Rivernerd

I am pleased that Oliver has returned to their "service in Hohenwald or submit a service ticket" model. I recently had a 12V electrical issue in our Hull #1291, submitted a ticket, and received top-tier help via email from Scottie with Oliver Service. It enabled me to resolve the issue in my driveway, no travel required. That is one of many reasons we own an Oliver. Four years after picking up ours in Hohenwald, we are still "happy [Oliver] campers."

I recommend you ask Google AI. I believe the Victron Orion XS 12/12-50A DC/DC charger can be programmed to reduce output (and therefore strain on the alternator) at idle, if necessary. That feature may allow you to install one connected to your 200A alternator.

"I thought I'd share in case it helps anyone considering a similar project. " Thanks for sharing! I just completed a very similar installation of a Victron Orion 12/12-50A DC/DC charger. As I was preparing a write-up I found yours, which is very well done. I don't have much to add. That said, be grateful you could not find a Trailer Vision enclosure for an Anderson SB175/SB120 connector. As you planned to do, I relied on previous posts that included the Trailer Vision products. The spring-loaded, hinged cover on the one I installed on the truck side broke even before I got a change to test it out! Your "homemade" aluminum bracket looks almost OEM, and the Trekboxx Panel Mount with the Anderson Environmental Boot not only looks good, but should be much more durable than the Trailer Vision product.

The real issue is payload capacity, which for a Lexus GX460 is 1,140 lbs. The tongue weight of an Oliver Elite II with any gear at all will be around 600 lbs. Add a passenger or two and some gear in your Lexus and you will exceed max payload. I wouldn't do it.

After 4 years towing our Elite II with a Tundra with 5.7L engine, which often made me nervous on freeways in traffic, we finally upgraded. We recently bought a Ford F350 with the 7.3L "Godzilla" gas engine with which to tow our Oliver. The 2019 Tundra has become my "river rig", which tows my raft trailer, often on bad roads. If our plans work out, "Godzilla" will haul Hull #1291 from Idaho to the East Coast and back this late summer/fall. Before then, I plan to try towing both with and without the Andersen weight distribution hitch (since I already own it), just to see if I can tell a difference. I will report how it goes!

"Free" does not account for your investment in solar hardware, and the opportunity cost of those dollars. When we priced solar installation on our home in central Idaho in 2016, it did not "pencil out" vs. the cost of buying grid power. When the need to replace even LiFePO4 batteries at least every 10 years, solar panels every 20 years and the loss of investment earnings on the $50K plus cost of the system were added up, that investment made no sense for us, even with federal tax credits at the time.

Two total knees, 2019 and 2020. I, too, have lumbar scoliosis. Full recovery for each knee took 6 months+, but the recovery was truly full. Once you can tolerate it, cycling is a big help to full recovery from knee replacement. I eventually recovered full range of motion. I need knee pads when kneeling on hard surfaces, but once I was fully recovered, I could kneel without pain. My 2 total knee replacements impose no limitations on use, or maintenance of, our 2022 Elite II. Keep at it!

When parking our Elite II on a crowned roadway, we use camper levelers for the jack, like those available through the link below, but upside down. We put the curved side down, with the larger end toward the curb, to create a fairly level platform for the jack. Ours came as a set of two. We use one red/black pair to raise one wheel on the curb side, and the other pair, inverted, under the jack on that side. https://www.lowes.com/pd/VEVOR-Camper-Levelers-2-Pcs-RV-Leveling-Blocks-up-to-8818-5lbs-Camper-Wheel-Chocks-Max-4in-Leveling-Height-Heavy-Duty-Curved-Levelers-RV-Camper-Leveler-Kit-with-Anti-Slip-Mat-Carrying-Bag-Level/7519497 The Snap Pads increase the surface area of the jack foot plate, so it is less likely to slip off a support block.

We, too, level and raise our Hull #1291 (2022) with the jacks. But, we always use support blocks for two reasons: (1) to avoid jack damage if we forget to raise the jacks before driving off and (2) to shorten jack travel distance. See photo below of one of our three support blocks in place under the front jack. Since that photo was taken, we have added Snap Pads, as recommended by Patriot, above. We like 'em. One caution: ensure that the jack foot is placed on level ground, or the foot plate can be bent, requiring replacement. If using the jack on a slope (such as on the side of significantly crowned roadway), place tapered levelers under the jack foot to provide a level platform. Don't ask me how I know...

I agree with, and second, the comments posted above by Rolind. We also have the factory-installed Truma system with the CP Plus wall control. Although there was a definite learning curve, we now find the CP Plus wall control fairly easy to use, and would not be without it. In your shoes, I would grit my teeth (yes, Truma stuff is expensive) and buy the CP Plus wall control. I expect you will not regret it once your are using your new Truma Aventa AC.

Good to know. Mine is more than 20 years old. Probably time to replace it.

John: I am curious about your reasons for such a strong dislike of rubber torsion axles. My raft trailer came with 3500 lb. leaf springs. One of them broke after about 7 years, at a bad time and in a bad place. I was told that rubber torsion axles have a much longer life span than leaf spring axles, so I swapped that sprung axle for a 5200 lb. rubber torsion axle about 23 years ago. No issues, and of course, no leaf spring replacement, since.

Good questions. We have the Lithium Pro package installed by Oliver in 2022. It includes three 130Ah Lithionics batteries. This 390 Ah battery bank is protected from freezing by an external, switched, battery warming mat, installed by Oliver as part of the package. When storing our Hull #1291 during the cold Idaho mountain winters, I follow Lithionics Storage Procedure Rev. 7.1, a copy of which is attached. As I read it, that procedure recommends: (1) leaving shore power connected, with the warmer switch on, to keep the battery warmer operating, but (2) doing a drawdown/recharge cycle every 6 months when in storage. I am now in the middle of the fourth winter following this protocol. If I didn't have shore power in the detached garage where I store our Elite II, I would remove the batteries in the fall, reduce State of Charge (SOC) to 50% and store them in my temperature-controlled attached garage, per the attached protocol. Leaving the trailer connected to shore power, but with periodic discharge/recharge, is easier, so that is what I do. As Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries usually have at least a 10-year life when properly used and maintained, I may not know how effective my winter storage battery practices have been for another 6 years. But, so far, so good. As a footnote, if we had chosen AGM batteries when ordering our Elite II, now is when those lead acid-based AGMs could be nearing the end of their useful life. Years of working with Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) AGM batteries to power my CPAP machine on wilderness river trips persuaded me to pay the substantial premium for the Lithionics LiFPo4 battery package. No regrets. Lithionics Storage Procedure Rev.7-1.pdf

Good questions. Answer? You don't. If below-freezing temps are possible when in storage, you must have power connected to ensure the 12V battery heaters can protect the batteries. And, when power is connected, you don't need to keep SOC at 50-60%, just when no power is connected. Dropping SOC to 50-60% applies when storing the batteries for long periods in a temperature-controlled environment, like when the batteries are removed from the trailer and stored inside a home.

Thanks for providing your view on towing with an EV. I have three questions: (1) what, if any, hardware is needed to "fill up" (recharge) your F150 EV from a 50A RV pedestal; (2) how long does it take and (3) how long does a "fill up" (recharge) take from a dedicated EV charging station?