rideadeuce

So after unloading from our trip I decided to play with the settings a bit. Remote is easy now that I dedicated some time to learning it. Also, so far the AUTO mode is starting to make sense. In FULL AUTO mode today, ambient outside temperature is 81 degrees F. Time: 12PM As soon as I put it in auto mode it showed AUTO cool with the number 77 showing. The inside ambient temperature was 72. The fan continued to run for a few minutes then the entire unit turned off including fan. Then the display showed AUTO Heat 68 degrees F. So I am assuming it will not turn on again unless the temperature drops below 68 or the Auto cool kicks in. But what temperature that is still unknown since you cannot set it manually. Strange that you can’t manually set temps, but the AUTO setting (68-77) may end up working great for certain situations like when the unit is plugged into shore power in my driveway. I will update as I follow how the unit reacts to outside ambient temperature throughout the day and night. Time: 1pm. Went into camper, AUTO mode display had switched from HEAT to COOL 77, Fan only running no compressor. Inside cabin temp 75 degrees. Ambient outside temp 83 degrees. TIme: 1:25pm. Unit off. AUTO mode heat 68 displayed again. Ambient inside temp 71. Interesting, seems like this setting may be great for when the Ollie is parked plugged in at home. It would save the fan motor from constant use. But would never work for me in use because I am hot natured and would need lower settings. Time: 1:50pm. Once cabin temp reached 76 degrees fan only turned on. At least, I can’t hear compressor. Pulling around 300 watts. Again, I believe this mode will work great while stored/parked. I like to keep my camper plugged in and connected to WiFi. @Ronbrink I believe the 15k BTU unit will be great for the Ollie because for one it is more efficient than other 13.5 BTU units and second the mode settings and unit design allow for the better management of humidity. But agree, more actual use is needed to confirm. Best, Mike

@Ronbrink It is Molex 19045-81 but I can't seem to find a link for it. 3 contacts. Black, white and ground.

1st Road test: spoiler alert, I am quite impressed after 1st night with the fan running and the first trip with the AC set on AUTO AC at 70 degrees F. When we left my dad's house in SW MI the temp was 66 degrees. Epoch batteries 99% By Mid day temps had climbed to 84. Pulling into our house south Nashville 8 hrs later it was 91 degrees outside and the Epoch batteries showed 75% with a 87.5 amperage draw on high AC output. I know it is a lot different than coming up from FL but still pretty happy with the results. Cabin temperature never got above 72. Experience so far inside has been pleasant. Slept a lot better the first night. Temps and humidity stayed more constant. I didn't wake up hot and have to turn down the temperature. The fan did stay on all night but relatively quiet and I actually really liked the circulating air without the worry of using up too much battery. Turned off my other fans I usually use. The FULL AUTO mode is still somewhat of a mystery to me as of yet. I intuitively feel like once I get some clear answers it will be positive. Everything else is thought out well. The Auto AC and heat work as expected. Still not enough experience with dehumidifying and sleep modes. The fan does not continuously bring in fresh non-conditioned, it re-circulates the cabin air. IF so, it is well designed. Sealed unit is the way it was explained to me. I am not sure how that works but it did feel that way during the night. We had a lot of rain a couple of days. Condensate dripping off the Oliver does not bother me. The highest amperage draw on high that I have seen is still under 90 amps I like the way it has 3 different options to send air directly out to the cabin in both directions. I can feel it sitting at dinette while typing on the computer. It has a dump switch so that air comes straight down to the bed area. And the rotating vents mode actually changes up the air flow nicely. Thought I have kept it off mostly. I don't necessarily need the AC on all the time but I really like the air circulating quietly. Happy with keeping the Suburban propane for back up heat. Also, glad to have 12k heat pump available to use on Auto mode. Took off the back plate for T-stat. Looks better. Plenty of head room. The remote is nice but still figuring it out. Comes with a mount. I forgot to mention earlier Kevin at SDG said it would be $1800 for install at his shop which includes Suburban thermostat wiring/placment. For the DIYer it is $1350 shipped without SoftStart, $1650 with the SoftStart. The SoftStart is basically $300 either way. You can get a little bit of a discount (-$20) on SoftStart website. All for now. Best, Mike Screen shots riding down the road at different times during the drive home.

