Geronimo John

The obvious most important warning is not to mix those chemicals in your living space. More than a few folks trying to unclog/clean a sink/toilet have done so to their peril. So good reminder. But for this discussion (Tank and Fresh Water Line Cleaning), the solution to your process is not to mix the Pine-Sol that you put into the black/gray tanks with the the Vinegar you put into the hot and cold water lines to sanitize. How? Raise your trailer tongue at a dump station or camp site where you have full hook-up and open the black and gray valves to drain them after your tank cleaning. Then flush the water lines first with a bunch of clean water to flow water through the water and they drain into the tanks to remove any Pine-Sol residue. Then introduce the bleach water into the hot and cold water lines and complete the sanitization process. Flush the tanks some more and close the valves. Always remember to bypass your hot water tank. You don't want bleach in it. GJ

Art and I are both using the same solar panel and have connected them up this past summer using the Z-amp 10 AWG Solar Panel Connection as shown in his picture. Down the road when I get past all the Priority A and B mods, I'll likely remove the Solar Charge Controller and make it portable as John D. did several years ago (See his post for details.) Short version is he sits it on top of his street side tire and runs a short cord into the batteries. But with just using the Solar Suitcase as stock, it's not a high priority. However, if you want to extend the (10') stock cable, then the JD upgrade mod would be more beneficial (B Level Mod). My only regret is that I purchased the single 200-watt solar suitcase vs. two each 100-watt solar suitcases. For my purposes, the smaller ones would transport better in my short bed TV. They would also be easier to move around and get out of the TV bed. This may require some smarts for connecting two of them up to a single charge controller. But likely Renogy already has this covered. GJ

Frankly not enough to get out 1/2" of black electrical tape. But when I did the Lithium project, I moved it to below the bed rail so I could put the Victron 712 smart in it's place. Under the bed rail it for sure does not bother us. More often though, I have seen it mounted on the StreetSide rear tire fender facing the "hallway".

My typo. I have edited my quoted post. The main battery cable to Inverter should be 4/0. This will allow for reuse for either 2,000 or 3,000 watt inverters. Also be sure to add a second auto transfer switch dedicated to the A/C. See John Davies post on this topic for info. Doing so allows you full capability of a 3,000 watt converter to power up the A/C and most other loads.

Our 2018 readout is mounted on the street side wall, to the right of the pantry, above the Fresh/Gray/Black/LP sensor readout.

Craig: Absolutely a keeper. Well done! OTT: I highly recommend you subcontract the OTT drawings to Galway Girl! GJ PS: To owners that did not get a full set of drawings with their newer units, you would be doing yourself a huge favor by keeping a copy of this four page file. It GREATLY simplifies one's understanding of our water systems.

I totally support MobileJoy's comments. If you boondock where it gets hot or are heavy microwave users (We are guilty of both), then for sure go with the 3000 w inverter. It is not for most of us" For our 2018, OUR Progressive Dynamics Converter (I.E. Battery Charger) had a Lithium switch. Some others do not. Good threads on checking this out on your. Will only take about ten minutes of your time. Also, you will definitely want to install the 712 Smart Shunt with Bluetooth connectivity. As a boondocker, having DC to DC charging capability is also very nice. For the battery to inverter cable run, you need to use 4/0 AWG. For the DC to DC cable runs #4 AWG minimum. Search the forum and you'll find LOTS of info on these topics. Totally can be a DYI effort if you are handy and have some cabling and electrical skills. But it takes a significant amount of time and planning. Cost of materials alone will be in the $2,500+ range if you shop carefully. You can for sure do it at a lot less cost than having OTT do so. Also you'll learn tons in the process. Finally, please update your profile, and your signature block so we know you TV, Hull Number and year. Without this info, more specific info and help is precluded because we would just be guessing. Your 2019 OE2 is very similar to our 2018. (GJ Updated) GJ

Not boondocking and assuming you are on shore power 100% of the time: I would answer just get one 12V battery and call it done. COSTCO. Also, keep in mind that your 12V battery system also fires off the brake magnets in an emergency breakaway situation. So having at least one is a must for several perspectives. GJ

Believe me when I mention that there are actually several threads about this very topic. Just don't make us all LOL by changing the entrance light to a red one that you switch on and off. Since I would not have ever personal knowledge of such matters, I'll just postulate it must be Ferengi humor. GJ

