Jump to content

Cameron

Members
  • Posts

    156
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

Posts posted by Cameron

  1. I love that this is always a popular topic of conversation. No squeamishness among Ollie owners! I picked up our trailer in late July this year and the two of us used the composting toilet every day for about 20 days. We were in western states in very hot temps. The pee bottle smelled sometimes when full but not the toilet. We then parked the trailer where we're storing it at a friend's property in northern California. Also a hot dry area. During storage we turn off the lithium batteries, so, no vent fan for the toilet. I've been to the trailer five times since then for 1-3 days each time, using the toilet. I'm no where near having to replace the medium. It's not stinky. It's not full. There's a big pine tree nearby which gets the contents of my pee bottle as needed.

    In the past when I rented SOB trailers, one of the chronic irritants was where to dump the black tank. Once, the campground dump station was closed for repairs. Once, we went to an RV park but had to wait for Joe to get back from errands with the key to unlock the dump station (and we had to give him $10). Often, the internet said some truck stop or gas station had a dump station, but they didn't. So, for me, it was a cost/benefit decision. I like to boondock or go to primitive camp sites without hookups. For me, the benefits of the composting toilet outweigh the negative aspects discussed above. 

    • Like 6
  2. On 11/25/2021 at 5:52 AM, John Dorrer said:

     

    Posted on Facebook also.

    We don't pick our EII until the end of June. I selected the Lithium Pro package. Truth be told, I'm second guessing that choice. I realize I have 3-4 months to change to the Solar Pro Package. Obviously $4,300 difference is a lot of money that can be used elsewhere.

    My wife and I come from a truck camper background. When we started the roof top solar package was a 100w Zamp panel on the roof and 2-AGM 12-volt batteries. We had a Dometic 80L compressor fridge. Between the solar and driving to charge the camper batteries, we got by. 50% of our camping was off grid, batteries running fridge, furnace, lights and CPAP Machine. The last 2 years we upgraded to 2-100 Zamp panels on the roof, a new Zamp controller, and new 12v AGM batteries. We also added a Honda 2200i generator.

    With the Oliver, we see our camping style changing with less back country, but numerous places without shore power ( National Parks, USFS, BLM).

    When we drove 6-8 hours between campgrounds, our batteries were fully charged. Yet others with the same batteries and solar, and a 3-way fridge ran their batteries down when set on 12v. I can't figure that one out. I wouldn't want to drive with the propane on.

    I don't think I would have an issue with the lithium package running on 12v while driving. The A/C, microwave, and TV would require the inverter.

    Are 4-6v AGM batteries with the 340w solar going to be enough? Will I have problems driving with the fridge on 12v?

    I guess there is another side to this. I'm asking myself if the Lithium and 3,000w inverter are way over my head. I have been reading the forum and some issues have popped up between the lithium batteries and the inverter.

    Sorry for the lengthy post. I want to get this right, and if I'm good with just the solar package, that $4,300 will be a big help elsewhere.

     

    Thanks for your input.

    Hi John,

    Seems like this original post went off in a fun direction but I wanted to throw my two cents in regarding the original question, and I'm looking at it from a different direction. The Oliver LEII is expensive, no question about it. It took me three years of delay before I finally laid down the money. The delay was to get confident that it was worth the money. I told myself that I could very easily get a Jayco for half the cost and be done with the whole matter. But, I was working hard at my job, saving my money, and continuing to look at other companies. When the time came to order, I went with the options I wanted (including the Lithium Pro) and tried to ignore the price. The way I figured it, I'd already decided to get one of the most expensive trailers on the market and didn't want to have any regrets down the road. So, if you want the Lithium Pro, go for it. I love my setup and it's worked very well. 

    • Like 7
  3. Welcome! Please be confident that you made the right decision. It's a big investment but a safe investment. On one hand if you have a sudden change in circumstance in future, you'll be able to sell your Oliver with very little depreciation. On the other hand, as you can see from many of the "seasoned owners" on the forum, you can use the heck out of the trailer and not worry about anything falling apart as it would on any other brand. Plus the excellent customer service from the factory. Plus this incredible resource on the owners forum. It's a win-win! All you have to do now is think of all the great places to take your Ollie.

