SeaDawg

Some of my favorite sites may surprise others. Then again, not. Costco: tires, camping pants, jackets, Scott's toilet paper, various food items along the way . Biggest savings, gasoline. We watch for Costco along the highway, in US and Canada. Always 6 cents a gallon better, sometimes 30 cents better. In Iceland, a whopping 80 cents a gallon, at least.. Amazon Prime. Who doesn't go there? I've bought everything from solar panels, to shrink wrap connectors and o rings, plus many odd bits here. Love the free shipping. Even when sending to a neighboring address. IKEA oranizers. Floormats. Rugs. Coffee mugs. Comforters and pillows. Bandages. Veggie meatless balls. Big one: The big blue bags that haul groceries, laundry, firewood, etc. And so much more. Aldi. Aldi has totally stepped up its organic game, and gluten free game, for grocery shopping. Plus all the cool weekly buys-- camping chairs, mattress pads, cookware, portable butane burner, boot trays, storage containers, etc etc... The fun of following the aldi ads . In Australia, we saw a porta pott on sale at Aldi. Haven't seen that here, but our 10 year old camping chairs from Aldi USA are doing great . Camping world store: often our last resort. But, sometimes, the handiest spot, as they pop up every 100 to 200 miles along the east coast.

When we had our three way fridge, even if we were home, I'd start up the fridge on gas, unless we had a lot of time before departure. Adsorption fridges are designed to primarily run on gas. So, cooling always seemed faster, from 80 or 90 degrees in Florida. Once it has acheivrd temperature, electric 110 operation is maintenance., and fine. But, we almost never have electrical hookups, so take it for what it's worth. BTW, Which water heater do you have? Our old one ran on electricity or gas. We always ran on gas, (again, because we almost never have an electric hookup), but others enjoyed free electricity at campsites to provide hot water, as well. If you camp often with hookups, by all means, use them. Sherry

Most of the rvs we deliver have the option of rear view camera always on, as does our car . This feature is awesome. I agree with Dave. Someday, it will be mandated. For now, adapt it if you can.

If you have electrical service at your campsite, feel free to run the fridge on 110, or auto. I suspect topgun was talking about running the fridge on 110, or even 12v , when running on generator. If you're on generator power, the best way to run your three way fridge is on gas. Then, the only electrical draw from the fridge is the board, and the electronic igniter, saving power for the a/c , charging your battery, and other devices. A three way generally cools down faster on gas. On electric, its a power hog. Imo, the 12v operation is a battery killer. Sherry

Thanks for that catch. Good thread that bears rereading.

Welcome aboard! There are a lot of sailors in our group. Some current, some former. I personally think it's because we all get the fiberglass hull thing. Our fiberglass boat is 41 on its last birthday. Our Ollie is a mere 12. But, both are hull number 12. I'd love to see photos of your cruising adventures. Especially New Zealand and Australia. We've flown out, and camped extensively, but the boat has never made it that far. 🙃 it has spent its life in the Caribbean, and Florida. I truly think you'll love the Oliver. Most sailors do. It's still 12 volt life, small space life. But definitely easier for two to handle than a cruising sailboat, imo. And far less maintenance. Sherry

Years ago, I compromised in setting up our closet. We wanted more shelves, but we often have a need to hang some clothes, as well. I bought a Skubb hanging organizer, and a bunch of fabric skubb boxes at IKEA. It takes up maybe a third of the hanging space in the closet, and I can roll tshirts, underwear, etc. and keep the in the fabric boxes on the fabric "shelves." Works pretty well. I also use larger Skubb boxes in the overhead cabinets to corrall lightweight items ( plastic containers, cracker boxes, etc) to keep them from shifting around. The fabric "boxes" are light, collapsible, and easily removed and rearranged.

