SeaDawg

Have any of you tried any other brands of AGMs? We have been quite happy with the Intimidator agm (Deka/East Penn) marine deep cycle 12v batteries we've had in our Elite for the last 4 or 5 years. I saw the Duracell agm 6v gc2 batteries on the samsclub site for $179 each. (They have 30 fewer amp hours at 20 hr. rate than the Brightways), but they're also manufactured by East Penn.

@chuckstovall, don't feel bad. I wish I had a dollar for every post (on this forum and others) about the dometic thermostat. Makes me glad for our less sophisticated analog furnace thermostat, and button controls on the ac, in our 2008.

And, if you change tow vehicles, you can purchase replacement flaps. Actually, most of the bits and pieces for rock tamers can be purchased online. We've used Rock tamers for over a decade. We don't travel enough gravel miles to justify John's stone stomper. That's the ultimate, though.

I don't know if @Commanche still tows with his Durango 5.7 hemi, or not. Haven't seen him in several years. He was quite happy with it then.

I'm not that familiar with your model and features, but if you don't have a battery disconnect, you should get one. Others with your model and year will offer better suggestions, I'm sure. Agms, fully charged, and in good health, should survive 10 weeks storage on self-discharge, imo, in your zone, if no phantom load. There's another thread going on storage under cover that you might find helpful.

BoB, I looked for a stock photo of the toaster we use on the boat, and I found this instead--"vintage, antique toaster pendant light." <sigh> I guess I'm beginning to resemble the vintage label, too.

Wow, sorry to hear that.. Av8wife, does your Oliver have solar? Is your trailer in open or covered storage? And, in what part of the country (climate zone) are you located. If I remember correctly, you just got a pre-loved trailer last year? What year is your Ollie? Elite II, right, since you have 4 batteries.

I saw this 4 day sale on Costco this morning on the XL Duvalay, which I think would fit really nicely on the Legacy II twins. It combines everything- pad, sheet, comforter, and would likely be less confining than a sleeping bag. Rolls up nice for daytime storage in the photos. Three colors. Unfortunately, sale ends tomorrow. But even the regular Costco price is a big savings over srp.

Links to the two suitcase systems I mentioned earlier. https://www.specialized.net/zamp-solar-usp1004-230-watt-folding-portable-solar-kit.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAhP2BBhDdARIsAJEzXlE6FA_F0xSxtQvkea8przhVbukEpqU1M4xsvzhWj5nhSqGJN6croS0aApHIEALw_wcB https://www.renogy.com/200-watt-eclipse-monocrystalline-solar-suitcase/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAhP2BBhDdARIsAJEzXlEq55hQoHFh_5OEli3pe_dncG6UH2GwC9MXuXhdUSY_IYOkc71NxsMaAkyOEALw_wcB

The portable would be easy and least expensive, but, of course, it means a setup and tear down every time you move. And, it's fairly expensive equipment to just leave sitting out if you're not around. Then again, you don't have to leave it out, or even use it that often, depending on your length of stay, and power consumption. Lithium gives you a lot of "staying power." You might want to call Jason at Oliver to see if they would add solar to a trailer, and what they'd charge for a fixed installation, just for grins. Several people have done their own solar installs on Olivers, back in the day. It's certainly possible. Good luck on your decision.

Yes, it's possible. We added fixed solar to both our trailer, (in 2008) and, recently, our 40 year old sailboat. Oliver did the initial install on the trailer. We did the 600 watt install on the boat ourselves. It's also quite possible to just use portable. Both Zamp and Renogy, both respected names, offer suitcase solar of 200 watts plus that have controllers capable of charging lithium. ($600 to $950). Could also be built on your own from less expensive panels with a decent programmable controller. You'd probably want to install a port for easy setup, with the fused line to the batteries. I'm intrigued, and, I'm guessing Overland is, too. I'd like to hear your ideas, and reasons to go big battery power first, solar second.

I normally use tailor's chalk for repairs and modifications

Yes, but, one question so often morphs into another, doesn't it? 😄

There's another whole thread going on now about storing your trailer. My fiberglass is nice and shiny, waxed twice a year. Windows are fine. The front jack cover and the door window frame in my 2008 must have been made from some less uv resistant plastic, as they've both yellowed a lot. The sun has been tough on them. We had a terrible time with Cottonwood stickers in Colorado, and pine sticky goo in another site. I think if I had to store mine under trees that made that kind of a mess, I'd consider some type of cover . I actually bought an inexpensive, lightweight automotive cover (made for a large van) early on, intending to cover the trailer out if season. But then we added solar, and I never used the cover.

If you have a Zamp suitcase solar, you're plug and play. If you're like many of us, you bought some other brand for portable, and you'll need an adapter to plug your panel into the Zamp port. You can build one, or they can be purchased elsewhere. I think even Zamp might sell them, now, not sure. But, I've seen Zamp to Anderson, and Zamp to mc4 online. We don't have a Zamp port. Ours is Furrion. And our inexpensive 100 watt Coleman panel came with tiny alligator clips. Paul wired an aftermarket Furrion connector (like John's) to the panel.