    • Thanks 1
    • Like 3
  4. I have to believe that some of these problems mentioned are random and one-off rather than a consistent failure to complete components correctly. For example, during delivery I did not catch that there was no caulking around my kitchen sink, and I did not catch that only one duct was connected to the furnace and the other duct was loose. Also, I didn't catch the big gap around my screen door until a week later when the trailer filled with mosquitoes! I think the people in the factory are doing a good job overall, but something is bound to slip by any given worker on any given day. In case the Oliver quality control process doesn't catch it, it's important to use this list and spend as much time as necessary at OTT before driving away so that you can catch anything that needs attention. The problem is that we're so excited and emotional to finally be picking up our trailer that our eyes are not as sharp as they might otherwise be. When I have a friend who wants to buy a car I always suggest they take me with them so that I can look at it with a more skeptical eye. Maybe I should have done that when I picked up the trailer.

    • Like 2
  5. So, here's an update.

    Tried the furnace today and realized no air coming from the vent below the sink. A quick investigation found that the duct was not connected to the furnace. The knock-out hole on the rear side of the furnace was knocked out, and that's where the hot air was coming out. No one in the factory connected it.

    Since I picked it up in mid-July, here are the other problems I've had.

    No caulking around kitchen sink, allowing water to seep underneath and drip to drawers below. Put duct tape around sink for quick fix. Need to put silicone around it.

    Screen door misaligned, with big gaps allowing bugs to get in. Jason suggested tweaking it to try to close the gaps. Haven't tried yet.

    Lettering on light switch panel rubbed off. Mike sent out new panel.

    Lettering on Dometic stove knobs rubbing off. Waiting for new knobs.

    Xantrex inverter shutting off and not rebooting due to improper programming from the factory. This resulted in a new Technical Service Bulletin (Aug. 3), and after Jason helped me change the settings, the problem hasn't returned.

    In another post I shared an article about the horrible (really horrible) quality of SOB RVs and the nightmares those owners are having. In that post I promised not to complain about anything related to my Oliver, and I'm trying. I guess my point here is to remind new buyers to do a super thorough check of the trailer before leaving OTT. I spent two and a half hours at OTT before leaving and thought I did a thorough check but I missed some things. For example I turned on the AC because I wanted to make sure it really could run off the lithium system, but I didn't turn on the furnace. 

    I will say that I'm very happy with the trailer and all the components. The composting toilet is easy peasy. The lithium pro package works great. The Norcold fridge is big and cold. The suspension takes rough roads like a champ. The KTT bed is super comfy. The windows seal tight. 

    Yesterday and today I gave it it's first wash and wax, by hand. What a job. My arms are sore! But, with a little elbow grease I got all the bugs off and with the marine wax got the hull shining. 

     

     

    • Thanks 2
    • Like 5
  6. Yes, wetness is no good. The issue with closing all the windows during the rain is that it can get a little muggy or hot inside. I'm going to try to solve this by getting a small table fan that I can put on the kitchen counter or dinette table to blow air toward the bed during sleep. The MaxAir does move air in and out but when I'm in the bed I can't really feel it. I'd rather have the open window. Love that feeling of fresh air during the rain.

    • Like 2
  7. 3 hours ago, DJM said:

    Add Tags...

    I find that if we leave the windows open [even a little] in the rain the Rain comes in. This is so even with the Awning open? Is there any solution to this? 

    Hi DJM,

    I have the Girard and have found that it works great in the rain. We've sat under it a few times in a light/moderate rain storm with no problems. The only problem was when retracting the awning. It gave someone (?!)  who was still sitting underneath a real splash of cold water! Lol. Wish I had a video of that! So, we learned to always get the heck away from the awning during retraction in the rain. Regarding the windows, I also learned the hard way that leaving the window open even a crack will get the bed wet! When closed, the windows do great even in heavy rain. But you sure can't keep them cracked until you get gutters or something on them to keep the rain away. 

    • Like 1
  8. Welcome! I know how excited you must be. When I comes to camping in the Oliver, I don't think it takes too much more than the skills you already have if you have done tent camping. You already know how to break down and set up a camp. You already know about how to operate a propane stove and prepare meals. You already know how to improvise when something breaks or goes missing. Granted, a trailer is more complicated than a tent but it's your attitude that's the most important thing. If you were ever camping in a tent when a rainstorm hit or when bugs got into all your food, and you survived, you'll do fine in the Oliver. In fact, you'll quickly see why they call it "glamping"!

    • Like 4
  9. 3 hours ago, SC Lakers said:

    We have Lithium's. (Lithium Pro Package)  Mike and Carol, We expect to use them in October, so it will over a month.  If I'm understanding you correctly, it is not enough just to shut them off, they should be disconnected at the terminals as well? 

