Fritz
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Posts posted by Fritz
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I don’t know… But you might begin by checking the voltage in each battery with the Lithionics app. In my experience, the voltage recovers somewhat after the load has stopped. This might tell you if the battery voltages are in the LVC or RVC range.
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On 11/24/2022 at 3:02 PM, Rivernerd said:
ST ("Special Trailer") tires are designed for trailer use, and have thicker, stronger sidewalls than LT ("light truck") tires, which are designed for "Light Truck" use. ST tires have higher load ratings because of the thicker sidewalls.
My understanding from two tire shops in Boise is that the ST tires are designed, in part, for the tire “scrubbing” that occurs when making tight turns with a two-axle trailer. That said, one of the shops (Les Schwab) said they sell many LT tires for trailer applications. Unless necessary, I try to avoid excessively tight turns to reduce scrubbing.
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22 hours ago, rideandfly said:
Trip to Doughton Park Campground NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We just spent 8 nights at Doughton Park -- must have missed you by just days....
Fritz
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The Zarcor shade does not slide up-down like the other Oliver shades. The Zarcor shade consists of 2 sheets of flexible plastic with vertical stripes about 1/2” wide alternating with clear material. One sheet is fixed in place on the window, the other slides side to side. When the stripes are aligned (on top of one another), you can see through the clear portions (about half of the window area). When the blind is is in the closed position, the stripes collectively block the view through the window. Quite clever, really. However, I may devise a small removable curtain on the inside of the screen door so that when the window is open it is completely open.
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I too installed a clear (tinted) window from Zarcor in the door last week. Window installation went smoothly. Love being able to see outside. I have not yet installed the window shade, as there was a part missing (which Zarcor promptly sent).
John at Zarcor mentioned that he would like to make an installation video specific to Oliver trailers. If anyone in or around Dallas would like a clear or tinted window with windowshade, he will install one for free as long as he can make the video. Just give him a call (Zarcor website with contact info was listed above). Feel free to mention that Christian (aka Fritz) from Idaho posted this on the forum.
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59 minutes ago, Kirk Peterson said:
We are getting the composting toilet. For people with a composting toilet, I have read it’s important to keep the water out of the #2 bin and the shower might cause problems if there isn’t a curtain. Is there some truth to this?
We have the composter and no curtain. I would find the curtain constraining, and as others have mentioned, and would be yet something else to clean. We find it easy enough to keep most of the water contained in the shower pan, and squeegee the rest. Some water can collect in the container that holds the pee bottle, but that's really no big problem
In our last camper used a cut-to-size trash bag to protect the toilet -- worked well. Another approach would be to hang a small, modified curtain between 2 Command hooks.
When boondocking, we use a solar shower bag for Navy showers. We fill the bag at the galley sink (or hang the bag with campground water in the sun for a day) and hang it in the shower. It takes a similar amount of water to fill the bag as to simply get the temperature adjusted with the regular shower. Bottom line: we can be out longer without needing to refill the tank. But don't get me wrong--those long showers when hooked up to city water are great!
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I recently found that a galley drawer would not close properly, and discovered that all 3 of the #6 5/8" screws holding the slide mount to the cabinet walls had fallen out. I pulled all of the drawers and found that about half of the screws on other drawer slide mounts were either loose or missing.
The Blum undermount tandem slides are arguably the best in the business, and in my opinion Oliver's drawer and cabinet construction is superb. While 3 screws per slide might suffice in the standard stationary kitchen cabinet, it was clearly not enough for this rolling galley. I installed several screws per slide in fresh holes (giving about 8 per slide). Hopefully this does the job -- time will tell. If my current mounting proves insufficient, I'll go with even more #8 screws.
Point of the story: it may be worth checking these in your trailer and adding screws if necessary.
p.s., this apparently isn't a new problem:
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Got it -- thanks again!
