SeaDawg

I've replaced all the bulbs in our original fixtures (2008). But, i think many of your fixtures have integrated leds, unlike mine. Good news, leds have dropped so much, fixtures now are more reasonable than led bulbs, back then. I left brighter light over the cooktop and one side of the small dinette, and the one light each in our closet and bath, for better vision. Something you may wish to consider, or not, but I find a colder light helps me see doing paperwork, and detail work, and cooking. We don't usually have any of these on with warmer lights, as that kind of messes with my brain...

Yes. I haven't driven recent gen Ram trucks. Thank you for that, @Trainman. Its important to try everything.

With rentals and ownership of many brands over the years, I'd rank (for shorter people my size) Ford and Nissan pretty close. I prefer Nissan suvs as rentals to Toyota, chevy, or dodge, any time. I especially dislike Dodge truck seats. They are designed, imo, for bigger, taller people (stands to reason for a pickup, right?,) , and ours just doesn't have enough adjustment to let me find a comfortable position, and keep my back and left leg happy. In my 2005 chevy, I carry and use a back and lumbar support, even around town. My favorite tv driver's seat was my Volvo xc90. But, not my favorite tv, from a power standpoint. It was anemic, compared to our trucks. Everything is a compromise. Longevity, the Ford seats I've had over the years (and often many years) lasted longer than Chevy or Dodge. I've replaced foam in my husband's 2008 Dodge Ram, years ago. Looking for new foam for back and seat of my 2005 Silverado. Probably not as much of a factor with your lighter weight. And, hey, you may not keep your truck 14 to 20 years, as we often do. I think the Rivian will be a cool truck, if you want to stay local. Any ev , until we get 650 mile range without towing, will be problematic. Especially without tesla's extensive charging network.. That can change, and it will. Good on you on getting in at lower price. But, you may (or may not) find an ICE truck will suit your needs better.

That's so very beautiful! Glad you waited.

I don't have the current Dometic, but they are noted to be noisy. My 2008 Dometic was noisy. This is, unfortunately, the nature of typical rv rooftop a/c. Most folks run the fan on low to reduce the sound level. We can't hear what you hear, so don't know if this is normal noisy, or worse. If you are still near Hohenwald, you could stop in and have yours checked. If not, take a recording on your phone, note where in the trailer your phone is, and send this with your service ticket.

,Just saying, might not want to be classified as a full timer, from the get go.

I also don't know if the current Oliver warranty covers full timers, so, you may want to check that. Most manufacturers don't cover full time occupation Just a thought.

As per your comments on the f250, in Florida, it's not classified as a commercial vehicle, to my knowledge. We've not owned anything above a 1500. I'll ask my nephew.he has one. It's a workhorse. If you are planning to fulltime, check south Dakota regulations. Many full time folks find that to be the best state for full timers After that, Texas

And, just in case, open a service ticket, with lots of detail.

@Roadlotus, I would like to add my condolences, that I should have included in my first post. I am very sorry for your loss, and hope that you take your time before making really big decisions. My mom has had three homes since my dad died nine years ago. The first was the best, but too soon, to adjust, if you understand, and I suspect you do. She sold it, too early. But, if you've been camping a lot, in your lifetime, you may very well know what's best for you. We spend about half our year in our Elite, and we've been very happy for 15 years. I personally wouldn't be happy without a home base . Others are. You'll find several full time women in the Oliver group on Facebook. I truly wish you all the best. (I also wouldn't count on the rivian at projected date, and I'd buy a truck as new and low mileage as possible, were it me. ) My bff and cousin lost her husband a month ago. We talk every two nights or so. I know that this is not an easy time for you, and I wish you every comfort friends and family can provide, even your new "virtual friends" here. You can pm me any time. I personally would not want to buy a 30k truck, in today's market. Most are older, sometimes not necessarily well maintained, or high mileage work trucks. Doesn't mean you have to buy new, but a lot of people who bought trucks as urban daily drivers are giving up that idea, as gas is $5 a gallon, near us. I think, on the next few months, prices may not go down, but they at least won't go crazy up.(but then, I'm not an economist, either.)

Camping in the 100 degree weather is tough on you, and the fridge, and the ac. Does your manual show you how to adjust the thermistor?, (that thingy that slides on a fin, and tells the fridge how cold it is, and when to turn on?) in our old 2008 norcold, we could slide it up or down to adjust the sensing. I don't know about the new ones. It's also possible that the thermistor is bad (though unlikely, in such a new trailer.) I'd add a clip on fan to the outside vent, set up to exhaust, and see if I could increase the exhaust flow. A small battery operated fan inside the fridge could move cold air around better, as well. Are you running the fridge on gas, or electric? Gas is most efficient, as @dewdev noted. I know it seems counter intuitive, but the flame works way better at "absorbing" heat than 120 electric. 12v is dismal.