The zamp port is, as far as I know, installed the same way in other brands, as well. Why? Because the on-board controller is normally sized for the installed panels, and no one knows what size panels someone might add as portable. Or, as in the case of my sister's trailer, there was no fixed solar, hence no onboard controller nor wiring. The zamp port with fused line to the batteries allowed her to use an inexpensive portable panel to "go solar." Yes, the portable panel , with its own controller, will help charge your batteries from the Zamp port. At least, ours has been very helpful, to me. If your fixed panels are shaded or covered, the portable panel's controller "takes over" some if the charging duties. They don't necessarily work "together", because they are separate systems.

Ours has spent its entire 13 years outside. It has been partially shaded by the house, and some palm trees, but that's it. We wax twice a year. The fiberglass is fine, it's the white vinyl and plastic that gets the brunt of the uv. Our front jack cover used to be white. It's pretty yellow, as is the door window trim ring, which is also some type of plastic on our 2008.

I don't know what's going on with the 3m supply. Used to buy it at West Marine or Amazon. One can lasts two years or so. Paul is switching to Collinite paste wax, also highly rated, but more difficult to apply. Also high carnuba content.

The original lifeblue batteries did not have a case that would fit in the smaller Elite I battery tray. Unless something has changed, you'll be getting Lithionics. Imo.

I'm with you there. We wax twice a year, anyway. 3m ultra marine may be $20 a small can, but it's good for two seasons or more.

So, we have a Coleman (read cheap) 100 wat panel that came with (an equally cheap) attached controller. Maybe $100 for everything, on sale. Works great as a portable panel. I would never leave it attached to the trailer to keep the batteries charged, if i were absent,, because I wouldn't trust the chintzy controller. It did work great, as a boost to shaded fixed panels, which I monitor. You can't do that in storage, and you could wind up with overcharged batteries. BoB recommended some well known, and more expensive brands, as multi purpose. I'd probably trust them, but they're expensive, in a storage situation. If it were me (and it's not, because we don't cover our trailer, and let the inboard quality components take care of everything), I'd look for a small, basically trickle charger panel, with a controller. Cheaper. No big deal if it's lost in a storm or theft. If amps in pretty much matches amps used with self discharge, and everything disconnected, I'd say golden. But, I'd be out there at the lot every few weeks, first season, to see if I had attained a good match. JRK, curious. Lithium? Agm? Fla? Storing at home? Covered, or not?

@Tallmandan, you seem to have a similar setup to Topgun2, so you may want to converse with him. Also, you can pretty much ignore everything John E Davies posted about a furrion connector, as that's not what you have. You have a Zamp port, as you stated. Only a few of us have Furrion.

I don't have any covers that are weathermax on either boat. We always specify Sunbrella, in the color dubonnet, for the sailboat, navy for the power boat. Both colors hold up really well, block uv, breathe well, and last. So, less mildew, etc, on sails, etc. But chafe points with Sunbrella have to be reinforced. I've already had to take the mainsail cover in for a lot of reinforcement, three years in. That said, last cover lasted maybe 15 to 18 years? With proper reinforcement. The dinghy cover may, or may not, be weathermax. We didn't specify, but it feels like it. It's much lighter, and at 4 years, is doing fine. It's a very different "feel" or "hand" than Sunbrella. We bought a cover online, instead of using our regular guy. It's just a dinghy, doesn't always sit outside, after all. Weathermax isn't a new fabric. I suspect Calmark did a LOT of research before making the switch. From my research, it's a bit lighter than Sunbrella (14 or 15 per cent), more abrasion resistant, maybe more waterproof in the long haul. UV resistance is dependent on color. My concern, in Florida, is breathability, where I'm sure Sunbrella wins. From what I've read, weathermax 80 is more stain resistant. But, harder to sew. Both are solution dyed, meaning the yarns have color, before they ever becomes fabric. I look for this, even for patio chair cushions. Tradeoffs everywhere. Based on my experience with marine cover prices, Calmark is actually, sadly, kind of a bargain. It takes a LOT of fabric to cover an Oliver. And, a really big factor is labor, not fabric. And, of course, user satisfaction, in the long run. For your reading enjoyment: https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/functional-fabrics I do appreciate the look back, though. We just had a new cover made for the cockpit of the power boat. When it comes time for the bow area cover, I'll have another look.

I rather like having multiple batteries, as opposed to one, though. If one battery goes down, we can take it offline and still run the trailer. I doubt we could even fit one of these new big batteries in an Elite I tray, anyway. Now, on the boat, I have lots more room in the battery bay...

https://battlebornbatteries.com/dragonfly-energy-launches-two-new-270-amp-hour-battle-born-batteries-the-bb8d-and-bbgc3/ Very interesting. Thanks, fredmin.