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Everything posted by katanapilot
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Probably another example of the need to check your 120 volt connections at the various lugs throughout your trailer. This isn't the first burnt wire found and reported on this forum. So far, I'm not aware of any fires that have been caused by these failures - but it's certainly a possibility. I will be going through our trailer and checking all of these connections when I install the new Victron components.
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Likewise. It's not like these bearings or the spindles are highly loaded and require the best grease available. That being said, I use Amsoil synthetic grease for almost all of my components - but I'm a dealer and it's easy to obtain.
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And it's possible you may be eligible for a Lemon Law buyback. Certainly an avenue I would consider versus having an engine replaced on a nearly new vehicle. Or try to negotiate a buyback without resorting to the Lemon Law process. Could be better situation for Toyota as well. I wonder when the hybrid models will be included? Same engine, but less of a safety implication since loss of the ICE is somewhat mitigated by the electric motor.
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Victron Multiplus and MPII Feedback Request
katanapilot replied to jd1923's topic in Ollie Modifications
Why would you not just remove the PD charger completely? The Victron is so much more capable. For example - you can limit/inhibit charging based on battery temperature. So if you have lithium batteries with no heater blankets, you can prevent charging at low temperatures. -
+1 for the L&L.
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Don’t believe that’s the case in my trailer. My Xantrex inverter/charger acts as a pass through when on shore or generator power and the GFCI outlet is powered - which then powers (and ground fault protects) everything plugged into it. In my case, that’s the microwave and all the 120 volt receptacles.
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Main Battery Disconnect Install
katanapilot replied to Boilermaker Chemist's topic in Ollie Modifications
You are absolutely correct. What I don't know is if Victron requires the two cable connection - to spread the load over the two input studs - or if a single 4/0 connection would be sufficient. I will reach out to them to ask. I looked again and my OEM cables are indeed 4/0. That being said, I currently (pun intended) believe the 2/0 battery interconnects are sufficient given the very short length of these cables and the 300 amp fuse I have installed. I am going to consider piggybacking an additional 2/0 cable between the 3 batteries. Thanks for being persistent and forcing me to RTFM a couple of times. -
Here is what I understand. Please correct me if I am wrong. With the OEM wiring and the 2000va Xantrex inverter, there is a 30 amp feed from either of the external 30 amp twist lock receptacles to the transfer switch (if so equipped) ,through the EMS and then to the main feed of the circuit breaker panel. One of the circuit breakers is a 20 amp feed to the AC input of the Xantrex. This powers the Xantrex for battery charge capability and also feeds the included GFCI receptacle on the top of the Xantrex. On my trailer, there is an access port under the drivers side bed to allow you to reset said GFCI. This GFCI receptacle has a plug on a 12/2 romex cable, which then goes to the microwave and all of the 120 volt receptacles in the Oliver. If I trip this breaker, I lose the battery charger, the microwave and the 120V outlets (on my trailer, Hull #628). I believe that by removing the Xantrex and installing the Victron, unless you have replaced the first receptacle in the line with a GFCI receptacle - you now have NO ground fault protected outlets in your trailer. Given my understanding of the wiring topography, I will either need to install a GFCI breaker in place of the microwave/outlet breaker (if one is available for this style panel) OR install a GFCI receptacle in the first one downstream of the C/B and then feed all remaining outlets downstream from the load side of the GFCI. Again, if I misunderstand how this is wired, please correct me.
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Appreciate the schematic. Installing the Victron actually simplifies the AC wiring compared to the OEM wiring with the 2000va Xantrex. Still unanswered is how you provide GFCI protection. Your upper (OEM) schematic shows a GFCI outlet being fed from a switch. Unless yours is different from mine, all GFCI protection came from the GFCI outlet on the Xantrex receptacle. I can only assume you have now swapped out the first receptacle being fed from the plug (now directly connected to the upper C/B on the panel) with a GFCI and are now feeding all downstream receptacles from the load side of the GFCI. Correct?
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Main Battery Disconnect Install
katanapilot replied to Boilermaker Chemist's topic in Ollie Modifications
"No kill like overkill" 😉 4/0 cable and connectors are just harder to install and bend radius is higher. Victron is perfectly happy with 1/0 cable up to 5 meters long and a 400 amp fuse. I'll use 2/0 for 4 foot run and feel perfectly comfortable with that. And I am typically the king of overkill. -
Main Battery Disconnect Install
katanapilot replied to Boilermaker Chemist's topic in Ollie Modifications
I have to ask why so many of you are using 4/0 cable? My Oliver came with 2/0. Victron specifies 1/0 for the feed to the 3000va Multiplus 2 inverter for lengths less than 5 meters and 2/0 for 5 to 10 meters. Just concerned that I’m misunderstanding the wire ampacity tables. -
Question about your GFCI comment. At least with my factory wiring, the GFCI protection for all of the trailer outlets came from the GFCI feed at the Xantrex. Removing the Xantrex (which I am doing shortly) removes the GFCI feed to all of the outlets. I haven’t dug in yet, but it appears I need to either add a GFCI breaker in the panel (don’t know if that’s even possible), or install a GFCI outlet at the first outlet from the panel and then feed all others downstream on the load side of the GFCI. How did you do this?
