topgun2

You're welcome. The 12 volt socket that I used is very similar to THIS ONE versus the one I link to above but (for what its worth) I think the one at WalMart was a touch cheaper. In conversations with Patriot, he has told me that his new Ford Tremor has powered switches at the top of the windshield - bottom of the headliner. If an easy way of feeding the power wire exists to allow going through the firewall where the fuse box is located for these switches, wiring into these would provide a slick result with the ability to switch on/off the power to the rack. I did consider "fishing" the power wire over to the fuse panel that is located on the outside of the passenger footwell. Once there I would have found a circuit like the one for the sun roof that is switched via the ignition. But, obviously, I was simply too lazy and since the Garmin doesn't consume very much power (particularly when the screen is off) I'm not worried about draining my battery if I forget to unplug the Garmin when I stop for the night. Bill

Craig - Thanks to both you and Patriot for the kind words. The 12 volt outlet that I used is THIS. I mounted this to the underside of the Builtright rack with double sided 3M VBR tape. Then I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the Ford's dash tray to feed the outlet's wires through and attached the negative to a bolt (to ground to the frame of the truck) that is located directly below the tray. Then I ran the power wire down to the 12 volt outlet that is in the Ford's dash and spliced into the power wire coming out of the back of that socket. All of this is fairly easy as long as you are "gentle" making sure that you do not break any of the plastic clips holding your dash together. There are a number of YouTube videos showing how this is done. Bill p.s. The actual outlet I purchased at WalMart has one 12 volt socket and two USB ports in it versus the two 12 volt sockets shown in the socket on Amazon. I did this because I plan on using the 12 volt outlet for the Garmin and at least one of the USB ports for a cell phone. Also, as far as I'm aware, most of the dash cams and my TPMS can/are powered by USB and if I want to mount either or both on the rack I will have the power right there. Further, I should note that when all is put together, I can not see the outlet from either the driver's or passenger's seat. I take the Garmin's power cord, plug it into the outlet and then stuff the excess wire under the rack - you can't see any of it and yet the Garmin can easily be dismounted from the rack and transferred into another vehicle.

Larry - Since I rarely camp in the winter and (as you point out) the 20 lb tanks are very easy to either swap out or get refilled, I chose to not upgrade to the 30 lb tanks and have not regretted that decision. Since I really don't know what temps you will be camping in during the winter, it is hard to tell or even guess what your propane usage might be. But, I only use just over one 20 lb tank in the two months during the summer I'm fishing. This includes having the fridge always on propane and heating water from time to time when there is not enough sun for my solar shower and for a brief warming of the interior on those mornings when it is cold outside due to usually camping above 7,000 feet. Bill

Steven - Depending on how much shade you are getting, the ac should be able to cool the interior down anywhere from 15 to 20 degrees below the exterior ambient temperature. Obviously, it also reduces the humidity. Bill

I'll add my welcome - both to the Forum and (almost) to the family. Traveling with the pups I'm sure that you will find that the Oliver's sleek interior is very easy to keep clean and looking like new. If only you could train those pups to do the cleaning for you! Bill

I don't think that it is sail switch either. I've never had this issue with the furnace but have had a similar issue with the fridge. I solved it by taking compressed air - a can of THIS kind of stuff is sufficient. Be careful to NOT blow back towards the needle valve but do blow out around the burner, the igniter, and up the flue. It doesn't take much dirt, dust, bug stuff to cause a failure on that igniter sensor. BIll

Over the years I have not had all that many situations where I needed to lift the tires (one side at a time) off the ground. In all but one situation I have used the onboard jacks/stabilizers for this purpose. However, there was one situation when I used the jack included with my tow vehicle. With all of my campers owned previous to the Oliver, I simply used a 4 ton bottle jack. If you decide to use the bottle jack, consider preparing a block of wood to accept the rather small head of the jack. Not only does this help prevent the head of the jack from slipping but it also helps distribute the load over a greater surface area when jacking. Bill p.s. (edit) also consider carrying something that can be used to raise the jack higher towards the frame and/or reduce the distance from the jack/stabilizer(s) to the ground. This "something" can be as simple as a couple of 1 or 2 by 6 boards or 6x6 blocks.

Which is why one gets something like THIS. Bill

Yes - I've heard it said before - "when it gets hot, get high" 🤣

Carl - I'd like to add to your plus points for the Andersen by saying that the Andersen will also greatly help to reduce "porpoising" (i.e. that bouncing that occurs when towing over something like the expansion joints on the interstate). I believe that this is particularly so when towing with relative lighter weight vehicles. Bill p.s. Congratulations on actually joining the family - it really is nice to have you with us. October will be here before you know it and that is a great month for getting to know your new Ollie.

