Jump to content

trumpetguy

Member+
  • Posts

    408
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    13

Everything posted by trumpetguy

  1. The fan does run all the time but I fixed this by installing a 12v 30A relay controller by separate AC thermostats. Google Gresy AC mod on the Casita forum. I love my Atwood. Can run on the house batteries .
  2. Nice Bill. Carol covered ours with the same fabric she used on the beds so our wine glasses, etc. don't slide around. I have added a few other mods recently... Soft start kit to run the AC on batteries Two additional Trojan T105s to give me more AMPS. 6 total Rear hitch made locally Added extra Oliver style coat hooks in several locations About to add a shower curtain Propane kit for my Honda 2000i generator Good job on the shelf.
  3. Cobra, I could run the AC with my Honda 2000i even before I installed the Easy Start. That is a feature of the Atwood unit as opposed to Coleman and Dometic. The Easy Start allows me to run the AC on batteries without a generator or shore power. When I do use the generator I have a 20 AMP adapter that plugs in to the trailer shore power cable.
  4. Bill, I am still pinching myself over the success of the East Start kit. I ran the AC for three solid hours Saturday when we had a heat index of 95. I just wanted to see how the batteries would hold up. The Ollie was in full sun so solar was in full production. My Blue Sky remote was reporting a net positive of 14 AMPs . When I switched off the AC and inverter the battery voltage went right back up to normal. I need to do a test with the solar panels off to see how that affects the batteries. Living in Florida this mod opens up lot's of possibilities for us. Beach outing with AC for snacks and resting, fishing trips, naps while enroute to a final destination, etc. We can now stop for lunch at a restaurant and leave our Bichon in thr air conditioned trailer. It will be interesting to see if other makes of AC will work as well as the Atwood Air Command.
  5. I have two Rokus at home and have used them almost exclusively for TV the last two years. I refuse to pay for cable TV. You will need shore power, or an inverter for the roku. Even a small stand alone inverter will work. My units have HDMI pluse the red yellow white outputs. See if your TV has either of those and you are in business.
  6. I have often thought that it would be nice to have a short break in a journey...lunch, nap, etc. and do it with the comfort of Air Conditioning. I carry a Honda 2000i generator in the truck bed, but the effort of starting it and attaching the cable just seems to be too much effort for a short stop. Call me lazy. So I have been researching means by which I can run my AC on batteries for short periods. I'm not talking hours...just a short time to have that refreshing break. The challenge with AC on battery is something called Locked Rotor Amps. This is that instantaneous burst of energy required to get your AC compressor turning. In my case the Atwood Air Command 13.5 has a LRA of 63.5. You may consult your owners manual for your specific LRA. The running amps are only 12.5 for mine. (That's high based on actual experience) My quandary was that I could run the AC with my Honda 2000i, but when I wired the AC into the 2000 WATT inverter the compressor would not start. So began my quest for the holy grail...running my AC on batteries. Solution: Install an "Easy Start" soft start kit by Micro Air which reduces the LRA draw by as much as 75%. https://id144248.webhosting.optonline.net/microair.net/merchantmanager/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=4 Install a Kisae transfer switch so the inverter knows when there is no shore power. http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-TS20A-Automatic-Transfer-Switch-p/ts20a.htm With some consulting by Steve L (ScubaRX) I finished the project today at 4:00 PM. With breath held I unplugged from shore power. turned the inverter on, and cranked the AC thermostat down to 80 degrees. The heat index was about 90 at that time. To my utter delight the AC cycled on just as it was supposed to. I was so excited I called Steve to share the good news and we chatted for about thirty minutes while I performed some battery checks. With solar on the draw was 0.7 Amps...not bad for the comfort of AC. Steve suggested I turn solar off to see what the actual draw would be. I was pleased to not that only 4.5 -5.5 amps were being used while the AC was on battery. Now before you get all exercised about ruining my batteries remember that this is a short term thing. One, maybe two hours while at a rest stop, or to leave our Penny Lane in a cool trailer while we have a meal in a restaurant. The important thing is that it can be done. Not cheaply at about $400 total...but well worth it for me.
  7. Matt, I have been unable to post any photos due to file type. I use Dropbox and they do not support any of the file formats you accept. How about adding some of the more conventional photo file types. .bmp.png, etc.
  8. Dave here. I like your idea. Other than a larger coach we find our unit quite comfortable and well thought out. One very big mod I would suggest to Oliver is a larger fridge. It is fairly obvious they just followed the Casita model when laying out the floor plan. At prices pushing 50k a trailer should have at least a 6 CF fridge. The Escape certainly does, as do the larger Bigfoots. That and the fact one must get on their knees to access the fridge have been problematic for us. I did speak to Tommy at Oliver about a mod but the space is too tight and would require a lot of re-configuring.
  9. Pete, your generator basket looks smaller than the standard factory version. Is it? The reason I make that comment is because you're not using the tongue extension which I have to with my larger generator basket. I would like to be able to eliminate that tongue extension because it adds some flex to the trailer we're going over bumpy roads. Can you comment as to the actual dimensions on your generator basket?
