Fritz

Oh, and 30 lb propane tanks and NH toilet....

Fully loaded with food and clothes for a month, solar, lithium, Truma, no basket or bike rack, full freshwater tank but empty gray and black tanks, our LE2 weighed in at 5,900 lbs. Of this, 5,250 lbs were on the axles, leaving a 650-lb hitch weight. Hitch weight is about 11% of total weight.

Thank you -- I'm glad I find the list useful. I have not updated it, but I see that Jim and Francis provided a link to an updated list (see earlier post in this thread). As I mentioned earlier, Oliver has addressed some of the things that are on the list (still worth checking, though). New items come up on this forum on a fairly regular basis (e.g., battery support bolts), and I expect that Oliver will continue to address these newer issues as well. Again, still worth checking. My general recommendation from our experience is to become very familiar with the electrical system, especially if you opt for the Lithionics batteries. In general, I'm satisfied with the lithium batteries, but it has taken more time and effort to become comfortable with how the trailer's electrical components work as a system. An electrical schematic for the electrical system would be SO helpful.

Thanks. I filed a ticket on October 5. I received this response: "Battery Box Support - I am turning this in to our Quality & Engineering team. Production uses a flange nut at this connection but I believe a Nylon Lock nut, Lock Washer & Nut or even a double nut would be better. We can have some nuts shipped to you but hopefully I will hear back from engineering to see what they say as far as any recommendations for the type of nut used." Haven't heard more on this yet. In the meantime, I put the flange nuts back on temporarily but will replace them with nylon lock nuts.

The nuts from my battery support post bolts were also off -- I found them down below....

I opened a ticket on this topic with Oliver early last week. I sent them these two photos from our trailer, and commented that I would like assurance that the shock absorbers are properly mounted and safe (it does not look like the best of designs when the rubber gasket and mounting plates overhang the frame bracket). I received the following answer: " I looked under a couple of the camper and the spacing looks to be the same on all of the units as it is on yours. The cracking is normal as well." While the shock absorber mount may be the same on all of the current units, it is clearly installed so that only a portion of the rubber bushing is doing its job—the other portion doesn’t touch the frame mount. While this is probably safe enough, the shock absorber bolts might not need to be tightened as much if the entire bushing had contact with the frame mount, and in which case the rubber bushings might not be cracking so early in the life of the shock. In any case, the shock absorbers would not come with a full rubber bushing if the manufacturer intended for only a portion of the bushing to have contact with the frame. My next step was to send an inquiry to the shock absorber manufacturer, but without removing and inspecting the shocks closely, I do not see a brand or manufacturer's name. Does anyone have more information on these black shocks with no apparent brand name? I like JD's suggestion of installing a heavy flat washer on the upper mounts. For those of you with older trailers: what have you chosen for replacement shock absorbers?

We have the LE2, but I've looked at the LE1. Its appeal? smaller, more maneuverable, requiring smaller tow vehicle, better fuel mileage. But for me, however, at 6'2", it felt cramped. The ceiling height is 6'1", the upper cabinets are shorter, the bathroom is shorter, the closet is smaller. I think it is good for less tall folks. There have been various threads on what general layout changes might improve either the LE1 or LE2. Some folks have suggested a larger LE3. Owners of the LE1 will have a more informed opinion, but I think there would be a market for an LE1 that has a taller ceiling height, perhaps moving the galley to the street side in place of the current dinette (resulting in a larger cooking and storage area), and building a smaller dinette (or perhaps couch/bench with Lagun table) in the current galley area. This (IMHO) would make for a terrific solo traveler for the taller individual. Alternatively, the refrigerator and stove could be moved to the street side adjacent to the bathroom, leaving a small sink counter on the curb side (with a flip-up counter extension in the doorway); this would leave space for a seat on either side of the isle adjacent to the bed, and a dining table could slide out from (or at least be stored under) under the bed. This arrangement would allow for beds to remain made up, result in a slightly larger galley, and provide a dining area for two.

