routlaw

You are exactly right Bill, cell coverage can be sketchy at best out here in the hinterlands and also an excellent reason not to forgo the use a real GPS device. Granted one can save sections of a map to use off line but that also adds up to a mountain of stored data while not being as fluid as a GPS device. Intuitively have felt for me there is not a sensible way of getting by without a dedicated GPS but am certainly willing to hear from others. Likewise I too travel alone when my wife can't come along which changes the ballgame quickly. It's interesting the only company now making GPS devices in the US is Garmin, all others have left the market due to massively diminished sales years ago.

Good grief @Steve Morris indeed there are some sleaze bags out on the road. Never ran into this yet, hope I don't but something serious to consider now. In the meantime I also found another very interesting device on Haloview that I initially overlooked. It's the Rear View Camera integrated with Apple Car Play or Android Play. Link here For those who already have a TPMS system but not the newer tech found in new trucks and autos this could be beneficial. Thanks

From what I have learned recently while researching a new Garmin GPS, it appears the vast majority of folks have abandoned their traditional GPS devices (road trips) in favor of systems like Apple Car Play via their iPhones or Androids. Suffice it to say there are a litany, almost bewildering array of options on the market that simply were not there half a dozen or more years ago. I am intrigued with the possibilities of Apple Car Play via either the Haloview devices, or ones like this: The Get Car Tablet However I am also skeptical an iPhone or an Android has the capability and features of a dedicated GPS device like the Garmin Smart Drive units. Of course this doesn't even address the amount of data one might use while traveling with smart phone as your navigation device. My goal is also to reduce clutter on the dashboard and in that vain would love to have a device that does it all, GPS, Rear View Camera, TPMS, and Apple Car Play but alas as far as I know no such device is in existence. Thanks, looking forward to learning how others have navigated this conundrum.

Yes I agree @Steve Morris great setup. I also use the TST system which is a major pain to setup and not all that easy to read going down the road with sunglasses on. I also have a Furrion rear view camera too, the initial one that came installed on #70 was stolen via a break-in to my truck. The Furrion is a total piece of crap IMHO but gets the job done. Seems dash cams are all the rage these days but not something that has ever interested me, perhaps I should rethink this.

Just came across this company today while investigating GPS devices, Infotainment system upgrades, and all things monitoring via 12 volt DC in the tow vehicle. Had not heard of this company until now but the inclusion of a TPMS system integrated into a Rear View Camara with high quality monitor and imaging seems like a double win to me. https://www.haloview.com/products.html And here this fellow provides and excellent review and YouTube video demonstration of the Haloview setup. Hope y'all find it usuful

So far at least for us we have not encountered issues with the Dometic fridge and while we don't camp normally in uber hot weather like you folks do in the Deep South and Southwest in the summer still we have been in temps well into the 80's, 90's and flirting with triple digits yet the 3 way absorption seems to cool well enough and keeps items in the freezer section frozen with a setting at 4. The big complaint is the lack of fridge storage and now the possible concern of CO2 emissions in the cab not something I had been aware of until now. Good to know. Would have preferred if Oliver had designed the interior for a larger fridge and eliminated the microwave which we opted out of. Don't use one at home, saw no need for it while camping. While we have made good use of that space for other storage, still it would have been a great option for larger fridge, Oh well nothing is ever perfect.

Just curious how much noise do these things make while running? My experience with DC fridges is they are so loud one can’t sleep at night, or at least I couldn’t. Thanks

Good advice. Actually ordered them from Auto Zone here in town, probably the same type service and warranty. Arrived in only a couple days. Now if it would just quit raining and I could get them them replaced.

Interesting write-up and execution, well done. However I am stumped as to why you or anyone would go to so much trouble and expense to charge your RV batteries from the tow vehicle? Not meant to be derogatory just don't understand why. From videos I have seen from Will Prowse he is thumbs down for using your tow vehicle to charge RV batteries. Now that I have installed LiFE-PO batteries I was considering removing my relay switch and fuse that controls battery charging from the tow vehicle actually. What am I missing? Thanks

Still pouring here but, but I think it’s just the camera angle. Springs looked ok the last time I crawled under there. Thanks

Ok got it, that makes sense. Thanks! All good info.

Ordered a new set of the Bulldog shocks anyway, came in today. As luck would have it been raining all day and for the next few days to boot. Just curious what it recommended for the torque values for installing these shocks. Nothing in the box indicating torque values. I would assume something in the neighborhood of 35-40 perhaps.

Quick update. Battery fully charged now while I was out on a bike ride. System seems to be making an effort to balance the cells from what I can tell. Upon returning the battery was indeed at 13.9 volts with a -.2amp discharge in progress. Checked the history with minimum and max volts and sure enough it did hit 14.3 volts at some point before going into float mode. I suspect within the hour it will rest at 13.6 volts in float at the rate it's going. Hope this helps others to understand the process when upgrading batteries. It sure had me confused for a day. A lot of excellent input on the situation, thanks all.

