John Welte
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Posts posted by John Welte
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1 hour ago, SeaDawg said:
It's electron magic, I guess.
We don't have the same system (we're blue sky solar, 400 watts fixed, 200 watts portable, pd charger /inverter, and agm natteries) but all these systems are pretty much set up with limits and rules so that everybody follows kindergarten protocols... play well together.
What we do is use genset in the morning, when most empty, and get the biggest bang for our fossil fuel buck, if boondocking. Let the solar take up the slower high end of the charge curve.
I actually have asked this question a number of times, to various manufacturers. All the charging devices have limits programmed in, so, you can't "overcharge". (Though, as we all know, lifepo4 like to be charged only infrequently to 100 per cent. They're not happy with constant float charge to full capacity, opposite of lead acid. )
So, we've run with that advice. Over seven years on current agms, approaching seven on flas on the boat, and 4 or 5 on house lithium powerwalls. I may not understand it all , but we follow their charts and settings, and so far, so good.
When I asked if I could just leave my lithium batteries plugged in 24/7 I was told it was ok. That means they are always at 100%. OTT gave me that advice.
John
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3 hours ago, topgun2 said:
I suspect that (as I think GJ alluded to earlier) one would have to get the person that set up/manufactured each component of the system to sit down together with all the others and have a discussion as to exactly how each was programed or at least the way that piece was supposed to work. Perhaps a flow chart of sorts for each would help. Without that I don't see that it would be possible to fully understand each without reverse engineering it.
Bill
Bill,
Do they cover some of these questions at the rally? I don't have a good grasp of the electrical systems and how to integrate a portable solar panel if I had one available.
John
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12 hours ago, HDRider said:
I would have thought the first dealer would have been more than 300 miles from Hohenwald
I was surprised too how close it was. We're in Oregon. I suppose they have to start somewhere. I wonder how they will be priced at the dealer versus at Hohenwald.
John
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4 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:
This has been my method for the last 8 years. No issues. Mike
My method too.
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1 hour ago, topgun2 said:
Primarily covers are used to reduce a tire's exposure to UV light which degrades the rubber over time. The less light that the tires are exposed to results in longer life of the rubber.
Some people will use tire covers virtually all the time when stopped - even overnight. But, most simply use them while the RV is in storage.
Bill
I have the covers on all four tires even though when stored, the curbside tires face north and never have sun on them.
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5 hours ago, Jason Foster said:
While I am on board with the idea, I would have to convince my wife. That might not be too hard to do since I would be the one doing toilet cleaning duties, but it will have to wait. We can add one later if needed.
My wife said no to the composting toilet. I believe 90% are bought with that option when I talked to Jason E a few weeks ago. We can always do it later, but we like the flush toilet for now.
John
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6 hours ago, Joe C said:
Hello,
My wife and I are new Oliver Elite II owners. In fact, we put the last 2023 built. We took it back home to Wyoming and I have it winterized, covered and plugged in to shore power. I am feeling pretty good about this coming winter, however, I would feel better with tire covers. What covers have you had good luck with? Thank you for your suggestions.
Welcome to the Oliver family. We just pulled #1290 through Wyoming last week. Boondocked at Evanston in 17° temperature and stayed warm. A little condensation on the windows, but very little. Never on the walls. Ours is stored outside in Oregon, plugged in with tire covers. Ours was the third to last Elite II for 2022.
John
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11 hours ago, ScubaRx said:
We too have camped through some serious storms, most all of which were thunderstorms. I am always somewhat anxious during one while we are inside the Oliver. The fiberglass hull provides zero protection from a lightning strike. If it gets bad enough, we will leave the trailer and get inside the truck. This would be the on awwly time that an Airstream is clearly better than an Oliver due to the fact that its metal body normally protects people from lightning strikes by acting as a Faraday cage.
We have never been in a hail storm of any consequence.
That's great advice. Thanks. I used your link and learned about the Faraday cage.
John
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On 10/30/2023 at 11:18 AM, Doug S said:
So I'm confused...Even though they are high quality and "fit perfectly", we probably shouldn't get them because they don't appear to be bulged acorn?
Doug, I bought the SS lug nuts that ScubaRx mentioned made of 304 SS. I was just in Hohenwald and had service and showed them what I bought. They said that they would work. They're not the bulged acorn. They did install them and I didn't ask what torque setting they used. I do have a torque wrench with me so will set it to 95 and see if any are less than that. Someone earlier posted that they torque higher than 95. We're in Kentucky heading to Oregon now.