TexasGuy - Many of us have wrestled with the same items as you are dealing with. To some degree I very much agree with SeaDawg - it depends on your camping style and where you tend to camp. Having said that - 1. I didn't have as many choices as you did on the subject of awnings, but, I chose to go simple. Even with wind sensors I would not trust that sensor to protect what could be a fairly expensive repair in the event the sensor was not fast enough or simply failed outright. Also, since I rarely camp in the desert I have not missed getting the streetside awning. 2. There is no question in my mind about solar since it gives me so much additional freedom and choice. However, that is not the question you asked. I chose the standard flooded wet cell batteries with the addition of the watering system. My thinking at the time was similar to yours - just how much time can it take to add water to those batteries - and I've found that indeed I was correct, it really doesn't take much time at all. Without the watering system I think that I'd have a different answer due to the sheer number of cells and the ability to reach those cells towards the back of the battery tray. I don't remember the numbers, but, with the addition of the watering system, the price difference was not as much as $500. But, even for a couple hundred I would have made the same decision as I did. Both AGM's and flooded wet cells should last 5 to 7 or 8 years with good maintenance. Hopefully at that time the price or alternatives will be even cheaper than they are today. You might also want to take a look at the "Lithium vs others" thread for a discussion about the long range costs of the various battery types in today's market (primarily this discussion only talks about the batteries themselves and not the associated costs of other "supporting" items that you will probably need to run or maintain lithium). 3. I got the standard water heater. That sure is a bunch of money to upgrade to the Truma. When I'm camping all I have to do is to remember to turn the water heater on ten minutes or so before I want hot water. If I forget, then all I have to do is wait the ten minutes. It really isn't like I'm rushing off somewhere and there is always something to do during that ten minutes - perhaps a glass of wine? Then, I simply turn it off - I NEVER just let it stay on since there is no reason to heat water just in case. 4. I also stayed with the standard toilet. Again, I simply could not justify the cost and already knew that emptying the grey and black tanks are no big deal. Add to this the fact that the Natures Head sits higher off the floor, it was a no brainer for me. Yes, from what I hear, composting toilets do save a bit of water. But, there are fairly easy ways around that issue too - portable tanks (heck, even the Nature's Head has a portable tank of sorts), "Double Duty" bags for instance. 5. Contrary to the "saving money" issues above, I did get the fiber granite option. I believe that this is a matter of taste and felt that the standard interior was simply not to my liking. This was a fairly simple way to give my Oliver a bit of decoration without having to tax my lack of decorating skills. Given that both the standard and optional surfaces are made of basically the same material I don't see where one would be "better" than the other. However, with the fiber granite, should you damage the surface below the pantry, or on top of the fridge, or on top of the night stand, these can easily be replaced. 6. I think that ctshort09's comments are good. Certainly do not get the WiFi option if you plan on using it in commercial campgrounds since these places simply do not have enough "bandwidth" to satisfy all campers demand. Since I do not have a cell phone, I rely heavily on email for communication while I'm on the road. I was/am surprised at a benefit of the WiFi booster that I had not considered prior to getting my Oliver - how much I use that booster while actually traveling from place to place. No longer do I have to cart my tablet or laptop into McDonalds, Starbucks, Wendy's, WalMart, Lowes, etc. I simply pull into the parking lot and with my WiFi booster I've got all the signal I need to send and download email and/or get to the internet. Good luck with your decisions. What is good for one is not good for all. Just take a hard look at what you intend to do with your Oliver and let that be your general guide. Bill

From time to time I've viewed the YouTube channel "Mortons On The Move" - particularly when they were touring Alaska. However, it wasn't until I viewed the video linked below that I found out that Tom Morton is an electrical engineer. In any case, in This YouTube Video Tom tests Battleborn Lithium batteries against AGM and regular flooded cell lead acid batteries and shows much of the data from these tests. If anyone would prefer to read versus watch, you can co that HERE. Bill

Yes - that location for the fuse on the propane alarm is a very good thing to know. Somehow these alarms always seem to find a way to "ALARM" in the wee hours of the morning and trying to find that fuse at that point is difficult. Bill

tallmandan, Welcome aboard and welcome to the Family. Pictures are always welcome and don't be shy with the questions as you learn all about your new Oliver. Bill

Up 'till now I've store mine on a 6x6 block that is just high enough to allow the bottom of the flaps to barely touch the floor of the garage. Your solution is much more elegant and it gets the whole thing off the floor. Now that you have it installed, do you think that the support arm of the bike holder is strong enough to support the weight with the Andersen parts still attached? Bill

This is a bit harder than it seems at first glance. Back in the day before newer vehicles had "daytime running lights" safety conscious motorcycle riders routinely rode with lights on all the time so that they would be a bit easier to see by "cage" drivers. Unfortunately, as more and more vehicles started to come standard with these daytime running lights the benefits to motorcycle riders lessened. So, then these riders started adding more lights - particularly in a triangle fashion - in order to be seen. But, then more and more car and truck drivers started adding more lights. I used to always "flash" drivers coming towards me that had their "driving lights" or fog lights on in an attempt to get them to turn them off - that NEVER succeeded. Interestingly, one time a number of years ago while driving just outside Silver City, New Mexico I was stopped by the local police. He was rather annoyed at me when he asked if I knew why he pulled me over and I replied that I had no idea. He stated that I had my "brights" on to which I replied that I didn't. After going back and forth a number of times about this with the officer getting more and more agitated with me, I finally figured out that he was talking about my "driving lights" and I promptly turned them off with a BIG apology. However, I do agree with JD - vehicles with lights on certainly stand out to me more than those without and I'm glad all of my vehicles have these lights burning at all times. But, both my truck and the car have "automatic" settings for the lights. While the head lights are on, the rear lights and the side lights are not on during times when there is good ambient light nor are any of the camper lights on. The rear lights, side lights, marker lights on both the tow vehicle and therefore the trailer do not come on unless I go through a tunnel or the ambient light is too low. Yes, there is a manual setting on the truck that allows for all lights, all the time and I have used that a few times when I thought that being seen was an issue. Bill