For others, and for the sake of mudflap-thread completeness, the relevant pic (I think) from John's Stone Stomper thread is attached below. Well-reasoned and thorough, as always.
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John (or others that have done this mod): did you run the rectangular 6061 tubing across the entire trailer, or did you use a separate piece for each side? Seems like two pieces about 30 inches in length should do the job...
Did you drill the "breakaway" holes on the front side of the bar (where they would tear if the mudflap were hit from the front) or on the rear side of the bar (where they would pinch if the mudflats were hit from the front), or both?
Thanks again for your initial write-up, and to all the others that have contributed...
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20 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:
Is the radio still under warranty? Even if you're just barely out of the warranty period, Furrion might still honor it if you contact them.
Here's a Furrion-related kudos-to-the-Oliver-support-team post. Our radio began swallowing disks. It would not eject disks, but would instead read "Load." That's how two disks ended up in the radio (I forgot that there was already another one in there from a previous trip). I removed the radio, removed the disks, and tried again to eject a single CD, to no avail. Ok, so time to call support (the radio was still within the 1-year warranty period). Furrion has a technical support number, which I called, and heard a message to the effect of "due to overwhelming number of calls, we ask that you submit all requests by email." So I dutifully filled out the long support-request form, submitted it, and ... received ... absolutely no response. One day goes by, then one week, then two weeks. No response. I reached out to Mike Sharpe, who said he would try to reach Furrion through his contacts. After another week ... no response from Furrion. So Mike offered to send a new radio from Oliver's stock. Ryder Cogdill sent one pronto, I installed it, and returned the defective one (Oliver even paid return shipping). I'm happy to report that the new radio works great.
So the point of this post is that, in my experience, Furrier's technical support is non-existent, but Oliver came through with flying colors!
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Early season at the City of Rocks, Idaho, elev. ~6,200 feet. Superb hiking.
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I'd refer to you to the storage instructions for Lithionics batteries (see below) in Oliver's knowledge base. Your storage approach depends on the length of time in storage and temperature.
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I've become quite fond of an Aeropress for coffee (https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Portable-Travel-Coffee-Press/dp/B07YVL8SF3/ref=asc_df_B07YVL8SF3/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=366315314542&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2052564283732757323&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029602&hvtargid=pla-851550080547&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=84691874068&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=366315314542&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2052564283732757323&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029602&hvtargid=pla-851550080547).
For an Oliver mug I fill it up once and let it drip, fill it up again and press. Fast. Super easy cleanup.
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A primary limitation with electric trucks pulling heavy trailers (e.g., Olivers) is the battery weight -- it requires a large, heavy battery pack to carry enough energy to pull more than a hundred miles between charges. In contrast, it seems more manufacturers (e.g., Cummins) are looking at hydrogen fuel cells. A hydrogen-electric system packs more energy with less weight.
From an environmental perspective, generating hydrogen with solar, winds, etc. is clean; generating hydrogen with fossil fuels less so. The same, though, is true with electric vehicles: generating electricity for vehicle batteries with solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear is emission-free; charging batteries with coal-fired electricity does not represent an environmental gain.
I don't understand much about fuel cell technology, but I'm intrigued. Given large distances in America, and the large amount of freight being hauled (and yes, RVs and travel trailers, too), I suspect that something like fuel-cell technology will be needed to further reduce the burning of fossil fuels. Something that I'm not sure large electric trucks can provide.
A Google search for "Cummins fuel cell" brings more information, e.g., https://www.airproducts.com/news-center/2021/07/0726-air-products-and-cummins-to-accelerate-development-and-deployment-of-hydrogen-fuel-cell-trucks
John Welte commented on Sunday, "I wrestle with the idea that hauling a trailer around is bad for the environment, but I rationalize that over the years our average mpg has gone up as we get more fuel efficient vehicles. Is that a concern that's shared by others?" I suspect that a number of us do share his concern. Yes, vehicle efficiencies have improved, but so far there is no viable technology to tow with drastically lower emissions. The only current alternative is to stay closer to home, or perhaps tow something much smaller, lighter, and/or more aerodynamic. But that would not address the need for a world-wide, systemic improvement for hauling freight, construction equipment, travel trailers, etc. I, for one, am looking forward to towing technology (e.g., fuel cells, or perhaps hybrids with bigger batteries designed for towing up mountain grades) that uses much less fossil fuel.