Chloed, what year is your trailer,? We just changed out the lens to amber on our 2008. And changed the bulb to led type. Somewhere in time (2016? Maybe), Oliver changed providers for the porchlight. Our old Bargman is still working, 12 years later. But, you may have a totally different lamp. Sherry

Well, you said you're on shore power, so low power limiting isn't the factor. Plus , your blower comes on Any of you with the newer furnace with ideas?

Yup. Composters need not worry. Lol.

A number of campgrounds offer "honey wagon" service. An atv or truck with a fitted tank comes by and collects the contents of your waste tanks. Nice euphemism, huh?

On the road, I see a lot of blue boys lashed to rv ladders. They don't weigh much, when they're empty. 35 to 50 pounds. Your bike hitch should probably work, with a lightweight tray. Ps, i hope you got one of the four wheelers. 30 plus gallons of waste is a lot to haul by walking to the dumpsite. Sherry

I came across this review and test of the Jackery 500. Max input from solar is a100 watt panel. Probably not possible to recharge in a single day, if you ran it down by 400 watts, because of the slow rate of charge. Looks like you'd have to get some additional charge from the truck battery, or an ac outlet, to cycle through that much power, daily, Steve. Mirna, that seems to be the common complaint on all the battery packs/solar generators. They're great for small devices, and an emergency backup, but their charging time is generally quite slow. Probably for safety reasons, as high speed charging generates a lot of heat, that has to be managed. The solar panel test begins around 20:45 in this video. Sherry

According to their website, looks you must use the truck pumps. I didnt call to verify, as I don't have diesel.

As a side note, we camped our way around Iceland a few years ago, in a fairly barebones vw van. Our refrigerator was a small Dometic portable cooler. We ran it off a cigarette lighter type plug during the day. Most nights were cold, in the 30s and low 40s, and we unplugged it, set the cooler under the van at night, mostly to make room to pull out/ unfold the bed. I grew to love that little cooler, as fresh groceries are far and few between in the small villages outside towns and cities in the outer regions of Iceland. At least my food stayed fresh, and cold. It was not good for chilling warm items, however. It was almost silent, just a tiny hum. Reliable. Efficient. Looks like your Dometic, Steve, could use around 400 watts in a 24 hr day. I'd plug it into the truck when driving, on dc. (Most efficient on native dc). If nights are cool, cover it with a coat or blanket, and unplug, maybe. You should be able to recharge 400 watts in 7 hours of good sun, with a 100 watt panel, theoretically. But usually, we only get 4 to 5 hours of good sun. If you don't run it on battery all day, you'll recharge faster, as you know, and save on cycle life. I think your jackery is rated to 500 full cycles, then dropping to something like 80 per cent. I'll be interested in your observations after this season. I like the combo. And love the features of the Dometic. Sherry

Steve, looks like the Jackery and your dometic cooler/freezer will make a great combo. Do you have a portable solar panel to charge the jackery at Quartzite? Sherry

I'm really sorry. A year ao, or more, Jason started a thread on referrals to service agents with good success. I need to find it, and resurrect it. We, too, have had one really bad experience with one local dealer, and stellar results with a few others. In tampa bay, (pinellas/pasco side) o'Dell trailers for brakes, bearings and axle, camping world port richey for warranty service on ancillary systems like fridges are both great. Sherry