John
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9 hours ago, SeaDawg said:
It appears to have been successful for two other respected fiberglass manufacturers, Bigfoot and Northern Lite, that I know of. We'll just have to wait and see how it works for Oliver. I too, wish them the best.
I don't see that as a negative, if the chosen dealers are Oliver- specific trained, and dotted around the country (and who knows, maybe Canada?), it could afford many of us a much closer access to Oliver service. We are about a 12 hour drive-time trip to Hohenwald. I can only see that as a positive.
I am for it. We are in Oregon. That's much further than a 12 hour drive!
John
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10 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:
On their way to Florida, probably.
We'll be ready. As always.
Hope your appointment goes well.
We made a list. It's our first time as we bought November,2022.
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1 hour ago, SeaDawg said:
So, we sadly abandoned the beautiful leaves of the Appalachians, and drove home to Florida today .
The migration had begun.
So many campers, trailers, and class a's already on the road.
Floridians, like us, on the way home. Lots of Canadians (Ontario and quebec plates), and most Eastern/midwest upper states.
The folks from quebec seem to travel in pairs, or threes. Two or three similar motor homes, or fifth wheels.
Florida folks, be prepared. Camping sites will again be limited, throughout the prime winter season.
We're in Paducah, Kentucky and this RV park is full. Somehow I thought it would be empty. We're only traveling because we're heading to Hohenwald for its first service. Lots of big Class A's.
John
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9 hours ago, topgun2 said:
The problem you encountered is one of the reasons that some people use one of THESE versus trying to use the SeeLevel system.
One of these flow monitors also reduces the need for running back and forth from outside to inside and back again.
Glad the "overflow" wasn't too bad for you.
Bill
Bill,
Looks very useful. I was rinsing the black tank and was inside watching the % full on the black tank. It stopped registering at 55%. I thought, well maybe it will jump up to 75%. I kept waiting. Then I saw the toilet bowl valve move. I ran outside to turn it off. That flow monitor looks very useful. Do they work as intended?
John
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7 hours ago, AlbertNTerri said:
I could be wrong with my calculations, but it looks like your TV weight went up 600-620 pounds when hooked up which makes your tongue weight (600-620).
Interestingly, the anderson shifts about 40 pounds from the rear TV axle to the front TV axle and shifts 20 pounds from the rear axle of the TV to the trailer axles (I thought it would be more than that), but...there you have it.
Trailer weighed in at 6440 pounds
Albert, thanks for the math. We have been in Denver for six days helping our daughter care for her two sons, 2 months old and 19 months old while her husband was in Italy for work. Lots of work taking care of those little guys. He's back now and we're heading to Hohenwald by the 29th. Thanks again.
John
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25 minutes ago, rich.dev said:
John, did you punch those numbers into the spread sheet I emailed you? If yes it will show the hitch/tongue and trailer weight.
I will do that. I have been busy with two grandsons under the age of two. Diaper changes, bottles, cleaning up, etc.
John
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Hi all math whizzes. I took the tv and trailer through twice. First time with the Anderson hooked up. Second time without and third time with the tv only. Does anyone know if doing those three weighs will give me the hitch weight and the trailer weight. Here are the numbers:
1st weigh- steer axle 3120, drive axle 4260, trailer axle 5840. Gross weight 13220
2nd weigh- steer axle 3080, drive axle 4340, trailer axle 5800, gross weight 13220
3rd weigh- steer axle 3380, drive axle 3400, gross weight 6780
The tv is a 2017 Ford Expedition. Missing from the tv was my wife at 140 pounds and maybe 100 pounds of cooler and drinking water. The fuel tank was full as well as the fresh water tank. Black and gray were empty. Thanks for any help. Have a great week all.
John
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On 10/19/2023 at 9:12 AM, Rivernerd said:
The two of you like to live dangerously!
A reminder that absorption fridges use an open flame to heat the refrigerant when in propane mode. The potentially catastrophic consequences of an open flame parked anywhere near a gas pump are enough to persuade me to use DC mode when on the road.
John, as I recall you have solar panels and a 390 Ah Lithionics battery bank. For what it 's worth, we always use DC mode when on the road, with the solar turned on. Each time, when we arrive at camp, we switch to propane if boondocking, or to AC if we have hookups. I then check battery State of Charge to determine how much the fridge in DC mode has drawn down our 390 Ah Lithionics battery bank, given the offset from the solar panels. I have yet to find the SOC below 90% when we arrive at camp. That 10% deficit is quickly replenished by the solar panels after a few daylight hours when boondocking.