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If you do still hear the fan (or perhaps even if you don’t), you might try tripping the 300A breaker and see if the dehumidifier will still run….
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Not sure about this, but here are a couple thoughts. First, I think the button on the inverter remote (or the inverter itself) controls only inverting function, but not the charging function in the inverter. So, even with the batteries off the inverter may be detecting a charge current (because you're hooked up to shore power), and if so the fan might on from time to time. You can turn the inverter completely off by tripping the 300A breaker located under the pantry near the inverter, but I'm not sure if this would interfere with running your dehumidifier. If your dehumidifier works on 110V, you should be able to go into the inverter app settings and set the charger ignition control to “auto-on”. In this mode, shore power energizes the 110 outlets but would bypass the inverter, and the fan should stay off. For more info on making this setting change, see https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6228-living-with-lithionics—some-tips-tricks-and-observations/#comment-65906.
Hope this helps...
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35 minutes ago, Overland said:
Oliver uses a Zamp connector on the trailer - which is proprietary, if I recall correctly; though I believe that it is a standard connector with reversed polarity. You can buy a Zamp to MC4 pigtail though, as well as polarity reversing adapters.
The Zamp connectors are proprietary, but apparently do not have reversed polarity. From the Zamp website (https://www.zampsolar.com/pages/faq): "Is the Zamp Solar port reverse polarity? No, but they are different from other brands of solar ports because all of our SAE plugs are polarity-protected for safety reasons. That means the positive pin on all of our SAE plugs is set back and covered to prevent accidental contact that could damage your panel, short your battery, or give you a pretty nasty shock. So, because of the polarity protection on our plugs, Zamp Solar ports are only compatible with Zamp Solar SAE plugs."
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On 1/1/2022 at 5:16 PM, chiwald said:
I am getting ready to order an Oliver Elite 2 and have a question about the Lithium Platinum Package vs the Lithium Pro Package. If you had the Platinum package, how many days could you be off grid without a generator? Without full rainy days per say? and not in summer. I am just curious about the 2 setups. The pro is several thousand cheaper but adding a generator and carrying fuel would be extra stuff. Thank you in advance to those who can respond.
I think it depends on how you like to camp. Our solar package (with 340 watts of solar and 390-Ah batteries) typically produces between 100 and 120 amp-hours per day (Ah/day) in the summer, depending on exposure, shade, etc. Late fall and early winter (with sun at a low angle) we were gaining about 20-30 amp-hours. Maximum summer charge rate is about 15 amps. Of course, hourly and daily charge rates are less if there is shade.
In the summer when boondocking we use about 40-50 amp hours for lights, water pump, CPAP, jacks, awning, etc., and more with abundant furnace use. A microwave (which we don't have) uses a lot of electricity; the amount of electricity it consumes depends on how long you use it and the power setting. The A/C uses about 100 amps per hour, so it works fine for rest stops but it can't be run very long with the expectation that it will charge quickly with solar.
Here are typical draws (per Oliver User's Manual):
When traveling, the refrigerator uses about 15 amps when switched to 12 volts (and it generally runs continuously when it is switched to 12V). Thus, even in full sun with the panels producing 15 amps, the batteries are not charging when the refrigerator is on 12V.
This is why some have installed DC to DC chargers for the lithium batteries: it lets you drive down the road with the refrigerator on 12V and provide additional charging capacity for the batteries.
