nrvale0

This reminds me of Apple hardware versus everyone else. Are there no standards? And where there are can you please follow them! 😉 Thanks for the info. I guess I'll likely have to give up on the idea of having a single suitcase for all use-cases.

The controller is an add-on installed in the "generator". I was hoping to carry the panel back and forth between my Oliver and my overland rig. Sounds like that'll require some creative wiring at the least. Glad I asked! Thanks for the info!

Howdy, folks. I did a quick forum search and didn't get any results so perhaps its time for a topic? Anybody hooked up a Goal Zero panel to the ZAMP controller using the 8mm-to-SAE adapter here: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1366342-REG/goal_zero_98063_8mm_to_sae_connector.html/DFF/d10-v21-t1-x851970/SID/EZ Is it safe/smart to assume the ZAMP controller is "downstream" of the external solar connector and will thus do its thing for this non-ZAMP panel?

Not sure if you mean in the current incarnation but attached a pic. Nothing fancy...some 3M product basically. May never ever ever come off of there though. 😉 I've been joking that I'm just going to lay the stainless over top of it instead of spending hours with a heat gun and plastic scraper. At the time I just wanted to break up some of the white.

Ok, so I'll finally contribute to my own thread. Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I don't have much to add except perhaps re the closet. I was on my way down to LA to spend some time with a buddy with a 3D printer and a wood shop when govt lockdowns started. The plan was to prototype some free-standing shelves for the closet. So that project is on hold for the time being. In the meantime, I picked up some hanging shelves from Amazon. They stunk and ripped out after a matter of weeks. I kept the cloth drawers and ordered a different set of hanging shelves with metal loops and that has worked well for clothes storage. What you can't see is that there's plenty of space behind them and back there I have vacuum bags full of out-of-season clothes, a small steam cleaner for the upholstery, and other odds-and-ends. It's a pain to get behind the hanging shelves -- basically have to remove one -- but then that's why I store infrequently used stuff back there. The baskets are just dollar store finds and I find they keep cleaning supplies etc from moving around while on the road. I also put up a command strip hook on the left-hand side and that's where I hang shower stuff once its dry. Similar command strip hooks in the bathroom for cleaning brushes etc. Generally I prefer copious use of command strips to suction cups. Even the command strips need fairly regular "encouragement" to stay put. I think Oliver is leaving money on the table by not coming up with a modular closet organizer and a better solution for attaching baskets and stuff to the walls. This year I'm planning to replace the decorative back splash I put up behind the range with a large sheet of magnet-capable stainless steel. Maybe one sheet of solid stainless for using various magnetic spice containers and knife holders and another section with some sort of pegboard-like holes for hanging shelves etc.

Dad and I have been doing a lot of research on them. I've been thinking of getting one with a solid drivetrain and a decent interior (probably in the neighborhood of $25k or so) to lend to him until he's done with the RVing thing. I know he'll take good care of/improve it because that's just what he does. I *really* like the ones with the green/avocado exterior but Dad says they look like the Scoobie Doo van. 😄 Apparently a lot of the folks responsible for early Corvettes (C1, C2) came over to the team to make the GMC RVs. Anyway, thanks for the input. Given that we have some real "techies" here I figured if there was much that could be said to their demerit it would get smoked out. On the flip side, a generally positive opinion of them is encouraging.

I'm going to post my closet system over in the original thread. Nothing revolutionary but it works for now...

Seems like we have some folks around these parts with a lot of experience. Anybody ever owned one of the GMC motorcoaches from the 70s with the Olds powertrain? If so, what're your thoughts aside from "Well, its a 40yro coach." Particularly, how do they compare in terms of storage and table top space compared to your Oliver? There are a couple up for sale around my area and I may pay a few visits.

I was under the impression that you were not supposed to run the AC off of the batteries because they wires aren''t quite spec'ed for that sort of a load?

Sitting here with guy lines ratcheted to a picnic table to keep the awning from peeling back. Thanks for the post about the Carefree poles. Might order some this weekend.

I took my Oliver to an RV wash a couple of weeks ago and they must have dislodged the awning end cap because its gone on Walk About. Other than direct order from Dometic, anybody know where to source them? I've had no luck with Amazon, Ebay, nor campinworld.com.

Just looping back on this to confirm a fix until I can get a cap...popping the plug of the pigtail against my hand a half dozen times was enough to dislodge/dry the contacts in the plug and turn the lights out. It looks to me like the housing on the plug is fine but I went ahead and sealed it with silicon anyway. Thx for the advice folks. I probably should have known this one from working on wet, muddy, old dirt bikes. 😕

Wow, that was fast and enthusiastic response! I guess, like me, everyone is locked up and bored! 😉 I do always make sure the pigtail is facing downward and I have made a pretty regular habit of cleaning it and shooting with di-electric grease but I will give that another try. Will also make sure there's no ability for water to run down the wire and through the housing. My last trip to current location was definitely wet and dirty so it seems like a distinct possibility that something might be knocking around in there. Given all the stores being on lockdown, I'll likely just seal it off with a ziplock and rubber band until I can figure out if I can get something a bit less janky. Thx, everyone! I will let you know if it continues to be a problem.

