Geronimo John
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Posts posted by Geronimo John
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16 hours ago, MAX Burner said:
Hull #226: Micro Air EZ Start installed on standard Dometic A/C unit/Honda EU 2000i GENSET: NO CAN RUN A/C, just FYI. Maybe a EU 2200i could pull it off, but we don't have access to one (YET).
The Honda EU2200I for sure will fire off and run long duration the Dometic Penguin II OEM OTT OE2 A/C (2018 Model Year). I am of the understanding that the slightly smaller
I know of at least one Inverter 2000 W generator that will not pull the load. But from what understand, the Honda EU 2000i has done so for several owners. I suspect you may have problem with the (most likely) your A/C (Start/run capacitor), or your Honda (especially if converted to Propane) or your EZ Start if it is not "pulling the load".
OWNERS WITH HONDA EU 2000i generators: Will your pull the Dometic Penguin A/C?
The three "killer of a deal" questions were poised to other owners to ask when they are considering upgrading their A/C. Good to know in advance if their generator will "pull the load" or not. Could be a costly "Oh Crud" moment. 🙂
GJ
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John:
Thank you for all the great thoughts, ideas, and patience you have provided to so many other Oliver owners.
God bless you Sir.
GJ
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On 6/7/2023 at 9:17 AM, SeaDawg said:
Is it really almost 4000 watts to run it? Or is there some iso formula I don't know?
They claim an eer of 8.2, so that would be more like 1650 watts running at 95 degrees? Which would be awesome.
That must be the max inrush current. Key questions I would require answers for if I were interested are:
- What 120V breaker does it require?
- What size electrical service wire does it require?
- Will a 2,000 watt Honda EU 2000i generator reliably start and run the unit with or without EZ Start?
If the answers are:
- Greater than 20 amp
- #12 AWG
- No
It would for sure be a deal breaker.
GJ
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On 6/12/2023 at 8:07 AM, Patriot said:
A recent quote from Mike Sharpe at Oliver Service for the basic Lithium conversion on our LE2 was $10k. 😳 I am just not a player at that price as I don’t see long term return on resale.
I agree. How about three 100 amp hour Battleborns, 3000 w inverter, 200 watt solar suit case (I wish I had gotten two each 100 watt ones though), Victron DC to DC charging and 712 Smart all for under $4,600 in 2021/22? Plus of course about 5 days labor by my self.
2021 SOLAR INSTALLATION INVOICE SUMMARY.xlsx
The only really hard parts were the below and cutting a hole in the dog house for the #4 charging cables to the TV battery.
If I were doing it again, I would have made the cutting board "pan handle" just a bit wider. The switch mounting bolt could have used another 1/4" of meat.
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19 hours ago, John E Davies said:
I dislike having unprotected hot wires, even very short ones.
Me TOO! Hence here is how I did it using a solid copper buss bar from the Blue Seas On/Off and then direct connected to a buss bar with ALL the + loads.
Just be aware of the stack-up height and the clearance above the switch. May limit your poly cutting board thickness.
GJ
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On 6/6/2023 at 4:26 PM, AlbertNTerri said:
or maybe using a heat gun on low, but I'd be real apprehensive about using the heat gun
Hair Dryer would a better choice as they typically are 190 degrees F. I have "Fried" plastic with my heat gun. They are often over 800 degrees F if I recall correctly..
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2 hours ago, thompsonkd said:
Seems like the negative post is more of a favorite than the positive post?
For the electrical wizards skip this post. You know it already.
Most DC systems with fuses (Like our 300 Amp fuse on the + side of our OEM batteries) would have their master On/Off convenience switch on the same side of the battery as the fuse. Granted, both will get the job done. Just that being on the positive side is more prevalent than on the negative side. Not a big deal for most applications. But it could be for a first responder not familiar with your owner mod. For example, Fire Fighters are trained to to look for a RED handle or device on the primary current carrying lines during a fire operation. This is because they are taught that when working with DC Electrical, there typically are only just four different colors:
- Red – Red cables carry the positive current.
- Black – Black cables will be the negative cable.
- Grey or White – Grey or white cables are the ground wires.
And they are generally looking for the red wires to kill the power with their super sized cutters. I have seen this several times. Sadly, I have also seen first responders cut wires within inches of a master On/Off switch. None the less, it is no coincidence that the vast majority of RV master on/off switches are red in color and are mounted on the RED positive lead. As many of you have seen this at least three times.... once again: If you are going to add a convenient and quick way to totally kill the DC power of your trailer, I highly recommended this unit: Blue Sea Systems 9003E (350 amp rated). It just happens to be...... wait for it...... RED
WHY? RV and NEC codes require that all high power DC circuits have at least one current limiting device. In the case OE2's, most if not all have a 300 amp fuse on the + side of the battery. (See Note Below). If a second current limiting device, such as a supplemental On/Off Master Switch, is installed, it MUST be rated for at least the capability as the primary current limiting device (IE. generally our 300 amp fuse). For this reason the minimum size any engineer worth their salt would insist on using is at least a 300A master switch. The impact of using a smaller switch can be "enlightening" and very costly. PM me if you want the full monte explanation.
