SeaDawg

So, noticed the brown sign today as we drove by the exit off 26. Looks like a really nice campground, on the shore of Lake Murray. Have any of you camped there? Not far from Asheville. But looks like a nice place in spring or fall. https://southcarolinaparks.com/dreher-island Sherry

We have an Elite I, the shorty. When our adult daughter camps with us, she pitches a tent. Ditto with our nephews. I don't think the Oliver's are very friendly for more than a couple plus one child, on the dropped down dinette. Sherry

How long you can make water, and black and grey capacity last, is seriously a matter of controls. And tv payload. We carry several square stacking five gallon water containers of potable water. We set one on the tongue while camping, and it's the water station for refilling water bottles, tea kettle for making coffee, and often for washing dishes. And brushing teeth. This really amplifies the fresh water tank, which we only use for showers, toilet flushing, hand washing, etc.. sometimes dishwashing. I usually heat water in a tea kettle to wash dishes. Two pans. If we're short, I can reuse rinse water for wash, and rinse the next batch with boiling water. Scubarx set up a switch for refilling the fresh tank, which is really great. We have to go into the seat, upset the bed, etc., to do so, so we try to limit that activity . How long the grey and black capacity last depends on available facilities. We use a pit or vault toilet, if there is one. Outdoor shower if it's ok. Navy showers or bird baths. Camp sink for dumping dishwater if there is one. In bear country, you absolutely don't want to dump water near your campsite, nor anyone else's. We often camp in bear country, so it's a big consideration for us. Out west, in the desert, probably not so much. We don't camp in the desert much. I'm not a fan. Collection tank capacity (grey and black) is more limiting than fresh water for us, with auxiliary 5 gallon jugs in the truck. If there are no other toilet or shower or dumping facilities available, 7 to 12 days is about it, for 2 people. Can sometimes stretch longer, but it's not easy. We've never carried a blue boy. We do have a small one, but never figured out where, or how, to carry it. Someone else with the same limitations gave it to us. Sherry

When I wrote those comments years ago, I didn't realize Overland was planning to upgrade the batteries to lithium. The lithium can really make use of the big power flow from extra panels, charging faster at a higher rate. Bigger funnel to fill bigger vessel, faster, in simplest terms. That said, I don't begin to have room for Overland's batteries, nor his number of panels, in and on our 2008 shorty. I'm only a little jealous. 🤞🤥 We've camped with our setup (200 watts panels, 2 group 27 agm x 105 amp hour batteries) since 2008. Recent years added a 12v dc compressor fridge and a 100 watt portable panel, and it's doable, but requires considerable effort in monitoring, and moving the portable panel around to follow the sun. And, use of the generator in low sun days I would love to at least upgrade the battery capacity, and the best way for us in the smaller Elite is dropin group 27 case size lithium, with our smaller battery tray. We are in the process of upgrading panels, and doubling solar fixed panel wattage in. The lithium will have to wait at least til the agms die . We're not in the habit of replacing what's still working. I, too, suspect you'll be more than fine with agm, if you continue to camp similarly to the way you have been camping/boondocking, with your current setup of 2 batteries and 200 watts solar. It's adding a lot of 110 appliances that will mess you up. You're already managing a week with half the capacity of your new proposed 4x 6 volts. A week with double battery capacity should be a pure joy. And, you may find you can extend your stays by a lot, if you can conserve water, and resist turning on that inverter every day. (We removed our inverter a few years ago. We are mostly happy with 12v life.) In 12 years, we've rarely camped with hookups with our Oliver. As far as whether the cost is justified, you probably have to look at useable amp hours , and life cycle, to make true comparisons (along with an honest projection on boondocking days). For me, one single battleborn 100 amp group 27 replacement would give me as much or more useable amp hours than my two current group 27 agms. Why? Because I don't run my agms down to 50 per cent, to preserve their longevity. I tend to run no less than 60 to 70 per cent, and try to keep mine at 70 to 75 per cent. I'm speculating that that's why I'm only just a few years ago on my second set of batteries in 12+ years. As far as maintenance, agm vs lithium, I'd say it's a wash. You do have to keep agms charged in storage somehow (solar does that just fine for us, if we have some bit of sun and breakers are turned off.) Lithium can maintain a charge , without load, for a really long time without any charging, (less self discharge) but, they are temp sensitive for charging. Since I live in Florida, and camp primarily in the shoulder seasons, or at moderate east coast elevation in summer, I think we'd be golden with lifepo. All that's relevant to how much time you actually get to use the trailer, how and where you use it, and if you can actually exercise the useful attributes of the solar and lithium batteries. And, realistically, how long will you use the trailer? I'm thinking I may just get 10+ years from properly charged lifepo dropins. Which may be longer than we continue to camp. Or not. We'll see. Some people tend to get really psyched about new tech ( and I have to admit, I'm one of them.) When I get sad is when I see people load up their trailers with new tech that they don't understand, and don't or can't use to its full advantage. Susan, as an experienced camper, knowing something of your preferred style over the years, you have an advantage over new campers, who can only conjecture what their choices might be. Still, you're the only one who can justify the additional expense of lithium vs agm. Sorry for the really long post, which may or may not help. Sherry

We were told that our rv qualifies as a 2nd home. As does our boat. Bath. Cooking facilities. Sleeping quarters . Ditto with the boat. Verify with your own cpa. Sherry

Oliver did our original solar install in 2008, which we've updated a bit. And, we'll be updating more, later in the year. This past year, we installed 600 watts of solar, using Victron controls, on our boat. It was a very extensive labor of love. Not months, but definitely weeks of time. Some of those many hours were definitely not fun. The end result was great. It was really important to us to have solar on the boat as another source of power, as we've lost 2 alternators over the past 5 years, both at extremely inconvenient times. Before solar, everything on our 40 year old boat was engine driven. Battery recharge, water heater, refrigerator, etc. Or, shore power, which is obviously unavailable sailing 50 miles or more off shore. I totally understand going with the original package, and being solar powered from day one. If you counted up the hours of our solar install on the boat, we'd have spent a lot, lot more than just the component prices We manage our Oliver shorty on two group 27 batteries, 200 watts solar, and rarely plug in. We have augmented the last year with a cheap Coleman 100 watt "portable" panel. We're good to go, living the 12 volt life, for over 12 years.. Where I think you'll most likely want to make a change is in the Zamp battery monitor, and that's a pretty inexpensive and easy upgrade. But, many people are fine with it. It depends entirely on how you use your trailer. With our particular circumstances and necessary power monitoring, because we have limited battery power, and no other other power source beyond solar, we need better than just simple gauging lights. Sherry

Thanks, Matt. I totally understand. It will be a big disappointment for many, but it's the safest course. Thanks for the early notice. Sherry

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