rideandfly

John, Congrats on your new Ollie and Thanks for the furnace report!

Mike, Welcome! We purchased our 2015 LE2 Ollie used during 2016, really like camping with Ollie. Don't have factory solar on our Ollie, use two 100W Renogy suitcase solar panels with a single Battleborn 100W lithium battery. Tow Ollie with a 2022 Toyota Tundra, nice combination for us. Plenty of very knowledgeable folks here for input on camping & towing an Ollie.

Wanted to replace our existing heater this winter. Ordered a Caframo heater today, Thanks for the info!

We use a single induction cooktop. Works nicely and store it in a drawer, too. Use Ollie's propane cooktop when shore power is not available.

Mike, Nice job!

Never researched if they can be mounted in an Oliver, Yep, we liked being able to open windows while it was raining. Also liked having the ability to adjust shade and screen height together.

Our previous camper had Dometic Seitz style windows you could open while raining. They had built in shades, screen, and hinged window. Miss having that style of window.

We store our 2015 LE2 in an airplane hangar without electricity and heat since 2018, when not camping. We use a master disconnect switch to disconnect the Battleborn battery while in storage. Battleborn storage instructions:

We were camping in VA a few years ago and attended this fine event. Saw many different campers, camping gear, and many great ideas!

SeaDawg, We reduced our batteries from 2 AGMs weighing 134 pounds to 1 lithium weighing 31 pounds. We just returned from a three night camping trip at a COE campground with electric and water at the site. Turned the onboard 12V battery charger off when we arrived and did not turn it back on until the morning we headed home. We operated lights, TV, everything that runs off of 12V and the lithium battery was down to 50% on the morning of departure. Normally it takes about an hour to charge the lithium battery from 70% to 100% with the onboard PD 4045 charger powered by shore power or a Honda 2000 gen-set. We have the Dometic three way refrigerator. Only operate it on gas or 120V. If we had a compressor refrigerator, would probably want at least two 100AH lithium batteries, for poor solar days. That modification might gain weight, something I don’t want to do, keeping Ollie’s weight low. Guessing the compressor refrigerator is lighter than the Dometic 3 way refrigerator. Experimenting right now with charging the 100AH lithium with two 100W suitcase solar panels. May buy a MPPT charge controller next. Will see! Thanks!

Marty, In addition to what was said above, we had two 100AH AGM batteries weighing in at 67 pounds each replacing them with one 100AH Battleborn lithium weighing in at 31 pounds to do the same job as the previous batteries. This change reduced battery weight with improved battery performance with faster charging and can discharge the Battleborn well below 50% as discussed above. https://www.batteriesplus.com/product-details/marine_rv/battery/duracell-ultra/sli27magmdc https://battlebornbatteries.com/product/12v-lifepo4-deep-cycle-battery/ Very pleased with the Battleborn 100AH battery performance.

Beautiful! We hope to camp in Michigan next year!

Here’s our favorite campsite at COE Bandit’s Roost campground Wilkesboro, NC, site # 28. This site is hard to get, someone must have canceled, allowing us to camp on it earlier this week. It’s been 70’s during the day and upper 40’s at night. The Blue Ridge Parkway is not too far away for a day drive, too. 🙂 Blue Ridge Parkway NC

There are not many good “solar” sites in A (RV) loop at Mt Pisgah. Some sites can be reserved and some cannot. We normally camp in the summer when we’re looking for shade, but sites A10 and A15 look like better solar sites. The map previously posted should indicate if the site can be reserved. We’re visiting the lower elevation part of the BRP around Doughton Park NC today.

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This small level has worked well for a few years, believe there was an adhesive on the bottom. Used a 1' spirit level to check it a few weeks ago, still working fine. https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Level-Tool-125-Cross/dp/B000LDETSU/ref=psdc_4989299011_t3_B01N704G45 https://www.johnsonlevel.com/News/SpiritLevelInformation

Added an additional 100W Renogy solar suitcase making two total 100W solar suitcases. Currently using a Renogy PWM charge controller. Decided to increase solar port capacity from 10 Amps to 20 Amps. Original Furrion 10 Amp solar port: Installing Zamp 20 Amp solar port in existing Furrion unit: Next modification will probably be installation of a Victron or Renogy MPPT charge controller.

Sounds good being able to monitor transmission oil temps. Etrailer has oil coolers available for the 2019 5.7l Tundra. It would not be difficult installation for DIY or a local shop. Personally, I would install one if our Tundra did not have one installed. https://www.etrailer.com/tran-2019_Toyota_Tundra.htm?style=5.7L+V8+Engine

Agree, every truck should weigh listed curb weight before modifications. Surprised me how conservative our Toyota payload weight was after adding about 150 pounds of accessories finding the available Tundra payload is 150 pounds above listed 1400 pound payload after adding accessories. Here’s the camping gear we carry in the Tundra on trips, not seen in photo are two sets of golf clubs (one half set) and Honda 2000 gen-set. We try to only take gear that’s needed for trips, but glad we have the capacity to take our golf gear, too. 🙂

Forgot about having this Brother label maker, it may not last long, will see:

Here's latest CAT scale results for our 2022 SR5 2WD Crew Cab Tundra's new curb weight after installing accessories. I did not document accessory weights during installation. Installed Toyota side rails, Toyota folding hard bed cover, Toyota bed mat, Toyota Mud guards, and Timbren SES rear suspension kit. Weighed the Tundra with all contents removed, accessories installed, full 32 gallon fuel tank, and no occupants. Original rear differential jounce blocks: Timbren rear differential SES suspension system: Original payload of 1400 pounds from Toyota: Subtract new Curb weight from GVW to learn new payload. Very surprised by the results: GVW 6990 pounds - New Curb weight 5440 pounds = 1550 pounds. Toyota was very conservative with the payload weight of this vehicle, I'm sticking with listed 1400 pound original payload. Reading Truck on payload and towing capacities: https://www.readingtruck.com/calculating-your-trucks-maximum-payload-and-towing-capacity New Curb Weight:

dewdev, After finishing the installation, thought the same thing. Will post if I come up with a nice looking way to make the change! Thanks!

Fine looking rig!!!!!!!

We enjoy camping at Mt Pisgah, too. Doubt if we will be camping there for the rest of this year, but will head back next May! Hopefully will meet other Ollie campers there next May! Met another fine Ollie owner there earlier this summer!

John and Kim, Thanks for your post! We must have been camping when you made this post. Already made the Solar port modification increasing the 10 amp port to 20 amp port before seeing your post today. Renogy website covering solar panel wiring, parallel, series, or parallel/series system. https://www.renogy.com/learn-series-and-parallel/ Renogy recommends wiring the solar panels parallel when using PMW charge controller to maintain output voltage for the controller to work in high efficiently. I see now why SeaDawg was asking if I was wiring the panels in series with a MPPT controller, we have a PMW controller, Voyager 20 amp waterproof controller seen on the Renogy website, I’m learning daily! Here’s the original 10 amp Furrion solar port. Purchased a 20 amp Zamp solar port and modified it to fit the Furrion solar port. Used a belt sander to reduce the outside diameter of the Zamp port down to 1.70”. Made a rubber gasket to seal between the Zamp port and Furrion housing. Drilled four holes through the rubber gasket, and Furrion housing using the Zamp port’s existing holes as a template. Used a 1 1/8” or 29mm hole saw to drill through the Furrion housing so the Zamp port would fit. Wanted the original Furrion lid gasket to seal the Zamp port properly: Finished solar port: