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Frank C

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Everything posted by Frank C

  1. Looks like Oliver has changed suppliers for your model year Elite II bathroom fan. Is the black button on the left of the handle the fan on/off switch or is it supposed to be a latch to hold the cover in the down position?
  2. Someone else had posted this magnet idea and I don’t recall who, but thank you for the idea! I’ve had an issue in the past with the bathroom ceiling fan cover popping open while traveling after Oliver had replaced the gasket on the cover during service a couple years ago. Oliver had used a thicker gasket so the cover didn’t seat fully down in the closed position. I had been stuffing a piece of foam into the handle when on the road to prevent it popping open and that worked, but I wanted something that looked a bit more professional/a bit nicer. I replaced the gasket on the cover with a thinner gasket material, so the cover seats now seats fully in the down position. But I still wanted something to secure it when down, and the previous magnet post came to mind. Two of the door latch magnets fit perfectly on the metal sides of the handle while traveling to prevent the cover popping up. Hamilton Bowes #1 Strongest - RV... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BWQ9MLF?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
  3. Here’s a picture of the type of countersinking bit I used first on the fiberglass to clean up/chamfer the gel coat surface. This one has a small enough diameter drill bit (1/8”) to fit through the original hole, so only the chamfered section of the bit touched the fiberglass to create the chamfered edge on the gel coat layer. Then after chamfering I used a 1/4” bit to open up the clearance hole through the fiberglass.
  4. Countersinking/chamfering drill bits are available at any hardware store (Lowe's, etc.). And yes, holes were chamfered with the countersinking bit before enlarging the hole diameter (see photos in original post for sequence of steps).
  5. I’m having the same issue. I may just remove the old reflectors and replace them with these DOT approved reflective stickers. No caulking needed, no place for water to enter. Available in amber and red. And they have the added benefits of less weight and lower wind resistance! 😂 3" Inch Round DOT-SAE Amber/Red High Visibility Reflective Stick-On Prism Reflector | Strong Adhesive/Weatherproof | Trailer Camper RV Flatbed Fender Property Boat Marine (Amber, Qty 4) https://a.co/d/5fPFVUT
  6. There is another option that a few of us use (I learned this option from another Oliver owner on our delivery day). We have the standard flush toilet in the camper but since we took delivery of our Ollie brand new, it has absolutely only been used for #1. No solids, no toilet paper ever go into the black tank. #2 is done either at the campground restrooms, or roadside rest stop restrooms while traveling, or if absolutely necessary, using the bathroom in the camper, but then #2 and toilet paper go into disposable camp toilet bags (bag is placed in the toilet while doing your business) and then disposed of into a suitable trash receptacle. Makes life with the black tank very easy. Keeps water usage to a minimum. Takes a very long time to fill up the black tank before it needs emptying. No toilet cleanup/no scrub brush needed. No stuck/clogged drain valves, easy black tank emptying, easy black tank rinse. Trail Essentials Toilet Bags, Certified Biodegradable and Compostable; Use and Bury in Ground –Includes Convenient Water Resistant Carry Case https://a.co/d/ab7IGyb
  7. I just crimped the pins of the Molex connector onto the wires. And so far no leaks when I water tested it.
  8. One of the great features of the Oliver trailer design is the fast and easy (no tools needed) access to ALMOST all of the plumbing, heating, and electrical systems through the hatches under the dinette seats and the beds, or by removing the kitchen cabinet drawers. One area that’s NOT readily accessible is the area under the bathroom vanity, even though there is plumbing, electrical, and furnace ductwork all tucked inside the vanity. The storage cubby in the front of the vanity is screwed AND CAULKED in place by Oliver at the factory, so access is a bit more complicated than the other areas. I recently needed to get into that vanity area for some inspection and maintenance, and after completing that I wanted to make future access easier (no tools needed and no caulking). I know some owners have replaced the storage cubby with a hinged marine access panel, but I didn’t want to lose the cubby storage. So here’s a detailed description of a simple modification I did, along with links to the parts used. Access is now fast and easy. No-Slip Clip-On Barrel Nut, for 0.025" to 0.15" Panel Thickness, 8-32 Thread Size https://www.mcmaster.com/94850A111 #8-32 x 1" Thumb Screw Stainless... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FZVLZKD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share uxcell Edge Trim U Seal Extrusion, Silicone White U Channel Edge Protector Sheet Fits 0.5-2.5mm Edge 3Meters/9.84Ft Length https://a.co/d/1uWUZB3 Molex -3 Match Set - (3-Pin) w/14-20 AWG, Wire Connector - 2.13mm D, Latch Lock, MLX https://a.co/d/gapvioi
  9. Thanks for the info from Truma on the mounting issue. I’ll take a look at that as well during the bypass valve repair.