Bill: I am hoping that my 2018 has the plate. If so, then my understanding of how OTT has used it is more than a bit foggy at this point. As several above, I have a cracked trim and suspect failure of the microwave attachment. So this thread is a great one for my Ollie. I assume that the below picture was taken at OTT since it appears to be "Jigged Up", and it would be extremely difficult to field remove what appears (on the right side of the heavy aluminum "L" shaped plate) to be an imbed in the fiberglass wall behind the Microwave. And finally, that the two holes in the L-plate are for screws into the cabinet of the microwave itself. Is this interpretation in line with reality? If so, possible failure points appear to be: Not having the L-Shaped plate with or without the wall imbed. The two screws into the microwave The attachment of the plate to the wall imbed The imbed separating from the fiberglass wall Or if the Ollie survived being driven off a cliff, several or all of the above From your efforts, is the above logical? Next, I am perplexed how OTT installed the microwave and plate assembly without holes from above? I can understand why you took the "Lumber Shims" approach. I suspect I'll be doing the same. Some questions: Is the aluminum "L" plate hard against the microwave cavity ceiling? Or just against the microwave top? If the latter, how much space is above the plate and the Microwave cavity? Did you Epoxy in your shims or just force fit them into place for possible removal down the road? Thank you, GJ

There are several Tow Vehicle wagon train circles of TV's in the camp. Ours is over there with the 1/2 ton group. Most of us 1/2 Tonners don't want or need the Big Boy 3/4 or 1 ton. Yes you can find some big boys dressed up as 1/2 tons. But personally, I think for your payload, I agree with Taylor.coyote in suggesting the F-250 or larger size TV. GJ

My chili recipe can solve that problem! GJ

Keeping to that theme, and being a Star Trek fan for almost a century or two.... I agree and believe that our Clan has a few Klingons and Romulans for sure. Even a Ferengi gestor. A bunch of Vulcan intellectuals (who tend to be detailed, long winded, but highly insightful). And one that I know very well that can claim DNA from all of these races. Luckily, most of the clan is just human enjoying our Space Egg traveling all over our Universe. But there a couple that continue to take their Space Eggs "where no Eggette has gone before". GJ

Some lithium batteries manufacturers, such as BattleBorn, do NOT want their batteries on a continuous charge when in storage and not being used. Keeping them on float at 100% is bad for their batteries. Recommend you ask that question to your battery mfg just to be sure. GJ

Pretty amazing that this six year plus thread is still a valid topic. GJ

I use a spray can of white lithium grease instead of any "Water Proof" grease. Reason is that I had not discovered the "Red Bull" can approach (Max Burner's post). So my use of use axle grease (Pretty much water proof and permanently staining) came with time consuming challenges. Not to mention that I kept finding myself using Borax abrasives to sand off the grease (and a layer of skin) that always seemed to appear about 24" above ground. Or the buckets of Dawn dish soap trying to remove those stains from my 7-pocket shorts. At least lithium white grease is only water resistant and getting stains of me and my shorts is a lot less time consuming when I forget the Red Bull can! GJ

Being prepared for picking up your new OTT is essential. This starts with being here on the Owner's Forum. Learning all you can from the videos and other owners' suggestions on their visits. One checklist from such experience was very extensive and worth having a copy of in hand. Search the forum for any topic you can think of and likely you'll find more than a few excellent responses. Rivernerd's statements above are GOLDEN: As a senior Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineer I had an advantage on pick-up day. Our acceptance process inside their Sales Building took most of the day as I generated many scores of questions in depth on how the systems worked and were interconnected. Our Ollie is a 2018, and is a simpleton compared to the electronics and systems integration of the new ones. It for sure pales in comparison. So "Drinking From A Fire Hose" today is a huge understatement. I recommend that you down load and study all the owner's manuals, equipment installation and user manuals, and watch all those videos "Until you could "teach the class" as Ralph has indicated. There is zero exaggeration in his suggestion of allocating three days for your acceptance process. In fact, I would call it three full days! One for the process, and two more camping and using ALL the systems of your OE2. While camping off site, write down every possible question you both even think about. Then go back to the Mother Ship armed with that list. If you live a far distance from the Mother Ship, I recommend that you schedule your visit on a Monday or Tuesday. This would give you the three days ending up before Friday thereby maximizing your ability to call or revisit at the factory. It also gives OTT time to for any adjustments or warranty topics to be addressed while you are in town. Since you refer to "We" in your post, I strongly recommend that both of you go to get your new Ollie. Since schedules of a couple may vary, if you are a long distance traveler to the Mother Ship, you may want to bring two vehicles just in case it is necessary to stay for any reason. If on the other hand, both of you have flexibility then traveling together is for sure best. Finally, know that between the unbelievable knowledge and experiences of the OTT camper owners, the quality of the OTT product, and their amazing staff across the board; you have made a great decision. And every purchase comes with a lifetime warranty for asking and getting answers to questions! “Laissez les bons temps rouler” Geronimo John

