Galway Girl

So many things I use are online or on my phone/tablet...so I'll break this down into 3 parts: 1) My favorite "online - web based" roadtrip/camping planning tool: RV Trip Wizard is an Online tool I used for planning my trip to/from Hohenwald...it's great. - https://www.rvtripwizard.com/ 2) Apps my Phone/Tablet Tools for Finding and Reserving Campsites: Allstays Camp & RV - also a good lookup tool for campgrounds - https://www.allstays.com/ Campendium - For reviews of campgrounds - https://www.campendium.com/ The Ultimate US Campground App - For locating boondocking sites.= http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/ All Trails - for finding localized hiking info - https://www.alltrails.com/ Recreation.Gov - for doing many of the reservations in Nat'l forests, and parks - https://www.recreation.gov/ Harvest Hosts App - for one night stays at wineries, farms, etc. - https://harvesthosts.com/ RV LIfe - All round app I use as a portal into reviews and new campground info. - http://rvlife.com/ 3) Seeing the actual campground sites: I've found so far that I use several apps when planning a long trip. Some are great for finding "camping" others are good for planning the drive. In addition, there are resources we use that help us plan by showing actual campsites as photo's or drive through's including these three sites: Campsite Photo's - https://www.campsitephotos.com/ Campground Views : https://www.campgroundviews.com/ - featuring drive throughs of a campground in 360 deg format so you can look around. The Dyrt - a great site for what's good about a specific campground: https://thedyrt.com/ Hope that helps... Craig & Rose Hull 505 - Galway Girl

Found this ....as a past post on that issue.

I'm taking the trailer to a local repair facility today Poulsboro RV in Everett WA. They are one of the largest RV and Dometic dealers in the area and said they would work on the issue for us. I'll coordinate between Oliver Factory Support and the local service center on this one and report back results. *Results* - Took trailer to a local dealership Poulbro RV where they successfully did the awning motor adjustment for free. The awning now retracts fully into the case. That dealer also did the Dexter Axle recall for free. I had them do my wheel bearing repack since it was time for that to happen. Hunting the Mystery Dometic TOOL = The dealer said that Dometic Awnings motor adjustment require a flexible tool with hex key end. They also said that tool was provided to dealers by Dometic within the installation kits of awnings. I'm trying to find out what tool that actually is...and get one so if this happens again I don't have to drag the trailer to a dealer. I put the question to Jason in service. I'll update this if I find the answer to the mystery. If anyone is doing a factory tour...see if you can spot one during the tour and take a picture.

We picked up our Oliver Hull 505 in Aug 2019. It has on the Dometic 9500E Electric Door Side awning. Oliver University, and my physical user manuals didn't match the remote we have. Our remote looks like this below and the correct (3/2019 version) awning installation and operation manuals are attached. The installation manuals show how to adjust the slope of the awning, and also how to make sure the front of the awning is parallel to the main body of the awning. (That's very important to make sure the awning rolls aligned and smootly). I'm dealing with a different problem where the awning won't fully retract. It sticks out about 1/2 in from fully seated as in the pix below: There are motor adjustment screws at the front of the awning that are hard to reach and require a special hex tool. These are used to adjust the motor close point. (In previous generations of the case awnings this was done via "remote control button pushes.) I'm working with Service to figure this out...and I may need to build a special hex tool for this by modifying a standard hex key. The clearances to get in to this adjustment are VERY tight as the adjustment holes actually are facing the body of the trailer when mounted. More if I succeed. Hoping to NOT have to take it to a Dometic repair dealer, as the first one I was referred to by Oliver Support said they were "frankly not interested working on a trailer not bought at their dealership." 9500E Operation 3316982.000.pdf 9500E Case Awning Install 3316981.000.pdf

