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Rivernerd

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Everything posted by Rivernerd

  1. I once bought by mistake a cheap Astroai CM2KOR clamp meter that, to my dismay, does not measure DC amperage, only AC. So, I then bought a Klein CL390 clamp multimeter (for a higher price), that measures both AC and DC amperage. I carry the Klein in our Elite II. I also recommend the Klein CL390, about $68 presently on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DTDCG7T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
  2. Propylene glycol is used in many products sold for use by humans. One example is hair conditioner. It is not toxic to humans or animals. It is biodegradable. But, it can contaminate groundwater in sufficient quantity, or damage the essential microorganisms in a septic system. So, the environmentally safe practice is to recycle it.
  3. Our 2019 Tundra takes less maintenance than my wife's sewing machines!
  4. My mistake. I had forgotten that the Victron round wall display can be toggled to display more than the default charging voltage, as I always use the Victron app (but rely primarily on the more informative Lithioncs app). I expect all of the data available from the wall display and the app is provided by the shunt.
  5. My post was incomplete. My apologies. My Victron BMV-712 Smart Battery Monitor defaults to display of charge current, so I presumed that is what you were seeing. But, as pointed out by Rolind above, the switch can be toggled to alternatively display state of charge. I never use that feature, because: (1) I rely primarily on the Lithionics app for state of charge levels individually on each of my batteries and (2) I also use the Victron Connect app (not the round display above the rear street side bunk) for a "backup" state of charge report. The Victron reports total, combined state of charge, not individually for each battery, unlike the Lithionics app. I recommend you get both apps installed BEFORE connecting the generators. They will enable you to monitor charge progress, and potentially address any issues that come up. Be sure to have your phone close to the battery bank while using the apps, as they use Bluetooth. I usually take a seat inside the trailer to check the app readings, then go outside to check the batteries when needed.
  6. The "round" Victron "display on the curb side wall over the bed" shows present charging voltage, NOT State of Charge. Download the Lithionics app so you can use it to monitor State of Charge (SOC) of your three 130 Ah Lithionics batteries (390 Ah total), which is what matters most. For example, when a generator or shore power is connected to my Hull #1291 through the 30A connector on the street side, and the batteries are charging, the round Victron display reads: "14.6V". That is a proper charge rate for Lithionics 12V batteries. That tells me nothing about the level of charge in the batteries at the time, just the current charge rate (pun intended). To know State of Charge, or battery charge level at the time, I must consult the Lithionics app. The Lithionics app also advises whether the batteries are receiving charge at the time (Green) or being discharged (Red). This training was thoroughly covered during our orientation in Hohenwald. Sorry to hear you got limited orientation from your Oliver dealer at delivery. The electrical system is not affected by winterizing, and so should have been carefully covered. I recommend you file a service ticket with Oliver so they will know to educate that dealer.
  7. WD40 is a very safe adhesive remover. I would try that, with a plastic razor blade scraper, before considering other products that could damage anything.
  8. Discharge down to 10 volts on a 12V AGM battery (it appears your two 6v batteries are wired in series, making the two of them operate as one 12V battery) is well below 50% of capacity, which is not good. A lead/acid battery (like an AGM), even a "deep cycle" one, should not be discharged below about 50% of capacity. Said another way, a fully charged 400Ah AGM battery only gives you about 200 Ah of usable power before it begins to sustain damage. The usual charge range for a 12V AGM battery is a high of about 13V when full charged down to a low of about 11V when fully discharged. As Topgun2 has advised, the fact that your batteries read only 10V when fully discharged and 12V (each one at 6V) when fully charged suggests they have been damaged by discharge too deeply, too many times. Also, I suspect your AGM battery system was not designed to operate 120V appliances through the inverter for hours at a time. If you want to be able to run 120V appliances (like the TV) off the inverter for hours at a time without shore power or a generator, you need a very high Ah lithium battery bank. Lithium batteries provide much more usable capacity per Ah than do AGMs. And, you may also need a more powerful inverter. The conversion from AGM to lithium is neither cheap nor easy, but many on this forum have done it. Below is one starting point for that journey.
  9. Our Seelevel fresh water tank reads 0% even before it is empty; it reads 65% when it is full and the overflow drain is running--with the trailer dead level. So, we have learned to fill it to overflowing, and when it reads 0, we know we still have as much as 35% remaining-- again with the trailer at dead level. I considered asking Oliver to replace the fresh water tank gauge under warranty, but once we made the mental adjustment, we opted to just deal with it. For what it's worth, neither our gray or black tank Seelevel gauges are accurate either. We have learned to deal with it.