My brother died 6 years ago after he ignited a slash pile doused with gasoline. My son quips that "Uncle Larry went down in flames...."
Rivernerd, you are right. Very sorry about your brother Larry. We have the same set-up that you have. I have always run the fridge on DC while traveling. Like you my SOC hasn't gone down much. Two days of travel with a boondocking stop brought me down to 76%. Not bad. If I ever ran it on propane while traveling, I would turn off the propane while fueling.
John
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1 hour ago, topgun2 said:
You do know that your question(s) just might start a "storm" of comments here on the Forum?
Yes, I do travel with propane on. In order to amplify the safety measures that are already built into these tanks, I installed "GasStop" propane shutoff valves (like THESE). However, I should note that if I had the battery bank that you do - I have 4 six volt lead acid batteries - I just might run the fridge on a/c while towing.
No, I do not turn off my propane while getting fuel. However, my filler port on my F-150 is on the opposite of the rig versus where the fridge is located. Hopefully, I'm smart enough to not drive into a "pool" of fuel that is laying on the ground and/or move if I can smell a strong odor of fuel.
Bill
"However, my filler port on my F-150 is on the opposite of the rig versus where the fridge is located."
Bill, my filler is on driver's side like yours also. I may try doing what you do. I do have two gas stop devices.
John
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9 minutes ago, rich.dev said:
Not sure why, let me try again.Towing calculations spreadsheet.xlsx
Still can't open on my phone. Where is it from?
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12 minutes ago, rich.dev said:
3 weighs if you have a weight distribution system/Anderson anti sway hitch....there are 3 "platforms/scales" at the CAT scale
1) Weigh your TV and trailer with weight distribution enabled, front axle of TV on front platform/scale, rear axe of TV on the second platform/scale and trailer axle/axles on the 3rd platform/scale
2) Same as above but weight distribution system disengaged, I leave it attached but just loosen the tension on the chains.
3) Only TV, front axle on front platform/scale and rear axle on 2nd platform/scale.Make sure the 2nd and 3rd weighs are "re weighs", i.e you pay full price for the 1st weigh and much cheaper for the 2nd and 3rd weigh.
Then punch the numbers into this spreadsheet.
Thanks. I couldn't get the spreadsheet to open. Thanks for the detailed order of weighing.
John
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Hi all, we left Oregon for Tennessee and I stopped at a CAT scale. That gives three readings; steer axle, drive axle and trailer axle. How do you get tongue weight and trailer weight? Do you weigh with the Anderson attached or remove that for weighing. I saw a thing called Smart Weigh that weighs each tire, but is only available in Florida, Texas and Arizona. What do y'all do?
John
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1 hour ago, topgun2 said:
I have much the same situation - if I attach my Oliver while still in the driveway the nose of the Ollie is way too high. Therefore, a couple of days before departing on a trip I will turn on the fridge (not hooked to the TV of course) and let it get cold. This way I can monitor the fridge and have time to correct a problem should one develop. On the day of departure I will turn the fridge off, hook the Ollie to my TV and depart. As soon as I'm on fairly level ground I'll stop, check the rig over and turn on the fridge. This process only takes a couple of minutes.
Bill
Bill, I ran the fridge on DC both travel days, from Ontario to Evanston, Wyoming and again from Evanston to Denver. The solar panels kept up for the most part and kept the lithium pro package close to starting SOC every day. Do you travel with propane on? When getting fuel do you then turn off the propane?
John
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On 10/15/2023 at 3:39 AM, AlbertNTerri said:
probably not ideal, can you keep it hooked up and just raise the nose 6-8 inches to be closer to level? just dont forget to lower it before driving off...
Probably will just leave it level in the parking area and hook up in the morning next time.
John
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On 10/15/2023 at 7:17 AM, Ronbrink said:
You really should consider getting a hitch that will level the Oliver when under tow. The optimum ball height should be 23.5” from what I recall. There are many riser type adjustable hitches available, check out etrailer.com then do a price comparison/Amazon availability search.
We are level while under tow. We live on a hill so when the trailer is unhitched and in the parking area, the nose goes up about 12-18 inches after I unhook to get to level in the parking spot.
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Charging Ollie With Multiple PowerSources, split from flex panels thread
in Ollie Modifications
Posted
Thanks Bill, we haven't decided yet whether we're going to the rally. I would like to go, but we will have just returned from two months in Australia just before the rally starts. Our son lives in Tasmania. Thanks for your comment.
John