Geronimo John

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

YES!

I really like the idea. But for the topic of this thread, I would consider that the thieves will be all over the front of the trailer, and could see the large handle. I would mount near the back bumper. They would not likely see it an it would be a great safety device for parking on grades as well. GJ

Any theft deterrent that we can employ, short of standing outside our Ollie's with a shot gun, can be defeated. As in the military, the best defense has multiple layers to slow down or degrade the attacker. I also submit that our security devices should minimize storage and weight for travel. Here are my suggested layers of defense: Layer 1. For long term (Not Occupied), I start my security prep by lowering the trailer tongue. Simple. Free. No added weight. Layer 2: For this layer I use two items suggested by John D years ago: Unlike the Proven Ind. cover, they easily fit into a kitchen drawer and weigh a lot less than ten pounds. They are a deterrent that some bad guys will walk away. I cover them with large coffee can or a bucket for both weather protection, and also so that passers by can't see what I have in store for them. Most do not bring the power tools required to defeat these devices. For those really serious thieves that do have the power tools please proceed to Layer 6. For those less prepared thieves that do not have the power tools, please proceed to Layer 3. Layer 3. After they get through chewing their way through Layer 2, they then will likely try to dead lift our 640 pound tongue weight. However their sore backs quickly veto that approach. They have a eureka moment when they see the front jack. They eagerly remove the cover and activate the jack to raise the bulldog onto their hitch. But the jack does not work because I removed the fuse. They cut the wires and splice them around the fuse. But drats that does not work either because my DC Master Switch is in the OFF position. So sorry guys. More time burned. Layer 4: Now they are really getting nervous as their 60 seconds and gone plan is out the window. But determined they are and they fetch their vehicle scissors jack that is buried in their TV. But to use it near the tongue, that you will recall is near the ground, requires them to excavate a small trench. They waste time figuring out that they can move the jack aft and try to raise it from there. But that typically means that the jack will not extend high enough to get the bulldog over their super duty truck hitch. Sorry for your back injuries from trying to power lifting our 640 pound tongue weight. More time wasted. Layer 5: In their haste, they had failed to notice that I also have a security lock on the Bulldog. More time wasted to saw off that lock. At this point the dumb ones give up on my Ollie and go to yours. But the Professional thieves have a different path entirely. Instead of taking the time to attack hardened steel, they bypass them entirely. They back up their truck to the bulldog, grab our safety chains/cables and wrap them tightly around their hitch and run them through two carabiners. Fasten them and hall ass. Truly 60 seconds and gone. Layer 6: But wait, you took a few seconds to bolt and double nut your safety cables/chains to together up under the fiberglass propane tank cover. Now they have to go fetch real tools to unbolt or cut your grade 8 steel bolt. More time wasted. Layer 7: Your last straw of hope in getting your trailer back is that tracker you placed over Ollie. Why here? Because no double bubble and better reception overhead. The above are the best seven of my 12 "Home Alone" fun things to mess with thieves. But if you want to explore others consider: Exploding dye packs, trip wires to screamers, and my all time favorite is an electric fence transformer grounded and attached to the frame of Ollie. 🙂 GJ PS: My favorite fun movie is the Christmas Special "Home Alone". I liked the original one the best.

Interesting... it's built like a nice beer cooler! Errrr it used to be that is. Thanks for sharing.

Synthetic grout and white nail polish. Ask a lady to pick out the color as us guys are color blind... At least that's what my wife says. Then clear nail polish over that and poof gone to 99.9%. They will never see it. The bad new s that you, on the other hand will see it every time you walk by it. However, the not so good news is that in time your eyesight will diminish and the brain will forget about it. 🙂 GJ

Totally agree with needing a more capable Tow Vehicle (TV) for 99+% of all owners. The less than 1% are those that remove the tires and have Ollie on blocks parked at their dream spot. That said, what JD stated is correct in that the twin axles are rated at 7,000 pounds. However, if you were to plot the weight of all the owner's (for over a year), and loaded for camping, the OE2's it likely would look like a very flat sort of bell curve. The curve likely would start at about 5200 pounds and end up at about 6,600 pounds. The vast majority I would postulate would be between 5600 and 6200 pound. There would be just a few outliers from the curve below and above this range. Welcome to our family! GJ

Hmmmmm.. Me thinks that when I get old .... errrr, I won't want to be lifting a H2200i that high. I think I'll keep the generator in the truck bed to which I have a nice ladder. Just so when I get old....er I won't find myself talking in a really high pitch.

Thanks Ralph. Great reference you sent. I had not stumbled on it before. Sadly, I have this the 8"drop/rise version shown below. That one reversed drops almost 4 inches. 😞 I think I'll get the Firestone air bags and see what that does for my clearance issue and squat issues before changing the Anderson flip. Using my unladen truck as the target benchmark, the truck payload (all in) squats the truck rear about half an inch. Hitch Ollie up and it squats to 2.5" total rear squat. Tighten up the Anderson chains (3 - 4 threads showing) and the truck squat is reduced to a manageable 1.25". Is it feasible with the Anderson and Firestones to eliminate all the squat? Is that any advantage to shooting for a bit higher for improved spring travel? If not, $138 for the 4" WD Rack (PN 3353).... GJ