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Victron Multiplus and MPII Feedback Request
katanapilot replied to jd1923's topic in Ollie Modifications
Following. Our Victron MPII just arrived, along with all of the other Victron equipment. Install to commence next week. Like others, the power assist mode was the primary driver. I found when running on generator power (dual Honda EU2200i) paralleled and in ECO mode, the generators could not start our Houghton heat pump. So I had to run them with ECO mode off all the time. I'm hoping that with power assist from the Victron, I can run the Honda's in ECO mode and still start the Houghton. Considered adding soft start too, but will wait and see if the power assist works as advertised. -
Main Battery Disconnect Install
katanapilot replied to Boilermaker Chemist's topic in Ollie Modifications
A copper bus bar of 1/8x1” will conservatively handle 275 amps at 40c ambient with a 30c temp rise. If you don’t think that’s enough, then upsize the bus bar. -
Main Battery Disconnect Install
katanapilot replied to Boilermaker Chemist's topic in Ollie Modifications
I used some copper bus bar I had left over from one of my airplane builds. I either got it from Aircraft Spruce, or more likely McMaster-Carr. 1/8" thick by 1" wide. I bent it to shape in a vise, used an annular cutter to make the holes for the battery stud and disconnect. Used heat shrink to cover as much of the exposed copper as possible. -
Main Battery Disconnect Install
katanapilot replied to Boilermaker Chemist's topic in Ollie Modifications
A Google search of this site will lead you to several posts of how owners have installed these switches. Here is a picture of how I did mine during the lithium battery upgrade (which was shamelessly copied from Geronimo John). Tie down straps added after the picture was taken. -
The GX550 is a beautiful vehicle. I would be hesitant to buy one right now as it's the same V35A engine (although slightly de-tuned) as the ones listed in the recall. 2024 Tundras aren't being recalled (yet), even though there are reports of engine failures in them as well. I'm sure there will be a fix, but I would wait until that fix is implemented at the factory. Really don't want a service tech at the dealer pulling and rebuilding a very complex twin-turbo V6. But maybe that's just me. I'm a huge Toyota/Lexus fan and a former Boeing employee. Both companies that I have (had) tremendous respect for have really let a lot of people down...
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ANOTHER PLEA FOR ADVICE FROM YOU OLIVER SOLAR-ELECTIC SAVVY FOLK
katanapilot replied to Spike's topic in Ollie Modifications
Follow up on this post - Anyone here with the Victron Multiplus that can verify the power boost function adequately starts their A/C when using a single 2200 watt inverter generator? I tried starting our Houghton/Rec-Pro A/C with paralleled Honda 2200's in ECO mode without success. Contemplating addition of a soft-start, but might not be necessary if the Victron MP2 can provide enough amps to get past the inrush current during compressor start. -
This video should make those of us who joined the Oliver family feel pretty good about our choice.
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This is what is required to replace the engine on a Tundra. I sure would not want this done to my brand new truck.
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Toyota has not been replacing engines - they have been replacing short blocks only. That requires the service techs at dealers to rebuild the engine using a lot of the “used” components - heads, etc. Some owners are now on their third engines. Others have gone the lemon law route, which is what I would do since I wouldn’t trust a dealer tech to have the skills and equipment to rebuild an engine vs. full replacement. Certainly they don’t have the clean room that might exist at the manufacturing facility. Hard to accept the “debris” excuse, as I believe the LX engines might be made in Japan, versus the Tundra and Sequoia engines being made domestically - unless exact same processes are being used in both engine plants. Anyone heard differently? This is going to be costly, both in money and in reputation, for Toyota. I’m glad I didn’t make the leap to the new generation Tundra, Sequoia or LX.
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I saw yesterday that Toyota has finally issued a Safety Recall for 2022 & 2023 Tundras and Sequoias. I’ve read that 2024’s are continuing to have the same main bearing failures. I’m a huge Toyota fan and you will have to pry my 2011 CrewMax out of my cold dead hands - but the new ones look really nice. Very disappointed in Toyota for these failures and hope they find the root cause soon. Not really buying the “debris from engine manufacturing” as the cause, since that would be easy to remedy and I think they would have taken care of that early on when these failures started to occur. Anyone here with a third gen Tundra had an engine failure yet? https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-recalls-certain-model-year-2022-2023-toyota-tundra-and-lexus-lx-vehicles/
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Houghton AC-installing a Honeywell PRO 1000 Thermostat
katanapilot replied to Nan's topic in General Discussion
It's hard to provide an answer to this question not knowing how you connected the Honeywell thermostat to the existing wiring and whether or not you kept the Dometic control relay box in place. Lots of good info in previous posts - maybe start with the "Got Earplugs" thread I started a long time ago. Many users have posted how they converted to the Houghton from the noisy Dometic. In my case, I only use the remote control for the Houghton heat pump and still use the factory Dometic thermostat and control box to run the Suburban furnace. As I recall, the factory wiring from the thermostat to the relay box may have been digital, so there weren't enough wires to convert to a more traditional analog wiring scheme for both the Houghton and the Suburban. I also don't think there was any way to connect to the Houghton with an external thermostat (at least the model I used).