    Thanks so much to everyone for the feedback!

    I also have the lithium pro package and was told by Hanna during our orientation that whenever the trailer will sit for three weeks or more we should simply turn them off, using the on-off button on the top of each of the three batteries. 

    • Thanks 1
    • Like 3
  10. a certified check is another name for a bank check which is legit, but i don't know what certified funds are. i wouldn't release the title until you take the check to your bank and confirm that it's real. have them meet you at the bank, they give you the check, you deposit it, you give them the title and a bill of sale, then go with them to where they can hook up the trailer and drive away.

    • Like 2
  11. On 12/1/2020 at 2:18 PM, QuestionMark said:

    Oliver Owners,

    We picked up our new trailer (Legacy Elite I #664) on Sept 16, 2020 and have been using it on/off since this date.  Overall, our experience has been wonderful and the quality of the trailer has been much better than what we have read about other manufacturers.   In an attempt to help others with our recent learnings, I am listing some of the items were have learned about, fixed, and/or submitted a tickets for:

     

    Initial Pickup:

    - The bathroom interior window frame was bent due to being over tightened -  Jason and the person showing us the trailer located a new frame and installed.

    - Window shade over the rear driver's side window had damage to the felt liner at the bottom of the night shade. - Orientation team replaced.

     

    First Night Camp @ Davy Crockett State Park:

    - Noticed that the propane alarm was not on.  - Contacted Jason via telephone and he walked me through installing the 1A fuse that was included in the box of spare fuses provided.  The fuse holder is located under the dinette seat and is somewhat hard to find as it is black and not easy to see.  

    - Upon opening the rear compartment door, the bracket where the wire attaches to keep the door from swinging down came unglued.  - Contacted Jason to let him know and he said they would send me some epoxy to fix.   Ended up purchasing some a few weeks after getting back home as it never arrived.   I let Jason know we no longer needed as I had fixed per his recommendation of Gorilla 2 part epoxy.   

    ollie4.thumb.jpg.e09696971a2fbcb9350f2dfbc1e9b34a.jpg

    - Shower floor squeaks a lot - Contacted Oliver Service and have a ticket for them to repair when we take the trailer back to TN for its annual checkup.   According to Jason, the squeak is most likely from the shower tub not being cut correctly or the padding under it not installed correctly.   No biggie for now as we have learned to live with it knowing that it will get fixed.   If your spouse decides to use the bathroom at night, It will wake you up.   No liquids right before bedtime. 🙁

    First Long Drive from TN to AR:

    - Had someone flag us down and let us know that the rear compartment door had come open during travel.  Upon pulling over and inspecting, we noticed that the screws had come loose on the latch and allowed the door to open with the latch locked close.   I was lucky enough to have some blue lock-tight with me to use on the screws when retightening.  No further issues experienced.   We let Oliver know that this happened and they indicated that lock-tight should have been added to the screws at the factory.  I am confident they put new procedures in place to keep this from happening again.

     

    First Time Back Home:

    - Spent time learning about the solar system, inverter, appliances, etc....     -  Realized that both the Solar Controller and the Inverter were both set to flooded batteries vs. the AGMs we had installed.   Changed both to AGM.   No issues noted so not sure if it really mattered.   

    Texas State Park Close to Home:

    - Noticed a small gap at the top of the external door window frame.   - Contacted Oliver and was told that the frames are designed to click together but requires special plastic keys to take the frame off to inspect.  From my reading this is a common thing from the door factories with the tabs getting broken.   We tried several time to get the internal frame to snap together with the external frame.  No luck.   Contacted Oliver again and Jason said he would have a new frame (and plastic keys) sent to us so we can repair/replace.   The suppliers are backed up, so it has now been two months with the door window frame and glass loose.   I was successful in learning that there is a supplier zarcor.com that has the window frames (Lippert) in stock and can be purchased/delivered within a couple of days.   We will most likely end up just ordering and replacing as they also offer a clear tinted glass and window shutter for the door.   There is another post in this forum with pictures if you are interested.    Being that this repair is taking a long time to get resolved, I would recommend anyone picking up their trailer inspect this and have it repaired before taking delivery.   

    ollie2.thumb.jpg.afc1f70f46d161c15689a737eeb0e76b.jpg

     

     Arkansas State Park (Crater of Diamonds):