  10. Not a Truma problem but the issue did manifest itself as very low HOT water flow at all faucets. Problem of low hot water flow was the same whether on city water or using pump & fresh tank. COLD water flow was good at all faucets. And I’ve done the decalcification/cleaning process annually. Did some troubleshooting and was initially thinking it was a Truma problem because flow to the hot side of all the faucets was good if I bypassed the Truma at the bypass valve on the Truma cold water inlet. Fearing a very expensive Truma repair, I dug a little further. Opening the Truma drain lever and removing the Truma screen filter, and turning the bypass valve back to normal operating position, and I saw very little flow emptying out of the Truma drain. There really isn’t much inside the Truma on the inlet at that point to even get clogged up, it’s just a direct port into the screen filter, so low flow draining out pointed back to a problem at the plumbing going into the Truma. I removed the bypass valve and found the rubber seal inside had degraded and swollen (see photo), restricting the flow in the normal position. Found a CAMCO replacement on Amazon that’ll be here tomorrow. Hopefully the seal on this CAMCO one holds up better than the original one (different valve manufacturer). I really think a lot of these plumbing components aren’t tested with the chemicals using for RV maintenance like the anti-freeze winterizing solution, or vinegar/water or bleach/water sanitizing solutions, leading to issues with degradation of the seals. A pretty easy replacement of the valve but I’m also going to use this opportunity to redo the cold inlet and hot outlet plumbing connections on the back of the Truma to change to stainless braided flexible supply lines. Not a fan of the rigid plastic connections used by Oliver initially in those locations. Some owners have had the plastic hot water PEX fitting break at the brass TEE on the Truma outlet. With all the bouncing down the road, and thermal expansion and contraction when using the Truma, I want flexible connections there like some of those other owners have upgraded to. Camco bypass valve link to Amazon: https://a.co/d/eGqkhrA
  11. Interesting that the new version of the Progressive Dynamics transfer switch now uses the Wago lever type connectors instead of a terminal block strip.
  12. Is the switch on the EMS display in the “NORMAL USE” position? Not the “BYPASS EMS” position.
  13. Ours is a 2019, but maybe in 2018 the EMS display was mounted somewhere else? Maybe in one of the compartments under the bed. According to the 2018 Elite I manual on the Oliver University, the trailer does have the Progressive EMS. Should look something like this.
  14. Is there anything displayed on the surge protector readout in the attic cabinet?
  15. Initially we never had any problem with the bathroom fan cover on our 2019 Oliver popping open when traveling. But then the gasket on the fan cover came loose after about a year, and during annual service, Oliver replaced the gasket with a VERY thick gasket material (about 3/8” thick), so that the cover didn’t fully seat properly in the full “down” detent position, and that caused the cover to start popping open when traveling. I’ve since replaced the gasket on the cover with a thinner gasket material (3/16” thick x 3/8” wide exterior vinyl foam weatherstripping from Lowe’s) and now the cover pulls down into the correct detent/closed position (can actually feel it snap into place) and stays closed when traveling.
