Geronimo John

Great post and a fun read as our family solved the "Who Dune It". Maybe to help the owner a bit, could we change the thread title to indicate the vehicle make and model? That way the owner likely would notice the post, and hopefully read the above sage thoughts. GJ

Roger that. My write-up was for the OE2's. The Elite ones need to triple measure. GJ

POST Rewritten for clarity. GJ JD: Good comments all! The Nova Kool requires 30 square inches of cooling vent at both the top and bottom of the compartment. With this install, we have about 46 square inches at both the top and bottom. This of course has to be reduced by the "free air flow" of the vent screens chosen. In my attachment (Page 9) I suggested at least 50% free air which is about what Ken used successfully for his camping environments. This is 7 sq inches short on the top (only). On the bottom we have suggested drilling holes into the aft side wall low for additional in-flow of cooling air. The short fall has not impacted Randy or Ken's installations. However, my Belt and Suspenders are those two fans on top as my starting point due to our consistent HOT weather camping. From a free air perspective, your suggestested flattened expanded screen I believe would have less exit air flow resistance. However, Ken's custom shop built one is "knock my socks off" beautiful. Personally, if I can afford it, I would go with Ken's design for the top vent. And for cost containment a screen as you suggested as it pretty much will not be seen unless I'm scrubbing the huge expanse of flooring in our OE2's. 🙂 Finally, If my HOT weather install keeps the fans running more than about 40% of the time, I'll find the posting about vents that has the great looking vent and install it high in the cabinet on the entrance door side. But frankly, I don't think it will be needed. GJ

BLUF: This post has two parts. First, below is a brief summary as to how I became interested in the Nova Kool R5810 as a replacement for our Dometic. The attachment is an installation guide that may serve other OTT LE2 owners as a good starting point should they choose the Nova Kool unit as a DYI upgrade. After reviewing John Davies Dometic “demo” post, I decided I ought to start getting my head around the options to upgrade our Dometic RM2454. My list of requirements for an upgraded refrigerator are: · It must fit into the existing cabinet. · Does not use an absorption design · Has at least the same freezer size as our existing Dometic RM 5424 (11 Liters) · Has more total cooled space than the Dometic’s 4.0 cuft · Will pass through the OE2 entry without full disassembly · Uses the Danfos/Secop vapor-compression compressor for great efficiency NOTE: If you are not familiar with the Danfos/Secop compressors, here are a worthwhile video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl5IWkGSfJY&t=7s Specifications for our OEM Dometic and two proven replacements are as follows: Model DOMETIC ISOTHERM NOVA KOOL RM2454 CRX1140 R5810 Refrigeration technology Absorption Secop Comp. Secop Comp. US Cubic Feet 4.0 Cu Ft 4.8 Cu Ft 5.8 Cu Ft Freezer (Liters) 11.4 L = .4 Cu Ft. 6.0 L = .21 Cu Ft 11.4 L = .4 Cu Ft. Input frequency 50/60 Hz 50/60 Hz Input voltage (AC) 100-240 V 100-240 V Input voltage (DC) 12/120 V 12/24 V 12/24 V Rated input power 65 W 52 W Both the ISOTHERM and NOVA KOOL are huge improvement over the Dometic. But for our Ollie, we need the freezer space that the Nova unit provides. Having an extra cubic foot of refrigerator space and meeting all of the above requirements…. made the decision easy for us. If you are not familiar with the Nova Kool R5810, here is a review: https://www.campervan-hq.com/blogs/gear-update/campervan-hq-gear-update-nova-kool-refrigerators Next was how to install the Nova Kool. I ran across Ken’s (Mountainoliver) post about his 2019 installation of a Nova Kool R5810. Our forum, then PM’s, lead to conversations that were off the charts beneficial. Ken sent many pictures and our communications filled in the holes. The attached “Nova Kool R5810 Installation” document is based upon and uses info from: · John E. Davies thread “Compressor Fridge Info Thread, for those of us considering switching” posted May 11, 2018 in Ollie Modifications. · Randy’s (Try2Relax) 22 JUNE 2018 follow-up post · Ken’s (MountainOliver) 23 SEPT 2019 follow-up to Randy’s Post and much non-posted documentation Combining their exceptional craftmanship (Far beyond my skills), and a few technical Mechanical Engineering mods, Ken and I believe the attached plan may serve other owners as a good starting point should they choose the Nova Kool unit as a DYI upgrade. Ken and I encourage your thoughts and suggestions for further refinement. GJ Nova Kool R5810 Installation Guide.pdf

