GarryandKristi
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Posts posted by GarryandKristi
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On 2/3/2024 at 11:24 PM, SeaDawg said:
I have, like many other old school trailers, 2 x 105 agm 12v marine batteries. So, 210 ah, total, marine deka/East penn group 31 batteries. I probably come close to your description above.
We can get appreciable charge, when traveling. We also have 400 watts of fixed solar, now, so less important, these days. But still important for those who don't have solar, and have lead acid/agm batteries. Level the front, with the jack, disconnect from the truck. With the plug dangling, not too hard to remember to reconnect in the morning....
Remembering to unplug from the tv is kind of ingrained, from old school days, so not a big deal. We're used to it. Many years of practice.
As times change, and most people get lifepo4 batteries, Oliver may discontinue the charging wire. As may other manufacturers. We'll see. Times change. Batteries change. Practices change.
Just saying, for those of us without lifepo4 batteries, the charge wire is helpful .
PS, we live quite well, many months of camping each year, with 210 ah of battery power. We have learned power management. We camp, don't have an inverter.
Everyone has a different camping style. Mine is different from yours, I'm sure, and I'd never criticize yours. We each decide what is most important, and work within our defined limits.
Agreed. We actually exhausted our nearly 6 year old agms with 2 days of dry camping and to get the front jack lifted I had to plug in the 7 pin cable. That did the trick and was easier than dragging out the generator. It certainly offsets the refrigerator drain on DC setting while traveling between sites. Very glad we have the 3-way fridge to operate on propane while Dry camping. Also glad we have a separate inverter and not the new inverter/charger in which everything has to be run through the inverter. Ours is a 2018 model.
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I had the same issue with the remote not working about 2 years ago. I removed the control board and thoroughly cleaned it (I believe with isopropyl alcohol and or vinegar as a mild acid). Reinstalled and it resumed working. Wish I had coated the board at that time. Issue has just reappeared after I entered the traIler and the fan was spontaneously running at max speed and the operator was in a dozen pieces. Original operator appeared to be cheap pot metal and replacement from etrailer doesn’t appear to be a whole lot better. Fan still works using the button board. Am thinking about pulling the control board again and cleaning and coating. May also install a voltage regulator.
By the way, our fan fuse is in the sub-panel in the attic (7.5 amp). Hull number is 372 (2018).
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On 3/17/2022 at 12:13 PM, topgun2 said:
I believe that your understanding of lack of charge from the 7 pin is correct. Without a DC/DC charger you would probably burn up your TV alternator if 7 pin charging was allowed.
I also believe that dependent on your actual electricity usage, you will be favorably surprised as to how much you can count on those solar panels to keep up the batteries.
Bill
The resistance of the factory 7-pin small gage wire would limit current draw so shouldn’t damage your alternator. Don’t know how much the wire would heat up due to line loss.
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On 10/6/2022 at 2:18 PM, CRM said:
Their humidity problem is undoubtedly being caused by either the unit being oversized (my guess) or they aren't running it in dehumidifying mode or low speed fan setting (if that unit has such features) while operating in humid conditions.
I agree with your thoughts. Short cycling is the most likely problem. We get this in our dometic penguin that came with the elite II in 2018. Air conditioners are by nature dehumidifiers (they why they have condensate lines). Having to run a dehumidifier seems like poor design when you have AC so it must be a sizing and/or fan speed issue. We’ve lived in the south for many years and never have had issues with humidity in our house even with outside dew points in the upper 70s. And that is even with a whole house ventilation system with some outside air being pulled in. Of course house hvac systems are far better than rv systems in design, etc.
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On 10/3/2022 at 1:47 PM, SteveCr said:
Hull 806....investigating replacement of the Dometic AC....Truma or Houghton?
My main and common motivation is the Dometic decibel issue.
In researching replacement experiences with the Houghton, I ran across the attached youtube testament.
At about 13:00, the couple discuss a new humidity issue. Here is the alarming quote.
"Well it's been about six weeks since we installed the Houghton air conditioner from RecPro and ultimately we've still been unable to get rid of this humidity issue. We've been in North Carolina, we've been in Florida - we're now in Illinois and the humidity levels in the camper are unreasonable to us".
They go on to state the humidity will decrease to the 50's during the day but increase to the 80's at night. I believe they attribute this to the constantly running fan with the compressor being off.
This is shocking to me because they seem to be seasoned campers and are comparing the humidity issue to their previous Dometic AC. They resorted to running a "house size" dehumidifier.
Still, they state in this and a follow up video that they would again install the Houghton due to the decibel improvement.
In the comments on their youtube video their are others that state they are seeing a similar humidity issue.
So......not sure what to make of this. Comments?
