topgun2

GJ - From your question to FrankC I'm guessing that you do not have the Rock Tamers (yet). If that is the case you will note when you get them that you can cut them down to size via "guide" marks that are already in them. However, Be a bit careful to not cut them too short the first time - you can always go back and trim another inch or so off if you find them to be too long. This is what I did for my F-150. Bill

The last I saw him - in 2020 - he was still happy with his Durango. A PM (private message) might be in order even though Commanche's Dodge is a bit older. Bill

Imelda - I may be a bit confused - but - if you are plugged into shore power you do not need to be having your inverter "on" at the same time. Bill

The old "rule of thumb" was to have a minimum of a 20% safety margin. Bill

That's one heck of a "barn". 😁 Sure do wish I had the ability to have my Oliver right here near me versus having to store it in a commercial "storage yard". Bill

In the "old" days when batteries were not as "sealed" as they are now, it was advisable to place them on wood versus a concrete floor. Even though that is no longer the case, I still do it - why not? Bill

About the same time I started this thread I also contacted the Buffalo, WY Chamber of Commerce. Apparently there was a bit of a snafu in their office but once that was straightened out they sent me a very nice packet of information including information regarding local museums, camping, sightseeing, fishing and real maps. Having received this after I had already basically set my schedule I now wish I had allotted more time for visiting this area. Perhaps next year. Moral of the story is that if you have the time it just might be worth that email to a local Chamber of Commerce. Bill

BillATX - After only three weeks in storage I'm guessing that you did not disconnect (flip the main circuit breakers to off) your batteries and that is what caused your batteries to get down to 12.4 V. Yes, there would still be a drain from other items that are not affected by those two breakers but assuming that the batteries were at full charge when you put it in storage you might want to keep an eye on how the batteries are working for a couple of days. The 13.8V that you are seeing is basically the voltage coming into the batteries as they are being charged by either (or both) your solar panels and/or your shore power. Having said all of this - I believe that your batteries are fine. Assuming that this included your fresh water tank then even though three weeks doesn't sound like very much time and it was cold for most of that time, it really doesn't take much time for your fresh water tank to become stale at the minimum and very unsanitary at the maximum. It really doesn't take long to sanitize it and you'll feel better as will your tank. Have fun! Relax! Enjoy the heck out of that new Ollie and send pics! Bill

Si, Senor.

Yep - that's exactly what some of the folks down around Texas were thinking. ☺️

Thanks for the lovely pics - particularly that first one! So, how'd it go? Any problems? Certainly that one week delay paid off. Bill

Or a hair dryer. But, be a bit careful to get the decal warm enough without getting it too hot. Bill

MEOW!

If one reads this entire thread, it appears that at least to some degree there is discussion about "apples" and "oranges". The original poster was asking about a storage situation specifically with a small solar panel. A small solar panel should still have its own controller but in the event something would happen to that controller the Oliver batteries would not be damaged (at least in the short run) due to over-charging. In addition, since these panels are small they are also relatively inexpensive. Thus, if stolen, the amount of money at risk is reasonable. A suggestion was then made that instead of purchasing a small panel a larger one would be better in that it could also be used in situations other than simple storage. This is true except that since the larger the panel, the greater financial risk for the possibility of theft and the greater risk of battery damage in the event the controller fails. No matter how big or how small these external solar panels are, the electrical connections should be basically approached in the same manner - proper polarity (positive to positive and negative to negative), proper voltage (panel voltage output and appropriate wire sizes/length) and proper control (via a solar controller and/or size of panel) of what and how much electricity is being sent to the batteries should all be considered. Bill

I do not believe that this is correct - at least not for when I purchased my CalMark cover five years ago. IF I had wished to have a "port" or "zippered flap" or "door" or "access panel" for the purposes of battery maintenance or electrical connection, I could have asked for it to be sewn in. We did discuss sewing in clear panels in the top of the cover for purposes of allowing the solar panels to "see" the sun but CalMark convinced me that it would not be a good idea. As far as battery maintenance - as long as I loosen the draw cord at the bottom of the cover, I have no problem getting under the cover, opening the battery door and sliding out the batteries. Besides not incurring the extra expense of having the access door installed in the cover, I don't have to worry about possible chafing of the zippers on the finish of the Oliver either. Bill

Dewdev - Use the Search function for a number of threads about CalMark covers. CalMark does have the measurements for multiple Elite II Olivers - I'm not sure about the Elite I though. There are a fair number of owners that use this cover and it is highly unlikely that you will find a better cover on the market. Last I heard the cost of these covers is getting close to $1,000 - ouch 😳 Bill

I'd guess - more "plastic bits" somewhere in the lines or a "kinked" line (doubtful but possible). edit - or what Maciac just said 🙂

Tallmandan - I use the CalMark cover with a 25 watt solar panel. See THIS thread for a bit of info in this regard. Yes you can use clips directly to the battery and as long as the wires from the panels are relatively small you can close and lock the battery compartment. However, what I did was to wire up the solar panel to a 7 pin plug and I simply plug that into the 7 pin pig-tail coming off the Oliver - just like you would plug it into your tow vehicle. Bill

I really do not have first hand knowledge regarding this particular Colorado State Park, but the ones that I am familiar with not only charge a fee for your camping but they charge an additional fee for your tow vehicle. Add to this the quarters you have to feed the shower machine if you chose to use the bath house. Bill

Performance? - certainly it is better than the standard antenna and I believe that it is much better than the old "bat-wing" antennas that I used prior to getting my Oliver. Is it worth it? - Obviously that depends on how much broadcast TV you plan to watch which is (somewhat) a function on where you plan to camp. Relative to the overall cost of the Oliver it is not that expensive, you don't have to raise and/or lower it, you don't have to turn it to find signal and it functions as your antenna for the radio too (weather band, FM and AM). But, if you plan to not watch TV much and mostly boondock then and/or don't plan to travel long distances where you might be interested in seeing the local weather/news then virtually any antenna is too expensive. Bill

Yep - that is the reason I've got two bath mats Bill

Not so "newbie" of a question. Yes, there is a "standard" antenna. Its usefulness is subject to where you will be using your Oliver. Having said that - I believe that the standard antenna is not very good unless you are camped very near a transmission tower (i.e. a fairly large city). Bill

In case you haven't heard - Cooper Tire has been bought by Goodyear. I have not heard yet as to how Goodyear plans to operate or what they will do with specific tires in the Cooper line nor when the purchase will be finalized. Bill

Interesting set of keys!

If you chose to use the "ice cubes in the black tank" for cleaning purposes, you should probably watch THIS VIDEO first. You can fast forward to about 5:14 where the results of the test and/or recommendations are made for how to get the best results. Bill edit - Here is another VIDEO that discusses another long term potential issue with the black tank and another possible solution.