Here are some simple scenarios to illustrate the number of days before an external charge from shore power or generator is needed. I calculated the number of days before a charge is needed based on an assumed useful capacity of 312 Ah (80% of 390 Ah, the rated non-platinum lithium battery capacity). Clearly, a 600-Ah battery set will let you boondock longer in the shoulder seasons, under shade, or with greater power demand, but perhaps the 390-Ah battery set is sufficient for your intended use.
So, whether you need 390-Ah or 600-Ah batteries depends on how and where you intend to use your trailer. Good luck!
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15 minutes ago, Fritz said:
The Lithionics batteries come with a heating pad underneath the batteries. There is a switch in the battery compartment that turns the heating pad on or off. When turned on, the heating pad comes on when the temperature falls to 35°F. It goes off when the ambient temperature reaches 45°F. This is only necessary to charge the battery, and if there is a charging source available (i.e., shore power, solar, or generator). The batteries do not need a heating pad to discharge (e.g., turn on lights, etc.), even when the temperature is below 35°F.
I might add that if the heating pad is turned on when there is no other source of power (or no incoming charge from solar in excess of what the heating pad draws), the heating pad may draw down the batteries unnecessarily.
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1 hour ago, Overland said:
Will probably set the fan to come on at 40 degrees and go off at 50.
Another reason for installing a fan would be for summertime heat reduction. I have found that static temperatures in the batteries to reach 95°F when the outdoor ambient temperatures are slightly over 100°F. A fast charge to the batteries (100 -150 amps), which I have only done a cooler temperatures, can add 25°. Although the Lithionics batteries can handle up to about 130°F, I would be cautious about a fast charge during the summer (such as after using the air conditioner on battery) without being able to cool the batteries. For that matter, just using the air conditioner with battery power heats up the batteries -- another reason to install a cooling fan.
Some have insulated the battery box door to keep the batteries from getting too cold. This helps, but absent internal conditioning, the vents should remain open (IMHO) during the summer for cooling.
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The Lithionics batteries come with a heating pad underneath the batteries. There is a switch in the battery compartment that turns the heating pad on or off. When turned on, the heating pad comes on when the temperature falls to 35°F. It goes off when the ambient temperature reaches 45°F. This is only necessary to charge the battery, and if there is a charging source available (i.e., shore power, solar, or generator). The batteries do not need a heating pad to discharge (e.g., turn on lights, etc.), even when the temperature is below 35°F.
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5 hours ago, NCeagle said:
they are separate installations and independent fans and controllers. I think the two solutions could be combined but may not be as efficient, especially for the battery compartment. Thanks! John
It appears that the programmable thermostat speed controller that you used (this one, perhaps: https://www.amazon.com/TerraBloom-Programmable-Thermostat-Controller-Temperature/dp/B083W2MRK6/ref=pd_day0fbt_img_2/146-3356731-9507947?pd_rd_w=Q7AR3&pf_rd_p=bcb8482a-3db5-4b0b-9f15-b86e24acdb00&pf_rd_r=XVV5SHAE2FP5518SGFZW&pd_rd_r=e2e72b65-4f68-4988-9560-bae75e92c00e&pd_rd_wg=FyVXm&pd_rd_i=B083W2MRK6&psc=1) will handle up to 4 fans. I'm curious if there is a reason that you used two controllers for your installation (one for the basement and one for the battery compartment)?
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I just noticed the mouse-in-the-pantry decal in one of the photos in John Davies' original post for this thread (I was looking for the type of hole saw you guys were using). Nice touch for the Mouse Haus!
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Good summary, Overland. One question, though: my impression is that the 7-pin charge wire on recent trailers with a lithium package is not even connected to the battery. Is this correct?
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Natures head fan has no power
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
Have you ever removed the toilet for cleaning and removed the fan in the process? The interior connection between wire and fan (i.e., the fan connection closest to the business portion of the toilet), in my experience, is prone to corrosion and is sensitive to movement when removing for cleaning. Perhaps not the first place to look, but something to keep in mind.