    Upon arrival at the State Park we noticed that the trailer was squeaking loudly with every small bump in the park.   Upon inspection, I did not notice any lose bolts, nuts, fittings on the suspension.  We contacted Jason at Oliver and he had not heard of anyone having this problem before.  We ducked our heads down and slowly made it to our campsite without disturbing the other campers throughout the  park. We did get some stares tho with the squeaks.  Once setup, I made a quick trip to the local hardware store to purchase a small grease gun/grease, 90-degree zerk fitting as the zerks are not accessible without having the pull the tire off, and some dry lube spray.   Utilized to the stabilizers to take some weight off the trailer and utilized the grease gun.   Fun fact - the top zerk fitting (wet bolt) that attaches to the frame bracket actually serves no purpose as the bolt is not contained within a bushing (Only on the single axle trailers).  I would not recommend you go to town putting grease in this wet bolt as the grease will just exit the bolt and make a nice stream of grease falling on the lower spring eye.   Not sure why dexter/oliver designed it with a wet bolt in this location.   Sad part is that, the squeak we had was between the shackle and the trailer frame bracket and without the trailer bracket having a bushing there is no real way to get grease between the two.   Only option at this point was to use the dry lube spray.   Happy to say that this resolved most of the squeak until we could get back home (~400 miles).     Upon getting home, I used a spray can of Fluid Film to spray down the area between the shackle and trailer bracket.  No more annoying squeak!   I have some pictures on another computer that I can attach at a later time if you are curious.

    Ollie1.thumb.jpg.ad06e85e178c8e17b632584df35ff1df.jpg

    Other trips

    - Nothing new to report beyond what has already been said above.

     

    Improvements

    -  As recommended by others on this forum, we did go ahead and install the black window seals available on pellandent.com due to some of the white window seals had stains on them from the factory and were cut about 1" too short.   I must say that the black seals look much better and should eliminate an excess amount of water needing to travel through the window drains due to them now being long enough.   If you do a search on this forum for pellandent you will see some pictures posted by others.

    ollie3.thumb.jpg.3bcbd8b5c4d26b758c65c994a0c9d03f.jpg

     

    Once again, the point of this post is to inform others of our experience and to share some of the things we have learned.   As with anything, enjoying life comes with opportunities to improve oneself and help others on their journey.

     

    Mark

    Wow.

    Mark, this is really discouraging. I've had my own issues with my LE2 I just picked up and will be posting something similar to your post in coming weeks. 

    I think OTT really needs to figure out how to up their quality control. I agree that OTT has great customer service, but like you Mark, I'm far away in California. After spending big for the trailer, I don't think it's reasonable for any of us to have to be doing repairs or maintenance in the first few weeks on parts of the trailer that should have been assembled correctly by the factory. A few little things, OK, but suspension? windows?  flooring? These should all be identified before we arrive for pickup. 

     

     

    • Like 2
  12. Hi Skigator

    I got the Lithium Pro package and have been very happy with the battery performance. I don't have a generator because I can't think of why I would need one with the camping I do. I've run the A/C for about 90 min at a time and it does drop the batteries down, but the sun will charge them back up again with the panels up top. Once I left after breakfast for an all day outing. The batteries were at about 60% when I left, and at 100% when I came back for dinner. I usually dry camp or boondock. I guess having the generator would be good for constant A/C, but like I said, I'm not doing that kind of camping.

    A couple of times after boondocking I arrived at a friend's house for a visit and plugged into a 120v from the house. That also charged up the batteries pretty quickly.

    Sorry that this isn't completely on topic with  your question. 

    • Like 2
  13. I'm sure that if I had the streetside awning I'd think of reasons why it's great, but I don't, so my opinions are just hypothetical.

    I went with just the curbside awning because I consider the curbside to be my "front porch". If I'm at a very organized campground that only lets me park the trailer a certain way, they I do what I'm told. Otherwise, if I'm boondocking or at an otherwise "open" campground, I'll stop and look around to see where the sun goes, where the view is, where other campers are, etc., and then position the trailer in just the right way to make me happy. I'll extend the awning, spread out my big mat, set up the chairs, and that's my front porch that allows me to go in and out of the trailer quickly and easily. I only go around to the other side (street side) if I need to get something out of the basement. In other words, I'm satisfied with just one awning because it's on the side of the trailer I would normally use. Sitting on the other side doesn't feel right. 