On the last leg of our summer family vacation we stopped at my dad's in MI. Next morning, I drove down to Elkhart, IN and had SDG install the Atmos 4.4. Guys were on time, efficient and knowledgeable. Installation went great! Pics below: They now offer SoftStart as an option on their website but I brought my own SoftStart Breeze (smaller version) . Atmos 4.4 Pics Removed the old Dometic Penguin II, cut drain line and plugged. Cleaned surface, applied very small bead of Dicor self-leveling on the inside perimeter of fiberglass 14 x14 opening Removed interior shroud. Penguin shroud was screwed to fiberglass ceiling, the 2 holes on each side will barely show after Atmos plenum installed. Fixed mine with a couple of the small glow in the dark dots we use on the ceiling to amuse the kids. Kevin was able to use the wiring for the original thermostat location to power the Suburban propane heater control. I may change or remove this later. They used Molex connectors instead of JXN box additional pics The new unit is a good bit quieter (6-10db) depending on mode and has around 40% less draw on the battery. On high it was pulling 1200 W vs 1800 W for the PII. Fan only was under 300 watts. They were done with the install in 2 1/2 hrs. App and remote are working well but still figuring it all out. I know this is short but on our way home to TN. I did find out that the Atmos 4.4 is designed so that the fresh air coming in and the exiting conditioned air is in a sealed unit and does not contact the outside (humid air). So running the fan only does not introduce humid air, it only re-circulates cabin air. Still awaiting answer on how exactly AUTO mode works. From the manual, it only states that it senses ambient air and automatically heats and cools but nothing about a parameter. You actually cannot set the temperature in that mode at all as far as I can tell. I did notice this unit manufactured 3/24 is using R-32 refrigerant. Best, Mike

SOC hasn’t affected the amps output. I believe the issue has more to do with the fact that it is non-isolated version and the grounding wires need to be re-arranged. I was given this diagram to try He said the tow vehicle battery and TT batteries must have a common ground. So I am going to try this setup after I install new high output alternator. @MAX Burner it’s why I was excited to see you had installed a non-isolated 30 amp version because of my questions about negative/ground wiring. Originally had everything going to the TT negative bus bar then on suggestion I moved the TV starter battery negative 4 awg straight to the Orion with only slight improvement. Have not seen anything above 16amp even when below 25% battery. How did you wire your negative/ground wires for the Orion?

I have already forgotten about using the generator traveling down the road and the usefulness of the power assist probably because I used a Yamaha propane generator that ran the PII without difficulty with a soft start. Since converting to lithium I have forgotten about it already. I was thinking from a lithium powered standpoint. It would be useful for an owner trying to use a smaller generator.

My first OEM plug under dinette is a GFCI.

SDG said they would document and take pics of the install. I will try to gather as much information as I can, as well. On family vacation, so I am kind of sneaking this into the mix. Ha! Mike

Me too. My install is coming up on Wednesday. The first Atmos 4.4 bought for an Oliver was returned before install because it was the color black and the owner decided to wait on the white version to become available. At least, this is what was told to me by Kevin at SDG. The manual shows it has an AUTO MODE. You should be able to pick AC or Heat or AUTO and set corresponding temps. The unit does not receive heat signals when in cool mode only. If you can only pick a single temperature in AUTO MODE... that would be a bummer and I will be unhappy as well. At that point, I would just use the separate HEAT ONLY and COOL ONLY modes. It also has a timer OFF FXN and dehumidifier mode. The heat pump is very nice thing to have IMO and can easily be turned off. Since the unit is quiet, I actually like the idea of the fan running to circulate the air until I turn the unit off or set the timer to turn off. The APP is the only thing I can't find much information on but ratings are good. For sure, I will let y'all know how the ride home from MI to TN goes!

The MultiPlus-II combines the functions of the MultiPlus and the MultiGrid. It has all the features of the MultiPlus, plus an external current transformer option to implement PowerControl and PowerAssist and to optimize self-consumption with external current sensing (max. 32A). - Victron The MultiPlus-II is a newer model; it is also a single inverter/charger unit, but it has some improvements over the original MultiPlus. It has a more powerful microprocessor, which allows it to provide more accurate and precise control over the charging process. - Victron MP-II form factor is longer and slimmer. So, depending on install may be easier to mount. Idle power draw is less for the MP2 11w vs 25w for the original. Having installed it, in retrospect, I might look at using Victron Lynx power distribution instead of DIY bus bars. A lot to think about. Best, Mike

I would install the SoftStart. It will make everything run smoother and more efficiently, even if MP2 can run AC without it. "From the Dometic Penguin II label. Compressor surge rating of 52a, higher than the Atmos, which is 48a. The Dometic 52a translates to 6240w and 480a at 13vdc. A Xantrex Freedom XC Pro 3000w Inverter has a surge rating of 6000w. The MP2 has a surge rating of 5500 watts. So, no RV air conditioner above 13k BTU should be run from Inverters and Lithium batteries without a soft start added. The Truma Aventa has an even higher surge rate of 58a." From Sprinter van forum that is very informative on this topic. Even if you have a 11k BTU of lower surge rating, it still makes sense to install SoftStart. The people installing the Atmos for me recommended it as well. Power assist as I understand it and used so far is helpful when connected to shore power not boon docking or traveling. Best, Mike

When I took down the Xantrex, I took down the input leg and then cut short the other run to connect to the output straight from the 15 amp breaker (farthest right) that powers the first GFCI plug (right side of dinette) that powers all the others plus the microwave I think. Then MPII Line IN from the PD ATS, then the Line OUT 1 from the MPII to the Main input at breaker box. Hope that helps. I am terrible and trying to draw diagrams on-line. Wish it was more clear. Mike I am on vacation, so doing this by memory but I believe this is correct.

