SeaDawg

Chris, hope you enjoy your new job in Georgia. We'll look forward to hearing about your upgrades when you get the camper out of storage. Thanks for the info on the Verizon and ATT plans. I'll take a look after the holidays.

I'm just guessing, but I suspect you're counting the days to the next camping trip? (And filling them with projects!) 🙃🙃🙃

@csevel, I don't think you need to worry about your Tundra more than any other vehicle. I know two other people who lost their catalytic converters to thieves this year, but neither had their fuel lines cut, like longstride, so no flames, just big repair bills. One (my niece in San Diego) has to park her Prius on the street. My friend's suv was in a hotel parking lot.

Until members have made a certain number of posts, editing time is limited to something like 24 hours. Then, the edit button disappears. If you would send me a pm with a revised paragraph from your original post, I'll be happy to edit it for you.

We also want to "have our cake and it too." That is why we have ordered the standard floor plan instead of the twin. It has an even larger daytime walkway/seating area, because there is no night stand. And, the standard floor plan comes complete with the king bed center fiberglass support that is conveniently velcroed into the closet, so the daytime storage solution for the center support is "built in." So, to be clear,, you don't really have an open walkway, it's a table in the daytime, converted to a bed, by removing the leg, setting up as a bed, and just the little filler piece is velcroed in the closet. Much the same as ours, which I've found to be a pita, and leave the bed set up full time. I think the older tabletops are heavier than the current ones, though. The other solutions in posts above actually give that nice open walkway, and a filler when desired. Everyone has a different style, and comfort zone. Nice to have options.

That's interesting. I know that our tabletop in our Elite would never fit in the closet. It's huge. Is the fiberglass bridge multiple pieces? We leave the bed set up permanently, using storage underneath for bins. Not sure where the table leg is anymore. I'm sure it's somewhere in the archives, but, like Overland and others have found, setting up that table and breaking it down is a pita, and we don't carry it anymore. I think the folding lagun with Overland's mount is the best situation ever. If we had a II, that's what I'd probably do. I love the open feel of the twin bed configuration, and totally understand why it is so popular. That said, I love the coziness of our smaller Elite, and the additional storage under the bed.

We don't have a portable firepit, but we have a natural gas firepit on our home back deck. We use the fire glass instead of lava there. It's kind of pretty, day or night, though we cover it usually in the day with a metal lid, and use the pit as a coffee table. It's been fine for 7 years. But, the glass bits weigh twice what lava rock weighs. I'm sure you've already researched, but I'd buy glass from a reputable source, if you go that route. Some of them on Amazon have reported shattering in heat. We spent the extra $$ and ordered the true fire glass with the pit. There's a company on etsy that makes hollow steel "logs" and pinecones. More pricey, but interesting. And, probably lighter than glass bits.

Recent events in Mayfield surely temper that, but I suspect it's a lifelong attitude, and a positive force to those around you. I'm very thankful your niece and family are ok.

Thank you for bringing this back.

I actually looked into a residential minisplit system. We've already installed one in our garage, several years ago, which is really, really nice in the summer months, when we're working on bench projects. I don't think there's a great place for the compressor unit, in a smallish travel trailer. My opinion, only. A smaller marine system, under bench, might possibly be an option, but, when I was looking, was ridiculously expensive, and, still probably noisy .

Interesting. I've not ever heard of an Oliver owner complaining about "rock hard" deposits on the coil. Sometimes, honestly, I think some of us here, as a group, get a bit carried away here, and imagine the very worst outcomes. But then, I could also be accused of 14 year old rose- colored glasses, as well. 😅 Our friend in the luxury yacht industry (naval architect) has explained to me that the new dehumidifier function on marine ac is basically running the ac on a very small temp differential, and fan on low. No problems. Seems to be what our Houghton does. Quite possibly what Truma does. I don't know for sure. For those of you who want to run your ac fan on low, constant, instead of auto, I think there are a bunch of others that do that here. We don't do that with our home ac, because we live in very humid Florida. I personally can't see it being an alarming problem, especially in the arid west, in an rv, used part time, and ac probably even less. That water that runs out of my rv ac is pretty minimal, even in Florida. One of my friends in NC sometimes collects ac and dehumidifier waste water to wash his car, as it's his feeling that it's pretty much rain water, as an ac/dehumidifier byproduct. In a big cabin, he doesn't get a gallon a day. But, of course, I could be wrong. I'll wait to see what others have experienced, as we truly don't use the ac much, at all.

Yes. I totally understand. We could have replaced our old Dometic with a vent, and probably been perfectly happy. We avoid camping in areas of high heat.

Yes, it would. Take a look at ac units in the marine field. I'm really lucky/happy we've rarely needed ac in our camping years.

Since you've now changed the title to oe2 owners, I'll move my post, if you like. do we need two surveys? There aren't that many of us with the smaller Elite.

I would suggest that you speak with your sales representative. I did, however, forward your thread, and another about the hoses, to Oliver. Personally, I think it's a good idea. I don't see any real downside. If people make the change on their own, I hope they check and use the proper gas sealant or tape on the threads. My previous comment aside, I don't think it's our calling to engineer Oliver trailers. Offer up ideas, ok. Imo, it's still the best trailer in its class out there. If we can help them tweak it, great, with suggestions. Best can always be even better. 🙂

About half the states allow double towing (some call it triple, since it involves three units,) but it's most often legal with a fifth wheel, and sometimes requires a special (cdl) license or license endorsement. Much of the east coast bans it, including Florida, for non-commercial traffic. Every state that allows it has specific rules and regulations. I think it would be a poor choice to try to modify an Oliver for the few states that actually allow bumper pull double tows. It stresses the tow vehicle, and the limits of the driver's skills, imo. One of our most beloved original members (and our original admin) mountainborn, towed a small pickup behind his 5th wheel, for a few years. When they entered a state where it wasn't legal, they unhitched the little truck, and his wife Betty drove it. Mountainborn, however, not only had a fifth wheel trailer at the time, but had some pretty amazing driving skills and experience.

A number of Oliver upgrades and improvements have come from owner ideas and upgrades.

I wouldn't get really excited, like "hold my breath." It's obviously in test mode. Truma would make sense, as a current partner. And reliable German engineering. This unit is not, as far as I've seen, yet readily available. I'm in wait and see mode.

I think I'm the only Elite I so far. Seadawg, hull # 12 2008 The original 13500 btu Dometic (2008) was overkill. Would freeze us out in a short time. Replacement 9500 btu Houghton has only been used and tested a handful of times in Florida spring, so high 80s to low 90s, and worked fine, cooled quickly, and maintained desired temp easily. I like the dehumidifier function, too.

@ChrisMI, I split your post, and the related ones to a new topic.

Interesting. Doesn't look like a Houghton.

And yet, it won motortrend's truck of the year. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/13/rivian-r1t-named-motortrends-truck-of-the-year.html

That's interesting. I don't think I've seen anything about that before. Do you know what they're using, now?

2008. Because, it was the beginning. (And coincidentally, my trailer 😄) Every year is good, imo.

Me, too. @mossemi, have you tried 301? We've only taken it as far as south of Ocala, and then get back on the dreaded i75 to Tampa. I75 is usually pretty congested, but by the time we get to Ocala, we just want to "get home" and suck it up. Traffic lightens for awhile at the turnpike break, and stinks again later. But, we've found us 19 to be really awful the last 3 or 4 years, so we don't do that anymore. I think you're traveling from further east, so have better advice for @Boudicca908. We have to get west, so not so many choices. @Kirk Peterson, I apologize for the thread drift.