  10. Pete. That hitch looks good but would not work for me because I access the bed of my pick up truck frequently during our camping trips. I did have a rear hitch fabricated at a local shop out of steel and it is working out well although it is so high I have a hard time lifting our bikes up to it so I'm putting a platform on that hitch to carry my extra black water tank now.
  11. I carry two five gallon potable water jerry cans I bought from DOD surplus. Easy to store in the truck and easy to pump into the Oliver tank. For drinking water we carry several one gallon jugs plus a case of bottles. We also each have a Seychelle water bottle for emergency. The CDC says you can boil water one minute at a rolling boil and it is safe to drink.
  12. Terrific. Six Ollies will get a lot of attention.
  13. One thing that would make forum navigation easier would be to put a most recent post time next to each sub category. Or put the sub category next to the time of the most recent post. There are some topics I have a lot of interest in, but others Which I do not.
  14. Jaquelyn, My experience in parking has been that the width of the road and what is on the other side of the road is more an issue than the size of the campsite. Given enough room to maneuver I can get into just about any size site, with numerous obstacles. So keep this in mind as you drive through the campground looking for a perfect site. We arrived at Mount Pisgah campground last year in the dead of night. Pitch black. Our assigned site was a right angle to the road and someone had parked their car directly across from us making it all but impossible to get into the site...but I did it with many small adjustments. That's the key...slow and don't try to do everything in one pass. I look for sites that are slanted to the access road so my trailer doesn't almost jack knife. Please don't over analyze the parking thing. You seem like a lady who will figure it out. I like your idea of camping outdoors. That's what we do. Set up the Clam tent, deploy some rocking chairs and rugs, and uncork a good red. Carpe momento!
  15. First you must ask why you need a generator. If it just to augment the solar a small 1000 or 2000 WATT Honda or Yahama will be fine. My Honda weighs 48 pounds and sits nicely in the gen basket. On the other hand if you plan to dry camp where you will want to run the AC you will need at least a 3000 WATT. Again I would go with Honda or Yahama. We camped for two weeks last Summer on the Blue Ridge Parkway with little or no sunshine many days. I ran the Honda twice to boost the batteries after several days in a fog bank, but other than that the batteries held up just fine. I have four T 105s. My only regret is not getting a larger inverter. 3000 Watts would run my AC. Not the standard Dometic. I have an Atwood Air Command that runs on my 2000 Watt Honda.
  16. Hey Steve. My surge protector arrives tomorrow so expect a call for some more coaching.
  17. Update on Atwood Air Commander. I finished the relay mod and now the fan shuts off with the compressor. Sweet. The Atwood may not be the prettiest unit but it is sooo quiet. The "dry" mode does a good job of de humidifying without running all the time.
  18. I would not rent my Oliver...too much chance of abuse or damage. I have given thought to buying a few older Casitas and renting them, but after more thought the work and hassle do not justify the small amount of income they might bring in. I think your location is key to a successful rental venture. Are there destination Campgrounds near?
  19. We love the North Carolina mountains. Spent three weeks near Asheville last Summer and will do again this August. Our present plans include Ash Grive CG in Brevard, Mt. Pisgah at mile 484, and Lake Powhatton. Plan to motor over to Boone for camping at Linville Falls. Love it and a cool respite from our Gulf Coast humidity. Anyone interested in a meet up send me a PM.
  20. If you choose not to use the on board jacks you micht check out the Bal leveler. I will continue using the on board jacks, trusting that Oliver engineered the frame well enough to take the stress.
  21. My answer is yes. Even when remaining hitched to the tow the rear jacks are sufficient for leveling. I carry a couple of 6x6 blocks of wood to place under each jack but that is to reduce the amount of extension in the jacks. We have camped on some pretty uneven sites and never had to resort to leveling blocks. I do use chocks on the tires when unhitched...just in case. These jacks are a huge benefit for the Ollie. Helps me enjoy the camping experience without pain.
  22. Thanks for the reply. At $500 you should get a stronger receiver. I am talking to a local fabricator about building a similar hitch made of steel rather than aluminum so it should have a higher weight rating.
  23. No loose lugs, but the lug where hot water heater and fridge were plugged into was pretty badly burned. I don't know why Oliver used one lug for two appliances, but I separated them to their own holes in the bus bar.
  24. Does anyone have experience with the rear hitch offered by Oliver? I would like the ability to put a bike rack or platform back there but the photo I have seen indicates the receiver is very shallow. Chime in please.
  25. With some good coaching from ScubaRX I believe the problem was a sutge from the power post. We had lightning so it could have been a strike somewher. There is no evidence of scorching behind the panel so today I cut off the scorched ends of the wires, stripped to fresh copper, and tightened all the lugs in the bus bar. Ran everything all day with no evidence of any problem. Whew. Surge protector will be on order tonight.
×
×
  • Create New...