Rivernerd

Thanks for your informative post. How long did it take you to address the areas you covered?

Although both wires attached to the signal booster are black, I note that they come with red and black alligator clips. I presume you connected the wire that came with a black clip to the ground bus, and the wire that came with a red clip to the DC distribution panel?

From Oliver owner Foy Sperring. Link to his catalog below. Or, just search for "Foy" using this forum's search tool. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xYYE_R9dKxbNapgWqzYcaaDYCtEj_m6v/view?usp=sharing

I agree that the R16 claim is "aggressive" marketing. If it were true, then an Oliver wall would outperform a sheathed 2x4 stud wall filled with R13 fiberglass batt insulation and drywalled on the inside. I seriously doubt that. Is there a way to scientifically test the R value of an Oliver double-hull-with-interior-insulation sandwich? Dow Corning pink foam insulation board offgasses highly toxic fumes if burned. Get out of Mouse ASAP in the event of fire.

I read this thread with interest, as we have an Elite II with the Lithium Pro Package on order for November delivery, and I use a CPAP machine. I believe one way to reduce CPAP power consumption when boondocking in an Oliver would be to use a 12V DC CPAP plugged directly into a 12V outlet, rather than a 120V receptacle powered by the inverter. Because I use a CPAP on extended wilderness river trips, I buy machines that run on 12V DC, and power them with 12V LiFePO4 batteries when on the river. My machine draws about 1 amp per hour of usage, or about 8 amp hours on an average night. Those machines also come with "wall plug" adapters that convert 120V power to the DC voltage compatible with the machine, which I use when at home. When not connected to shore power, I plan to plug my 12V DC machine directly into one of the 12V DC "cigarette lighter" receptacles in our Oliver, rather than using the 120V "wall plug" adapter plugged into one of the 120V receptacles. This will bypass the inverter, avoiding the power consumption required to take 12V DC from the battery bank, invert it to the 120V AC supplied at the "wall plug" in the Oliver, then back to DC for use by the CPAP machine.

Like you, we don't pick up our Elite II until November. I expect that, like the AC, if you have one of the lithium packages, you can operate the microwave on battery power, but probably not for very long. We will find out in November.

What is the cost? For those of us who can't go to the rally, when will it be available for installation by Oliver?

I found grease guns messy and frustrating too, until I bought a Lock-N-Lube spring-loaded grease gun tip. Expensive, but worth it for me when greasing about 30 zerks on my small tractor. https://locknlube.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgcmI1PjK9wIVTsLCBB1yzA0JEAAYASAAEgJIGPD_BwE

There are pros and cons to the Nev-R-Lube bearings. John Davies posted this concern on another thread: "FYI a replacement Nev-R-Lube bearing assembly itself is extraordinarily expensive and it may require a hydraulic press to install it. So in the event of a failure you will need a tow and a professional automotive or machine shop to fix it - unlike a regular bearing design that can be replaced by a skilled owner with hand tools. A tow will be covered by your roadside assistance insurance, but down time and mental anguish will be high and the shop will charge maybe $100 for labor. You can buy a mechanical puller and do it if you feel capable. Most owners would not be…. http://www.dexterpartsonline.com/files/2036913/uploaded/Nev-R-Lube Bearings.pdf If the failure is catastrophic, it will trash your brake and perhaps your axle. If you camp in the West in remote areas, the NevR Lube bearings are a huge liability. Some RV shops won’t work on them. They DO fail. If you get this kind of axle, buy and carry a spare bearing, because the parts are not commonly found everywhere. The only way I would want this setup is with disk brakes that have slip on rotors. That way you can carry a complete spare hub assembly and change it yourself in half an hour, and then get the failed bearing replaced at your leisure. Google “Nev-R-Lube bearing failure”. PS, don’t overload your axles. Do use a TPMS so you will get a heat warning in time. John Davies Spokane WA" Our 2022 Elite II will have Nev-R-Lube axles. I plan to follow John's advice and carry a couple of spare bearings, so even if I must have the trailer towed to a nearby shop for repairs if I have a failure on the road, I will have the necessary bearings in hand to expedite the repair process.