Landrover, I have the same question but from my initial research it looks like it depends (as always) on several factors but the crux of it comes down to you knowing some details about how much current each of the two charging methods supply (Solar Controller vs. Onboard Controller ) : 1) Solar Controller - what's the maximum charge rate available for the AGM profile. (example Zamp controllers can be 30Amps or 40A depending on the model installed?) 2) Onboard Controller - from shore power or generator - implies using the onboard Progressive Dynamics charge controller which could be the 45A or 60A unit...depends on your model) AGM batteries generally should be recharged at a minimum of 20% of their total AH rating. Example a 200AH battery bulk charge rate should be ideally...200x.2= 40A... if your charge controller can only push 20A the time to recharge will double. First Pass EXAMPLE: Actual Numbers may be 40% more time than this.... Let's say we had 4 , 200AH AGM's...800AH total capacity, now sitting at 50% discharge. So to take them from 50% discharged state to recharge we need to generate 400AH total charge. Solar - Assumes perfect sun, and controller running at full 30A: 400AH/30A = 13.3 HRS (Actual due to solar and charge inefficiencies will be maybe 22 HR or more) Generator - Assumes the 45A Progressive Dynamics Controller 400AH/45A = 8.8 HRS (again...it's more likely about 13 - 16 Hrs due to battery inefficiencies in recharging) ... which ever charge controller can deliver the power UP TO the 20% rate would be the fastest.... ******************************************************************** Now - if you want to go into more specifics for YOUR system then consider: * The specific individual AGM battery specs (total AH rating) is it a 200AH battery x 4 . You'll need to know the individual AH ratings? * Assuming the 4 batteries are connected in a series/parallel setup. * The state of the batteries at start of charge (example start charging from 50% charged state) * You'll need to know the charge rating available from the various chargers in play: Each solar charger has a specific profile and amperage rating for AGM batteries... The on board charge controller (when using the Generator) has it's own charge rating.... Here's a base article about how fast AGM's can be charged. https://marinehowto.com/how-fast-can-an-agm-battery-be-charged/ If I have time in the next day or two...I'll do a calculation on my own exact setup and post a reply. Here's a resource for AGM Charging as well: battery charging.docx

Here's what I heard from Sales this AM about the Specific Cooper Tires being used now on 2020 models. Tires are the Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16 Load Rating E * 2680lb per tire* The Discoverer HT3™ is designed for drivers of commercial pickup trucks and vans, optimized for highway driving. Engineered to resist abnormal wear Improved handling, performance and traction Quiet running tread design 50K Mile Warranty M+S Rated http://us.coopertire.com/tires/discoverer-ht3

Yup...I'll likely see the info and post tomorrow on which specific tire. I note that the 'Oliver University' page hasn't caught up with these production changes yet...and neither the tires or the battery specs are available in downloads. More when I hear it back from Oliver Sales.

Since I'm showing my trailer all the time to prospects, I asked Phil Andrews from the Sales team for an update on tires and battery used in 2020 units. Here's what he said via a quick email on the topic to prep me for visitors today...more details on the specific tires and batteries will follow soon. I'll also hope we see them in the Oliver University components section. ***** The tires we are using are the Cooper Discoverers that are made in the USA. Same size, load rating, and ply thickness as the Canadian made Michelins that we offered before. They are on par with each other in terms of quality. We switched so the tires for the Elite and Elite II would be from the same manufacturer and Michelin didn’t offer the tire size needed for the Elite, therefore Cooper won out. The 2020 batteries are from Brightway and they are made in China. 6V AGM – Brightway BWEVGC-220A 12v – Brightway BWG DC24-6

In the picture of Hull 505, the Checkered Tape is there so the F150 backup assist camera can see and register that the trailer is attached. Normally tape would only be on the flat tongue surface, but the latch mechanism blocks the tailgate camera view, thus the piece going up the storage basket. Once registered, the backup assist makes backing up easier and more precise. While not absolutely necessary, that backup assist is a great help when trying to back around corners and into tight spaces. That feature is now available on 2020 F250 HD trucks.

Yes, people could also just use the tow chains and a platform to make a lash up to tow the trailer away. Mostly the locks are helpful in keeping people from picking your rig over others that don't have any security.

Yes - been using it since we picked up our Oliver II in Aug 2019. It's been in the rain a bunch and no rust and functions as advertised.

Saw this on the Ford Site. It gives details on the backup camera and the TPMS requirements.

Here's a word document template to build your own Oliver Supplies Checklist: Quick Supply List.docx

Welcome to the club from Everett WA (30 miles north of Seattle). Since you'll be coming to the Seattle area we can give you pointers on Camping in Western Washington. Checkout our Blog on our trip from Everett to Hohenwald here...for some ideas for your own road trip or items for your new trailer. https://4-ever-hitched.com/ Craig & Rose Short Hull 505 - Galway Girl

Happy to see you joining the ownership family. We are are hosts that show our trailer (Hull 505- Galway Girl) and have some resources to share. We've had many questions during our pre-purchase visits so we've built a wish list for Oliver Owners in Amazon called the Oliver Trailer Outfitter. You can find the list on amazon at this link: http://a.co/2v3Fpz8 If you look at the little description box to the right and above each picture on the list, I describe specifics about the item with respect to our Oliver trailers. For example if you get the front basket accessory, consider using the 24 Gallon Rubbermaid Action Packer as it fits perfectly into that basket and can hold wheel chocks, and other hookup accessories. You can buy many of these items directly from Amazon, e-trailer, or through various brick and mortar stores like Walmart, Tractor Supply, Coastal, Ace HW, etc. If you want to see our BLOG for our journey to pickup our Hull 505 last August 2019...check that out here. https://4-ever-hitched.com/ Craig & Rose Short