I have heard that some owners have been allowed to use their trailer at night at the camp spaces on OTT property. That would of course be for repairs that are suitable for relocation and occupancy. Yours would seem to fit the bill. Worth a call. If an option, a simple heavy cardboard temp door duct taped on the hinge side could suffice for an evening or two. Maybe add a string and paperweight on the counter of the microwave to hold it closed. Lots of fun places to explore in the Hohenwald area to keep you and family busy for a day or two for sure. GJ

OOPS for sure. Glad nobody hurt. GJ

I think that MaxBurner pegged just right for me. The Red Bull! Geronimo John

I took notice of your steel reinforcement of the fiberglass bed edge. My experience with loading them with between bed platforms and existing cushions was that they are really strong. Just wondering what lead you to that mod? Thanks GJ

Yes, another kindred spirit to recognize for having a unique, but time consuming talent! I hereby bequeath you with this ceremonially appropriate T-shirt. GJ "The rabbit hole expert"

I apologize in advance for this thread highjack response. I prefer the option you and I utilized for our DC-DC system; i.e having full #4, or larger in your case) size cables for both + & - cables with the 175 amp Anderson Plug. It gives us an assured ground, and nearly the full 60 amps capability (Breaker Size at Battery) for a stronger battery assist. Otherwise we would surely be limited to 30 amps or less. GJ

For our OE2 setup, our old style PD 4060 maximum output to the batteries is 780 watts (60A X 13V). But it consumes 1300 watts of generator power. So the PD 4060 is operating at only 60% efficiency (780/1300 =60%). Our Honda EU2200i is rated for 1800 continuous duty. That leaves 500 watts for anything else in the trailer. Therefore, no A/C, no coffee pot and no microwave use when charging with this set up. Due to low efficiency alone, your thoughts about using the newer PD stand alone converter has merit. Coincidently, I am currently researching a set-up for my brother's SOB trailer. So, I have taken the liberty to dig in a bit further into this new PD line to see if we can use this new inverter at 80 amps output an our 2KW class generators. For consideration, I'll evaluate the PD 80 amp converter (PD9180ALV with PD92201 Charge Wizard). Per PD Technical Services: INPUT POWER: 15 amps of shore power at 120V = 1800W OUTPUT POWER: 80 amps to Lithium's @ 13.6V = 1088W Sadly, the PD 80 amp unit efficiency is only 60.4% (1088W/1800W). But it will require 100% of a Honda EU2200 generator's max continuous output. Basically, it leaves nothing on the table for other purposes when charging. The Honda EU2200i can pull the load, but not the Predator or Yamaha from the 2K class generators. That said, having everything shut off in the OE2 to do so is not realistic. As such, if we really wanted to get that extra 20 amps, it will entail an upgrade to a 3,000W class generator. In the Honda inverter line, that would be an extra $600 to get the Honda 3200i EU generator the EU2200i. Since both I have the smaller Honda's, my path forward is to not try and drive the charge process beyond the realistic realistic output for our existing generators. For our uses, the 60A PD was the cap. And frankly a better choice likely would be the standard OEM PD 4045 unit to reduce the draw to allow power for other uses while charging (I.E. Coffee Pot! But that is covered in a much longer thread. 🙂 I suggest looking into the actual converter efficiency of other manufacturers converters. Likely you'll find some with much better efficiencies, and then it is a matter of cost vs. performance. Ditto with replacement inverters as well! My Renogy 3,000 watt inverter efficiency is also rather poor. Two lesson's I learned post installation that I should have figured out pre-purchase! Hope you find this exercise interesting. GJ

Thanks. Creative using the existing rope handles for tiedowns. I think that that may be an ORIGINAL idea as I have not seen it done before. They also give two horizontal and vertical battery stability support to holding the batteries in place. GJ