Relative humidity is a pretty worthless measure of moisture in the air as it changes with ambient temperature (rh is the amount of moisture, or vapor pressure to the amount of moisture or vapor pressure at saturation) and warm air can hold more moisture than cold air. I am a big fan of dewpoint (temperature at which moisture condenses in the air) which doesn’t change unless you get a different air mass. I suspect the issue is running the fan constantly versus on auto so unconditioned air is being pulled in. We run our dometic on low (not auto) so the startup of fan/compressor isn’t so alarming. I do notice an immediate change in humidity with our domestic when the compressor turns off (but fan still runs). With a quiet AC it would be better to run it on auto so that the fan is not running when the compressor is off. So I am thinking it is not so much to do with the manufacturer/unit as it is the mode of operation.
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We love these gutters as it has solved the perpetual battle to clean (with nominal success in the battle to prevent water ingress) the weep/drainage holes and channels for the windows. I applied in summer so the temps were warm/hot and adhesion was good. Also, as John mentioned, having a decent length of straight run beyond the curved section helps anchor things.
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Other thoughts .....
cavitation - is the suction side fully primed? Maybe could tell by water in the filter bowl. Have you tried connecting city water and running it for a short period? Although the pump should be self -priming I think.
Could be a bad diaphragm. Although the sound on the video sure sounds like an electrical (switch) issue. When ours primes it sounds a bit like a rumble.
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On 11/25/2021 at 1:12 PM, CnC said:
We can't imagine AGM batteries after having lithium. There are so many advantages to lithium batteries. While everyone knows they last longer, few think about the advantages of the built-in battery monitoring systems. No longer do you worry about over-charging, having to have a trickle charger, depleting them to zero, etc., etc.
I guess it depends on what you expect and actually do when camping. We have the 4 6v AGMs and over 3 years they have served us well. We can dry camp for 3 nights (we have no solar) and just plug the trailer in when storing. Camping on the East - and mostly mid south to southeast means a lot of trees for us and so the advantages of solar would be minimal. When the AGMs bite the dust I would considers lithium, but honestly I’d rather spend the extra money on a quieter air conditioner.
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I can confirm that our Elite 2 has the “new” configuration of pump suction. We have hull no. 372 with a pickup date of August 2018.
There is a fitting on the top of the tank about 1 foot from the aft end with apparently a suction tube extending into the tank. This is in addition to the 2 tubes on the side at aft end for fill and drain functions. The line at the top routes to the suction side of the pump so is obviously the suction tube. On a recent dry camping trip, we experienced cavitation at about 10% indicated on the level meter. I think 13% was the last good reading and at at about 8% could not draw anything (from memory and don’t exactly remember resolution increments of level meter). When draining (and raising front end) it seemed like a substantial amount of water drained, but I did not measure. Probably no more than 5 gallons.
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On 6/21/2021 at 10:36 AM, Liana said:
I'll look at ours next time the wind dies down to see if I've been missing this. I don't think it's our issue but it's worth looking at
Another thing to look at assuming that you have about equal lengths of awning extended is adjusting the pitch of the awning. I just did that with ours and it helped with retracting the awning flush on both ends. I made sure the trailer was level front to back, then checked level on the extended lead rail. I raised the low end by turning the 5 mm Allen screw on the attachment hardware at the top of the arm clockwise until nearly level then finished with lowering the other end a bit by turning that one counter-clockwise (didn’t want to put too much tension on the low arm). That pretty much fixed it. Will check extended length on both ends now that others have mentioned that. See Page 8 of the attached.
We have had an arm slide over on the lead rail so make sure those Allen bolts are tight at the lead rail. We’ve also had to replace the manual retractor gear as it would not retract all the way without slipping (like a bad ratchet drive). These things are not carefree over time.
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On 2/11/2021 at 10:37 PM, nrvale0 said:
Alright, closing the loop on this one. I'll spare the details as to how but with some spare HDMI and RCA audio cables I was able to isolate the source of the problem to somewhere between the HDMI input of the Jensen TV and the analog audio out of the TV. All other cables and components passed testing.
So a new Jensen TV is > $250 bucks. Or perhaps I can take it to an electronics repair place but I doubt it. In any case, I have other priorities right now so what I did was instead run a 12ft RCA cable from the back of the receiver to the attic and then mounted an HDMI audio extractor box (and and HDMI splitter for other devices living in the attic) and that's working like a charm.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XJITK7E/
I suppose I need to come up with some nice racking with cable management for the attic since I have a PS4, Vero, Raspberry Pi, surge protector, HDMI splitter, and audio extractor up there now. Time to break out the 3D printer. 😉
I put an hdmi switch (auto) in our attic too. We have the furrion tv and dvd/radio that has hdmi out to the tv. With splitter can use Roku stick (seldom due to lack of speedy cell phone service even with booster) or lightning to hdmi with phone and play downloaded Netflix stuff. The furrion tv was rigged with rca outs to DVD/radio av in. But, have to say just watching air TV with Andy Griffith and grit Tv westerns is kind of fun for a simple change of pace.