A forum search for "delivery inspection checklist" will lead you to a thread listing items to check when you pick up your trailer. Most of the items on the list are there because someone had to repair or change these items shortly after pickup. That said, some of the problems listed are more or less one-offs, and many of the items listed are now corrected in the manufacturing process and/or routinely checked by Oliver prior to delivery. But as with any evolving manufacturing process, new items seems to show up on a semi-regular basis, hence the ongoing thread.

While winterizing a few days ago I noticed that the rubber on these shocks are cracking (trailer is 6 months old), and also the shock absorber bolt seems pretty close to the edge of the frame flange. Do these things seems normal to you?

Has anyone found a good way to make window blinds open and close more easily? Some sort of lubrication, perhaps? One of ours slides very well with one hand, but the others seems sticky even with two hands. Ideas?

This is probably a dumb question (and no offense intended), but are you sure that the filler hose extended into the bottom portion of that antifreeze jug?

Thanks, all, for your help. And one more question for complete peace of mind.... Our trailer has a composting toilet (and therefore an unused black water tank). There are water lines under the front dinette seat, but no flush valve under the front dinette seat (as is mentioned in the winterization video). I assume (but can't seem to verify by looking) that these lines are not connected to the primary water system, and consequently there is no way that fresh water can enter this portion of the water system without actually using the blackwater tank flush port on the streetside front of the trailer (for which there has obviously been no need because of the composting toilet). Therefore there is no need to winterize this part of the system -- is that correct? Or...?

Thanks – that helps me see where some of the other plumbing goes as well. I was not able to get water to come out of the drain after opening it, but that is probably because I pumped most of the water out of the tank with the pump. I will try tomorrow to add a little suction to the drain port just to make sure that I’m getting fluid (in this case, maybe a little bit of antifreeze) to come out of the drain.

Are you sure that the hot water bypass valve is turned so that the handle faces the rear of the trailer? The bypass valve is featured beginning about 1 minute into the winterization video. .... (now this is an example of the blind attempting to lead the blind 😉)

And.... just to be clear, our trailer has a composting toilet and therefore does not use the black water tank. It does not appear to have a black-water flush valve under the front dinette seat. I assume (but can't seem to verify by looking) that there is no way that fresh water could enter this portion of the water system, and that therefore there is no need to winterize this part of the system. Is that correct? Or...?

Ah, thank you. I see that this valve won't be able to drain all of the tank, because is connected to a discharge port about 3/4 inch from the bottom of the tank. But I guess that's OK...

I feel like I'm missing something obvious, but where is the drain valve for the fresh water tank on the 2021 LE2? The drain location is not shown in Oliver's winterization video. Or is the way to empty the tank simply to pump it (mostly) dry?

Troubleshooting the electrical system on the forum is perhaps something like testing whether or not the spaghetti is cooked: we can all toss suggestions up at the ceiling and see what sticks. So, no reason to bow out. I may or may not have it right. Yes, I agree that the lithium batteries and accompanying inverter/charger are more complex than the older systems (at least the ones that I'm familiar with). Understanding how these electrical components work as a system is--at least for me--a work in progress. I've begun trusting the lithium system a bit more as I learn a bit more about it.

Have you calibrated the State-of-Charge (SOC) readings since you purchased the trailer 2 months ago? If not, the SOC reading may not be accurate, and the battery voltage may be below the low-battery cutoff point (probably about 12.5 volts) even though the SOC reads 80%. In this case, your 12 volt system may appear to be working, but the batteries are too low for the 110 volt system. In our case, we inadvertently ran the batteries down to 12.1 volts (in which case nothing worked; we had to hand-crank in the stabilizers and awning), even though the SOC read 60%. To calibrate the inverter SOC readings, you should run the batteries down to 12.0 (or 12.1) volts, then charge them with shore power to 14.4 volts. This process should calibrate the SOC readings. (When charging, the batteries will reach 14.4 volts only fleetingly, and then revert to about 13.6 volts. Unless you are checking frequently, you may miss the batteries reaching 14.4 volts). To test whether your SOC may be an uncalibrated value, you might temporarily change the low-battery cutoff value in the Xantrex App (under settings) from 12.5 volts to something like 12.3 volts. If the 110 volt outlet works then you know the battery SOC algorithm needs to be recalibrated. Hope this helps.