  10. Good to know. Did you mean that modern radial tires are much MORE resistant to flat spots than older bias-ply tires?
  11. This guideline presumes regular exposure to UV light. Tires protected from UV light last much longer. So, I second the recommendation to invest in tire covers. Another consideration when storing any vehicle with tires that long is development of flat spots. Even just storing our Elite II for the winter months, I take most of the weight off the tires with the three electric jacks, for that reason.
  12. Rather than travel straight from Spokane to Seattle on I-90 (which is not that scenic until you get to Cle Elum), I recommend you go the much more scenic northern route through North Cascades National Park via SR20 (The North Cascades Highway). From there, head to Deception Pass State Park on the Washington coast, via SR 20. Then down I-5 through Seattle to Olympia and up 101 to Port Orchard. As long as you plan to go to Port Orchard on the Kitsap Peninsula, you might consider a short side-trip to Olympic National Park. All gorgeous that time of year.
  13. The "new" Jason with whom I spoke (after receiving the recall letter) advised that all of the defective burner units were shipped to Oliver, so it is an exclusively Oliver problem. Lucky us! That said, I was able to find Dennis Dillon RV, a Truma trained and authorized RV service center in Boise, Idaho (1.5 hours from our home), willing to do the recall work. That is good, because the closest Oliver dealer is in Utah, a 6.5 hour drive. But, I was also advised that Truma is 6-8 weeks out from shipping the replacement burner assemblies, so all I can do for now is return the recall form to Oliver and wait for a scheduling call from the Dennis Dillon service manager in a couple of months.
  14. Our 2022 Hull #1291 also has the 390 Ah Lithionics package. Your wiring is the same as ours. Our discharge and charge rates for our 3 batteries are not identical either (per the Lithionics app), but are closer than yours. But, DC voltages, as measured with a multimeter, are the same among the three, which satisfies me that "all is well." I presume you have done a full discharge down to reserve capacity, then a full recharge cycle charging for a couple of days until the all batteries show 100%? This is the recommended method for recalibration. I am interested in the response to your queries from Lithionics. Please post.
  15. Whether the Oliver is a "true 4-season camper" depends on where you camp. For the southern USA, where Olivers are made, it can withstand all four seasons if you monitor temps carefully and take a few precautions (like pulling the outside faucet inside during cold snaps, while running the furnace 24/7). In the northwest USA, where we live and generally camp, the plumbing system is not sufficiently insulated and protected to enable camping in the "dead of winter." When overnight lows drop down to low single digits F (like this week in the central Idaho mountains), some plumbing components in a standard Oliver will freeze and break, even with the furnace running 24/7. If you plan to do that kind of camping, there are other (even more expensive!) trailers on the market designed to withstand such temps. We don't camp in the dead of winter, so our Oliver Elite II meets our needs wonderfully. Like you, I researched extensively before we opted to pay the premium for an Oliver. After 2+ years of ownership, we wouldn't trade it for anything else on the market.
  16. This is consistent with my experience as well. Oliver's factory quality control could be significantly improved, although review of comments on other RV forums suggests it is still much better than its competitors, including Airstream. What sets Oliver apart even more is its top-notch Service Department run by Jason Essary. Jason and his staff spend much of their time correcting mistakes made, and dare I say sloppy work by, workers at the factory. That is the reason I had an inspection list nearly 100 items long when we picked up our Hull #1291 in 2022. My inspection, and initial "shakedown," revealed only a couple of issues that were corrected by the Service Department before we towed our Elite II from Hohenwald back to Idaho. Thanks for the reminder to retorque electrical connections after the trailer has been towed a while. The electrical connections in our "homes on wheels" surely get rattled loose more than those in our homes.
  17. Yes. After I could not get the Levelmate Pro app (which I already have installed on my Android phone) to work with the Levelmate Max device, I emailed Techno RV customer support (the manufacturer, from which I bought the Levelmate Max directly pursuant to an upgrade offer). I was advised that the manufacturer hopes to release the Levelmate Max app "any day now." That was last week. The app is still not available on the Google Play Store. I "bit" on the offer on December 18. I received the Levelmate Max on December 27. Techno RV obviously published the upgrade offer, and began shipping Levelmate Max units, long before the necessary Android app had been created and tested. That app remains unavailable today. Techno RV took my $160 on December 18 knowing that I could not use the Levelmate Max with an Android phone, yet did not (and still does not) disclose that critical fact on its website, or even today on Amazon, where Techno RV also sells the Levelmate Max. DO NOT BUY A LEVELMATE MAX IF YOU USE AN ANDROID PHONE, unless you need a $160 paperweight.