I personally chose the above one.
John Russell (AKA GJ)
Registered Professional Engineer, Former USAF Fire Marshall and Incident Commander
NOTE: For our OE2's, I have not yet seen any OEM Inverters beyond 3,000 watts. And 3,000 watts at 12.7 volts = 236 amps. So it is likely that ALL our OE2's have 300 A fuses on their man positive battery cable fuses as OTT tends to design the wiring for all options offered, and the 3,000 watt inverter is the big boy unit. If your fuse is higher or lower, please let us know.
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Imagine the look of some teen agers heading down to the Ole Swimming Hole and finding a 17 foot camouflaged gator had eaten their swing!
GJ
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I'm a bit of a nerd and if I have a 300 amp fuse in my battery + cable in route to the Inverter (as Ollie installs), then I'm not going to use a 125 amp disco.
For my use, I installed the BlueSeas 350 amp version. Used a small bus bar to connect it to the RED (+) terminal and then reconnected the cables to the 350 amp rated Master Kill Switch. Granted it costs significantly more than $8. But for something critical like this.... Peace of mind rules.
GJ
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14 hours ago, John E Davies said:
Probably won’t work because the backspacing of trailer wheels is different than most car wheels. DT website will not allow you to buy tires without entering a vehicle model.
That's true.
I used to use COSTCO for our tires, but for new tires for the TV, Discount Tire's cost, service and guarantee was a better deal with the 5% military discount.
For our F-150 I looked really hard at the Cooper's (Max Burner) and others. Was not impressed any longer with the Michelin AT2's. Compared to almost anything, they were inferior ... other than in price. I ended up purchasing Nitto Recon's for the F-150 for install in three weeks. For Ollie I'll likely be following a suggestion like Routlaw's (Vredistein Pinza AT's). It is more of a highway tire with off road abilities. Rationale is that I want to have more off road capability for our TV, but want less "Stone Tossing" for Ollie's axles.
If you are not familiar with the Discount Tire/Tire Rack test and ratings I highly encourage you to check it out. You can select on a scale what attributes you want and it will make recommendations accordingly. I must have Some great pearls in the above that have me clearly planted in the LT camp for tires with manners on road at high speed. run at least 50 combinations of inputs just to get a real feel for what is available and recommended for different "your uses".
Some really good info from several owners. I took to heart these:
On 6/5/2023 at 7:40 AM, John E Davies said:Wouldn’t you prefer off road tires on your off road Oliver?
On 6/6/2023 at 11:03 AM, routlaw said:You will not ever see me putting a set of ST tires on our Oliver.
On 6/6/2023 at 12:53 PM, MAX Burner said:Exactly right on! MAX's "hard rule" on towing anything - DON'T SKIMP ON RUNNING GEAR. Period.
GJ
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On 6/6/2023 at 12:49 PM, MAX Burner said:On 6/6/2023 at 11:03 AM, routlaw said:
Also the last time I checked Costco WILL NOT do trailer tires.
Didn't know that, good to know. Our experience has been only with TV's. Thanks!
Bring the rims in and tell them it is for your XXX vehicle.
GJ
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1 hour ago, John E Davies said:
LOL, I can get two switches for $7. maybe I should order 4 and put the extras in my spares kit.
John I would order a dozen if you are going to use a ten amp switch on a 30 amp circuit. 🙂
Gotcha!
GJ
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1 hour ago, routlaw said:
I went with the Vredistein Pinza AT due to their top of the line reviews on Tire Rack
Excellent choice.
GJ
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On 5/25/2023 at 12:30 PM, SeaDawg said:
The 2200 may be just cooling and dehumidifier, like the smaller houghton we have? European specs say it's good for trailers up to 7 meters.
I'm looking forward to your install and review.
The 2200 is only 7,500 BTU capacity. For an OE2, that would not be enough capacity for the majority of HOT weather areas. However, it would provide great de-humidificaiton as it would have very long run times between cycles or run all day long and be cycling off only at night. Would prefer at least 9000 BTU for an OE2, and 11,000 being the ideal selection.
GJ
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That's a great looking super durable cover. Thanks for sharing.
I'm thinking maybe one for my front storage box. Do you think it would hold up with constant wind and abuse there?
GJ
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After careful adjustment, the next step is to determine the total power going to the four brake magnets. I can think of two ways to do this:
1. IF YOU HAVE SOLAR:
- Disconnect from TV. Shut off everything in the trailer and note the residual amp draw.
- Go to the street side bed area and locate the power connection for the emergency activation of the brakes.
- Using your solar control system, check and record the amp draw causes by parasitic draws (Smoke and propane detectors, stereo, tv etc. Record this amp draw. Should be very low.
- Pull the break-away and check your solar system control and determine the amp draw. Subtract the two numbers and you will have the power going to your brakes "locked up". It should be right around 12 amps.
- Reinsert the break away pin to conserve power and avoid overhheating the magnets.
- If the increased power draw is less than about 12 amps, it likely will be around 3, 6 or 9 amps thereby indicating you have one or more magnets with a problem.
- If it is near 12 amps, the issue is not with the trailer end of the system. I would then take it to a trailer brake pro, not a RV shop.
