Steve and MA

What refrigerator do you have? When we ran out of propane running our Norcold it could be switched to AC or DC without displaying an error code. When the propane was refilled and the stove burners, hot water and furnace were working, the fridge still gave an error code on propane. After turning the fridge off and then back on, then the propane worked.

Ours is a 2022, so not familiar with the PD (shore power?) and Blue Sky (solar) charge controllers. What about the 12v feed coming from the TV? Should this be disconnected, or run through a DC-DC charger?

We used our old EU2000i with a SoftStart equipped Dometic for a couple of years. Our OEII has the 3000 watt Xantrex. We only used the generator for summer boondocking in the Texas Hill Country, never at high altitude. The combination worked well most of the time. We couldn't use the microwave concurrently with the AC, and if the batteries weren't at 100%, the Xantrex had to be dialed back to the lowest charge rate. When outside the trailer, the generator was much louder than advertised due to the higher rpm and frequent surging as the AC compressor cycled. It was annoying. At least when inside the trailer the generator surging couldn't be heard over the noisy Dometic. We recently switched to the Truma AC and a 3200 watt generator. They're both much quieter, inside and outside the trailer.

Never heard of a generator that could run on gas or diesel. Must be a misprint. There is a dual fuel gas/propane version of this generator. Champion Power Equipment 4000-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator with Quiet Technology and CO Shield

We asked Oliver service about the Aventa Eco + Soft Start when Truma started advertising it a few months ago. It wasn't available through Oliver then, but maybe so in the future. The standard Aventa Eco requires a 3kw or greater generator, or an external soft start. The specs on the units equipped with a soft start are the same as without, except for the startup current of 30 amps vs 59 amps. The Truma retrofitting services web page has a link to SoftStartRV for an approved external soft start. You could probably use that with a 2.2kw generator to run your AC. We've had experience running our old Dometic Penguin equipped with soft start using an even older Honda EU2000i. The normally quiet Honda made annoying noise as it revved up every time the AC compressor kicked in. It worked as long as we had no other significant loads. We couldn't use the microwave or other appliances when running the AC (which can also be a problem when on shore power) and we dialed back the Xantrex battery recharge rate to 5 amps/hr. We now have a non-soft start Truma and an EU3200i generator. Both the AC and generator are much quieter both inside and outside the trailer than the Dometic + 2kw generator were. Though we won't need it since we'll have shore power, we'll bring the new generator to the Inks Lake Rally next week for anyone who's interested in evaluating its noise level while running the AC. Steve

Does "everything fine" when plugged into shore power mean both 12 volt DC and 120 volt AC are working? What goes crazy when unplugged? Since you were boondocking for 9 days, then you were running on your batteries. What was the state of charge from day to day? There are a lot of helpful and experienced folks on this forum. Someone is bound to respond if you provide additional details about your coach (type of batteries and inverter/charger) and the troubleshooting steps you've already tried.

Yes, the basket and boxes are sold separately. If you don't already have the dual receivers for the OEM bumper hitch, then you'd have to get those too. The basket is very solidly mounted. There is no free-play.

We were in Hohenwald this week and saw some new products made by SEA BISCUIT METAL DESIGNS on display in the Oliver showroom. One product caught our attention, so we decide to visit Johnson City. The rear basket carrier and storage boxes are very well crafted. We already have the OEM rear bumper receiver option so installation was simplified. Since we weren't using the bumper receiver on this trip, we replaced one for the other. We're very pleased with the quality and the design. The lockable boxes increase the secure outside storage, and they're easily removed from the basket in case we want to use it to carry odd shaped/sized cargo. We went with two separate storage boxes, but they also have a larger single "coffin" box that spans the width of the basket. The low profile doesn't cover the original license plate location, so no need to move the plate and rewire its light. The CNC cut "Oliver" name on the carrier is also a nice touch.

Not an electrician here, but searching online suggests you could have a loose neutral wire.

Then maybe it's just a coincidence that it happened to ours when it wasn't parked at home with us. The yellowing on ours looked just like your photo. Before the doghouse cover yellowed, our trailer had only been hand-washed and waxed too.

