SeaDawg

I just found this video on the Houghton dehumidifier function. It doesn't really explain the mystery fully, but it's short and interesting. https://youtu.be/-ZtMvVrSbsU

@NCeagle Thanks for all the data, and the chart. That's all good news, except the cycling. I'll be interested to see if that is the same with my smaller unit that cannot be controlled via a thermostat. I don't know a lot about the Dometic thermostat. Does it have variable setpoints for temperature differential, like some modern home thermostats? Adjusting that can sometimes help with short cycling. Sorry to hear the butyl oozed.. So far, the foam seal we used seems fine. We didn't do an official water test, but mother nature provided us with several tests via heavy rains and wind, and we found no evidence of leaking inside the trailer. We haven't checked the bolts yet. We did have to adjust the bolts on the Dometic early on in 2008 and 2009, and a few other times, as the foam compresses over time, so I suspect we'll have to do that with the Houghton, as well. I haven't had occasion to really use the ac yet, as the weather has been mostly pleasant. When we bring it home next week from the window repair shop, I will probably run it while I finish setting up the interior for camping season. And, check the bolts. Our friend who works in the yacht business told me it's pretty common these days for marine ac systems to have a dehumidifier function. It uses the compressor and evaporator at a different rate, to draw out moisture. Uses less energy than the ac, but increases comfort, like our home whole-house dehumidifier. That's a feature I'm really looking forward to trying out. Our smaller (9500) ac doesn't have a heat function. Thanks again for the info. A 23 degree drawdown is plenty for us. Hope ours achieves the same. The old 13,500 Dometic would freeze us out, and was way oversized for an Elite .

I sometimes use surveyor's tape (flagging tape) to mark areas. It's cheap. Maybe, 2 cents a foot, or less.

This is so true. Older models, and newer models, have different equipment. Thanks for pointing that out, @galwaygirl

Please open a ticket, with photos. I agree with Overland, this is one case where plywood is way better than hdpe. I'm thinking, if you keep hdpe, small pilot holes, and coarse thread screws for remounting . But, do let service know.

If you haven't already done so, please open a service ticket. Include those photos. Though I know you'll fix it yourself, that's a quality control issue that Oliver should be made aware of.

Hi, Pat. Welcome to the forum! Only a short time away, you'll be cruising the roads with the Oliver in tow. What are you using to tow? My aunt and uncle lived in Joliet many years (Caterpillar), as did my family for a short time when I was very young.

The old RCA looks like this one. A Leaf antenna would probably be as good, in a window. Look for the necessity of 110 booster. The RCA needs that for range, and we rarely have 110, so it's pretty limited.

Depends on where you camp. Most of the cute, little antennas only have a very short range. I experimented at my mom's house in Missouri, years ago, with 7 or 8 different brands of antennas, when she wanted to drop cable, but still wanted to see local news, pbs, and shark tank. This one won. Since then, I've purchased four or five on ebay (refurbished returns) for 40 bucks or so. One for me, the trailer, my daughter, a friend, and a spare. We don't have cable, either, at home. Streaming, or the antenna, is fine for us. I've tested it with the Oliver, but never actually used it camping, as we don't turn the TV on. I also have a little flat rca, probably good for 30 miles or so. It's 10 years old,, or so. It worked in certain areas. Fit nicely in the attic. The ClearStream would require a temporary outside mount of some sort. Too big for inside the Oliver.

Ask your rep. And let us know what she or he says, please.

Dometic bought SMEV over a decade ago. Dometic owns a lot of rv and marine companies that were once independent. Big umbrella, now.

Yes. I think it (and the contents) could do some damage if it went flying. I plan to stow it in one if my underbed bins.

Jrk, what cooktop is in the Elite these days? I don't think the SMEV from the first gen is available anymore. It's not much of a looker, but it sure has been reliable. Even with the skinny spider grates. I repainted them for the first time last week.

Thanks for sharing that, jrk. DeLonghi used a similar process a few months ago when my mom's portable ac/heat unit for her Florida room quit working. I did basic troubleshooting with them on the phone, sent a photo of the error code, then I sent them a photo of the cut cord and serial number plate. They sent a new unit, FedEx freight. No need to box or return the old one. Hardest part was cutting the very heavy guage cord with my sidecutters. There are still companies out there that care. I agree. Behooves us to give them a big thumbs up.

Yes, it is.

From what I've read, caframo is far better known for fans, than heaters. If yours still works? My little electric heater is 12 years old. It works. It's quiet. I'm keeping it.

Excellent plan, imo. 🙂 Sherry

That's part of the beauty of lithium. Not only is it ok to run with partial state of charge, it's recommended for battery life to NOT top off to 100 per cent every day, by most manufacturers. (Totally the opposite with lead acid.) 400 mostly usable ah would give me days of camping, even with the electric fridge, with our habits. For you, with a three-way fridge on gas, and moderate use, much more. Solar can possibly offset some, even on cloudy days .

Aaah. Is "private window" in Safari like a VPN? I'm not familiar with Safari, or Apple products.

Thanks, Longstride. Apologies to you as well, AndrewK. I'm sure he'll get it straightened out on Monday. Thanks for letting us know.

I'll pass this along to the admin. This may be related to the new "member+" group. Notice that your username now shows in bold lettering. Sorry for the inconvenience. Is everything else working ok for you on the forum ?

Susan, I thinkthat would work in an Elite. I'd just hang the suction hook from the ceiling, as we don't have the cabinet over the window. (I have a hand towel ring hanging from the ceiling most days, and it works fine.)

Hobo, I'm sure that's very helpful. Since you mounted the level to the basket instead if the trailer, which fastening method did you use?

I think it's really a tough decision for people, today, trying to complete that build sheet. Back in 2008, we were absolutely delighted to have TWO batteries, instead of the usual one,for trailers our size, in our Oliver. On a sliding tray, no less. It's also easy to get caught up in the dream, and add more than you will ever want or need. And, it's hard to weigh future cost, and advances, on new tech. One thing is certain, everything changes. Like BoB, we may just stay with AGM when our latest set dies. I don't know yet. Paul has this idea to build lifepo4 from cells, for the boat house bank. It will need replacement batteries before the trailer, I'm sure. We'll see what we do. That's at least a year off. The biggest advantage for lifepo4 is weight, on the boat. And, no maintenance. As we get older, passing 70+ pounds each of battery across the gangplank (and water) gets more difficult, and risky. I'm much more comfortable with the 30 pounds or less weight of lithium equivalents. The good news is, latest charger/inverters and controllers can deal with most any kind of battery chemistry. So, we're just trying to second guess/future-proof as best as we can. Learn as we go, and keep life as simple as possible.

You can open a service ticket here on the site, anytime, and Jason or one of the others will get back to you , usually the next day.