There are two parts to the system, the TV and the Audio Receiver. In our Elite II the audio system has cables connecting the in/out from TV to the Aux In (on back panel) of the Jensen Receiver. That receiver has zones for speakers A and B. You can turn off each zone (or both) from the Jensen Audio Receiver by simply pressing the Zone A and Zone B buttons. Next - To listen to the audio on headphones there are a couple options: 1) There is a 1/8" mini stereo headphone jack on the TV if you wanted to simply hook up wired headphones. Look for the user manuals for these both in the Oliver University for more details. 2) You might be able to also use Bluetooth Headphones with the Jensen Receiver. The problem typically found is that Bluetooth has a slight delay so lips aren't sync'd. (I don't see a control in either the TV or the Jensen Receiver manuals to account for this skewing. ) An earlier discussion on the topic is below shows some "bluetooth" transmitters that can be hooked up to the speaker out's on the TV to make use of wireless headphones without those skewing errors possible. Hope this helps. Craig Short Hull 505 - Galway Girl

WDH transfers some % of the trailer tongue weight forward to the front axle of the tow vehicle and some % of that tongue weight back to the trailer axles. So using the WDH gives you back some of the dead tongue wt. that you can use as cargo weight. In addition the WDH helps recover some of the 'rise' that happens to the front of the truck when you drop the trailer on the hitch. Normally the instructions for WDH's say to adjust the hitch so 1/2 of the total rise on the front fenders is recovered. For example if you drop the loaded trailer on the truck, and the front fenders raise 2", then they want you to try and adjust the WDH so you get back to only 1" rise on the front. This also gives you back load for steering control. Second - it's important to note that the physical receiver hitch assembly on the tow vehicle typically has has a rating for both "WITH" and Without a weight distribution hitch. For most Elite II's the loaded tongue wt will be >600 lbs...and in the case of my specific F150 hitch sticker...that means I must use a wt. distribution hitch as the "dead weight" it can carry in "WEIGHT Carrying Mode" is 500 lbs.

Trailer: Elite II = Loaded trailer wt. 6400 lbs. Tongue Wt: 740 LB => requires an Anderson Wt. Dist. Hitch Tow Vehicle: 2018 F150 4WD Super Crew with 3.5 EB & 3.55 rear end Mods: Have a canopy and installed SUMO Springs for overload/squat reduction and they work. Tow Experience: Grade B+ ( I'm sure a 3/4 ton would be an A+) Feels stable in all but the most extreme conditions. 3.5 Ecoboost has PLENTY of power due to turbo...but ....it has a turbo which can be a big ticket repair in future. Mileage: Towing from Tennessee to Everett (2500 miles) and in Western Washington have averaged 11 mpg overall. In mountains typically got about 6-9 MPG, on Flats as high as 14 mpg. Without the trailer but loaded with gear on the way out to pickup we got 20+ MPG on the highway. Most extreme towing scenario: High wind gusts (50MPH) through I-90 passes in Montana last summer. Felt a sideways wiggles and felt concerned for about 3 seconds, but the hitch + towing controls of F150 kicked in quickly. I remember thinking...I wish the truck was heavier than the trailer during that situation. Truck Stats: GVWR = 7000 lbs. Actual Curb Wt: 5200 lbs. Cargo Capacity: Calculated GVWR-Curb 1800 lbs Door Sticker Cargo Capacity: 1557 lbs door sticker for tire rating. Hitch: F150 Factory Installed Receiver/Hitch as rated below: with Weight Dist. Hitch..... Max Gross Trailer WT Rating 12,200lbs has 1220lb Max Tongue Wt. without Weight Dist. Hitch..... Max Gross Trailer WT Rating 5,000 lbs . has 500 lb Max Tongue Wt. Hope this is a helpful post.

Previous post on truck ratings:

As we know, payload decrease from advertised number is something new truck buyers need be aware of before buying the truck. Rule of thumb..…Payload Decreases as the Trim Level and Options Increase.. Example from our visit to RAM dealer *(2019 model year data and it may change for this 2020 year.) · Dodge Ram 1500 – Vin 1C6SRFHT8KN920407 Advertised Max Tow Rating – 12750 lbs Advertised Max Payload – 2300 lbs. (that's for the most stripped down option set with maximum payload package) Payload from the official RAM Configuration Website – 1780 lbs -- when we looked it up at the dealer. Go here to look up payload by VIN # https://www.ramtrucks.com/towing-guide.html Then...the actual Payload on Door Sticker at DEALERSHIP See Below : 1282 LBS That even caught the dealer by surprise...1780-1280 is about a 500 # decrease. Now for a use case: That payload of 1282 Lbs needs to include all items that are added to the truck, including people, accessories, camping gear and “trailer tongue wt.”. For your use, know that payload stickers according to JSAE assume a full tank of fuel. Let's use a specific case for an Oliver Elite II with a loaded trailer tongue wt = 630 lbs Other options - New Spray In Bedliner & Canopy – 250 lbs. Three Passengers – 450 lbs Camp Stove, Lawn Chairs, Bikes, Tools other Gear – 300 lbs Payload left for 630# Tongue Wt = 282 lbs…. and a 348lb gap! So while there is plenty of "TOW" in this Ram1500 there isn't plenty of Payload....