@jd1923 Actually I have had the Epoch app from the start or actually before the start so am familiar with all of its helpful information. Just got off the phone with Ryan Gurin at Blue Sky a short while ago and he explained the discrepancies I thought I was experiencing with charging. I am now at 88% SOC so it is moving along well with this perfectly clear sunny day. Charging amps are reading at 13.7 + which is about right for my 320 watt panels, and as Ryan indicated as the system becomes closer to full the voltage should increase to 14.2 but only for a short time. Which might be the reason you have not seen it at that value. What's important here and for others who might come across this discussion later as they adopt LiPO batteries is due to my very weak acid batteries the voltage was able to shoot up almost immediately to 15+ volts indicating a very weak battery bank. Because I now have a new battery in good condition this will not happen until the SOC is near or at full. I don't know the science behind this but Ryan was emphatic this is the way things work with bad vs good batteries. So for anyone who is experiencing a rapid increase of voltage within a minute or two from turning your solar on or plugging into shore power it is a dead on indication of very weak battery bank that should be replaced. One thing you can check on via the IPN Remote is the max and min voltage your battery bank has experienced via the menus which should indicate if your bank has ever hit 14.2. Thus far I have kept the Power Dynamics out of the loop since its charge current is 14.4 amps and non adjustable as far as I know. Tech support at Epoch stated they like to see the first several charges at a max of 14.2 as it is more "gentle" on the new circuit parts until they are broken in. Sorry I don't recall what those parts were within the BMS but he was serious about letting things break in slowly and easy initially. Fine by me as I rarely use shore power. Thanks for the help and info.

Turns out my unit was wired correctly, the yellow wire from battery compartment goes into one side of the shunt and on the other terminal a yellow wire runs straight to the Power Dynamics Panel. Special treatment I guess, odd that others did not have it wired correctly. Thanks for the heads up on correct wiring.

@jd1923 luckily we are at home so not a big deal for now. No telling how many miles we ran with this thing dangling coming back from CO. Given the age of our unit #70 I will just replace the entire batch especially given how many folks have had issues with their Monroe's. For sure I will remove this one today a bit later. Thanks for the suggestions.

FWIW in the conversation I do not have an inverter in system other than a small we occasionally use for charging phones, tablets, and computers via the 12 volt plugs in the cabin. Just haven't found much need for anything more than that so far.

Good info Steve. Curious I currently have two red wires coming into the battery box and one yellow. I assume one of the red wires goes to the Power Dynamics Charger/breaker panel while the other goes to the Solar Charger. Note one red wire is 6 AWG while the other is probably 10 AWG (can't tell yet for sure. However at least in my case upon further examining I do have a yellow wire going into my shunt but need to chase it back to make sure it's the going directly into the battery compartment. Lots of distractions this morning.

Well crap as luck would have it just discovered yesterday while working on my Ollie installing new battery I have a broken shock or rather the nut came of the suspension loosing rubber grommets and all and just dangling loose. Must have happened on our recent trip to Colorado National Monument a couple of weeks ago. Have not been able to find anyone with the Bulldogs in stock yet but need to fix this soon.

Correct I do have the 300 AH Essential should have stated that in my OP. I am not so concerned with the SOC so much as why my max voltage all day was throttled at 13.6 vs the 14.2 volts I had programmed into the IPN Pro Remote. It was a clear sunny brilliant day with only a few clouds rolling over periodically. On similar days with the old LA batteries I could easily obtain over 15 volts charging for equalization. Otherwise yes your math is close enough. This morning I am at 72% with 215 amps with a Volt Diff of only .001 volts indicating the cells are very close to a balanced state from the factory. Thanks for the input.

Thanks Bill. No I didn't change anything at all other than hooking the main cables onto their respective terminals on new battery. It never occurred to me this might be necessary. I will check this shortly to see how the cables were originally routed. This begs the question why would it be different for the lead acid batteries vs the new Lithium in regards to the charge voltage of only 13.6 vs the 14.2 I programmed into the IPN Pro Remote? Rob

Thanks. Correct the BS 3024iL is a MPPT type of solar charger. I may need to clarify a few things. I am not all that concerned with my SOC so much as to why even in bulk charging mode the charge rate is only 13.6 volts vs the 14.2 that I programmed in the IPN Remote. Even on a sunny brilliant day it never got past that value when in the past with my lead acid batteries I could easily get well into the 15+ volts with equalization mode. Just doesn't make sense to me, unless as @topgun2 stated it might have something to do with the routing of the negative cable. I did not make any changes what so ever when I installed the new battery. Just didn't see the need to consider it.

Finally took the plunge and ordered a LiPO battery from Epoch. For now only going with one given what little DC we have consumed in the past. Install was fairly easy except for the massive clean up of rust, battery acid deposits on tray and battery cabinet. Half the screws mounting the slide out tray were rusted past re-use. No big deal on that. Still using the Blue Sky Solar Controller 3024iL with IPN Pro Remote. Made sure to set proper parameters before installing the battery and based on a phone conversation with Epoch they stated 14.2 bulk, 14.2 absorption, and 13.6 float. The system has been charging all day, however at only 13.6 volts although the IPN Remote says its in bulk mode. The day has been very sunny, with a few puffy white clouds floating by periodically. In the past with lead acid batteries I have easily been able to get well into 15+ amps for a long equalization charge. Have double checked all my settings a couple of times throughout the day and they are correct but still no 14.2 volts on the charge. Suffice it to say it's going slow. Battery was at 46% out of the box and half an hour ago now at 70%. Is this normal? Probably not, but anyone have any ideas on what might be going on? Thanks in advance

This is the first I have heard of being able to use never lube bearings. I do have the 5200 lb axles just by luck as Oliver was out of the 3500 lb axles when building mine but did have some 5200 lb units. Is it possible to simply replace bearings on my setup with the never lubes or are their more complicated mods one has to do? Also while on this subject what is the advantage of adding more springs for a trailer that will never be carrying the max load? Seems to me this would make for a much stiffer ride for the trailer vs the 4 leaf springs. But what do I know:) Thanks

Yep thats the same way I hooked them up too, thanks for the reassurance.