Welcome to the forum, @Roadlotus. My sister-in-law is about your size. She is perfectly comfortable driving my brother's F150, towing a cargo trailer. There's not much difference between a f250 and f150, sizewise, and I'd encourage you to try to test drive both. The f250 would allow you to delete the Anderson requirement. As @John E Davies said, I wouldn't buy a truck to fit a garage that you won't own, soon. Instead, I'd put the house on the market now, and use some of the equity to buy the newer version of the truck you like. In today's housing market, you may be able to find a buyer willing to let you lease back your house til your departure date in October. Or, line up a short term rental studio, in the meantime. Everything in my neighborhood sells within days, so be very sure that's what you want to do before you put your home on the market. An alternative is taking out a small equity loan to purchase a better, newer truck, learning if you actually like the lifestyle, and selling after. In real estate, my experience is always to get the best price while the market is hot, as it still is now, at least here in Florida. If this is your plan, start interviewing agents who have been successful in your neighborhood, recently. Get their advice. (I'm not a realtor.) I'm shorter, as well, and I'll say that I hate driving my husband's 2008 Ram, but I love my driving my older 2005 Silverado 1500, regular cab, stepside. Unfortunately, my truck (or my husband's) would not be suitable for towing a II, without the Anderson. I understand that bit of trepidation based on what you "used to drive." I drove very large trucks cross country when I was young, and even shorter, with my dad, and I sometimes had to stand up to shift gears in those old trucks. I wouldn't want to do that now, for heavens sakes. But, that was 50 years ago. Do you have a dog that will be traveling with you?

I have done (0) nothing to my drawers in 15 seasons. Just saying. The format is what it is.

Happy travels, @Chesapeak Bay. I hope you have as much fun with your Ollie as we've had, the last 15 seasons. Wishing you many miles of smiles.

I agree. I think our solar showers are 2.5 or 3 gallons. Still, enough to be concerned about, weight wise, but enough to get clean. Most days. A bucket of water with a black lid will get warm if in the sun, btw. In my experience. I think the solar shower bags expose more surface to the sun, so a better option. Those are probably cheaper at Walmart, too, if in stock. One of my friends painted a bucket black, with krylon, for that purpose. I never tried that. Maybe cover the whole thing with a black trash bag, and absorb those rays? Boondockers get inventive, for sure.

Last time we were at Boya lake, and that's probably four years ago, there was no freshwater available at the campground. I don't remember why. But, new friends there told us about a spring source a few miles down the road. It wasn't hard to find, because of the number of people parked, filling jugs. If we have to take drinking water from a spring, I boil it. Just in case. Chlorine doesn't kill giardia, and a few other things. But, heat does. One minute rolling boil below 3000 feet, 3 minutes above is the rule I've used. You can Google it yourself, to be sure. I don't even trust a great filter, for giardia. I double down. No interest in getting sick in remote locations.

It's not just trailer touch lights. I have a touch led floor lamp in the living room that just decides to go on or off as it pleases. Maybe it's a gremlin. Since it's in the corner of the living room, mostly decorative, I'm not bothered. Much more aggravating when it's a primary light source, for your trailer, for sure.

Backup insurance 👍 Keep the receipt, and you can return it to a Cabela's at home if you don't need it. As you've discovered, it's not always easy to find stuff (and services) after you've left the bigger cities in Canada and Alaska. Anchorage and Fairbanks have pretty good stores, and usually selection. As do most of the larger cities in Canada. (Even Whitehorse, with its small population. ) Outside the cities, it's often a hunting expedition. We have a couple solar showers too, @topgun2, but that "shower" stream is indeed pretty puny. Good idea on the pump. Do you hang yours on the hook in the shower, or shower outside? I was always a bit afraid of too much weight on the shower hook handle. I think the big solar shower probably weighs 25 pounds or so, full. Hey, and we're saving water, too, right? Fill containers at the camp supply, and keep the good water in the tank. Many of the alaska and Yukon territory campgrounds only have a hand pump, or no water source at all, sometimes. @Southbird401I hope you have good luck in Wasilla. It's a nice town, and I hope your plumber is successful. Fingers crossed for you. Sincerely.

@Katjo, glad your story had a happy ending, over the many chapters here. Now, you can salvage some of the shorter Michigan camping season. For future reference, could you please complete your signature with hull #, model, and general location so folks can more easily answer questions? As you begin your new Ollie adventures, I'd also recommend that you dive into the videos in Oliver University, and read through some of the manuals. Your trailer has so much technology, and different features from your previous trailer, that there will be a bit of a learning curve for you, but I'm sure you'll find it a worthwhile investment in time. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/oliver-university/ Also, do get that multimeter, watch a video on YouTube and practice the basic functions, as it will be very helpful if and when you have another question. You might also consider taking a vacation to middle Tennessee, and schedule a complete annual service with Oliver. It could set your mind at ease that all systems have been checked and functioning properly, since your trailer is a pre-loved unit with apparently unknown maintenance. The area around Hohenwald offers great camping opportunities (though a bit hot right now, of course), and you'd get a chance to meet those very knowledgeable and helpful guys in the service department. There would of course be a charge, but you could get an estimate ahead of time. Best of luck, and happy camping.

Like many lake campgrounds, most camping is off the lake. We've not camped there, just driven through. Beautiful in the woods, too.

Costco and Sam's are very helpful memberships on the road, for us. We filled up at the new costco gas station in Pooler , Georgia (near Savannah Airport, just off 95) this morning at the "bargain rate" of $4.12, when most other stations were 25 to 35 cents higher. Gasbuddy checks revealed the lower price in Georgia vs Columbia SC, costco, and, our big fuel tank allowed us to get there from North Carolina. Their gas stations are always one way in, one way out, so no jumbled messes pinning your rig, or requiring tight turns,, like some of the truck stops. But, most don't have diesel, just regular and premium. Our fuel savings more than pay for our membership. Everything else is a bonus. It's nice having both, as there are more costcos in Canada and Alaska than Sam's. Not sure if any sam's left in Canada . Conversely, more Sams in many states than costco. We have three favorite Costco spots between our home in Florida, and our camping spot in north carolina, but only Sam's in Asheville. (But, Murphy and some of the Ingles grocery stores are often as good or better than Sam's. GasBuddy is my real buddy.)

Thank you.. It is what it is. I'm used to the awkward posture to "get it right." For me. I've read dozens of rv installation posts, on other forums and blogs, and I just don't want Oliver owners to make the big mistake. If the blog links to a purchase point, probably discount the opinion. Its doable for us, with the urinal. And my self training. Definitely NOT something I'd consider for the Ollie.

So, update. We invested in the "waterless" Separret villa for our barn. I personally think it's a waste. (No pun intended. Lol.) I'd be better off with one of my luggage loos, at a much cheaper price. (Free, actually, I already own two.) Thank goodness, we installed a urinal for the guys. And almost no one uses the separret for solids. The dam for urine isn't high enough,,nor far enough back, for most women. The urine collection basin is too shallow, and too small, imo. It's too much of a learning curve for those unfamiliar with "odd" toilets. I don't think any guy over 10 years old would want to sit over that small space allowed for urine disposal, seriously. Too small, too shallow. Without getting too graphic, I think you understand. Install was simple. It looks very nice, it's highly cleanable, made almost totally of space age smooth and shiny plastic. The villa 9215 came with all adaptors to work with us plumbing. As toilets go, its rather pretty. That's the good news. But, urine is easily transported to the solid collection bucket, if users are not exactly situated and sitting totally upright. (Especially females.) Good news. It doesn't smell. Not much even near the vent pipe, outside. Unless someone doesn't sit perfectly correctly, and urine lands in the solids bucket. And, it's not "waterless." Instructions are to pour water after use, down the urine tube. Not a problem in our barn, with unlimited spring water, but definitely not an option for water saving in a trailer. We all make mistakes. This one, for me, was $900+. I read hundreds of reviews, prior to purchasing. I'm just ok with it, after an adjustment time, but I had a really bad experience with visitors last week. Oh, so gross cleanup. Even after an extensive training session. I told my husband I wish we'd just put a portapotty or luggage loo in that corner. Live, and learn.

I missed that. Scrolling too quickly, I guess. We carry two hoses. I think many people do. I'd never connect my freshwater hose to the black tank flush. No matter what's in between. Thank you, @John E Davies.

We don't usually add much water to the black tank. It's so small. Just a quart or so, to dissolve the treatment packet or liquid a bit. If we have even a pit toilet in the cg, we use the campground facilities, especially for solids. Makes the tank go further. Btw, I can't see any of your photos.