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On 6/17/2021 at 8:59 PM, Mike and Carol said:
And if Tractor Supply doesn’t have it go next door to Walmart!
Definitely try tractor supply first. When recently having our Ollie serviced in Hohenwald, the women at the service desk said that she had worked at Walmart in Hohenwald and they didn’t have much of an RV section although hitches would be in automotive. Hard to beat Walmart prices in any event.
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We have a 2015 RAM 1500 eco diesel and I love it. Pulls the Ollie great. Get about 16 mpg overall with the trailer. I have gotten as high as 27 mpg on long highways trips without pulling. But I think the 2 re-flashes of tranny and EGR system for an emissions settlement may have dinged the mileage a tad. With a diesel, it just feels like you are not straining too much.
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It all depends on what scenarios you will actually be in. We have the 4 6v (2 pairs in series, then pairs in parallel) 400 AH AGMs. Got our elite 2 in August 2018. We chose not to get solar because most of the campsites we anticipated and do use are here in the east and shaded. We have done several dry camping trips (with a few 3 nights). Always had enough power but do switch the fridge (absorption) to gas and normally don’t use microwave much. We do run the max air all night most of these trips with no problem. Did get a bit low on voltage when we used the microwave more than normal. If we need ac when drycamping - so far we haven’t been in the situation- we would run our inverter generator (we did get the soft-start on the AC. So for us this works fine and upgrading for us would probably be more for re-sale. When the AGMs go - I suspect we will seriously consider the lithiums, but not an inverter upgrade as the only reason for that that I can see would be to run AC and that would require rewiring - plus you we wouldn’t be able to run the ac very long on batteries anyway. So, I guess we are one of the few without solar but for us it has been perfectly fine. Just another (lower end) perspective.
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On 4/21/2021 at 11:46 PM, sunshdw said:
We’re just a bit north of Fresno in the town of Coarsegold. We’ll be on the look out for good boondocking sites!
Never heard of Coarsegold, but you probably haven’t heard of my hometown either, Escalon, just north of Modesto. Welcome.
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On 3/11/2021 at 2:18 PM, SNY SD UP said:
Nice. Next queue the Wagner.
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Hi, curious to know if the covers have worked longer term. Ours tend to rust even when kept off the ground so I am wondering if these just prevent you from seeing the rust as it would seem to me that the sleeves would not seal the chains from humidity and they would still rust? I was thinking of plasti-dip spray but that would likely be messy with links partially “rubber welded” at their junctions.
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On 1/3/2021 at 9:14 AM, ThomB87 said:
We will be joining you in Feb/March. We already have our Oliver. We are moving to Ft. Collins from Arkansas. We have grand kids in Lafayette outside of Boulder. Hoping for a eventual Oliver western rally.
We used to live in Fort Collins (mid to late 90’s when the micro-breweries were a new thing). We loved it. We visited a few years ago when I had a conference there and found it had grown quite a bit - still I think a nice place.
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On 3/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Larry and Linda said:
We have finalized our LE 2 order. Now I am looking for advice on accessories for the trailer.
I am planning on getting the Andersen ultimate trailer gear package for leveling, chocking and pads for stabilizer jacks. Would I need anything else?
We have the Anderson levelers and find those are very handy. Don’t think you’ll need anything else not listed. Their has only been 1 time that the Andersen leveler range could not level our trailer. We just augmented with some square plastic pads - looked okie but worked.
On 3/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Larry and Linda said:I have read that a water filter is a good idea? Do you have suggestions for a water filter.
We’ve used camco filters. The short flex hose on ours developed a leak (not just a gasket problem) so I made a replacement using a section of garden hose and a hose repair kit for male/female ends.
On 3/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Larry and Linda said:I have also read that you should use a polarity and voltage tester to make sure you have safe power at campgrounds? Suggestions for one of those.
We have never had issues with power. I think the onboard power management systems of the Oliver’s guard against poor quality power. The readout in ours is in the attic but don’t know where display is on the new models.
On 3/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Larry and Linda said:I understand you get a 30 to 15 amp converter plug with the trailer. Would you ever need a 50 to 30 amp converter plug? In looking at some campgrounds it looks like if they have 50 amp service they also have 30 amp service.