Perhaps someone else has seen this. It has me flummoxed. A handful of times in the last year I've gone outside at night and noticed that the brake lights on the trailer are on -- faint but on -- even though the trailer is chocked + x-chocked and disconnected from the tow vehicle. The last time it happened I had a theory it was that the brake safety wire had fallen off the tongue and the weight of the carabiner was pulling the mechanism to engage the emergency brake. After placing the biner back on the tongue and putting a little slack in the wire the lights did turn off by the next evening, however, I sit here now with the passenger-side light (and only that light!) faintly lit for like 2 days now. Thoughts? I don't see anything in the manual(s) on this topic.

Hey, folks. Just a quick tip about a situation I ran into this week. Symptoms were: - no working AC power outlets and oven down when disconnected from shore power despite the inverter LED being green when enabled - working AC power when connected to shore power - no error codes on the inverter LED in the attic (status "E 0") I checked the GFCI in the dinette area, toggled all of the breakers in the fuse box under the dinette, and checked the fuses + fuse block with multimeter, and then called Oliver Service. Solution: It turns out the inverter (street side, under the bed, and mounted against the wall of the walkway) has a built-in GFCI which had tripped. Simple matter of resetting it. I read through the manuals and never noticed any mention of this GFCI but its possible I overlooked it in my haste. Big thanks to Jason @ Oliver Service for his help!

FWIW, I found the Dee Zee linked from somewhere here on the forum and it looks a LOT smaller in the pictures than it does in real life. Thing is huge. I'm going to roll today and when I do I'm going to jack knife the rig in a parking lot so I can set the DZ up on the tongue to check fitment/clearance. I might have to return the darn thing tbh. As near as I can tell, they don't make a smaller box : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OCTKEA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I tow with a 3500 Express van so I don't have to worry about tailgate though even the doors might be an issue with the size of that box.

@MontanaOliver There we go. I was thinking about some sort of wire mesh just to keep the platform/tray from collecting dirt. Those fasteners look pretty perfect. That grip looks like it would eat the Dee Zee in no time but I can put some horse mat or similar between the mesh and the box or just find some less aggressive grip. Thanks for the link to the fasteners!

I know this is an ancient thread but I thought I would throw in on this one since I've been towing for about a year with an Express 3500 extended 6L + 6spd. It's been no-drama situation. I looked at the Transits too but to get to the desired rating involved, IMO, pushing that platform to its ragged edge. They really are light duty trucks. Sure would be nice to have that big "euro" box though. Hoping GM revs the Express platform soon but I'm hearing it's still several years out.

I picked up one of the DeeZee plastic molded boxes. Like others, not interested in carry much weight up here...just chocks and stuff. The box is bigger than I expected and when I placed it on the tongue to check fitment I don't think I'm comfortable using just the self-tapping screws to drill through the glass and into the Al frame. I'd much rather prefer to put together a metal "platform" and then U-bolt that platform to the frame for a more rattle-proof setup. Anyone been able to put some sort of trustworthy attachment together using off-the-shelf stuff from Fastenal/Graybar/etc etc? I'd prefer not to custom fabricate anything just out of lack of time as well as interest in making this "field serviceable" via most hardware stores. Thx

Ooh! That's getting somewhere. That suction cup hatch fan is really close. Too bad its $250(!). I think I'm going to try modifying the USB fan I posted earlier in this thread. Suction cup mounting where it can reach a power port and a latch to attach an external battery where it cannot.

This has never appeared in search but popped up on the sidebar after your suggestion, @topgun2 : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q1GWVX5/ref=twister_B07R5HF9NP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 Getting pretty close. I could probably figure out a way to attach a suction cup...

That's getting there. I'm hoping to find something with wire shroud. I have a plugged unit now that's a little too big for what I like which I use as supplemental air movement in the kitchen area and bathroom to keep things dry. Not so much worried about keeping cool with it.

I've been looking for a small white fan with suction cup mount (possibly even USB-charged) for moving around the trailer for various purposes and haven't had much luck finding anything via the usual suspect (Amazon, Walmart, Target, dollar stores). Anybody found one? Most of the ones for use on a desk in an office are black or are huge. I'd like to be able to pop it on the underside of the light rails and above the kitchen area as needed. Thx

So, just to close the loop on this one... Was able to get to the zerks on top of the axle by crawling underneath the next time I was on asphalt. Definitely a lot easier than trying to get to those zerks with the wheels in place and crouching. As to non-leaking grease guns...I just double seal in ZipLocs and put a paper towel over the coupler and attach with a rubber band.

Oh, also, @rideandfly, at least on my '19 the zerks are facing outwards. I replaced them all with 45s and 90s in addition to them facing out.