Steph and Dud B

I don't see an issue with piggybacking a surge suppressor - not a second EMS - inline. The external unit simply passes normal power and would absorb the first hit of a surge, potentially saving the onboard EMS surge protector circuitry. How could it cause an issue?

Hi, if you picked up a '21 or '22 model, how many sections of 10' sewer hose did Oliver give you at delivery?

Yeah, we discussed it a bit. Steph did want the convection initially, since there's no oven. However, we almost never used the ovens in our previous trailers. The loss of a couple inches of precious counter space and the price tag finally pushed us away from the convection.

Yes, we did. After much discussion.

Note that it does take up a bit more counter space than the microwave. That was a factor in our decision.

Considering Rock Tamers ourselves, but I've read reviews that say they don't work on an aluminum hitch drawbar because the mounting bolts just dig into the aluminum. Any experiences with that?

400 watts AC is only 3.3 amps so you'd have to make sure the trailer's not drawing more than that - either through the trailer's converter or by whatever AC->DC rig you cobble up to go into the solar port (truck outputting 120v AC, trailer accepting only DC volts). I think the lowest bulk charge setting on the Xantrex is 5 amps. That would blow the circuit breaker in the truck.

That seems very unlikely. The entire interior is molded fiberglass, and the mold can't be changed. I don't see any way a wheelchair could maneuver inside. For instance, the aisle between the twin beds is only 18", there is a large sill under the bathroom door, and the entrance door is probably too narrow, as well. None of those things can be changed. I do know that other RV manufacturers like Forest River have modified some of their RVs to be wheelchair accessible. You might want to look into those.

Interesting question. Our trailer will also have lithium and solar. Between trips this summer I was planning to set the thermostat on the MaxxAir fan to about 75-80, figure out how to let airflow in without water leakage (going to try making one of those plexiglass window vents someone else invented), and let the solar and batteries do their thing. I wouldn't leave the A/C on.

Interesting! Is that the formula to calculate the diameter of any tire?

Odd question, but... Can anybody tell me the outside diameter of the 225/75R16 tires on the LE2? Trying to determine if our existing tire covers currently on our fifth wheel will fit the new Ollie.

Our ambulances have a little digital meter that shows +/- amps. Let's us easily see if we charging or discharging and by how much. I think others have installed something similar in their Ollies. Hopefully, one of them will pipe in with the details.

@Kelly please post photos of your trip to Fish Creek if you can. Looks like a great place. We enjoy NY state parks, too!

Really interested to discover how we make out up here in CT. One of our favorite dry-camping spots is full-sun, basically a field near the ocean, so we're hoping we do well with solar there. Other sites are often partial- or full-shade but we're hoping we can manage mid-week stays if we start with the 630aH Platinum bank fully charged. We also have a fall weekend in mid-state NY with full-sun. For now we're going to bring our little Honda genny with us all the time, at least until we get a feel for the solar performance under these conditions. In a couple of years we'll finally be able to go back to "sunny day, no cloud coverage at high noon in the south." 🤠

Wish we could be there, too!

Definitely a safety issue if gases from the combustion chamber can reach the trailer interior. Would a bead of clear silicone around the interior control panel work?

We also chose the traditional water heater. Price and added complexity were the deciding factors. But thank you to @dhaig for providing useful info for those with Trumas and lithium!

The anode is necessary whether you heat with gas or electric. You need to replace it to protect your tank from corrosion.

Based on the description I suspect one of two possibilities: small propane leak or defective detector. The fact that the issue was resolved after shutting off the propane and venting the trailer makes me lean toward the propane leak.

How is the carry bracket attached to the basket?

When the water flow starts getting reduced by the filter, or the end of the season, whichever comes first.

The trick is to be sure NOT to fill them to the brim, especially if you're draining the black tank. If you fill the tote to the top you still have a hose full of black water that has to go somewhere when you disconnect it. 🫢 That's why I went with 21 gallons. No way even a full black tank will overfill the tote. Our tote has the hitch hook to tow behind our truck. When I first got it, I filled it to capacity to check for leaks. That sucker was heavy - over 160 pounds - and lifting up one end to drain it wasn't easy. Fortunately, it'll only have about 15-16 gallons in it during actual use.

Agree with @Trainman. Most American RVs, and virtually all of their appliances/components, are built to last barely longer than their warranty period. Yes, they do get bounced around a lot, but my truck doesn't need a new radio or navi system every 18 months because it goes down the road. The real problem is us. As long as Americans will keep paying top dollar for a rolling do-it-yourself project, they'll keep making them. I am hoping the Oliver design and construction holds up to our expectations. Bad enough when the gadgets break, much worse when you're dealing with roof leaks, broken spring hangers, and cracked frames.

Good point! The lithiums draw a lot of charging power. Xantrex setting #28 will cap the total amount of amps the converter will pull for charging while still feeding the other 120v items in the trailer. Set it to 15 to prevent overloading a 2200W generator. (Remember to set it back to 25 - factory setting - when you go back to shore power.)

You don't absolutely need a 30A connection/3000W generator unless you plan to run everything on generator the same way you would on shore power (microwave and AC at the same time, for instance). A 2200W generator should be enough to charge your batteries and run an air conditioner with the soft-start feature, but you may have to pick and choose when you want to run the microwave, hairdryer, InstaPot or other high-draw appliances with the AC on. The advantages of the smaller generators are less weight, less noise, less fuel consumption, and lower cost. OTOH, the larger generators will let you use your Ollie as if you're plugged into shore power. If you do decide on a smaller generator, you may need a "dog bone" adapter to convert your 30A RV plug to whatever's on the smaller generator (often a standard 15A household plug). If it's a Honda you may need a neutral-ground bonding plug, too, to make your surge suppressor system happy. I do love my little Honda...