Fritz

I used six #6 5/16 screws on each slide. I also made new holes (i.e., I did not reuse previous holes from which the screws had released). #8 5/16 screws would probably also work. I agree with your strategy of installing additional screws, even if not needed,. This will prevent an on-the-road fix later on.

You may have already fixed this, but just in case: Oliver uses (at least in our 2021 trailer) a push latch like this: https://www.amazon.com/CampN-Pair-Push-Catch-Replacement/dp/B074WFN45Y?th=1. They work well, and should work well as retrofits on older trailers also. A note of caution: their little tabs can break off if a drawer is forced closed and the latch is not in position to accept the tab, rendering the latch useless. But if the drawer is tilting and not sliding correctly, I would check two things first: (1) there is a flat pin at the back of the drawer that has to fit into a hole drilled into the rear wooden drawer panel. If the pin is not in the drawer then the drawer will not be correctly fastened to the Blum slides. Second, if the front drawer latch (the orange one toward the front of the drawer), is not fully attached to the slide then the drawer will tilt and the slide will not operate correctly. If lying on the floor and installing the drawer, you should see and hear the orange latch click into place. Yes, it looks like the orange latches you have in the photo are the correct ones. Our trailer too has these Blum tandem slides. They are arguably among the best in the business. Blum instructions specify mounting the drawer slides to the cabinet wall with 3 screws. This might be fine for non-rolling homes, but rolling kitchens need more screws. After the first year (and 8,000 miles) several of ours had jiggled loose (leading the slides to move and the drawers to appear tilted). I installed more screws into each slide (after removing the drawers from the slides) and have not had a problem since.

For insulation, there is a layer of 1/4" thick (I think) reflectix installed between the hulls. Mostly installed, I should say, in that insulation has gaps in some corners (such as behind some cabinet areas. Layers of reflectix in our trailer are not taped together at seams, so there is room for air movement at corners and reflective joints. Theoretically, I would love to see more insulation between the hulls (reducing loads on the AC and furnace), but air and space between the hulls is what lets moisture (if present) seep toward the bottom of the hull and out one of the scupper drains. Reflectix helps reduce radiant heat transfer under a hot sun. It probably also helps with conductive heat transfer. There is still ample space between the hull walls, so I'm not sure how much it helps with convective heat transfer. I have found the combination of double hull walls, double-pane windows, and AC effective in hot western weather, at least into the low 100°F range. Our 2021 AC is noisy, but gets the job done. Battery compartment can get warm, especially at high charge rates in hot weather. All of that said, we prefer to seek out higher elevations and/or shade on hot days.

Thanks. How might you do it differently?

Actually, I did have to replace a touch light for which I had installed a shade. I sprayed a little bit of rubbing alcohol around the base of the shade where it was stuck to the fiberglass, wiggled it a bit, and the shade came right off. I replaced the touch light, and reinstalled the shade.

Thanks. Newer trailers (at least our 2021 trailer) have five touch lights. The 4” pipe flanges form a tight friction fit around these touch lights. I did not try the concept with other lights (such as those on the ceiling or in the cabinets). Other sizes of pipe or associated fittings might work well for your lights. Good luck!

Did you use a portable circular saw, or did your jig function as a sled on a table saw? Were your 2x4s attached to the plywood so as to create a channel to hold the pvc pipe?

I’ve replaced two, and then had to replace one of the replacements. Failure seems to begin with flickering or dimming.

Thanks for the correction. I used a couple fittings that I had sitting around from a project I did 20 years ago. And I just checked the Home Depot website—these fittings have become expensive! So, if you have to go buy fittings to cut up for shades you will hopefully find a cheaper alternative to the ABS fittings that I used.

It's a minor issue, but sitting at the dinette or lying in bed we found the touch lights can be glaringly bright. I discovered that a 4" PVC sewer-pipe connector has a flange that is the ideal diameter for slipping over the touch light to create a light shade. To create a shade I cut off the flange from a connector using the band saw. This is the cut end that slips over the light... This is the finished end that becomes the bottom of the shade: The shade slips over the light and stays in place with a friction fit, but a bit of 3M double stick tape provides insurance: Dinette touch light, without shade: Dinette light, with shade: Galley lights, with shades: Shade installation does not appear to have any effect on light operation--they still turn on and off by touch. I suppose that the flanges could be cut with a hand saw (hack saw, coping saw?), which would likely require some additional filing and sanding. Also, the shades could be painted white, but for now we've stuck with plain black.

I use an aero press: https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Portable-Travel-Coffee-Press/dp/B07YVL8SF3/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2IDH7CBZ1K29E&keywords=aeropress&qid=1698864367&sprefix=aero%2Caps%2C311&sr=8-6. Good coffee, extremely easy cleanup, small storage space required. Takes fine-ground coffee (I bring along an electric grinder); for a large mug the first pour of 170°-water is drip, the second pour is press.

I'm not sure what "normal" is for these inverters. However, there is a charge setting (at least for the 3000 W unit, and I think for the 2000 W unit) whereby you can control charging. When the "charger ignition control" is "off" then the batteries will charge automatically when you plug into shore power. When the "charger ignition control" is in the "auto-on" position the 120 V electrical system is powered, but the batteries do not charge from shore power (the batteries still charge from solar, if available). I know, the names and settings are not fully intuitive.

I use the 3000W inverter/charger that came with the solar/battery package. There are several ways to monitor voltage in the batteries in our 2021 LE2: solar controller, inverter remote, and Lithionics battery app. The only one that lets you see a precise voltage (in my experience) is the battery app. With a 2020 trailer you may have the LifeBlue (?) batteries, which may have a different charge monitor or different battery app. When charging, the batteries slowly approach 14.4V, and once they reach this voltage will remain there for a minute (or even seconds), then slowly revert to a resting voltage closer to 13.6V. It's very easy to miss the precise point when the batteries reach 14.4V. To confirm that they've reached 14.4V, you have to watch the battery voltage continuously as the batteries approach 14.4V. One way to confirm that the voltage should be reaching 14.4V might to check the Xantrex inverter's charge settings. The default custom absorption voltage is 14.6V, which, as I understand it, allows the batteries to charge to 14.4V. See link below. Hope this helps.

With management, we can generally go longer (with substantially more small showers during this time) without needing to empty the gray water tank. We extend the gray-water tank in two ways. First, we use a solar shower bag (fill it with hot water from the trailer's tank or with water from campground faucet heated on the stove or by leaving it in the sun). This prevents the substantial amount of water that flows into the gray-water tank while adjusting the shower-water temperature, and reduces the amount of shower water needed. Second, we frequently fill tubs for dishes with hot tank water or heated campground water, emptying the tubs into the woods. Again, these measures extend our fresh-water tank and reduce the amount of water filling the gray-water tank.

Choosing platinum vs pro depends so much on how, where, and when you intend to use the trailer, which I realize may be difficult to know before you set out on your first trips. Things to keep in mind include the following (1) the batteries like to be drawn down from time to time (they don't like staying at full charge); (2) solar produces about 20 amps in full summer sun, but the sun isn't overhead all day (therefore, by example, 8 hrs at an average of 15 amps yields 120 amp-hours), and substantially less when cloudy (e.g., 5 amps for 6 hours yields 30 amp-hours), in shade, or in shoulder season months; (3) A/C draws about 100 amps from the batteries, so 1 hour of A/C use draws the batteries down 100 amp-hours; and (4) your compressor fridge (based on our experience with a smaller compressor fridge in a Sprinter van) might use between about 40 and 60 Amp-hours per day (perhaps someone with a newer trailer will verify this). So the "practical" differences depend on you you use the trailer. If you plan on using lots of A/C without shore power, or lots of microwave and TV, go big. If you plan on having shore power every 3-4 days, or camped without shore power in the sun, and can get by with modest electrical use, then platinum will likely suffice. We've used our 2021 trailer (with 390 Ah lithium) over 12 months in the last 3 years, covering about 20,000 miles. Our electrical demand from the batteries is primarily for lights and CPAP, with occasional A/C use at rest areas when it's hot. Our state of charge (SOC) typically remains above 70%. During shoulder seasons or with lots of rain, we might hook up to shore power every 4-5 days to recharge the batteries, but could usually go longer if we wanted. One benefit of hooking up to shore power is that we can also use our electric heater, which is quieter than the propane furnace. Another benefit of hookups (some very nice state and provincial parks have hookups) is that we don't have to listen to other people's generators. I try to top off the batteries (i.e., charge them to 14.4V) with shore power every 2 weeks, at a minimum. Not infrequently, we hook up to shore power to run the refrigerator on AC, but don't charge the batteries (because charging is noisy). I cycle the batteries periodically (draw them down to the cut-off voltage and then charge them to 14.4V); this would take longer with the larger batteries. We do not carry a generator (which avoids the extra weight, fuel, and noise), and, with a bit of battery management, have not needed one. We do carry an extra solar panel for when the trailer is in the shade. So, our example is but one of many scenarios, and practical differences between batteries will, in my opinion, depend on how, when, and where you hope to use your trailer. Hope this helps.

I wired a levelmate unit into the rear camera switch (link below) for power while the rear camera is on. The description of splicing into the switch wiring might be of assistance.