I'm in Jim's camp here -- we opted for 390 Ah lithium to reduce range anxiety and reducing the need for a generator. The batteries have served us well in this regard. We also use A/C occasionally (usually for an hour or less) at rest stops. I like the fast charging, and (hopefully) long life. When being careful, we use between 30 and 50 Ah/day, perhaps a bit more if the furnace is running a bunch. Perhaps less if we're really being careful. This gives us several days to a week or more of range, depending if on whether we're getting at least some solar charge. Using the A/C for an hour uses about 100 Ah, and the solar will recharge a good portion of that on a sunny, summer afternoon. For longer trips (e.g., cross-country) during the summer we occasionally find ourselves at plug-in sites in the evening, where we can charge if needed. In 4 months of use, we've needed a generator only one time, and that was when we ran the batteries down by accident. For us, there's a DC to DC charger in our future, a la John Davies and others. That should eliminate the need for a generator during most, if not all, of our travels. For us, the lithium batteries have served their primary purpose: reducing range anxiety. That said, I think some buyers will find lithium battery maintenance frustrating. For example, the batteries need to be cycled from charged to empty to fully charged every two months (per Lithionics rep). What's the best way of doing this seemingly simple task? Use of the A/C or space heater doesn't run down the batteries enough. Running the fridge on 12V does it, but inelegantly so. I can't even imagine doing this with the platinum 600 Ah batteries on a regular basis. The battery app needs calibration (which we learned the hard way when the batteries died but the app showed a 57-62% state of charge!). Does the app stay calibrated? Not sure of this yet. The batteries need temperature monitoring (e.g., the battery compartment gets quite warm in the summer). Etc. Etc. Etc. This is getting a bit afield from the original fridge question, but I think that Oliver could do a much better job (1) describing weaknesses of the lithium option along with potential benefits, and (2) presenting a separate, simple, user-friendly manual on how these systems work on an integrated basis. Such a user guide would draw from the Xantrex manual, the knowledge base, the battery manual (which we did not receive and is still not listed in Oliver University, but which is available on the Lithionics website) and perhaps this forum describe how to use these electrical components as a system, and what to do when encountering common pitfalls. Perhaps this forum is a good place to try crowd-sourcing such a user guide. We might all learn something in the process. I know I would. I'm generally satisfied with the lithium system, but with a better understanding (i.e., user guide for integrated system) and DC to DC charger, I could be downright pleased. Sorry for the long post....

We have only the curbside awning, and have not left it fully extended in rain (because rain is often accompanied by wind). We have, however, left it partially extended (perhaps 1 to 3 feet from the trailer) in the rain. With this amount of extension, the water does not drain from the awning, and instead pools between the aluminum arms. Not good, because it weights down the awning. The fabric is "breathable," but does not let enough water filter through to avoid pooling. I understand that it was easier to set angles on older-style manual awnings with support arms (allowing for better drainage); these would be much better for rain (and wind). Also, rain can bring down leaves or pine needles, leaving gunk on the awning. I've waited until the gunk dries, swept it off with a broom (while standing on a ladder, or blowing it off with the leaf blower (essential camping tool🙂). Again, I believe that the older-style manual awning would allow temporarily setting it at a steeper angle to allow cleaning before rolling it up. So, in concept, the awnings would be great for protecting partially open windows when raining. In practice, not so much. Wish they did.