    • Like 2
  14. Wow. The Nature's Head is on backorder? This Covid has messed everything up. It seems like these supply issues are creeping into every aspect of our lives! For me, the composting toilet is one of the most important upgrades I wanted, right up there with the solar package. I wonder if you delayed your production date a couple months if it would make a difference? Otherwise you could wait and see if they're available around the time of your pickup and ask Oliver service to install it at that time. I bet you wouldn't  be the only one doing that.

    • Like 2
  15. My question is whether or not to use a power tool. I've only ever waxed cars by hand. Ollie is so big that I'm afraid my arms will fall off when I give it it's first wash, wax and buff. I'm thinking a power polisher with wool or microfiber pads would save some wear and tear on my body. I've done some internet searches but it's a bit overwhelming. I'd appreciate thoughts from other owners as well as what equipment they use. Thx!

  16. 2 hours ago, John Welte said:

    I can't find this in a cursory look at the manual,  but in a campground,  can you hook up to water and drain the gray water into the site drain that each site has?   Basically,  can you bypass the holding tank? 

    Hi John,

    Each campsite is different. The private RV parks will often have a sewer pipe at each campsite, as well as a 30a outlet and a faucet for water. In that case, you connect your hose from the faucet to the "city water" connection on the trailer, and you connect the big "slinky" hose to the trailer black pipe outlet inside the rear bumper and put the other end in the campsite sewer pipe. The sink/shower water will go into the gray tank and the toilet will go into the black tank. You'll then have to periodically empty the tanks into the already connected "slinky" hose and campsite sewer pipe. So, no, you can't bypass the holding tank. I'd recommend waiting until both tanks are more than 50% full to empty them out because you'll get better results due to heavier liquid flow.

    Some private RV parks as well as most state and national park campsites have one or two dump stations at the entrance/exit to the campsite. So, you'll have to keep everything in your holding tanks until you exit.

    Hope that helps.  

    • Thanks 1
    • Like 1
  17. I'm very happy with the Nature's Head. But, I get that it's not for everyone. I'd imagine a sort of calculus before deciding:

    - Will most of my nights (more than 50%) be spent with hookups at more organized campgrounds?

    - When moving from site to site, am I confident (more than 90%) that I'll easily be able to find an operating free/cheap dump station?

    - Does the brief sight/smell of poo/pee make me uneasy?

    - Does the thought of maintenance, including disassembling the head and dumping the compost, as well as pulling out the pee bottle and carrying it outside sound super gross?

    - Does the thought of occasionally wiping down poop/pee from the bowl freak you out?

    If the answer to these questions is "Yes!" then stick with the standard toilet.

     

     

    • Like 1
  18. Kampfirekid,

    You're hearing great comments from Oliver owners, and it's the choir preaching to you! We are all biased because we made the decision to go with this company and we LOVE it. Oliver is a small company with just two products. Big companies can afford to make products for all segments of the market. Oliver makes just two trailers, very similar to each other, and so the market has to come to them. Your needs have to match up with just these two products, otherwise you have to look elsewhere.

    The LE2 may not have everything you're looking for, but I think the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages. Also, in today's market, and likely in the next few years, it won't depreciate nearly as much as the other trailers you've had. If you get a LE2, use it for a year or two, and decide it's too tight for you or you really do want to have other folks sleeping inside, then you can sell it for a good price and move on to another product. 

    As far as the expense, I hear ya! It's top dollar for a small trailer. I could get two brand new Jayco's for what I paid for my LE2. But, when I saw an Oliver and go to spend 30 minutes or so inside, well, it was love at first sight. It will be a big decision for you, but I don't think you will regret it. 

    • Like 3
  19. John, I agree with you regarding the dangers a bad road poses to the trailer. There've been a couple times when my spidey sense told me to stop and not go any further on a road. Once I somehow I backed out about 50 yards until I could turn around, which wasn't easy! What I like to do (and what I did at the Plumb Valley campground) is get out and walk the road, walk the campground to make sure I feel comfortable entering. If the road is too narrow (don't want scrapes!) or the rocks too sharp (don't want to change a tire!) I say no and keep going. One thing on my list is a little electric bike so I can zip ahead and scout out boondocking spots before committing to driving too far.

    Carl, if the road has good gravel and seems to get regular traffic, I think you'll be OK. The trailer can handle it. Go slow. Make sure everything inside is secure. Oliver markets their trailers for people who like to boondock (solar, lithium, big tanks, composting head) and usually boondocking involves getting off the asphalt. 

    • Like 3
×
×
  • Create New...