Ronbrink

I have two dual fuel generators and generally only run them on propane. The exception would be during hurricane evacuations when our Oliver becomes an escape pod; it is more cost effective to run the Westinghouse 4500W on gasoline for continuous 24-hour durations for several days. Run time is 16 hours on a tank of gas with a/c on. I always carry two WAVIAN (NATO-style) jerrycans, one with ethanol gasoline for the TV and other with non-ethanol for the generator(s), as needed. I have made use of these fuel reserves on several occasions when the TV’s low fuel indicator light comes on; yep, that happens, drives my wife nuts! My SOP is to routinely rotate said fuels rather than stabilize with an additive. Regarding the jerrycans, I have never smelled any fumes, even when enclosed under cap in my former TV and currently inside our Savana van. To your point however, gasoline or any residue in a generator fuel system will reek, so another practice is to run the carb dry, drain the tank and throughly air it out, as necessary. Fuel transfer, especially into a vehicle, can be cumbersome and messy, but I resolved both issues with a portable rechargeable pump. Simply set the gas can on the ground, deploy the pump/hose, flip the switch, easy-peasy! Better yet, once done I let it air out before stowing away in a small Pelican Case to conceal any residual odor. I have my generators set up to either run directly from a dedicated propane tank or utilizing the Oliver’s QC ports. By dedicated, I mean either a spare propane tank carried in the TV or one of the trailer-mounted tanks, in which case the regulator hose would be disconnected. In this instance, remote regulators (primary and secondary) would be utilized. However, if connected to one of the Oliver LP ports, only the secondary regulator comes into play. I modified one of the generator supplied regulators with QC fittings between the two sections, thus enabling multiple usages. Use of secondary regulator only when running from the Oliver QC port. Use of both primary and secondary regulators when running from a dedicated propane tank. I installed GasStop automatic shut-off safety devices on all tanks, great for gauging, as well as priming! Note the propane hose draped over the tank housing at bottom pic. Aforementioned propane hose is tapped into the forward QC port for better access. I didn’t like having to get down on my knees to hookup. This is a 10’ hose extension. Extension hose stowed on top of tank and can be deployed via the screw port for added convenience. This hose also serves use of my fire pit.

Had the same experience, but soon realized the Truma AquaGo to be the culprit, as @Frank C explained. I have since been turning off the AquaGo, as @Steve Morris suggests and reasons given. However, because I only turn the unit on when needed and not concerned with maintaining constant hot water, I find ECO mode better suited to my needs. That said, my shower handle has a trickle feature, which keeps the burner engaged when taking a Navy shower.

Sorry, I do not. Would be good to capture that value at some point in time.

According to the SoftStartRV website, they only provide two models, which leads me to believe they are universal in application and thus, not brand specific. Thanks for providing pertinent information regarding Truma’s business practices, much appreciated!

It’s my understanding the ‘kit’ is installed to make the single fuel (gasoline) Honda into a dual fuel generator (gasoline/propane).

Got me to think’n this early morning, went to Truma’s website and copied the following: Anyone could install a SoftStartRV on an Aventa, but voiding a warranty would be a major concern, if true. At first, Truma claimed their units didn’t need a soft start/easy start device, but soon changed their view regarding that issue.

I followed another owner’s lead and purchased a small water pump to transfer water directly into the FRESH WATER CONNECTION port, no valve reconfiguration involved!

DC-DC charger is a great alternative!

SoftStartRV units are readily available and claim universal fit, see attached. They can be purchased and self-installed on a Truma, but It is possible such could void their warranty. Perhaps someone in the know will chime in with a definitive answer.

That would explain things, thanks for the catch! At 48#, not bad for a 4000W dual fuel; my DuraMax 2200W dual fuel comes in about the same weight and doesn’t have the 30A outlet!

I read gasoline or diesel, no mention of propane.

Alternate mounting of said ports from the aforementioned screenshot. Holes drilled (3/8” front, 5/16” rear) through the hitch receiver tube were made for adequate securement of these Schrader Valves once exposed metal was painted and allowed to cure.

A change in vehicle type, but not in looks; truck vs van. 2012 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado 4x4, 144” wheelbase. 2019 GMC 2500 Savana Cargo Van, 135” wheelbase.

I would consider a shutoff valve with a drain vent like this SharkBite; available in 1/2 and 3/4”.

I drove an 18-wheeler for six months helping a friend with his transport business, some of which while hauling grain up through Palo Duro Canyon in north Texas and into Oklahoma. Saw many a truck runaway ramp and quickly appreciated their purpose. These ‘big-rigs’ have air brakes which can fail if applied too often on extensive down hill slopes; a situation wherein air demand exceeds the capability of the onboard compressed air supply or even a malfunction to the air system (compressor, air tank, air lines) itself. These off ramp structures are comprised of a deep bed of sand or gravel, an effective method of safely slowing heavy vehicles like trucks and even buses to a stop. The sign displayed in @jd1923’s pic reads ‘RUNAWAY VEHICLES ONLY’, guess that includes an Oliver TV, as well. Safe travels!

Both of my GM TVs (Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Savana 2500) are gassers equipped with the Tow/Haul feature; selects a lower gear for better engine braking effect and optimizes transmission shifting. They also have Manual mode, especially beneficial when going uphill or down a steep slope. I always engage Tow/Haul when trailering the Oliver and have used the Manual mode on occasion with the Silverado when towing in mountainous areas, but nothing too extreme; works great in lessening actual use of the vehicle’s brakes to ‘slow the go’! Something I noticed different with the Savana in the hills encountered on our most recent travel into Texas Hill Country, was the very apparent and effective downshifting of its 6-speed transmission when slowing for a stop, as well as down grade at speed. Could be that it is basically a commercial vehicle designed for carrying and handling heavy loads under adverse conditions. The hefty front and rear disc brakes, 12.8” and 13” rotors respectively, was another bonus; I rarely had to manually engage the brake controller, especially for quick stops at sudden traffic light changes. Because my wife has ‘extreme anxiety’ with thought of “those cliffside roads” that @jd1923 mentioned, I may never experience his described encounter; but then our GPS Navigation has taken us down many a path of uncertainty, don’t ya know!