We have towed Hull 790 with lithium package about 6,500 miles over 4 months of use. We use the 12V option on the refrigerator. Sometimes. It depends.... I'm reluctant to use propane for the refrigerator while driving, not because of usage, but because of safety. In the event of a severe accident, a ruptured gas line with an open tank valve could make a bad situation worse. The refrigerator uses about 15 amps when running on 12V. This is about what the panels produce on a sunny summer day. On a cloudy day, or a sunny late fall day, the solar will not keep up with the fridge; you'll be drawing from the batteries to run the fridge. If the batteries are topped off, and there is sun in the forecast, then no problem (they shouldn't be maintained at 100% anyway). If the batteries are low, and the forecast is for clouds, then this may not be a good option. The problem with using State of Charge (SOC) in the Victronics app to measure refrigerator impact -- especially on a new trailer -- is that the SOC has to be calibrated. Calibration happens when you run the battery to reserve voltage (12.0 volts) and then do a complete charge with shore power (to 14.4 volts). The SOC readings in the Lithionics app should be more accurate after this, although I'm not fully convinced of this yet. I learned this the hard way: we ran down our batteries completely by accident (and had to hand-crank the awnings and stabilizers) but the app indicated that the SOCs in each battery were between 57% and 62%. So, on a cool day while driving we might turn off the fridge (it stays relatively cool for a long time). On an open road with little traffic we might use propane. On a busy freeway, especially in urban areas, on a hot sunny day, I'll turn it to 12 volts. I use a temperature sensor to monitor fridge temperature remotely (https://www.amazon.com/SensorPush-Wireless-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Android/dp/B01AEQ9X9I/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=21PYNKL0E7HOX&dchild=1&keywords=sensorpush+sensor&qid=1633192318&sprefix=sensorpush%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQVdBSFlCMk9SQ0taJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzUxMzExMjM4SFVHWTNVTEdCQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjIyMjYwMzQwSzIzRTFDRjZUTSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=. This sensor (which I think NCeagle first mentioned on this forum) is expensive, but terrific (I'm using several now to monitor humidity and temperature in the fridge, trailer, instrument cases, etc.). Similarly, we ordered the lithium package in part because we were told that Oliver would "likely" have a TV charging solution by the time that we picked up in April. I was disappointed that this was not available at pickup, and that there still doesn't seem to be a solution that Oliver can recommend and for which Oliver could provide some installation guidance. Others have installed DC to DC charger (e.g., search for John Davies Redarc thread), but it sure seems like this problem of not being able to charge from the TV is something that Oliver would want to solve. Hope this helps.

Yep, continued fussing with it and found the exact same thing. I went through several tries of purging with city water and then trying the pump again, and when that didn't work realized that the filter was bubbling: air getting in! Took off the filter cap and, just like you, saw that the gasket was not seated properly. Reseated the gasket, and viola, it works again! Thank you so much for the reply -- had I not found it your comments would have steered me to the right spot. And yes, a self-inflicted wound; I had removed the filter to clean it earlier today. I'm amazed that after 3 1/2 months of use the filter continues to collect substantial amounts of plastic shrapnel.

Could you please clarify what you mean by this? Our pump (in a 2021 LE2) is sputtering ... it blows air, then pumps water, then sputters, etc. I installed the anti-free kit a couple of days ago; a portion of the water heater drained out in the process. When I attach a supply hose to the city water connection it sputtered at the faucet at first, then it produced water from the hot and cold faucet sides, just as it should. The tank is full. The filter has water, but it is only about 3/4 full -- perhaps an indication of air in the system? Anyone -- any ideas? Heading for the mountains in the morning, and I would like for this to work... Thanks!!

Well, I'm grateful to you for having figured this out. While not as elegant as a simple on-off charging switch on the remote panel, it solves one of my greatest annoyances with the trailer: how to run the fridge or other appliances on 110V without continually charging the batteries or listening to that inverter fan cycle on every 15 minutes. Now if I can just do something to quiet the inverter when we do want it to charge the batteries....