Dave and Kimberly

While helping a friend with his 2018 E2 (with AGM batteries and solar panels) .... in an effort to prepare it for storage (no electricity is available at the facility), I was showing him how to shut down anything that might have any "phantom" electric draw, ie... the inverter, Furrion sound system, etc., I discovered that there is no apparent way to shut off his Zamp Solar charge controller. On mine (2022 E2) I can turn the red switch up in the street side storage area and shut off the lights (on the controller). Anybody know how to do this on a 2018 Oliver configured like his?

I'm only chiming in here because I also DESPISE that POS awning remote! (there... got that off my chest!) It is indicative however, of the problems Oliver faces when trying to build a world class travel trailer while having to contend with suppliers who make components for the industry as a whole. When you only build 7 or 8 Olivers a week (and purchase only 7 or 8 sets of parts a week from any given supplier) its impossible to have "influence" on those suppliers with that low volume... when the others brands purchase hundreds and thousands. This is the world Oliver has to contend with on all components that are outsourced. The best they can do is choose supplier produced components as carefully as possible. That said... Hats off too Steve and Cindy for ingeniously thinking to shake their awning to get it to retract on it's own. My wife had the idea of creating a "remote center" high on the left wall, just inside the door for the (chintzy Girard) awning remote and the awesome Max Air fan remote. All with velcro strips. We also have two hooks for the wad of trailer keys and truck keys... in their own spot.

I have a rider on my Auto Owners insurance policy that for $25 a year covers all reasonable roadside assistance required. My insurance AGENT however is the one I expect to make sure that, if needed... they make sure it's covered.

I can attest to the difference (almost always) between the batteries, usually just 4 ~5%. I am certain that what JD says on the balancing out is the culprit. I've actually been letting my batteries get down to the RSV.... just so that I can "reset" the SOC. Most of us in the normal course of usage are simply doing the micro-charging mentioned above.... and likely experiencing some sensor drift over time. (FYI: we've spent 248 nights in ours and today is the first time I've actually let them run down like this to do the reset) Responding to Apreski... I do use the Oliver electrical system to re-charge. Simply plug the Ollie into my garage 20amp outlet to recharge the my three 130AH batteries. I did not take the batteries out last winter (here in Ohio)... but I did make sure that the batteries stayed charged enough for the electric heater to keep things protected.

This is the things that you learn by watching (on the Forum) the problems, little discoveries, etc... and more importantly what they did to resolve the problem. After a while, you will develop a level of confidence in your ability to handle most anything that comes up in your travels. Bigger things... might require some support from Oliver... or can be fixed at home in your driveway where most likely you have access to more tools. I tend to go around my Ollie after I get home and check, clean, adjust, fix or whatever while things are fresh in my mind. Then after it's washed and waxed I put the cover on it while awaiting the next adventure.

Great idea ! Another game changer is a magnet mounted right there at the same light ... positioned just right to catch and hold the bathroom door open when you want. I got the idea from Topgun. First tried Command strip... but it didn't hold up so I eventually broke down and screwed it into the fiberglass.

Oh... and I've often wanted to say thanks to Topgun2 (Bill) for giving me a great tour of all the little ideas you showed me on your trailer. Ours was only about a week old at the point and we didn't know much at all at that point. Since then I've incorporated several of them! Bill and Linda Ruble were a big help to us at that first Oliver Rally... helping us to understand "everything black tank and how to maintain it". The combined experience of this group...and know how (oftentimes from their long careers in technical fields) makes this group MORE HELPFUL than even the Oliver service people and I think they are great... but personal experience with these trailers in the real world is pretty hard thing to beat.

I'm with you on that Rick... regularly here... but rarely have something original or useful to contribute. That said... I think I'm nearly an Oliver RV specialist (🙃) with all the things I've investigated based on the problems and most importantly, the solutions that others have experienced with their Ollies. My goal is to resolve as many problems at home so that they don't happen while traveling. We just came home from 10 weeks traveling to the PNW and now back in driveway. Here, I have fixed the chintzy little (twice broken) plastic toilet flange with a stronger metal one. Then I finally got to inspect the gears and replace the grease in (all three) of the stabilizer gear boxes. This has been something I've wanted to do since JD's post on the subject. Knowing how to do things like resetting the refrigerator, cleaning the sail switch on the furnace or resetting the Truma hot water heater (after accidentally putting it into "clean mode"), understanding the EMS error codes and about a dozen other things are game changers because of what I've learned from all the forum contributors. I like to say "I'm busy fixing things that aren't broke... before they get worse." I hope I don't get thrown out because I don't post often! I think I'm an official signed in "member"? All this said... HELLO everyone! I like our forum!

You didn't say how low of temps you were talking about or if you were going to be living in it or just storing it until you do "visit warmer climes"... but I'd say, with the furnace on and plugged into shore power you should be good down into the 20's. The weak point would be the outside shower faucets, due to their exposed position and of course any water hose connected to the city inlet port. There will be some that have experience at lower temps but I'd be concerned with that unless I was actually living in it at the time to be monitoring things. For what I am guessing would be intermittent trips... and being stored at home with furnace running you should be good into the twenties. More than that, I would just learn (if you haven't already) how to winterize it. It's not a difficult process to winterize/de-winterize and then you would be protected without having to run furnace/aging the systems... while it's not being used.