Welcome. Not a long time to wait. Hope the weather is good for your delivery. You asked about chocks. I like the heavy rubber chocks from Harbor Freight, if you have a store nearby. Often on sale at 5.99, with the 20 per cent off coupon, 5 bucks. I'm thinking about the things we take each year, or buy, when we deliver new rvs. Throw rugs. An inside and outside walkoff mats. 2 x 6 cutoffs for leveling. A melitta type pourover cone to make coffee without electricity. A fry pan, a saucepan, a couple good knives, cutting board, aluminum foil and a few plastic bags. A few bits of plates, knives, forks, kitchen utensils, including corkscrew and can opener. A small trash can. Trash bags. A small broom and dust pan. Scrubbies and scrub brush. A notebook, and pens that work. Bedding, including pillows. And a nice warm duvet or quilt. Towels . Meds and hygiene items. A small tool kit, including duct tape, a multitip screwdriver, small socket set. A hatchet. Utility knife. A couple folding chairs to sit outside. Credit cards. Good Sam's roadside insurance card. A couple flashlights . Batteries. Inline water filter. Not a lot of stuff. Maybe take a small electric cube heater, since it's February, depending on your direction of travel, and if you'll have hookups. I'd probably carry a gallon of rv antifreeze, just in case, which you should be able to buy in Hohenwald. But, something I like to keep around in shoulder season. Specifically for the Oliver, a collar lock for the bulldog hitch. Tire pressure monitor system if you have a bit of a distance, or add it ar home . The longer we travel, the less extra stuff I carry. Honestly. The rest I can buy along the way, if we actually need it. We picked up in February 2008. It wasn't warm, but it wasn't freezing cold, either. Driving back to Tampa, via the panhandle, we didn't need a lot. We'll look forward to your photos. Don't overpack, and enjoy the ride. Sherry

Welcome! Always nice to see another Elite I join the fold. I hope you have as much fun with yours as we've had with our 2008. Sherry

I agree. The value isn't there, if I read the specs correctly. The "generator " part is the 100 watt solar panel. The battery is simply storage, with ourlets. Though it does claim some pretty high peak power, it's not going to run your ac for long, if at all. And, I'd be skeptical about being able to recharge daily with only a single 100 watt panel. I looked at the Goal Zero Yeti last year, when it was on sale at Costco online. Nice, but still pricey, and if I were personally going to spend another $1000 to $2500 on powering my trailer, I'd seriously be looking at swapping my agms for battleborns, and beef up my portable solar capacity. I guess the real question is, what do you want to accomplish with auxiliary power/generator? Just recharge batteries? Run your ac? Have reserve power for electronics? Edit to add: having something around like a goal zero yeti or jackery can useful at home in power failures, too, to run essential systems, for a short while. If that's part of your goal. Sherry

Happy new year! And safe travels to all! Today, I started taking down the tree. Christmas and new year's brunch are beautiful memories. I used to leave it up til epiphany, but this year, I think everything takes a little longer. Its not the same, with half the ornaments down, but, I'll take it. I always miss the tree when it's down. But, there's always the anticipation of a new year of adventure. It's all good. 2020 holds a lot of adventure and potential. Sherry

Yes, whenever we deliver rvs, Paul makes a little sign by the mirror with height, plus 4 inches, for safety. We're not about to take a chance with a frost heave or road repair taking off the ac. Btw, our 2008 legacy I is right at 9' 6". With lifted axle, 15 inch st tires. Sherry

How big are your small dogs? That makes a difference. I've known three couples who successfully full timed in the smaller Elite I. With pet(s), over the years. And, I have friends who travel extensively with one or two small dogs, on the smaller Elite. Honestly, if it's just you and truly small dogs ( under 20 pounds), I wouldn't rule out the smaller Elite I. Easier to tow, smaller space. Wider choices in tow vehicles because of the smaller footprint and weight. If you're primarily working remote, wardrobe isn't a huge issue , anyway.. We use the storage space under the bed for three big bins. Handles most seasonal wardrobe changes in three season camping. (We're rarely out for more than ten weeks, but really, same routine is likely. ) Truck bed carries overflow, with a cover. Just my thoughts. I'll start the popcorn. Sherry

The top looks beautiful! Nice install. Sherry

We've slept on upgraded firm cushions for 12 seasons. With a softer mattress pad as a topper. Our longer trips are usually 2 months or so. Short trips are 5 to 7 days. I'd think about the included cushions first, and see how it works for you. Everyone is different, or there wouldn't be so many options out there. For ys, firm cushions, plus 1.5 or 2 inches of memory foam feels a lot like our home mattress. I find the cushions easier to deal with than a mattress.