Rivernerd

I find this disturbing. Unbalanced tires are less safe. Tires on new cars and trucks are balanced, why not tires on new high-end trailers? You pay $65K+ for a brand new trailer, then get to take it to a tire shop to have all 4 tires balanced?

We are taking delivery of our 2022 Elite II in November as well. My review of posts on this forum over the past 9 months has persuaded me that we, as consumers, are the final quality control inspectors for the Oliver trailers we buy. So, I have compiled a long list of items to check, and system tests to conduct, during the first few days after pickup. Many Oliver owners will be quick to point out that Oliver's quality control is much better than their competitors. But, as this thread demonstrates, it is still not up to my standards. I expect Oliver's management will echo the chorus heard more today than at any time in my life: "Good help is hard to find." That said, forum posters consistently note that Oliver's service department promptly and effectively addresses any issues identified by those who pick up new Olivers, before you head back home. That is one of many reasons we remain committed to Oliver. By comparison, I suspect that a request to address such issues in a new trailer purchased from a dealer, after you towed it off the lot, would be "take a number" or "leave the trailer with us and we'll see if we can get to it in a few weeks."

I agree. FWIW, I don't have any Lithionics LiFePO4 batteries, but the Dakota Lithium LiFePO4 batteries I use to power my CPAP machine on extended river trips have an "open circuit voltage" (fully charged but rested) of 13.7 to 14.0 volts. I have six of 'em, and just tested them with my Klein voltmeter. I would consider calling Lithionics to ask what the open circuit voltage of their batteries should be. I also second the "don't give up" admonition! I don't have a technical background (I am a retired lawyer), but I have acquired some limited technical knowledge over the years when I needed to solve technical problems that I could not find anyone to solve for me. This includes how to power a CPAP machine on extended wilderness river trips with batteries and recharge those batteries with a solar panel. Before I gave up and waited another month to get into an RV service center, I would buy a good multimeter, learn how to use it, then follow the helpful suggestions offered in this thread. You have nothing to lose but a little money and a lot of time, and you just might find the solution to your problem. You should also acquire knowledge and transferable skills that will help you address other problems that arise with the complex electro-mechanical devices that are today's travel trailers. My 2 cents,

I don't fault you for wanting to give up, given all of the time and energy you have already devoted to this elusive, and remarkably frustrating, electrical problem. I don't recall another post saying that Jason Essary is "just as perplexed as we are." Jason is so competent that doesn't happen very often. But please indulge me with another query: I note no reference to checking voltage with a voltmeter. After I said a few bad words out of sheer frustration, I would get my hands on a good quality multimeter (Klein makes several reliable ones, available at Home Depot) and check the voltage on the batteries, at the fridge, etc. instead of relying on the Xantrex, Lithionics or EMS readouts. I would start by checking battery voltage on each battery, then work "downstream" from there. That might give you a clue as to where the voltage is going, and maybe if one or more of those components is faulty. Good luck! And, please continue to provide reports of your progress (or lack thereof....) Our 2022 Elite II remains on order, so my wife and I are keenly interested in the resolution of this conundrum.

Above is an image of the main chassis ground bracket, with threaded bolt, on the Oliver. This is from an Oliver Technical Service Bulletin issued in 2018 after some Olivers left the factory with improperly installed inverter ground lugs. Review of this thread, and inspection of the components mentioned in it, may help you verify if your 12V DC system is properly grounded to the trailer chassis.

The intermittent, bright-to-dim lighting issue sounds like grounding issues I have had with the 12V DC light system on my raft trailer. You advised that I presume this means that the yellow ground wires are securely connected to the grounding bus. But, did you verify that the main ground wire from the grounding bus bar to the trailer chassis is securely connected? That was the solution once to an intermittent light issue on my raft trailer.

If you are not comfortable troubleshooting electrical issues yourself, then I concur with Mike and Carol: engage a local electrician to track down the source of your issues. Any good electrician should be conversant with both AC and DC electrical systems. Hopefully electricians in your neck of the woods are not booked out until mid-July!

Do the refrigerator, AC and awning work, and do the lights go from dim to bright, when connected to shore power? Or do those problems occur only when operating on DC power? Have you tried the refrigerator on propane? Have you checked your inverter with a voltmeter?

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.