Seeing one that "lives" in Garden Valley, Idaho convinced us to place our order. According to our Oliver salesperson, there are several Olivers owned by Idaho residents, in addition to the one in Garden Valley (where we live). There are a couple in the Boise, Nampa area. And, I know of at least one at lot closer to Moscow, in Spokane. There is no substitute for seeing, touching and walking through one. I recommend you coordinate with your Oliver salesperson, and make the trip. But, promise me you won't sue the owner if you take a fall! Oliver doesn't "backstop" owners who show their Olivers in the rare, but possible, event of an injury during the showing. This was discussed in an earlier thread on this forum, causing some to opt out of the "show your Oliver" program. Just be careful, and make the decision that you will return the courtesy of showing you the trailer by taking responsibility for your own safety.

Agreed. We plan to have insurance coverage in place the very day we pick up our Elite II. We won't leave home without it.

FWIW, my raft trailer has the EZ Lube grease caps because it has an EZ Lube axle. I have never had one of the "huge rubber plugs" in the center get lost or fail, even though I take my raft trailer on much rougher roads, to wilderness rivers, than I ever plan to take my Oliver on. Given that experience, and the comments in this thread, I plan to buy a set of the EZ Lube grease caps to keep as spares for our Elite II once we pick it up.

Please forgive what may be a stupid question. But what is to be gained by disconnecting the solar panels when the Ollie is parked in a garage with only windows? There should be very little power generated by solar panels receiving no direct sunlight. What am I missing?

Jason Essary yesterday posted an updated Rev. 7 Lithionics Storage Procedure. It advises that there is no need to remove the larger 315Ah battery (that comes with the Lithium Platinum Package) from the trailer for winter storage, because it has an internal heater. But, the Rev. 7 storage procedure for the smaller, 130Ah Lithionics batteries, that come with the Lithium Pro Package, still recommends removing the batteries from the trailer, storing them in a temperature-controlled environment and following the periodic charge/discharge procedure for winter storage. I infer this is because, unlike the 315Ah, the 130Ah battery does not have an internal heater. So, do the Lithionics 130Ah batteries installed by Oliver with the Lithium Pro Package still "come with a heating pad underneath the batteries" that is switched in the battery compartment? If so, as long as the trailer is connected to shore power over the winter (to avoid depleting the batteries when powering the DC heating pad), wouldn't that external heating pad thermally protect those 130Ah batteries, and obviate the need to remove them, store them in a temperature-controlled environment and follow the charge/discharge protocol specified in the new Rev. 7 Lithionics Storage Procedure? I ask because my wife and I have an Elite II on order with the Lithium Pro Package, and we live in the central Idaho mountains with harsh winters. The shed where we will store the Oliver has a 30A receptacle with which I can provide shore power all winter. I would like to avoid the annual removal/storage/charge/discharge maintenance procedure if I can.

I am with John Davies; I prefer quality pleated paper air filers. But, your anecdotal report piqued my interest. It is my understanding that today's engines have many sensors and onboard computers which adjust engine performance in response to changing conditions. Could your experience last year over the [spectacular] North Cascades Highway have resulted from your 4 Runner engine's response to the different air flow characteristics of the paper filter?

Yes, in my case.

Nope. No Virtual Private Network at our home.

FWIW, I get the same message every time I log in after rebooting my desktop PC. I thought it was a Windows quirk, as I also get similar messages from Google after logging in following a reboot. Could be a setting on my computer I don't know how to adjust?

Is targeted marketing of commercial services allowed on this forum?