  16. Sounds like you have a good idea of what RV life is like. And here’s the link to the Cruise America travel trailer rental options. https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles/adventure-travel-trailer-rental
  17. Welcome to the forum, and also welcome to potential Oliver ownership. If you’ve never camped with an RV or trailer before, you may want consider renting an RV or trailer from a place like CruiseAmerica to see if you’ll really enjoy the trailer life. CruiseAmerica rents both travel trailers and RV motorhomes. Very doubtful that you’ll find anyone willing to rent you their Oliver. The Oliver is a big investment (along with a tow vehicle) and there have been a few owners who sold their Oliver soon after purchase when they discovered all that is involved in trailer life (hitching and un-hitching, campground setup, emptying holding tanks, sanitizing the water system, troubleshooting issues at campgrounds, general annual maintenance, repairs, problems on the road, storage of the trailer when not using it, etc.). Some of their (mis)adventures have been very interesting to read. You mentioned you’ve done backpacking so you at least have some idea of what’s involved in camping. We spent 3 years car camping before moving up to an Oliver. Now in our 4th year camping with the Oliver Elite II and we love it, and it’s a perfect size for just me and my wife, but it is a lot of work and expense compared to just checking into a hotel. But we love the freedom of travel and having all of our own stuff with us no matter where we travel.
  18. Thanks for the very detailed write up! Nice job! 👍🏻
  19. Note that as you compare “work truck” versions of any given truck brand/model to the loaded “Platinum” or “Limited” top end full featured versions, you’ll find that all those features on the top end loaded models typically means you’ll lose some payload / cargo capacity of the truck for what you can carry in the truck bed. We’ve seen Oliver owners buy a fully loaded luxurious high end 1/2 ton pickup only to find out the payload/cargo rating barely covers the trailer tongue weight plus the driver and one passenger. My F-250 is an XLT edition “work truck” version, reasonably equipped and comfortable for long trips (but certainly not luxurious), but it has an insanely high payload/cargo rating of 3,334 lbs. so I can pretty much carry anything I want in the truck bed, even while towing. Look for a truck based on towing capacity, tongue weight limits, payload/cargo limit, 4 wheel drive, a heavy duty towing package, and a TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER. Not all trucks have a trailer brake controller (as some owners have discovered).
  20. I’ve had the RockTamers on all of my tow vehicles. Our first tow vehicle was a Ford Expedition that had the exhaust pointing straight back under the rear bumper. I installed the optional heat shield that RockTamer sells (see first photo) and it helped a bit, but the rubber behind and around the heat shield STILL showed signs of overheating and partially melting. The Expedition is gone now, currently towing with an F-250 and the exhaust points out sideways behind the rear tire (second photo) so no more heat shield now (and I did put on a brand new rubber mud flap), and no problems. I’d recommend seeing if you can have a muffler shop fabricate a curved tail pipe section so the exhaust is out to the side away from the mud flap.
  21. I’d clean out the old caulk and recaulk the exterior vent flange/hull connection. The interior joint where the black pipe goes through the interior hull should never see any water, since ideally you want all water being stopped OUTSIDE the exterior hull. My roof vent has always had really heavy caulking around it. Doesn’t look the greatest but it’s not something that noticeable since it’s on the roof, and it’s never leaked (knock on wood), (or is it “knock on fiberglass” for an Ollie?).
  22. We have it and use it all the time while towing. It’s not just a “backup” camera. It’s a rear view camera. You’d be amazed at what can be hidden in the blind spot behind the trailer while you are in traffic if you don’t have the camera. I have the factory installed large extended mirrors on my F-250 and there is still a blind spot behind the camper that the camera gives a good view of. The camera is very helpful for lane changes, etc.
  23. Does anyone’s Oliver actually have the gray tank drain located as shown on that schematic (red circle)? Mine is located properly directly at the outlet of the gray tank (red arrow). Having it located as shown on that Oliver schematic would let black water flow into the gray tank when the black tank drain valve is opened.
  24. On a recent camping trip, I observed our campground neighbor empty his black tank, and after emptying, he then proceeded to insert his FRESH water hose very far INTO the open end of his SEWER hose, and turn on the campground fresh water to rinse out the sewer hose, then reconnected his fresh water hose back to the fresh water inlet on his camper. 🤮
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