Thanks guys. I fully understand the concepts of both auto and manual A/B switching. The advantages caused me to install a 200 Amp manual on my home electrical service so that I could easily power up my home from a generator. Hence my hypothetical question about using a second 30 amp shore power connection for some owners that have critical medical needs. I'll rephrase my 3/2/2023 10:03 question. IF an owner has a critical need for electricity and they are connected to shore power, and they have a second input connection, could they use it as a back-up power source from a portable auto starting generator: As currently wired? (I think not) By changing the wiring? (I think so, but as a ME, I defer to the electrical SME's to respond) If it is possible, this would be an option for OTT to consider. Not that it would be used a lot, but it would be a great way to help some owners with special needs. GJ

Steph and Dud Steph and Dud B: Great visual. Thank for posting. For OTT's it is spot on. However, The reason it is great for OTT's is that there are only very limited circumstances wher the Ground to Neutral voltage is zero. When working on industrial or even home A/C units, I have been surprised by having up to 50 volts delta between them. Trust me, that hurts.... and had I been grounded, it likely would have been the last thing to hurt me. Point is: PLEASE never ASS-U-ME that handling a neutral or ground wire on anything has zero potential voltage. Treat them all as hot until you put your volt meter on all three nodes. Safety John (AKA GJ)

Called Dometic and the RM24 dimensions they gave came out to 11 Liters for the freezer useable space. Suspect this does not include the hollowed out space of the door itself. GJ

That makes sense. We don't have that option, and don't need it. But...I suspect that there may be some owners that have significant medical needs that require a reliable source of power for durable medical equipment and the second power input would be very helpful. Hence a hypothetical discussion: A quick search for "Auto Start Portable Generators" revealed ten of them here: https://www.bestreviews.guide/amp/auto-start-generator?origin=google&google_params[matchtype]=&google_params[network]=x&google_params[device]=c&google_params[creative]=&google_params[keyword]=&google_params[adposition]=&google_params[adgroupid]=&google_params[campaignid]=18887130845&bs=&google_params[feeditemid]=&google_params[targetid]=&google_params[loc_interest_ms]=&google_params[loc_physical_ms]=9032812&google_params[devicemodel]=&google_params[target]=&dest=0&sys_id=0|903&origin=google&google_params[matchtype]=&google_params[network]=x&google_params[device]=c&google_params[creative]=&google_params[keyword]=&google_params[adposition]=&google_params[adgroupid]=&google_params[campaignid]=18887130845&bs=&google_params[feeditemid]=&google_params[targetid]=&google_params[loc_interest_ms]=&google_params[loc_physical_ms]=9032812&google_params[devicemodel]=&google_params[target]=&dest=0&sys_id=0|903&gclid=CjwKCAiAr4GgBhBFEiwAgwORrX9s1kQ3GUQQmq55XJWUIFRK58K3Sh8Up0LuZpL1SKhqzzvK1MKyDBoCkkwQAvD_BwE If they are hooked up to shore power using the OTT OEM 30A Furrion plug, and then hook up their auto start generator to the second one, that would give them an immediate (hopefully) source of power should the camp ground power supply fail. Is that the case? Has anybody done this and have experience in doing so? GJ

I also have a 2018 and don't have a second 30 amp receptacle for a generator. I Are they to provide a source for powering up Ollie with an auto start generator when power shuts off? Thanks GJ

Great effort. I did not want to bring out my big gun, hoping that the other more benign approaches would work. If all else fails, unplug the "T" and blast the plugged line with 30 PSI air via an air nozzle. WARNING: There is a potential that you may blow off the air line connection at the cup. Should have verified this first: I am assuming that the water is dripping onto the outside of your Ollie, not through into the cabin. Please confirm.