I completely understand and agree with what Oliver is "exploring". A way to ensure that they continue to grow in sales... and take care of their existing customers without having to drive so far for service. It's very important to remember that they also have an obligation to their own employees to keep them gainfully employed. This requires SALES of new products. I spoke to many potential customers in the farthest corners who were immediately turned off by the idea of not only having to buy and pickup from factory in Tennessee... but also having to take it back there if there were any service issue. Continued growth is the only way a company can survive. The low hanging fruit is picked... now they need to stretch to get more.

Dexter recommends greasing the suspension every 3,000 miles. I've got 12,000 miles on mine (#1097) and can attest to it... because at 3,001 miles.... it's squeaks like a ... well it just squeaks a lot!! I have the LocknLube along with the 90 degree attachment. I've had to do it a couple of times while on the road. Things I've learned: If the wet bolt doesn't accept grease.... try taking weight off one side or the other with the rear stabilizers... just enough to shift the position of that wet bolt to allow it to accept new grease. The other thing I've learned is if your ready to rotate your tires (recommended every 10k miles)... it's a breeze to get at all 16 of the zerks with those tires out of the way! I did mine just yesterday. Now a question: I recently asked a friend if they had greased their suspension zerks... and they didn't have any! I crawled under theirs to see for myself.... it was a Dexter system... virtually identical... but without any zerks. Is there a way to convert these things to something that has some sort of sealed bearings? To me it's a pain maintenance job that has to be done somewhere on the road nearly every time we travel (even though it's freshly greased before we leave home). The idea of a wet bolt to me seems like something from the era of steam engines when the engineer and his mate walked all around the locomotive greasing/oiling all manner of moving parts.

Frank C... I'm almost certain that it was you that saved my bacon with that information before! I must not have had the actual file because I had to type it up... but thanks for this PDF format also. I'm sure putting it out there it will save some others on the road.

After a few situations that forced me to do a deeper dive into our Oliver electrical systems, I'm learning rule #1 is "TRUST your Progressive Industries EMS!" I have on 2 or three occasions, when the inverter just isn't coming on "like usual"... and stumbling around trying to find which of my three Oliver manuals has the list of error codes for the EMS... I've decided to type it up and post it right next to the EMS read out (in my 2022, it's in the rear storage bin on the right). Having those Error Codes, along with their definitions conveniently available... can go a long ways to discovering the root of the problem and fixing it quickly. If you like, I've attached the List of Error Codes and their meaning on a Word file below. It's typed exactly as the Progressive Industries owners manual says it. Maybe someone else will find it handy? Error Codes .docx BUT WAIT! There is more! If you act now... I will include the steps you need to take if you accidentally put your Truma On Demand water heater into "clean mode". These steps are found no where in the Truma owners manual provided by Oliver... and were supplied to me by someone whose name I have lost... but in a remote campground in Vermont... they saved us from taking cold showers for the remainder of our trip! accidently put the Truma into Cleaning Mode.docx

I decided to get the Rock Star. I chose the full width version that closes most of the gap in the middle. I like the way it looks with the truck, it's solid and easy to pull off when I'm home. At the time I was shopping... they all seemed to be in the same price point. After a lot of gravel roads... still not a nick anywhere on our Oliver.

I think that when you turn the master switch off... all power is turned off to the cabin lights (inside cabinets, ceiling and touch lights)... so they shouldn't be able to come on. When you turn on the master switch... all the touch lights come on also no matter how they were before... and it's up to you then, to go around and turn off any touch lights that you don't want on. With that master switch left on... the very sensitive touch lights can make a contact and come on "by themselves". I imagine any vibration, wind, slamming the door, etc. can make the little springs can make contact, thus turning on the touch light.

Roger... is it really necessary to be able to turn it on/off ? My understanding is that it "goes to sleep" until you use the app on your phone, which then wakes it up again when it's time to use it. Advantages for the Pro + (over the original model) seem to be almost 3 times the battery (240mAh vs 620mAh), ability to run off of a micro USB port, and compatable to Apple Watch. Other wise it seems that they both work and function exactly the same.