We had very similar discoloration earlier this year. We had loaned out our trailer to a relative for a few weeks while she was moving from one house to another. She had laid our rubber backed doormat on the cover because she didn't care for it. We used rubbing compound followed by polishing compound and it took care of the yellowing.

It seems we all agree that the Tesla Cybertruck isn't a suitable tow vehicle for our Olivers. Even if you could live with its looks and limited range, the 11,000 lb tow rating should be called in to question. Imagine what might happen if its bumper breaks off like in this comically abusive test at about 5:45 in the video. To be fair, it looks like the WhistlinDiesel guys may have set up the bumper failure at the 5:25 mark. They used a Ford F-150 for comparison and ended up rating it higher even though the Tesla was the clear winner of the important C-4 explosive testing.

If it turns out not to be the fuse, check the spade connector at the switch. One of ours came loose so its jack quit working until we pushed it back together.

You may be able to adjust the bracket so that the TV is closer to the ceiling so it can fold back. We were able to do this on our 2022 LE2 when we installed our Free Signal 12 volt 32" Platinum Smart TV and it folds up just like the original TV.

Is this what you're looking for? This is from Zamp's website. Zamp 170 specs.pdf

We haven't been to Athens and didn't know about Big Beard before reading this thread. You got us curious as to whether they actually build their batteries, or if they're just an online storefront. They have the same address (9024 US Highway 175 West, Athens, TX 75751) as the Big Red School House & Community Center - Athens, Texas. Maybe the facility name inspired the battery brand name. Big Red appears to be a RV tech training business. Big Beard seems to be a new player in the battery market, but appears to be legit. If we were shopping batteries then we'd check them out.

PM sent

We like the performance of our Truma Aqua Go, but have to agree about the cost and availability of parts. They do sell at least one spare part, the access door assembly. It's poorly designed and/or is made of poor materials. The nylon web straps that convenietly hold it in place apparently put stress on the panel when it's removed. There are cracks through to the outside where 3 of the 4 screws were attached the webing on ours. We thought we'd reinforce the plastic by building up epoxy on the back side. When the screws were removed, all 4 of the screw holes broke; one completely disintegrated, so no need to reinforce, just remove the straps instead. The door is also yellowing faster than most of the other exterior white plastic parts. At 2 years age, the plastic shouldn't be that brittle. It's certainly not worth $200 to replace to door.

That makes sense, and with only 15' of 8 AWG wire connected directly to the panels the voltage drop before reaching the CC will be minimal.

Any reason for installing the charge controller for the suitcase panels in the trailer?

The TST monitor has icons for the spare for both the TV and trailer, so it's no surprise that the sensors work even if the tire isn't rolling. We've found the pressure and temperature of the rolling tires usually display on the monitor sooner than for the spare.

Just pointing out that Oliver doesn't consider the rear jacks to be for leveling. Of course, like everyone else, we use the front jack to level front to back. We then make minor side to side adjustments with the rear jacks after initially using ramp levelers when needed. It's not a question of the load that the jacks can handle. Using the rear jacks to level side to side enough to raise the wheels off the ground can be dangerous since the wheel chocks on that side could be rendered ineffective. Due to the potential liability, it's probably not wise for Oliver or their dealers to use the term "leveling" jacks.

Nice video production. There are at least 3 inaccurate comments during the tour. First, the "battery" cut off switch inside is actually a disconnect for the solar panels. She also mentions the wheels are 16", but 2024's come with 15" wheel & tires. Finally, she says the rear stabilizer jacks can be used to level the trailer. Unless something's changed, that's not something Oliver recommends. Thanks for posting.

We've considered a tilt modification on our 2022 LE2 but decided it's not worth the hassle for our type of camping. 4 Way Solar has a guide discussing the pros/cons for a RV roof panel tilt system. You might be able to set up a similar system to work on an Oliver. Their design is simple, but you'd still need an easy way to reach the roof brackets to tilt the panels.

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.