  18. We have used a Levelmate Pro with Hull #1291 for 2+ years now. It displays trailer level on a smart phone via Bluetooth. It has worked well, albeit with frequent coin battery changes. So, in mid-December, 2024 I "bit" on an email offer from the manufacturer, Techno RV, to purchase an upgraded Levelmate Max for $165, which promises longer battery life (with 3 AAAs instead of a coin battery) and a more accessible on/off switch. Techno RV offered a $40 rebate when I send my original Levelmate Pro back to them. I paid by credit card, and they sent me a new Levelmate Max. I followed the enclosed instructions precisely, yet after many attempts, and much frustration, I could not get it to work. An email to Techno RV customer support yielded a "thanks for your patience" response, because "the Android app for the Levelmate Max is not yet ready to be released." As I learned the hard way, the Levelmate Pro app (which is presently the only one available from the Google Play Store) is not compatible with the Levelmate Max. I sure wish they had included that disclosure in their offer, and with a note in the Levelmate Max package! The enclosed instructions refer to the "Levelmate app," saying nothing about the (not yet available) "Levelmate Max" app. Those disclosures would have saved me the frustration of trying to enable a product that Techno RV knows will not yet work. So, Techno RV takes your money, and ships you a product you can't yet use, because the necessary app is not yet available. All they offer when you ask them what else to do is a "thanks for your patience" apology for wasting your time because they didn't advise that you must have the Levelmate Max app, which you can't get. If any Oliver owners with Levelmate Pros are tempted by this upgrade offer, I recommend you verify that the app you need is actually available for download before giving them your $$$$. Had Techno RV disclosed "up front" that the necessary app was not yet available, I would not have given them my money when I did.
  19. Absolutely. Water pressure is regulated going in to your home by whatever municipality is providing water service. Or, if like me you are on a private system, installation of a pressure regulator is "imperative" to prevent over pressure. Too high pressure can destroy the pipe and fittings in your home water system. As Dewdev and Topgun2 have explained, "don't leave home" without a pressure regulator for your Oliver, because too many RV campgrounds have poorly designed or installed water (and electrical) systems. You might also consider a water filter. Many campgrounds have water with high mineral content, which can clog your plumbing system. I have a water filter+pressure regulator assembly that I attach to the City Water inlet before connecting a hose to the campground water supply wherever we park.
  20. Are you checking the voltage and amperage of the various 120V supply circuits you are "mooching" off of, with a multi-meter? That may solve some of the mystery. Many residential 120V circuits are overtaxed and cannot support the significant additional power demands of an Oliver Elite II. Do you carry a heavy-duty (like 10-gauge) extension cord in your Oliver? When "mooching", I use a 10-gauge cord with a 30A adapter. I also recommend checking for incorrect wiring with an inexpensive outlet tester before you plug in. I have avoided some unpleasant surprises by checking unknown receptacles before plugging in, with one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Receptacle-Tester-Klein-Tools-RT210/dp/B01AKX8L0M/ref=asc_df_B01AKX8L0M?mcid=4df224494ad63027958a05dc381a06a5&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693608794701&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5705870914769089309&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029558&hvtargid=pla-498023562957&psc=1
  21. This is what I would do if I needed to upgrade to LiFePo4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries. It appears you have upgraded to a Xantrex inverter. Is it compatible with 600 Ah of lithium batteries, which charge at a higher voltage, and with a different charging protocol, than lead-acid batteries?
  22. AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries are lead-acid based, like flooded batteries, so they should behave, and charge, the same as your existing batteries. AGMs will also have about the same expected service life as your Bright Way flooded batteries. But, they are sealed, and so require no periodic top-off. The challenge will be ensuring that the new AGMs are the same physical size and voltage as your existing Bright Ways, so they will fit in the battery tray and be "plug and play." And, if you plan to reuse your OEM battery cables, be sure to buy "dual terminal" AGMs, as that is the way your Bright Way battery bank is wired. I hope another Oliver owner has done this exact swap, and can provide more specific info, such as sizes, voltages and model numbers.
  23. I concur. I still have an '08 (with a few dings) to get me to river put-ins, and a 2019 (that still looks new) for towing Hull #1291. Both are still reliable. That is why I installed a Genuine Cooling Systems transmission cooler in the 2019 rather than replace it with a 3/4 ton GMC. It tows our Elite II well (with an Andersen WD hitch) and summer transmission temps now remain normal when towing.
  24. Should your plans change, Village Creek State Park near Wynne, Arkansas is one of the nicer state parks we have visited.
  25. I could not find one for purchase online. I wonder if Oliver Service would sell you a Truma CP Plus wall control, with connecting cable, out of their inventory, with the understanding that the warranty would be voided? Sounds like you have the DIY skills to do the install. With Truma's limited service locations, the warranty has little value to me anyway, living in Idaho.
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