even in an old campground where the electrical is still up front, it is still usually on the streetside.

Is it just me or do those units, without graphics, look like a white Belugar whale?

I have hull # 211 with the Michelin tires, and factory installed E-Z Flex. We have put over 10,000 miles, and some pretty rough roads with no problems. We will measure our systems tomorrow and inspect. More to follow...

Thank you. We think we might have a 1/2" hex in the shop, we have never used. But the bolt idea makes a lot of sense, and would take up less room in the tool kit. Guess we will check ours. Maybe have to look about adding a brass or chrome nipple and 45* el to set the connection outboard a little further. That might make it easier to hook up the hose, especially if we add a hanger...

I would think the hose near the water heater would be the drain for the fresh water tank. The metal plates are covers over holes that are hull drains. These (I assume) are incase water or condensation occur between the hulls. They do allow dust and cold air to enter the hulls...

Thank you. I am sure I have seen the drain hose, but just never associated it with the ac. Will have to find and keep an eye on the tube. We certainly would not want mud daubers or debris blocking the hose, especially those rare days where you run the ac in the afternoon and have sub zero nights. A split drain hose, from freezing, between the hulls would certainly displease me. We will make sure the top is clean, and probably probe the bottom of the hose with a thin flexible wire...

Where does the ac supposed to drain?

This talk of pressuring the interior makes me think of the bathroom fan. I left that fan on once. When I went back in and opened the door, you could hear the exhaust fan relax. It was getting air from the main cabin and was not having to work so hard. The thought is to put a small pass through vent high up by the left of the door that was always open. Evidently there is not enough air allowed into the room from the narrow gap around the door. This should also allow the heat to circulate better when running the furnace as it doesn't run into a pressure situation, and can circulate freely. This said, wouldn't a small exhaust type fan, maybe installed backward and high up, pressurize the whole cabin? It could draw air through an easily changed filter(s). This would eliminate the need for the snorkle and associated plumbing. Probably pick up the needed power from the existing fan? Maybe swap out the existing fan?

So, the new unit is marked 5 v, 2.1 amp. You connected to 12 v power. What you had before was also (I assume) 12 v, but only 1 amp. How does this work again? Is the 1 amp different voltage?

K

For our hoses, we usually sanitize while winterizing. We make up a weak solution of Clorox and pour into the hose. We move the hose so the water covers the full length of the hose, and let it sit while we winterize. We then blow out the hose thoroughly. Then we screw the ends of the hose together so nothing can enter. We are very careful to make sure the ends of the hose touch nothing while coiling. While we normally like shortcuts that work, we like running the solution through the short hose and pump on the Oliver to be sure that that part of the system is sanitized as well. That short hose has a sandwich/freezer bag put on each end and held on with a rubber band for storage.

Well, the ice is finally out on Moosehead Lake here in Maine. That must mean that it is time to wake the Oliver from her winter nap. The first order of business will be to sanitize the water system. We will get unscented Clorox 5 or 6% sodium hypocloride. We will make sure we get it from a busy yet smaller grocery outlet. Some of that which we have gotten from a big blue outlet in the past had spent too much time in a distribution warehouse; and had seemed to have lost some scent and maybe potency. We use a ratio of 1/4 cup to 15 gallons of water. Seeing the Oliver has 30 usable gallons we will use 1/2 cup of Clorox. The first step is to check that we had closed the valve that drains the fresh tank. Also we make sure the waterheater is still in bypass mode. We then add the bleach to a gallon container. Lower the short outside hose (the same one we use to pump in the antifreeze) into the container and pump it into the tank. Just to be sure we fill the container again to sort of rinse it out and get all the bleach. We then fill the tank. Next we go to the kitchen sink and run the cold water, until we smell the clorine and shut it off. This should also flush any remaining antifreeze. Next to the bath faucet, toilet, and outside faucet. This we leave in the lines 3 to 4 hours minimum and up to 24 hours. Drain the tank. Refill it with fresh clean water. Run the faucets again in the sequence until you can no longer smell the clorine. That should take care of the system for 6 months or more, unless you fill the tank from a slow moving city stream.

To keep someone from "borrowing" your Oliver, I like the idea of removing the fuse to the front jack. However, we also think instead of that, we might add a switch to the inside of the camper. Open the door to the camper, throw the switch. The jack would now be operational. If in storage, lower the tongue to make it necessary to raise to hook up. We will have to see about the ease of doing this. Should be a simple fix. Has there ever been a recorded instance of anyone taking an Oliver? I would think with so few out there they would be a desirable target, but easily identifiable. Hence hard to hide?

Zerks pointing out...if your zerks were installed that way, how much of a problem is it to swap them around? Any safety issues?

It used to be, I believe, that they would not assign a vin/hull # until the unit weighed. And as at one time each was a little different. Now they seem to know each is more standard construction and they know the weight of each component. My guess is they have to pay someone something to register VIN #, so they wanted to be sure a unit came to completion and nothing changed. Probably a liability issue?

My guess is there is a delay at the start of a unit as it begins production. Supplies for that particular unit are gathered. A frame is built and polished. Tires and suspension put on. And then four main units produced. My guess is a production number is assigned well before a unit actually is a rolling chassis. I had heard that vin #/hull numbers are assigned earlier now than before. I knew when we picked our unit up we had to call back home with our number to get our insurance activated. Tenn. temp license was good for 30 days, but it would have been nice to register at home first, as we had expired plate for about two weeks on our leisurely trip home. I think they changed when some folks needed the numbers for financial reasons...