By the phrase "type of battery" in the above-quoted comment, I meant lead acid type, as opposed to lithium type, not car-type lead acid vs. deep cycle lead acid. All lead acid batteries, even deep cycle ones, are beyond their useful life at 7 years. "Most deep cycle batteries can last up to six years with proper care and charging (depending on the frequency of use). " https://www.mkbattery.com/blog/how-extend-deep-cycle-battery-life

Regardless of whether the furnace runs on another set of batteries or not, you should replace your 7-year-old wet cell batteries. They are the same type of battery used on most cars and trucks. I have never gotten as much as 7 years out of such a battery without failure. Of course, the failure usually occurs in cold conditions, consistent with your report. With regard to your 12.7V readings, old lead acid batteries sometimes give unreliable readings. I expect new batteries will solve your issue.

Any travel trailer is going to leak at some point, because roof penetrations are unavoidable. The more critical question is: "What will get damaged when a leak occurs?" We have an Elite II on order precisely because we are concerned about water damage inside the trailer. My wife and I were persuaded by the Oliver double-hull design, complete with scupper holes in the bottom hull to allow any water that gets between the two hulls to drain out. We also like that there is little wood inside the trailer (just the galley cabinet) to be water damaged. We considered an Airstream, but were not interested in the plywood subfloors still used on many models, along with the much more extensive use of wood inside the trailer. Like all trailers, Airstreams have roof penetrations for AC, fan, vents, etc., so leaks will eventually develop. Once wood products behind walls get wet, they will develop mold and rot. Google "replacing an Airstream subfloor" to find out how many Airstream owners have gotten to deal with mold and rot in their subfloors. No thanks. Check out forums for other travel trailers, and you will find hundreds of horror stories about water damage resulting in rot and mold in the mass-produced "stick and staple" trailers. You will also learn that post-sale customer service from those companies falls far below the high standard set by Oliver's outstanding Customer Service Department. The results of our research persuaded us that if potential water damage, including avoidance of mold and rot, is a top priority the Oliver is an excellent choice.

According to Jason Essary in his 2021 Full Delivery Walkthrough video, no. He explains that all circuits in the trailer are protected by the GFCI under the dinette seat, except the refrigerator circuit.

John Davies, your tutorial is excellent, as usual. As one with an Elite II on order, I asked my Oliver sales rep about the non-GFCI refrigerator receptacle. I was advised that it meets "RVIA standards," but was also told that Oliver engineering would take another look at the issue. I expect those RVIA standards are the minimums, such as for run-of-the-mill "stick and staple" trailers. IMHO, premium-priced trailers like the Oliver should do more than the minimum, particularly when it comes to safety. I note that a GFCI refrigerator receptacle could be problematic. It would be a PITA to pull the drawers and remove the access panel every time there is a nuisance trip. John Davies' hard-wired, waterproof j-box avoids this issue. If our Elite II comes with the same non-GFCI receptacle with standard plug that has been used for years, I have a different solution in mind: replace the breaker for that circuit with a GFCI breaker. More expensive than John Davies' solution, but much less work to implement. As an alternative, BillATX could replace his loose receptacle with one of the newer tamper-resistant ones, which I find hold plugs almost too well, then also replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker. I expect that would entail less work reaching through between the drawer supports, which sound terribly uncomfortable to my bad back.....

Makes me wonder if the refrigerator receptacle is GFCI protected, like other 120V receptacles in the trailer. Does anyone know? If it is, then the NEC may allow it to be located in a potentially wet area, like a receptacle next to a bathroom sink. I hope you don't mind my answering my own question. Watching the 2021 Legacy Elite II Full Delivery video again today, I was struck by this statement by Jason Essary at 52:07-52:14: "Here at the front dinette we have the GFCI. All other outlets in the camper do route through this, except for the outlet for the refrigerator." (Italics added). So, unless the outlet for the refrigerator is a GFCI, it is not GFCI protected! IMHO, it surely should be in that potentially wet location. Does anyone know if that refrigerator outlet is, in fact, a GFCI?