If a campground has 50 amp service they will normally also have 30 amp service. We do carry a 30 to 50 amp adapter plug. The most frustrating think we have found at campgrounds is the alignment of the receptacles and the cutouts for the cords of the box (most of the time they don’t seem to align). If you get the furrion 30 amp cord and it has a big plug head like ours does, you may find out that it will not fully plug in to the outlet box due to the above-stated issue. Our solution was to purchase a short 30 amp extension cord (30 amp) for those instances. The extension plug will be smaller than the furrion allowing for complete seating into the receptacle
We are getting a rear hitch on the back of the trailer for a bike rack. I have been looking at various models of that but many of them specifically say not for use on back of an RV or trailer. Does someone have suggestions of a bike rack for 2 bikes?
We purchased a “swagman bike RV towing mount”. The nice thing about it is that is does not require any other hardware or adaption. It will slide over the Andersen hitch bar (a square collar around the bar). It accommodates 2 bikes. It may be a bit tricky to orient and load the 2 bikes so pedals don’t clash,etc. but once you figure that out it’s. not a big deal.
On 3/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Larry and Linda said:I have read that some campgrounds require a sewer hose support. Suggestions for one of those.
I did print off a list of tools, fuses and other things you should have. Is there any other things we should be thinking about getting?
Thanks, Larry
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OK, Bruckner Symphonies are too long so i’ll Offer this- something different and you just gotta love trombone choirs 😉
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On 12/24/2020 at 2:28 PM, Jim_Oker said:
Any suggestion for a wire choice? I see LOTS of options coming up in a search on Amazon but narrowed it a bit by searching on "motorcyle safety wire." Something like this?
That should work. I got black wire from Lowe’s - brand is blue hawk and it was 16 gage. What I got will rust but one can keep an eye on it. The one you list is stainless so that would not be an issue. I think the point is to get malleable wire that can be twisted and tightened without snapping. Tie wire use in construction for rebar is black but of course just temporary and buried in concrete.
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Our leds on our furrion 30 amp cord stopped working within about a year. They neither work at home, storage facility, or at any campgrounds. Cable works fine. I suspect the led or circuitry to them are bad.
The bigger issue s sue in my mind of the furrion cords are the size of the male head. Many campground boxes have cord cutouts on the boxes that are not centered with the female outlet and the large furrion head and head to cable transition is not accommodated so it is difficult to impossible to plug the male end into the box without “box modifications” which may have already been attempted by others (pliers bending back cutouts for cord). I think the furrion cable may be a bit unique with the threaded female ring end to the trailer port. Haven’t checked out alternatives with a smaller male end that would fit more easily into electrical boxes.
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On 10/23/2020 at 1:20 PM, GAP said:
Lots of good info in those responses. Super helpful.
I am 100% with you all on not using the fresh water tank for drinking/cooking. If it leaches a taste than it's either not BPA free and/or some of the rest of the system must not be drinking friendly. Either way, my plan was to carry a 5 gallon and a couple of loose (easier to handle in the trailer) single gallon bags that can fold up for storage. BPA free all around.
My biggest concern is about traveling between camp spots in below freezing situations. I'm feeling iffy about travel with the on board propane heater doing it's thing. I'd also be reluctant to dump a full fresh water tank just for travel especially in winter where we will be staying often at camps with no hook ups. Will probably experiment with blowing lines out, drain the Truma, keepfresh water tank mostly full. Perhaps, in deep cold, will add antifreeze to everything but the port and line feeding the freshwater tank. Once at camp, I can turn on the heat and flush out lines.
Am going to try just blowing out tanks this winter, for ease and easier resumption (had some residual “antifreeze bouquet” after last winterization) . There is some good insight/tips on that method in this thread. Regarding the fresh water tanks, I have never experienced a poor taste - have had more issues with some campground water regarding taste. Maybe after spending a little time in the Horn of Africa and getting giardia, I am a little less sensitive to potential water issues 😜. If it’s from a chlorinated public water supply I am fine with it and I wouldn’t think cooking with tank water would be of any issue. We do take some bottled water though for convenience and guaranteed taste (or lack thereof).
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On 7/8/2020 at 7:35 PM, mossemi said:
Thanks for the cleanup info. It’s on my list to do. Had you used the Duragloss 541 on the other windows as routine maintenance? And I’m guessing you wouldn’t use it on silicone again? Did the dull window frame from the MEK lead to the EZE Gutter location question.
I haven’t put the EZE Gutters on and have not decided where they would go and not interfere with future window maintenance. The Norton's, who may have #136, placed theirs about halfway between the lights and the windows They used a small peak in the middle and then extended the gutter past the window frame without any turn down. Which I think is a pretty good location, but it is more noticeable.
Mossey
I put the EZ gutters on ours and have been very pleased with the difference they have made. We used to have water ingress all the time prior to installation and have had none since despite several heavy rainfalls including while traveling. I just placed them pretty much immediately above the frame (mostly to use as a guide). I think what has made the difference is keeping as much water off the windows and channels/drains as possible in the first place.
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Making Battery Cables
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
and much easier to “fabricate”.