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Steve and MA

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Everything posted by Steve and MA

  1. We’ve had a few small scratches on the inside of our cabinet doors from the cabinet contents rubbing against the door, so we installed a clear self-adhesive removable protective film on the backs of the cabinet doors. This prevents future damage and didn’t change the appearance of the doors. When shopping shelf liners and static cling window decals we also found there were lots of products that might work to both protect the inner side of the cabinet door and give them a different look. We went a step further and added a patterned static cling vinyl as well. The textured static cling vinyl we used didn't stick well directly to the cabinet doors, but it clings to the shelf liner. Time and seasons will tell how well it sticks. There are so many products available, some with bright colors and patterns and some more subtle. Since it was just installed this week we can’t speak to its durability, so we're not offering specific product recommendations. Your tastes are probably different than ours anyway. A self-adhesive liner with color or pattern could be used as a single layer if you find something you like. The vinyl material is easy to apply when the hardware is removed with the doors are laid on a flat clean work surface. We went for a subtle change to the original look, but we might do something with color in the future.
  2. The 16x6 wheels that came on late model trailers like our '22 LE2 have steel inserts pressed into the lug nut wells. Should it matter whether the lug nuts are acorn or bulge acorn? It seems either type would be fine for wheels that have steel inserts.
  3. Our TST repeater came with ring terminals already crimped on, so we bolted them directly to the battery terminals, arranged so they're not between the battery terminal and the 4/0 cables the bolts hold down. We don't want the ring terminals to conduct current between the battery and the inverter/charger. This thread got me curious, so I looked up TST's repeater instructions online, which doesn't mention mounting the repeater close to the wheels. I was certain I was following this direction when I installed it, so I found the original documents that came with the kit. There's a separate card describing the preferred mounting location as "FOR BEST RESULTS MOUNT IN BATTERY BOX CLOSEST TO THE WHEELS". I suppose the battery box is on the tongue of most trailers, so "closest to wheels" was probably meant to avoid mounting where the battery shields the repeater from the sensors. Of course, for our trailers the battery box is close to the wheels. It works fine. Steve Repeater insert.pdfTST-Repeater.pdf
  4. As I recall, the instructions that came with my TST kit recommended installing the booster near the sensors and to connect directly to the battery. We installed ours in the battery compartment. It's about as close to the sensors as you can get, and there's no need to route the wires through the hull or under the frame. It's not a switched connection, but if you're worried about draining the batteries you can just remove the 2 amp fuse for storage. Steve
  5. Anyone else camping at Reno Stead Airport for the (alas, last) National Championship Air Races in Reno NV? We set up camp yesterday. We've been coming here for the past 15 years, but this is our first and last opportunity to camp out for the event in our OE2. If you're attending and would like to connect, we're in the RV West Lot. We're here in support of our team "Cruze Missle" race #10 and owner/pilot Tim Slater who's flying a Glassair SH-312 in the sport class.
  6. It's odd that even Starlink Mobility (originally marketed as Starlink for RV) doesn't have a factory 12v DC option. The aftermarket has it covered though. The Everlanders YouTube channel shows some ways to convert Starlink 120v AC power supply to run on 12v DC without using an inverter. The easiest would be to purchase a Dishy Dualie DC Power Supply from Boondocker and then use your own 12v DC router instead of the Starlink unit. Converting the Starlink router to 12v requires opening the case and soldering connections. We plan to convert our Starlink to 12v DC power, and to flat mount the dish on our tow vehicle. We'll park the TV close enough to the trailer for the WiFi to connect. No setup required except parking the TV where it has a clear view of the sky. We haven't yet done this conversion, but we'll post again when there's something to report.
  7. At the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 race in 2019 we were camped next to a group from Finland. They were playing a game called MoLLKY throughout the weekend. It appears to be the same game as Skittle Scatter. They were a fun group. Finns are supposed to be the happiest people in the world. If most are like our neighbors, it's no wonder. They were drinking vodka with breakfast and chain- smoking cigarettes like there's no tomorrow. They had reason to celebrate. Their Finnish driver, Valtteri Bottas, won the race for the Mercedes team that weekend. We were in a friend's diesel pusher and had a cornhole game on board. With the limited storage on the Olivers, the MoLLKY/Skittle Scatter game is a lot easier to pack. We have one too.