In response to the initial question, you might also check that the terminal bolts are torqued to a uniform tightness. I had substantial SOC differences; re-torquing fixed this. None of the terminal bolts were loose (but some of them were not as tight as others)—I was surprised that the re-torquing made this much difference.

To underscore NCeagle’s comment, almost always keep the setting #26 (auto ignition control) on “auto-on,” mostly to eliminate interior charging noise. I only turn this to off setting when I truly want to fully charge the batteries. Currently mooch-docking with AC running. Works fine. Only times we’ve had problems is when plugging into a GFI circuit, in which case setting #26 to auto-on generally takes care of it. BTW, I think it’s a good idea to carry 20A and 30A circuit testers. If the tester shows no ground (or other issues), probably best not to plug in.

I would not remove the vents. Cover them perhaps (from the inside) in the winter, but not in the summer when it’s hot. The batteries can get quite warm when charging on a hot day, especially when charging at a high rate, e.g. 150 amps. The vents aren’t big, but probably help a bit to keep the batteries within operating specs in hot conditions. We’ve also had two airstreams. Would concur with comments above.

I'm not sure about the right price: it's what a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept. However, I do have a comment about used trailers. Yes, a new-trailer warranty is nice and reassuring. And there is no doubt that Oliver has a solid parts and service team which, in my experience, is very willing to help. However, there is also something to be said for a pre-owned trailer from an owner that has truly used the trailer, conscientiously fixed what needs fixing, improved what needs improving. We bought ours new, but spent more time than I expected troubleshooting and fixing things in the first year. We replaced interior lights (Oliver provided new ones), the inverter (after Xantrex gave up trying to guide me in repairing it), the radio (which Oliver graciously replaced), the table (which cracked apart where mounted in brackets to the wall), and updated battery firmware. We had Oliver repair a few minor fiberglass blemishes and straighten out the rubber strips between body and frame after a year of ownership. In addition, we installed a see-through door window, made and installed mudflats, installed rain gutters over the windows, etc. John has done much, much more to his trailer, and by all reports, has done (and documented) it very, very well. This, in my mind, creates value. My point is this: a new trailer with full warranty is good, but there's also substantial value in a trailer that has been fully road-tested, fixed, upgraded, and is really, truly, "ready-to-use." Fritz

RE: ST vs LT: Here in SW Idaho, both Les Schwab and Commercial Tire are happy to sell LT tires for the trailer. For what it's worth, the guy at a local Commercial Tire store (a regional chain that serves SW Idaho) mentioned that ST tires stand up better to scrubbing when making a tight turn with the trailer. He said that LT tires, by virtue of stiffer sidewalls, suffer more wear from scrubbing. Most of the wear that I observe on our OEM tires appear to be on the outside of the tread, consistent with scrubbing (I do not believe it is from under-inflation). That said, when needed I will likely replace our tires with LTs, for the reasons that John mentioned earlier, and for peace of mind when highway driving under high-temperature conditions).

Hannah in Oliver service says the touch lights are not dimmable. Amazon has some similar lights that appear to be dimmable (https://www.amazon.com/Interior-Surface-Ceiling-Overhead-Lighting/dp/B09W2DMQSS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2JZT85UWBYI75&keywords=12v%2Btouch%2Blight&qid=1685739764&sprefix=12v%2Btouch%2Blight%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRkdSRklLUFZON1A4JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDQ2NTI1MVpQQlkxOUhJR1JTSiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTc1MzQ2WDFKWkY1MkVYS0g1JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1). However, one review mentions a buzzing noise when dimmed.

Thanks. Do you know if this dimmer is compatible with the LED lights used on more recent trailers? I recall (hopefully incorrectly) that LEDs used in 2021 trailers are not dimmable. It would be great to be able to dim some of the interior touch lights and exterior lights.

So far I've only tried the dark film in the driveway, but it seems there is plenty of functional light. From a distance, the "bright-in-your-face" light from a distance (i.e., neighboring campsite) is substantially diminished. The awning light on more recent trailers is available for more street-side light if needed. Finally, the film can be removed if you feel it's too dark. I did try film on only half of the light next to the door (see photo), thinking this would leave more light around the door but diminish the distance brightness. However, the light still seemed to bright at a distance, so I removed the film and replaced it with a full-coverage piece. I found the best way to apply the film was to place a piece of masking tape over the light, carefully trim with a precision hobby knife the portion of the masking tape covering the chrome housing. The remaining portion of masking tape covering the lens can then be removed and used as a template for cutting the film.

Similarly, I added a dark tinted film. Subdues the patio lights, which really should be switchable by side. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017MWRQY6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1