Thank you for your post. Yes it's massive freezer is unusual. Sadly it is only 83 liters total size or 2.9 cu ft. I think the Nova Kool R5810 is the best choice for total use of the OTT refer cavity at 5.8 Cu Ft and 11 liters freezer space as the Dometic we have now use. Still keeping my eyes open on the topic. GJ

I would start by vacuuming the discharge hose just behind the street side rear tire. If no Joy then: Remove the air distribution cover inside your Ollie, you will see two tubes that come into the 14" X 14" roof penetration. Suggest you disconnect at the "T" that connect the two tubes (from the small drain cups that are outside the roof penetration) and the line that drains down. Then vacuum suck out the contamination/crud that way. If that does not work try a copper wire with the end bent so as not to poke a hole. If that does not work, you likely will need to remove the Dometic and service the cups and lines from above. GJ

Brian: I'll be getting my first set of air bags this season. So please pardon the "New Bagger" question. I am hoping to be able to restore proper head light aim, and fully restore the truck to factory level so as to maximize spring travel. Is this realistic? Thanks, GJ

We run with full fresh and empty gray/black whenever possible. Having a full tank of water we KNOW is good is just smart planning. It eliminates both health concerns and concerns with some ultra hard water scaling issues that more than a few camp grounds provide.

Amen. Good for you!. If you are not comfortable with your existing TV and how it would perform for your camping needs, then by all means look to the heavier and more capable trucks. Just be aware that IF your TV is also your daily driver then there are down sides that come into play. Some of them are: They do not handle as well. The ride quality for daily driving certainly is not as good. The MPG for daily and in most cases towing is not as good. The cost to buy, operate, maintain, and repair are certainly more expensive. The fun factor to drive is not as good. Finding a place to park is harder. As said before, by all means buy what YOU need.

Yep. Hence the use of a key word: "Most" owners as Dometic Peguine II SADLY greatly out numbers the much nicer Truma units. Good that you clarified the nuance. I have to wonder if needing such a large, and expensive generator or two smaller ones was considered in OTT's decision? Was this made clear to all new and prospective owners? Regardless I thank you for making this distinction very clear. Well done. Thank you! John

The cable at the 7-Pin is 12 AWG. In practice anything over about 10 amps will badly char the black (12V Plus) wire. For my 2019 F-150 Super Crew, to run out and back between Ollie and truck batteries required a bit over 105 feet of stranded copper wire. BatteryCablesUSA indicates that for a 30 amp DC/DC charger setup at this distance, the wires should optimally be 4 AWG for a rig such as our Ollie that does not have solar. Be careful to not directly connect Lithiums to Lead Acid/AGM batteries. The much lower internal resistance of the Lithiums will flow current that likely will damage the wiring or your AGM and likely the alternator. Additionally the charge profiles between such a setup is very different. As such, the use of an Orion 12/12 - 30 amp or other brands of charge control between the truck and RV is essential. With the OTT Solar Packages, a quiet inverter generator is a good back-up plan. Something in the 2,000 to 2200 watt range would be what most OTT owners would opt for. The EU3200 would be overkill for the vast majority of the Solar Package owners. Without lithium and solar, if just running AGM or LA in the Ollie, having the Inverter EU3200 would be nice to have. Just my two cents as each owner's power needs are unique.

Are previous OE2's pre wired for these devices? If so, where? Thanks GJ

You previously mentioned that your TV will also be your daily driver. That is a critical factor in your TV selection process. Determining your likely annual mileage for daily and for tow use is an important first step. Looking at the extremes, if you will be only towing 10% then having a great daily driver that also tows a fully loaded OE2 well makes sense. But if you are towing say 90% then you likely would want a TV with high tow ratings and less nice daily driving experience. My Texas family has for 40 years had a stable of 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks all from the same mfg. If I am driving and not hauling or towing, I always take one of the 1/2 ton trucks for a lot of reasons. So I would kindly submit that there are significant differences in not only the "size and footprint" that the higher tow rated truck classes entail. I used to believe that they were about the same "size and footprint" until one day my brother made me park mine next to one of his. It became very obvious to me that my very capable half ton "Beast" is substantially different from his "Monster". But, if I were towing a 7,000 (or higher) pound trailer, for our uses, I would take the larger truck. But for 6,000 class loads or daily driving, a well equipped and capable 1/2 ton does the job just fine for our uses. But there are other considerations that likely need to be considered when moving up to a higher class of TV: They do not handle as well. The ride quality for daily driving certainly is not as good. The MPG for daily and in most cases towing is not as good. The cost to buy, operate, maintain, and repair are certainly more expensive. The fun factor to drive is not as good. Finding a place to park is harder. If you will need the higher payload, a 3/4 ton would be the path forward. Not nearly as good a daily driver than a half ton unless you are hauling a lot of stuff every day. The full one ton series can be a daily driver, but most would not like for many reasons. For some those with high payload needs and towing an OE2, the 3/4 ton is advantageous. I recommend you look up the April issue of Consumer Reports to see the reliability ratings of each model you are considering. I personally shy away from buying any model they rate with a poor maintenance/reliability record. Or a first or second year truck after a major model year change. If mountain towing in in your future, I recommend you google the TFL series of "Ike Gauntlet tests. If you are planning on being a flat land camper, then their 100 mile out and back test is beneficial. If doing both, take both into consideration. Then further narrow the field by going to dealerships and test driving their products. Settle on a manufacturer you think best suits your needs and likes. Then rent or borrow your top picks for a weekend and do some serious seat of the pants driving. Not just a dealer test drive on a road they pick. Take each on at least a 100 mile trip and you'll have a better understanding. Finally, I recommend that you buy what you need. GJ