2. If you don't have solar, than I would connect Ollie to your TV and having a partner to activate the brakes:
- Measure the total amperage going to the brakes. Requires a clamp on amp meter. Should read between 11 and 12 amps. This will tell you if one or more of your brakes are not getting the power it needs to fully activate. If low:
- Test the power going to each side. Should be half of the above (around 6 amps) and equal side to side. If not:
- Test each of the four lines going into the brake assembly to figure out which one is the problem.
- If found, determine if it is: Broken/corroded connection, bad ground to that magnet, or a bad magnet.
As above, knowing the amp draw at various places allow you to figure out where the problem is. If none of the above works.... get professional help before replacing your controller. Ask prospective shops if they have a plug in testers that connects up to your 7-pin at the TV bumper to diagnose TV brake controller and wiring.
Finding a bad connection there would be a lot cheaper than a new controller installation.
Hope this helps.
GJ
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3 hours ago, John E Davies said:
It too is “backwards” from USA standards, the on position is down
I had a similar switch on a very old second hand ragged out BMW that failed. It was backward. Being a poor college kid, I found a switch the same size that was not. Mounted it upside down and used some black shoe polish to "Erase" the upside down on/off lettering. Cost me 50 cents. I was shocked at the price as for 50 cents I could buy almost two gallons of leaded gas!
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7 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:
Well worth the inside switch.
7 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:That's assuming the power being supplied is stable. On the other hand, in a full hookup campground with marginal power, you can turn the AC element off during the heat of the day - when others' air conditioner use has driven the campground voltage down - and run your water heater on gas only. Then, in the morning when the voltage is nominal again and your wife wants a shower after you, you can flip the AC element back on for a faster reheat and shut it back down after her shower. Been there, done that many times. Well worth the inside switch.
I totally agree, and for our OE2 it would be the same. But OTT has to take a higher road and consider that not all owners are as swift in the power management regime, and don't have silly folks or kiddo's switching on stuff that don't fully understand what we have learned in more than six (or more) decades. So the safer path is to put the switch outside where only a few of us know how to play the power management game. That said, if you really want the ability, it is easy to add a switch under the curb side bed rail. You doing so fully absolves OT of the negligence should "an event" occur. In today's world, i think their decision was pretty obvious.
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22 hours ago, MAX Burner said:
the PO decided to remove the "cubby" shelf under the bathroom sink which housed the factory WP switch and LED and replaced it with a 2-dog marine-grade hatch to access space in the forward area under the sink for additional storage.
If I recall, JD super insulated the space under the sink as part of his winter hardening of his OE2. That project combined with adding access would open up the space for storage. Could you post some pic's under a net thread on how to do so?
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On 2/16/2023 at 7:33 AM, Steph and Dud B said:
Why isn't there an indoor switch for the 120v water heater element?
I suspect that OTT felt that the the "pain and suffering" of having such a switch inside far outweighed the inconvenience of going outside and flipping the switch on the hot water heater.
Specifically: Activating this high current element is mostly concerned with your setup location. Do you have a 30 amp connection to power up Ollie's systems, or just 20, or just solar, or just a generator (Etc.). The power available generally determines if I'll even be using the hot water electrically driven. However, having a switch inside would allow a whole lot of others to just flip it on. The impact could instantly trip the breaker. That could have a lot worse impacts. Benefit/Cost Analysis Summary: Fail.
GJ
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13 hours ago, Tom and Doreen said:
I recently bought a Scan Guage lll which displays engine data in real time including various temperatures
Having an OBD reader opens up a lot of different settings that the MFG knows about but may not make available on your trim level. Many of those options are actually available for the owner with such a scanner. For my 2019 F-150 they include:
- Bambi Mode
- Transmission Temp Display in degrees F above the idiot light
- Disable Auto Start/Stop
- Turn off double honk when leaving the truck with keys in it... like hooking up Ollie
Toyota likely has many such options that may improve your truck suites your preferences. Recommend you search the Toyota Forum for your truck's generation. For sure will not improve the engine braking vs a big block V-8, but some of those minor irritations can for sure be fixed easily.
GJ
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20 hours ago, John E Davies said:
Up as high as possible is best!
JD: I like your tree guard! I have had my RVC antenna whacked more than once.
GJ
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7 hours ago, Patriot said:
and as importantly spread the load on the fiberglass cover from the fastening tension plus wind impacts when in Wyoming at 80 MPH.
7 hours ago, Patriot said:I don’t see myself ever towing my Ollie in 80 mph winds anywhere.
I have experienced 80 MPH winds there while setting still. I have experienced hundreds of times 40 MPH wind gusts. So if you don't want to see 80 MPH winds on the AC, you are now limited to running 40 mph or below.
Just saying there are hugly strong wind gusts out west, and if the fasteners have cracked the cover, making those connections more sturdy by adding the SS fender washers would be a smart idea. Just saying.....
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Resetting or Rebooting a Maxxfan
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
Excellent video and time saver!
Really like your 350 amp Blue Sea Master Switch! 🙂
One of the Max Fan maintenance tasks that I also recommend is weather protecting the circuit board.
GJ