@Ronbrink Emailed Tony @Mechman.com and ended up ordering the Elite series alternator for the Tundra. Thanks for reminding me. Hand-made in Knoxville, TN Mike

No, they are their miniature twins… Welsh Terriers 20-22 lbs. I still have not worked out the kinks on my DC/DC charger setup, averaging 11-15 amps on the road. So nowhere near the potential of the 50amp charger. Going to try a couple of things when we get home from our trip and the Atmos is installed. Cheers, Mike

Sitting outside at Taughannock Falls, NY in a primitive campsite with 25% battery life left (920aH bank). I have been running the AC off and ON for 2 days. First time I have had to put to use all of my battery backups (GZ4K, etc). And yes most of the AC run time has been for the 2 knuckleheads we enjoy so much. Mimi is expecting again! And, I agree, It just depends how much boon-docking you plan on doing. I wish I had 2000AH! Best, Mike Side note: Starlink is working great!

Read lots of good information and experience above. I have never used this but I have thought about it many times with a plugged Zerk. https://locknlube.com/products/grease-buster?variant=32921003327572 This grease gun with high volume vs high pressure mode works well too https://locknlube.com/collections/grease-guns/products/professional-series-dual-mode-pistol-grip-grease-gun?variant=40111323349076 Best, Mike

Or here: https://www.fiberglassclassifieds.com/category/trailers-for-sale-2

You can find some that have a mounting plate => [Upgraded Version] 12V USB Outlet Qidoe 78W 3 Port USB C 12V Outlet Dual PD 30W & 18W USB A Port with Voltmeter Lengthened Aluminum Body Switch Waterproof USB Car Charger Socket for Car Boat Marine RV https://a.co/d/07mCzHx6 The most I have seen using the ones I installed to charge an iPad is 4.5 amp or around 52 watts. I really just wanted USB-C connections since everything has switched over to that and to be able to fast charge my phone, iPad, etc. Of course the MacBook can charge easily from 50w as well. But I am not an electrician and routinely do things that are above my experience level so I will be the first to say don’t do what I do without doing your own homework.

@jd1923 Yes, I made a custom aluminum mount that turned out awesome and the MPII sits very securely where the Xantrex was originally. Check out my original install post. It is worth pursuing, the Victron eco-system system is pretty sophisticated comparatively. The power hungry 1800 watts of Penguin AC plus 1800 watts of the microwave doesn’t shut down using the MPII but it does show overload for a few seconds. One of the things I am looking forward to not happening with the more efficient Atmos. Best, Mike

Finally got around to upgrading the 12v sockets to USB-C 65W for charging iPads and MacBook. This socket also has an On/OFF button so you don't have to stare at blue lights with the cap off. Cap also closes securely much easier. It is the little things. Amazon link: https://a.co/d/01MrDdX7

Interesting solution @Wildbrew for getting the WIFI over and around the Penguin. As @jd1923 stated I do not have great reception in my TV because the PII blocks it. Mine is in the same spot just not elevated. Because of this, I am seriously considering putting the Cradlepoint and the antenna in the front closet since there is a power outlet it would be simple -- just another hole in the roof. Ugh. But what @rich.dev said is the reason I keep everything in the Oliver is to keep it connected to the outside world. No matter where I am in the world I can check the temperature, change heat and air settings, monitor cameras, get alerts if it moves, etc. Best, Mike

Just so happens, SDG is only 45 min from my dad's house in MI. So I have made an appt for the Atmos 4.4 to be installed July 17th. I am hoping to get some good pictures of installation since it will be the first install for them in an Oliver. Things I already know: No condensation pump or lines No need to use wall mounted thermostat due to Plenum, remote and app controls. If you keep the suburban propane heater, they will mount a simple thermostat for it under the street side twin or elsewhere that is convenient. May or may not use the propane heater any more since the Atmos has a 12k heat pump. They can re-use my SoftStartRV from the PII. The Atmos is almost the same footprint. 2.5 in longer and an 1 in taller. Much quieter and more efficient. I will update as things progress. Best, Mike

Mounting holes are the same. Easy peasy. Use a little Dawn to lubricate the power cord to get it through the rubber reinforcement entering the orange housing. That was the hardest part.

Pretty simple setup if you have a Victron system. I got the new SeeLevel display that has extra 4 pin connection for sending information to the Ekrano/Cerbo from https://www.vanlifeoutfitters.com/store/seelevel-709-n2k-pm-tank-monitor-kit-for-cerbo-gx/ You do not need new tank sensors.

Yes but because the blackout shade/frame is a little heavier it seems to fall down easier when positioned bottom => up to close or just the frame rides better in bottom of window position. I have used them both ways. I actually prefer the blackout shade on bottom but because it opens easier traveling I tend to use them closed/blackout with frame resting in down position.