I have just investigated this very point: Can we file for a tax credit in regards to the solar panels, inverter and batteries for a newly purchased Oliver. I was extremely skeptical of the claims (in Oliver Trailer Owners FaceBook group). In the discussion, I think everyone was an Oliver owner. One was a licensed CPA with much experience and had researched the tax codes specific to the very questions that Oliver owners were asking. In addition, there were at least three that had successfully filed (under the advice of professional CPA's) and received their credit for everything (Panels, inverter and batteries) in 2020 and 2021. I (like some of you) found in the code where the batteries could be included only if they were used exclusively to store solar energy. This was the sticking point of the persons like me that felt it might not be possible, because we can also plug into shore power and charge our batteries. The Tax code is always lagging behind new technology and the common sense fact that no solar panel system can work without having a storage system as part of it. Beginning 1/1/2023 the batteries were clarified and can now be included. Tax code is written and when there are conflicts, CPA's and lawyers will argue and then precedent is established as courts make findings. There was much ambiguity from 2020, 2021,2022. There was (in the discussions) numerous persons confirmed that their CPA's were advising Oliver Owners to claim everything (panels, inverter and batteries), and the several that have successfully done so and received their tax credits. In addition, the IRS rules have already clarified this "sticking" point going forward in 2023. In all these discussions there were a least a couple that were going to file their personal taxes this weekend (using their trusted CPA) and I hope to hear back from them if there is any new info that comes out of it. Another point that came out of the discussions is that there is no concern with claiming an Oliver as a "2nd home". Prior years the credit was 26%, in 2022 it is 30% and I think 2023 goes back to 26% also. With a brand new Oliver, where the cost for the solar panels, the inverter and the batteries is very easy to itemize (because Oliver spells it out on your invoice)... capturing the total cost is easy. In our case it is $9,500 for the Lithium Pro package... and the sales tax of 7.25% my total cost was $10,189 times a 30% tax credit should equal $3,058. The form that needs to be filled out is Tax Form 5695 (Residential Energy Credit). I'm going to file an amended tax return (using that form) and the very worse that could happen is it could be refused... but based on common sense (it's still makes a good argument) and with enough persons that have already successfully done so, I don't think our tax credit will be denied.

We were up in Nova Scotia... when I inadvertently bumped it into the "Clean mode". Frank C came to the rescue with the above procedure to reset the Truma water heater and it was much appreciated. I would advise everyone with the Truma water heater to print that off and keep it in your manual. It's not in the manual.

Well... isn't that a surprise! I understood that I needed the original part to do the decalcification process as well. I have looked everywhere for that part and thought that I either never received it... or put somewhere that I wouldn't forget?? I was about to just order a replacement part so that would have it when the time came. (I have the tablets). I can't wait to get the cover off and see if mine has been hiding in plain sight all this time as well! 🙂

Not surprised. We have a sales tax on everything except food here in Ohio. We pay 7.25% here... which I thought was high. I was surprised that in Tennessee it was 8%! Investigating... I learned that there is typically a state sales tax and then local county taxes added on as voted on by each county. For example, Ohio starts out at 5.75%... but then local taxes added on... total up to our 7.25%. Is it a bite? No it's HUGE BITE!!!!

I have Home Owners Ins.company. $392 per 6 months. With insurance... the devil is in the details. We have both comprehensive and collision replacement value w/$1k deductable, Road trouble service- all reasonable costs, Vacation Emergency expense (hotel expenses $250 per day) and liability, Contents $5k and awning replacement (zero deductable). My replacement value has a limit extending out to 3 years... After that I think we need to determine a new replacement value going forward.

Yes, necessity is always the mother of invention! As far as the table goes... it's pretty tough and it's made to be used. We learned a trick from the locals (after paying close to a $100 each a few times) just for the two of us to have fresh lobster. They said no one up there does that!! They said go to the local grocery store where for $8.99lb we chose four lobsters out of a tank... they steamed them right there in the store while we were shopping for other things (like lots of butter)... took them back to the camper and had them along with some fresh corn on the cob. As soon as dinner was finished they went right back out the door, in the same bag they came in. The smell was gone within two days. (just kidding... no smell right away 🙂 )

The very first time I set in an Oliver... I thought the table felt a little bit "cramped"... so I made plans to make my own dinette table to "dress up the Oliver". I make furniture so it wasn't a problem. Imagine my surprise when later on, while waiting on ours to be delivered I saw where Foy makes them for many of the Oliver owners! I made ours out of some select quarter-sawn walnut and put one of my favorite finishes on it which is pretty much bullet proof. Taking some inspiration from the pictures of Foy's night stand and pantry... I had glued up some blanks for those as well... but we found that we liked the clean and bright look of the Oliver... so haven't implemented those ideas. Then after our first trip I did see the wisdom (imitation is the best form of flattery right?) of the night stand organizer and the silverware tray. I did ours with the cloud lifts which is also inspired by the Greene and Greene look. I do think the "wider" dinette table is nice and as you can see it makes it bit easier to have a nice dinner. I did not want to interfere with the ability to sit sideways with the cushion along the wall... so I didn't go any larger in that direction.

Call RVLock directly. If they can't get you up and running after they do their own trouble shooting... they will probably send you some new parts or even a brand new lock assembly. If it's pretty new... I think you can make the argument you don't want to be changing out circuit boards and such. I did... it wasn't hard... but it also let me down again a few weeks later and RVLOCK eventually sent me an entirely new lock and I installed in on the OTT door and it's been working fine since then. On another note: I was frustrated and asked if this is going to be an annual thing of my lock not working... until the warranty runs out. They assured me that they will stand by it as long as I own it and am the original purchaser. Second note: We only got one remote keyless fob with our Oliver. I asked RVLock about it and they sent me an additional one along with the parts. Evidently some of the RVLock kits went out with only one remote. They were all supposed to have two.