Oh the joys of payload shopping for a RAM. I recently was helping a friend who is shopping for his first trailer and a new RAM 2500...(but we also looked at 1500). I went to the RAM website, where you can put in a VIN# and get the "payload" number. We found the ideally configured unit at the dealers website. Got the VIN # for the unit on the dealer lot, We then put in that VIN number and got the FACTORY payload # from the RAM website and drove over to the dealers. At the dealer lot we found that exact VIN, and opened the door and the payload sticker was off by about 250#. They said the same thing that it was a tire rating sticker....but they said that there was no way to get that changed. So my friend told them I can't buy this truck to tow my trailer because I'll have no payload left for gear and family. They suggested a more stripped down model...or go even bigger to a 3500.... He's scratching his head and very concerned about having no way to know "exactly" what the payload sticker will say...even if he custom ordered the truck...

The external Zamp SAE Plug on the side of Oliver directly connects to the Batteries. That means the suitcase (portable) solar panels will need their own controller as it doesn't connect to the Zamp Controller inside the trailer and used for the solar panels on the roof. If you were to use one of the Zamp suitcases the waterproof controller is included with the panel, and they come with the cable for connection with the Zamp SAE connectors and/or battery alligator clips. The Zamp branded Solar Ready sidewall port (SRRV) found on the Oliver are completely compatible with any Zamp portable solar panel. Not all SAE wired ports and portable briefcase solar panels have the same positive and negative connections. The polarity may be reversed when the solar panels connect with another brand of SAE quick connection extension cable or solar charge controller. Shown below is a ZAMP connector. This is this one is used to connect between the wall of the trailer and a Zamp Solar Battery Maintainer panel. (I'm including it so you can see what the SAE connector looks like and see that in a ZAMP connector they have RED wire the rubber covered connector and the black wire going to the exposed lug.) This protects users from contacting a + lug if they plug the connector into the Solar Panel first. The typical SAE plug (below) is reversed, and has the RED wire connected to the Exposed LUG, and Black goes to the rubber covered lug. As others mentioned, it's possible to find adapters from the Zamp SAE sidewall connectors to other brand connectors so it's not a huge issue...just a bit of research. In fact, Zamp sells the polarity reversing plug below for $9.99. (On sale for $4.99 at this time). So ...if and when you select the external panel...just make sure to get one that has it's own waterproof controller, and the proper connector/polarity adapter.

Elite II - Has a front closet will fit that Guitar Case and leaves more room. The front closet is really quite deep and wide...and tall enough under that mid-shelf. There's about 14" of space between the back of the closet wall to the backs of the hanging clothes. In my case, I have a big guitar case, which has exterior dimensions of 45" x 19" x 7" in that space. From the Oliver Dimensions Guide in Oliver University: Overall Closet Dimensions - 72" H x 28" W x 34" D Key is Depth, Floor to Top of Bottom Shelf - 49-1 /2" (Behind the Clothes Rod is plenty high for a 45" case) Bottom Shelf to Top Shelf - 9-3/4" Closet Door Opening - 49" x 16"

Galway Girl - due to family connections and a "naming contest" with our 3 adult daughters... Back Story: When we ordered our unit, we had to wait from April to August for pickup date. We decided to have a name the Oliver contest during a family summer vacation. We setup a 4 night competition...sort of like the final 4 in basketball. We had 4 couples and started with each couple providing 8 names....next night cut to 4....then to 2...finally a vote off. We had some really funny names provided...but in our case the number one name was Galway Girl because of our family history/connections...and the fact that all 3 of our children were girls!.... Our second place name 4-ever-hitched became the name for our blog post...and if you want to see our trip to pickup our ollie...it's here... https://4-ever-hitched.com/

Update: Warranty Repair Completed. I received an immediate reply from both Jason E. (Oliver) and Progressive Industries the same day. Progressive sent me a new transfer switch, along with a return shipping label for Fedex Ground. It took about 5 days for the part to arrive, and it took me about 30 minute to replace the switch. The only tricky part is that removing the actual switch requires that you remove all the cables first, then remove the screws holding the box down. You can only reach the back left screw by rotating the box counter clockwise to reveal that screw in the back. (Normally you can't reach that screw.) I also used a right angle bit for my power screwdriver.