  8. If it has the original tires from 2016, then they're 7 years old. Search online for "RV and trailer tire maximum age" and you'll find opinions vary widely, but 5-6 years seems to be the most common recommendation. Consider replacing them, even if they have plenty of tread.
  9. Bill, we have a Canyon too. Even before we owned our OE2, we replaced our mirrors with a pair from Clearview Mirrors USA. They're a huge improvement over the original GMC mirrors, whether you're towing or not. Steve
  10. How cold was it outside? When you replaced/refilled the propane tank was it completely empty? Just a thought, but if the furnace performed adequately on a full tank but sputtered before it was empty, then it could be that the tank is losing pressure as the propane vaporizes. Vaporization causes liquid propane to drop below ambient temperature. The liquid propane temperature would fall more on a tank near empty than when full. The colder the liquid propane, the lower its vapor pressure. It could be that as a tank's liquid volume falls, the propane can't vaporize fast enough to keep up with the demand of the furnace. I'm not an engineer, so I could be misinterpreting the information on this web page. Propane Information – Flame Engineering It suggests to me that 10 lb of propane (a half-full 20 lb tank) would vaporize 38,000 btu of propane at 20° F. That seems marginal for a 40,000 btu furnace. Real world experience: Last February we went on a weekend trip in Junction TX. Nighttime temperatures were in the mid 20's. I only had the valve open on one of my 30 lb tanks. Around 3 or 4 AM it was getting cold in the trailer; the furnace had stopped running. I switched tanks and was able to restart the furnace. Later, when I had the tank refilled, it only took 26 lbs to fill it. Either the rating is off, or there was still 4 lbs in the tank. It seems reasonable to me that the liquid in the tank had become too cold to vaporize, at least not fast enough to run the furnace. We're planning to visit our daughter in Durango CO for Thanksgiving and expect to encounter nighttime temperatures in the 20s, or even teens. We'll see how well the furnace does at 6500' in freezing temperatures. Steve
  11. Ralph, do you know whether the Truma can use Oliver's internal condensate drain? This link to the operating instructions suggests that it can be done. Please let us know. OPI Aventa Eco Comfort US English_0.pdf (truma.net)
  12. If you preorder your Tundar today it should come in by April 1.
  13. You can run the AC on battery power, but the solar panels can't recharge them as fast as the AC drains them. Don't expect to run the AC continuously on solar and battery alone.
  14. Assuming no power losses when using an inverter or charger, wouldn't a 1000 watt generator producing 8 amps at 120 volts be able to charge a 12 volt battery at 80 amps?
  15. Ours was made (assembled) in Mexico. The duct is connected between the inner and outer pieces of the AC. It's connected by the installer, not the Dometic factory. However, I wouldn't be quick to blame the Oliver installation. Before disassembly I had been taking measurements of the noise levels, including with all vents closed. This could have caused the duct to be blown off the flange.
  16. This weekend I thought I’d peek inside the Dometic AC ceiling distribution box in my 2022 EII with the idea of looking for a way to quiet it down. I did line it with Noico 80 mil butyl mat. Noise was only reduced by 1-2 dB, so hardly worth the effort, and any improvement by the mat is difficult to assess because of another issue that I corrected. After removing the distribution box, I found that the duct between the fan and the box wasn’t connected. The duct is a mylar tube wrapped with a wire coil. It’s supposed to be attached at the top with a zip tie around the flange by the fan. It's held in place by a grate at the bottom. In my case, the zip tie and duct were not completely wrapped around the flange. Though plenty of air seemed to be coming out of the five vents of the box, the gap was large enough that a good portion of the cold air must also have been redirected right back into the intake. It’s not easy working in the tight space, but I was able to reattach the duct. Hopefully it will remain connected. If you think you’re not getting enough air volume from the vents, then this may be worth looking at. I imagine this could affect the frequency that the compressor cycles, and possibly cause the evaporator to freeze over, but I hadn’t had these issues. I’ve attached pictures of the disconnected duct, as well as a picture from Dometic showing the locations of the eight screws that hold the box to the ceiling. The zip tie in the pictures is exactly like I found it. Steve
