SeaDawg

There's a caveat on tying in batteries, with solar, to obtain the federal tax credit. We were advised that solar and batteries needed to be at the same time, or tax period, to get credit for the batteries with solar. Just saying, check with your CPA, to make sure you fit in the guidelines, before you count on the tax credit if you do a standard battery, and swap for lithium. And, don't cross over the tax year on bits and pieces. I personally think going with standard/included battery, and swapping for droppin battleborns or other quality lifepo, as suggested by Andrewk, would be the way to go. If it were me. Sherry

I truly think it means a lot when your family name is on every trailer that rolls out the door. Sherry

Nope. Not me. Happy owner of hull #12, original Ollie. Never owned, nor wanted, an Escape. Sherry

It still applies, but at a lower rate. 22 per cent in 2021.

All essential lights in our boats have a red light switch setting. Important sailing at night. The older I get, the worse my night vision becomes. Thanks for sharing. Sherru

Cute. Brighter than most tent lights. Heavier, too, at half a pound, but not that heavy. Love that it's rechargeable. And, I like the red light capability for preserving night vision. Good find. Sherry

I'm sorry to hear that, and surprised. If mine had been delivered with dust, I wouldn't have accepted it. Are you near Hohenwald still? I'd take a trip back, and have it cleaned.

Thanks. That was interesting and fun to watch. Very down to earth. Love how one of Paul Wraith's favorite features is the Bronco bolts, and his explanation of "why ." The more I see, the more I like it. On a more humorous note, this is not his first rodeo on updating a timeless classic. Here's his 2008 redesign of Santa's sleigh, for a Car magazine feature. 😆 Merry Christmas in July https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-official-pictures/ford/ford-designed-santas-sleigh/

Your brisket looks great. Love to see a photo when you're done. We have a big Kamodo Joe, and love the brisket on there. It takes a long time, as we usually smoke one between 13 and 20 pounds. We take it off around 170, wrap it ip and take it to above 203, and smoke it another 30 to 40 minutes to get the crispy bits. We've done corned beef the same way, several times, but I soak the cb brisket overnight to leech out some of the salt. Then coat it with just mustard, instead of mustard plus a dry rub. Yummy. With your beautiful blueberries, you might try making the 12 Bones Asheville Blueberry Chipotle bbq sauce. It's really great on ribs. I've had the sauce at the restaurant in Arden, but I haven't made this recipe they shared yet. It reads pretty sweet. (I cut back the sugar by half in their corn pudding recipe. ) https://www.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/blueberry-chipotle-bbq-sauce/ Sherry

There are some sticking, led battery operated lights, motion sensor activated, that might work.

I agree, Trainman. The good news is, Dometic does make inverter compressor ac units for the markets in the uk, Europe, and Australia. Eventually, they'll bring them here, I'm sure. They'll be more expensive, but more like hundreds more, not thousands. I saw somewhere that Happier Camprr is going to use the little inverter compressor Dometic Freshjet in their 2020 units. I'm thinking they're a test market. Sherry

You're right there, Mainiac. What I meant was, the trim Oliver uses now may have a different adhesive.😃

So, the chrome bands in the bath fell off. Paul took the chrome strip to his workbench, and scraped the single band of vhb tape off the middle. We applied two new strips of narrower vhb, top and bottom. We left the strip in the sun for a few hours. I cleaned the belly and area with 70 per cent isopropyl alcohol three times. After 15, minutes, we applied the belly band trim with the new tape, ripping off the backing every five inches or so. I rubbed the whole strip, back and forth, with a towel, five times, with special attention to the ends, and the curve. We're camping, so I didn't have painter's tape. I ripped half strips of duct tape, and used pieces of paper towel to keep the duct tape adhesive from sticking to the chrome band. I removed the duct tape 18bhours later. Hoping this will work better, as the original had adhesive over primarily the convoluted surface where the hulls meet. This may not apply to newer trailers. Ours is 12 years old. Sherry

From a 2008 Elite I perspective, there's not much that I would change. I would love to add lithium batteries. And, probably will when the agms/upgrade die. The newer Elite I /shorty has the furnace under the dinette seat, and that's a really good thing. The noise of the fan kicking on is no longer at my knees. We've already changed what bugged us, or are in the process of doing so. 200 watts of solar (added 9/2008) will become 400. Added a port for portable solar. Added a 12v danfoss/secop fridge, and got rid of the 3way fridge. (That's more me, than others. I really like 12v life. Not everyone does.) We rarely have power, but the few times we've run the Dometic a/c, its it's been ridiculously loud. Not a huge problem for us, as we rarely use it, but when I replace it , it will be with something 12v, and quieter . That's about it for me. Maybe I should start a new thread in the best things we have loved, over 13 camping seasons in our Ollie? Sherry

I see that now. Looks like Lifeblue 100 amp is a group 31 case, and too tall for our battery tray. A standard group 27 "barely" fits, height wise. I hope Oliver can either move the batteries, or find a different tray to make it work. Imo, the Ollie Elite I is the ultimate boondocking trailer. The lithium option would make it stellar. With appropriately upsized solar. Sherry

Do you know the model # of your current dometic, in your van/ motorhome? Is it all electric, or a 3 way? Thanks. Sherry

Which fridge do you have? The dometic rm2454 does not have a light. I don't know about the current model Norcold, but most single door 3 ways don't have interior lights, in my experience. Sherry

Not my favorite place for winter, either, though it's often colder in Minnesota (where I grew up) than Anchorage in the winter. Aw1985, where do you stay, or park your current trailer, when you go sledding in Cantwell? I don't think there's a lot open there in the winter. The post office and gas station, probably. The little (but very nice) campground closes, or at least used to, in the fall. Do you go up to Healy? Most of the cabins are closed by October. I'm curious. I've never been there past August. And yes, Cantwell is an amazingly beautiful place. The views from my cousin's dry cabin is a picture book. Sherry

I don't think that's it. There are a number of lithium drop in replacements for group 27 batteries. I know Battleborn advertises one. So do other brands. We have 2 group 27s, in the newer updated tray. It's tight, but doable. I think it may be the limits of the rooftop solar, in the typical rooftop install? But, that can be changed up, too. We have had 200 watts (2 × 100) on our little trailer since September, 2008. We have the panels and other bits to upgrade to 400 watts. The typical 340 would easily fit, with our sidemount that Paul designed, and Oliver fabricated and installed, beautifully. The saddle brackets they made in the machine shop are a thing of beauty, imo. Sherry

Great logo! And great smiles. Glad you're having fun with your Ollie. Sherry

Those are cute. My daughter has a similar set, 110, on her patio. I'm surprised the newer trailers don't have an exterior 12v socket, considering all the standard features you have that were options when ours were made back in 2008. We have one in the eyebrow over the lower fridge vent. It's really handy for charging phones and tablets.

I'd put a remote thermometer in the battery compartment. Foam and reflectix in the battery door . Maybe a heat mat. I talked to my cousin today in Cantwell. Cold summer, so far. We're usually up there, by now.

Get it. And, 🤣🤣🤣

Congratulations on a really nice trailer, from really nice owners! Welcome to our forum, and glad you joined. Sherry

One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? 😅 Sherry