Well, upon removal of the AIR LIFT pump assembly from the Silverado a few days ago, I realized that system would require a reconfiguration to better serve the selected Savana mounting position. Yesterday said pump and new airline hoses were installed. Today the wiring harness will be routed to the engine bay to complete this project. BTW, the original AIR LIFT air springs remain on the Silverado and can be individually inflated with the Schrader Valve terminated supply airlines left in place. Driver’s side airbag at 0 psi; 5 psi minimum upon install completion, as recommended to prevent damage. AIR LIFT pump assembly readied for install. Pump assembly with airlines, wiring harness and remote control. Pump assembly securely mounted atop the trailer hitch receiver. Once the wiring harness is connected, care will be taken to further protect with wiring loom and mounting straps tidied up. Potential location on backup fill ports in the event of a pump failure (screenshot taken from a YT video).

I did the same couple years ago, easy one-hand operation and full hose flow to boot!

Great confirmation with your test results, should be comforting news to other Truma owners! For whatever it’s worth, my former Dometic Penguin ll (11,000 BTU) would not run on the 2200W genny until a Micro Air Easy Start was self-installed; upon further modification I was also able to operate it with the Xantrex 2000, as well. I have since replaced the noisey DPll with a Dreiha Atmos 4.4 (15,000 and 12,000 BTU cooling and heating, respectively) and consider it a much cheaper alternative to the Truma if cost is an issue to some. As with the Dometic, the Atmos equipped with a SoftStartRV runs great with said genny and inverter. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Yesterday I installed new AIR LIFT LoadLifter 5000 Ultimate Adjustable Air Springs on the Savana. I knew prior to departing for the Texas Oliver Rally that my receiver hitch was an inch shy of the recommended ball height with the trailer in tow, and that was after maxing out the pin hole height adjustment. As illustrated in the first picture of this post, the van and trailer were ‘well poised’, but once loaded with cargo for the trip there was a slight squat. Regardless, it was always my intent to install airbags for ease of adjustment in varying conditions. Today I will remove the AIR LIFT pump assembly from my former TV and reinstall on the Savana. Problem solved! As a side note, I really liked being able to inflate the airbags, via a remote, to tilt the Oliver upward when dumping the tanks and hopeful this new setup will provide like benefit. Inks Lake SP did it right with their new dump station! At some facilities however, raising the trailer’s nose is a must to fully empty the tanks. Did someone say ‘airbags’?

I have read that outside air being drawn in as the issue with the Houghton, but some have argued it is not and I respect that. I do know that the Atmos has significantly more airflow than my former DPll and maybe more than the Houghton, as well. That said, this increased airflow could be drying the wet coils out faster and/or more efficiently, thereby decreasing humidity levels. I too would like to better understand and hopefully someone can provide a definitive answer to your questions.

Great testament on the Atmos. Felt bad you guys had to step into the Oliver with the a/c off, but then perfect demonstration of the efficiency of the unit to quickly cool the interior while dropping the humidity! Love me some Atmos!

Well, curiosity got the best of me when noticing the ‘black tire marks’ at the ‘dark spots’ where road dips occur, so googled it: “Tire marks are often visible at highway dips because the sudden change in road surface causes increased friction between the tires and the pavement, leading to more pronounced marks, especially when vehicles are accelerating or braking while going over the dip, which can further amplify the tire-road contact and leave visible marks behind.”

I was really surprised on the trip over to get an average of 13.5 mpg from Clear Lake to Austin (with some city traffic), then 12.2 on rest of the trip to Inks Lake SP doing hills. That's better mileage than the 5.3L in the Silverado, especially since more power and being a heavier vehicle. Liking the upgrade!

After several months of researching a suitable replacement TV, a van was decided to be our best choice based on perceived criterium, ie engine/drivetrain, cargo/tow capacity and tongue weight requirements for our OLEll and style of camping. The former 2012 Silverado 1500 4x4 was reaching ‘retirement age’ and I’ve been pushing its limits, regarding carrying capacity, for a couple of years. I will acknowledge up front that we are not minimalist! That said, this Explorer conversion van well exceeds my expectations in both spacial and towing considerations, as well as comfort and convenience. BTW, I told my wife “remind me to never buy another tow vehicle days before a planned trip!” Although ‘well appointed’, the passenger seats had to go; at least when towing our Oliver. The two second row captain’s chairs are easily removed via a release mechanism from the floor mounting base for occasional use, as needed; the third row couch/reclining bed not so much and will go to storage. By removing the passenger seats, I now have 10’ of open cargo space from the rear doors to the front seats; the Silverado’s bed only measured 5’8”, plus limited space in its back seat. Having double doors on both side and rear of the van vastly improved access to the cargo area. The two vehicles were positioned end-to-end to facilitate easy cargo transfer for organizational purposes. Ultimately, two storage boxes were acquired to safely stow much of the cargo; specifically, underbody tool boxes. Yep, delivered one day before our departure to the Texas Oliver Rally at Inks Lake SP, what was I thinking! The boxes are serving their purpose by providing secured organization of supplies and gear, with ample room for our folding e-bikes, Dometic fridge/freezer, portable power station, generators, spare 30 lb. propane tank and a couple of small bins. Camp R&B, Inks Lake SP, Site 227; Texas Oliver Rally, October 20-25, 2024.