  17. These Rhino Fitting Wrenches (camco.net) work for us.
  18. We have the Parkit360 Force 10K and use it to pull the hitch end of our LE2 into a corner. A front receiver would be no help since we pull the hitch to within about 6 feet from a wall. Speaking of the hitch, the Bulldog doesn't work well with the dolly without the EZ Connect Hitch Adapter. The manufacturer says their dolly doesn't work with the Bulldog hitch, but this guide was published before they made the adapter: Your Guide to Different Hitch Styles: Choosing the Perfect Trailer Dol – Parkit360 The dolly has enough power and grip on pavement to easily move the trailer, but it probably wouldn't work well on gravel. Sometimes the wheels slip on smooth level pavement, usually when pushing the trailer wheels over irregularities like the driveway apron.
  19. It seems Truma is developing a rating system for an RV's cold weather capabilities. It will be interesting to see how our trailers compare if/when they test an Oliver. Company wants to certify new RVs as good enough to live in during cold winter - RV Travel
  20. X2 on the Clever Dripper. It's what I use to fill my travel mug daily before heading to work. It's perfect for making one mug at a time, and it works well for camping. I use an old Hario burr grinder too, but slightly modified. I replaced the knurled nut and hand crank with a 10mm acorn nut. We keep a small cordless drill on board anyway, so might as well use it.
  21. We’re confident that the folks at Oliver are doing their best to keep deliveries on schedule. When we initiated our order in February, we were told our LE2 would be ready for delivery December 15. By the time we put down our production line deposit in September the delivery date had been moved up to November 29, so we made our travel plans accordingly. Oliver contacted us about a month before our trip with the news that #969 wouldn’t be ready until January 3 due to supply chain issues. We have to plan ahead for time off from work, so we hope this date is firm.
  22. King Moon posted that he took delivery of hull #948 on November 11. He said his was the last 2021 to be delivered. Has anyone taken delivery of a 2022 Ollie? Two weeks ago our planned November 29 delivery was moved out five weeks later to January 3, the same relative delay as Coach and Jojo's but offset by one week. If early January deliveries like Jstones's have only been moved a couple of weeks instead of five, then there might be more deliveries at the end of December and early January than normal. While many seasoned owners are currently winterizing and storing their Oliver, us newbies may get to test its four season capability. Another positive with this delay is that the campgrounds may be filled with new owners while the factory catches up with deliveries, a kind of mini-rally. I hope the weather is nice enough to get out and mingle. January is the coldest month in Tennessee. My biggest concern about the change of delivery date is the increased chance of icy roads.
  23. We're keeping the GMC. It's a 1975 Glenbrook that was refurbished in the '90's by Clasco. The exterior paint and interior cabinets are in dire need of a refresh. The Onan 6000 is also a bit of a temperamental beast. The mechanicals are solid, with low miles on the engine and transmission, both rebuilt less than 10 years ago. It will be a long time before it's where we want it be. That's where the Ollie comes in. Our camping plans are no longer going to be determined by the the state of the GMC.
  24. Steve & Mary Allyn in San Antonio here, introducing ourselves to the group. Delivery of our LE II is just a few weeks away. It's supposed to hatch November 29. We had been considering an Ollie for a couple of years when last January we saw one by chance up close during a rest stop on a road trip. Its build quality and design aesthetic sells itself. We placed our order in February. As owners of a classic GMC motorhome we're not new to RV'ing, but this our first travel trailer. The LE II is a bit smaller inside than our GMC, but we're already familiar with a wet bath and small walk around space. We've enjoyed following this forum as our egg has been incubating. Thank you to the many contributors of the interesting and useful posts on this forum. The collective wisdom is awesome. We hope we'll soon be adding our experiences and ideas to benefit the community.
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