greybird

Chris, thank you very much for your posts. That's the kind of feedback I needed. I'm going to do more research and then I'll post a new plan. --mark

PS. Since I've seen it twice today here, I'm taking pro-active measures to cut this off as soon as possible.. Chris and I are *NOT* 'The Dunphy's'. We are not legally married, and even if we were.. I would *never* change my last name and lump my identity in with someone else. So please please please, quit referring to us 'The Dunphy's' or our Oliver 'The Dunphy build'. I know it's usually a safe social assumption and likely a generational thing (and that many others prefer it otherwise), however I find it very disempowering to be reduced to being called by my partner's name, simply because I happen to have breasts. Our chosen unit name is 'Technomadia' - however we take kindly to being identified by our first names as well. Cherie, you have a valid complaint. It's not a good idea to make assumptions. I corrected a message where I used "Dunphy build" and used "Technomadia build" instead. I thought it may be inaccurate, but the term was used by a sales person in a phone conversation, so I repeated it. I'll point this out to the sales person. Peace, --mark

I'm not sure if I will also need a special battery monitor to go along with the AGM batteries and Xantrex charger, or if the standard battery level monitor that comes with the Oliver will work just as well. I found the answer to this question in the post by Chris on battery monitoring: I didn't realize that the built-in battery meter was just voltage. I will need one of the Xantrex monitors. --mark

Hi again, Now I'm on to the question of the battery charger. If I will occasionally be charging the batteries with a generator, to conserve fuel I need to make sure that they charge as quickly as possible. Therefore I'd like to use the AGM batteries that Chris and Cherie used: 2 LifeLine AGM GPL-4C. I can't find any better batteries. And in addition I will need to install a high quality (smart) charger that works well with the AGM batteries, in place of the standard charger. I learned this from the forum thread on battery charging. So I'm not an expert but I've been reading. The battery bank capacity will be 220 amp hours. AGM batteries can be charged at about 75% of capacity, or 165 amps in this case. My 2500 watt generator, charging at 15 volts, can supply 166 amps. A pretty good match. So ideally the charger should operate at up to 150 amps. I can't find anything nearly that large for an RV. The largest I could find is the Xantrex 80 amp, the XADC 80A Converter/Charger: http://www.bestconverter.com/XADC-80A-C ... 5-244.html Although not 150 amps, I think it will do pretty well at 80 amps. This will leave some spare capacity while the generator is running, but it will take most of the generator's capacity. I understand that it is not healthy for diesel generators to be running with a light load, so that's good. I'm not sure if I will also need a special battery monitor to go along with the AGM batteries and Xantrex charger, or if the standard battery level monitor that comes with the Oliver will work just as well. I'm also not sure if this charger will fit in the space of the existing charger, or if I'll need to do what Chris and Cherie did and sacrifice the power cord roller, and use that space for the charger. Any thoughts on any of this? Chris, I've gotten most of this from your research, although I've tried to modify it to fit my needs for charging with a generator and without an inverter. I very much appreciate all the research and write-ups you've done. I'm benefiting from that. Thanks, --mark

Thanks Cherie, that's good to know. I am going back and forth about solar panels now, after re-reading these posts and coming to grips with reality. Since we sometimes camp in the desert, I'm going to need a generator anyway for A/C. So I could save cost by not installing the solar panels, and using the generator for charging the batteries when I need to (as well as for A/C). Rather than the propane-converted Honda generator you use, I'm thinking about a small diesel (2500 watt) generator: http://www.electricpowergenerator.com/RGD5000.html I run my truck on biodiesel, which I brew myself, so I could also use it in the generator. My fuel is easily accessible from my aux tank, so I don't have to carry anything extra. Using biodiesel makes running a generator once in a while for battery charging a lot more attractive. The noise is still a problem, but at least I wouldn't be running it at night. And the generator would come in handy for other uses. Still thinking.... Thanks again, --mark

Pete and Steve -- thank you very much for the detailed responses. I really appreciate it. Based on this I think we will ask Oliver to mount the panels on the roof. We will seldom be camping in dense forest (like the redwoods in N CA) -- mostly desert and sparser forest. When I read about moving the panels around all day, I realized that we probably just wouldn't want to do that. I think I will ask Oliver if they can make a splitter connection of some kind so I can plug the solar panels into a different charger via an external cable and an Anderson Connector. That way I can use the panels to charge my EV at home, or perhaps even camping if we bring it along. http://www.doranev.com/SOLAR-charging-y ... ehicle.htm Thanks again, this is a very friendly forum! --mark

Hi all, I'm new to this forum. My wife and I are in NW Arizona and we're looking at another owner's Oliver on Labor Day in Lake Havasu City. This looks like a great forum for anyone shopping for an Oliver or deciding how to customize it. I have read through the forum and learned a lot, but I have some questions about solar panels. I'm familiar with PV in general, since our house is off the grid and powered by solar. What exactly do you get with the "solar ready" option? My guess is: 1) a standard connector, 2) accurate battery charging monitor. Or does this also include a different battery charger than the one the Oliver normally comes with? Anything else? Since I intend to use solar, I'll probably opt for the "solar ready" option. But I'm not sure about the panels. Based on what I've read in the forum, I assume that the built-in panels for the Technomadia build are what is now offered as the "solar panel" option. Is that right? I'm torn between the built-in panels on the roof and simply bringing a portable set of panels with an on-ground stand. The trade-offs are: 1) The built-in panels are much easier to set up (just tilt them up), and no extra storage is needed. This is a big difference in convenience. 2) On-ground panels can be placed in a slightly differently location from where the trailer is parked, facing a different angle. Since I have solar at home, I know the angle is pretty important for getting the most energy from the panels. Depending on where you are, positioning the trailer in the sun and at the best angle may not be practical. 3) The built-in panels take up the space normally used by the TV satellite dish. This isn't a factor for me, as I don't want the satellite dish anyway. Can the built-in panels be tilted in all four directions? In other words, can any of the four edges be tilted up? Any other advice or experiences you've had with the solar system? Thanks in advance! Mark Hayes