TEASER POST: Ken and I are collaborating on a thread about the Nova Kool R5810. We will be significantly expanding upon his, and Randy's (Try2Relax), dated posts on the topic. It briefly compares the R5810 and IsoTherm CRX1140. But mostly it is all about how to DYI retrofit it into into our LE2's. If you are considering a DYI replacement of your Dometic refrigerator, it will be something you would be interested in. Give us a week or so and I'll have it posted. GJ

With a posted curb weight range of 4036 to 4500 pounds, and a GCWL of 12,000 pounds you may be technically legal. But having an OE2, typically weighing in at say 6,000 pounds, you have very little safety margin in the best of circumstances. The two situations I would worry the most about having white knuckle experiences and little safety margin are: On a mountain going down hill and finding a sharp turn that was not on the radar screen. On the interstate and being passed by big trucks in strong crosswinds. That said, great MPG. We hope your good experiences and luck continuers. GJ

I actually averaged 99 MPG pulling Ollie!- -Drum roll Drum roll Drum roll Drum roll Oh, did I mention I was going down the TFL Ike Gauntlet in Colorado! :GJ .

That's amazing! 🙂

Melody: There are many half ton trucks that are NOT capable of pulling a heavy Ollie with high truck payloads. That said there are a BUNCH of OE2 owners using highly capable half ton trucks and even a handful using SUV's such as the Toyota Land Cruiser. I'll not (again) dip my toes into brands but you can search TV's on this forum and you'll get many scores of valid opinions. For example, there is the diesel vs. gas perspective, the gotta have a super duty perspective, and of course the gotta have a 4X4 perspectives (just to name a few) all with valid justifications. Just keep in mind that those valid posts are based upon each owners perspective about their rig (TV and RV) and how they use it. Some of those factors include: HOW THEY WILL USE THEIR RIG & WHERE TV payload weight? (Includes weight and number of seats needed, Etc.) Ollie weight Where they intend on towing? (Mountain roads, Flat Land, Near Others or boondocking alone well off the grid, etc.) What kind of roads will they be using or not using? (Interstate, paved, paved bad condition, maintained fire roads, bad fire roads, etc.) Is the TV your daily driver or is it a single purpose vehicle only used to tow Ollie? How many of the four seasons do you expect to normally use your rig? Your driving style (Aggressive, normal, and uber conservative for example) .And I am sure that there are other considerations that my fellow members could add to the list. WHAT ARE THEIR TV and RV METRICS? Axle ratings and the fully loaded certified actual loads on each Combined gross weight ratings of the rig and actual weight "all in" What towing characteristics does their trailer model exhibit? For example is it stable under tow with no sway such as OTT's are. Point is that opinions from any specific owner that their XXX TV is great/poop to tow an OE2 is useful only if they make clear what their use is. If they did, then you would know if it's germane to your use. Please also keep in mind that the MFG tow ratings are traditionally suitable for flat land towing on good roads. If you expect to be using your OE2 under more severe conditions, you need more capable TV. And there are many of suitable TV's half ton and up. So if you really want to get the best recommendations from your Ollie Family, you would be well served to draft out your thoughts about the above "meat balls" and your expectations for towing your OE2. GJ

In my circumstance the current version of RV trackers are lacking. My rig is in a dark barn on top of an Oklahoma mountain for 8 or 9 months a year. None of the top trackers have that kind of battery life. As you suggested fixed camera systems are likely the best option in my case. Something simple as a ring camera facing Ollie is the best option I can think of for my circumstances. Regardless, here is a fairly recent summary of the top three RV trackers that may be of interest for those that have access to their RV on a more frequent basis: https://campersandcampfires.com/rv-gps-tracker/ GJ