Got to thinking about this statement last night and - obviously - it is wrong. The running lights are only "on" when your TV lights are on and, most often, these are not on during the day. Therefore, assuming that you have two choices - tap into the backup lights for power if you only want the camera to function when you are in reverse or tap into another 12 volt source if you want the camera on all the time. There are several 12 volt sources fairly near the rear of the Oliver that you can use - the basement light, the 12 volt outlet located in the attic, the 12 volt outlet(s) near the nightstand, etc. For ease of installation, I'd seriously consider that outlet in the attic. It is very easy to access and it would be easy to install a switch in that same panel to be used to disconnect the camera when you were not using the camera. Bill

1. The idea was good. 2. The work and installation was great. 3. The final product makes me want to spend my money and do the work too. 4. And then he talks about how easy it is to make changes! Not fair! 😭 Bill

In the vast majority of situations you will only be rinsing your black tank after you dump it. Therefore, you will usually be at a campsite that has full hookups including sewer and/or you will be at a regular dump station. In both these circumstances there will be "rinse water" nearby which should be easily accessed via a hose length of 20 feet. While we are on the subject - you might also want to consider a very short length to drinking water hose to use for getting water into your fresh water tank via the "winterization port" at the rear of our Oliver. Something like THIS would do. By attaching one end to the Ollie, the other end placed in a bucket filled with water, and, turning a couple of valves near your water pump, you can draw water into the fresh water tank when there is not a faucet to get water from. Of course you could always use a cut off portion from an old drinking water hose but since you are new to this RV thing you probably don't have and old drinking water hose laying around 😇. Bill

Oliver only supplies one water hose and (from all that I've seen) it is white and (I believe) 20 or 25 feet in length. Given that you already have a heated water hose, you could simply use the one Oliver gives you for the black tank and your heated hose for your regular drinking/fresh water. However - be warned - unless you specifically mark this Oliver hose in some manner you risk the possibility that you might mistakenly use it for regular drinking water at some point. I'd recommend that you paint or in some manner mark the hose you chose to use as your black tank hose so that you really don't have to even think about it. Another way to tackle this problem is to simply use hoses of different colors - normally hoses that are certified drinking water safe are white (but not always). I use a grey colored hose for the black tank duties and a regular white hose for drinking/fresh water duties. I also carry a Zero G hose because it is easier to store than either a heated hose or a regular drinking hose and is drinking water safe. Bill

So, it is obviously a "hardwire" installation. Make sure that you leave enough slack for turns. If you decide to mount the camera on the spare tire cover, note that this cover is not perpendicular to the ground but slants in at the bottom - out at the top some 6 degrees from perpendicular. Since I didn't want to use the metal bracket that came with the camera - I wanted a more solid mount and one that was a bit more secure from theft - I fabricated a mount out of a material similar to nylon (I think it is Delran) and installed the camera within it. Then I simply used E6000 to "glue" the mount to the cover. Since I wanted the camera to slant slightly towards the ground in order to reduce headlight and sun glare, I cut the back of the mount at 4 degrees thus giving me a 2 degree downward slant. Bill

Ouch! Have you checked that outdoor shower yet and/or the backflow valves on the outside inlets? Bill

Re mount on the tire cover - good and bad. The good is as you mention - the view is what you might expect and there are times when the "grid lines" really do come in handy. The bad is that I think that when driving in rainy weather, the my camera position gets more road spray than it would if mounted higher. Re Rear View Safety - the camera shown in the picture is from them and for the first couple of years it worked well and this includes what I think is remarkable night vision even without lights. However, the WiFi transmitter ceased to function and when I called to see about a replacement I found out that they didn't have this model any longer. So, given that I recently purchased a Garmin GPS that has the ability to view a rearview camera at only slightly over the original cost of the Rear View I have installed the Garmin brand. Unfortunately, the Garmin resolution is not as good but I really don't need to be able to read the NY Times via this camera 😁. Bill

While I do not have specific experience with the GMC camera, I have installed (sort of) two separate rear cameras on the Oliver. Both cameras have been of the "wireless" variety but to increase the WiFi signal strength I've placed the WiFi transmitter near the propane tanks while the camera is mounted above the license plate in the spare tire cover. Back in the day when Oliver still did special requests during the production, I had them "pre-wire" for the camera by putting a power source in the spare tire area and a camera switch in the usual location by the door. During the install all I did was mount the camera in the spare tire cover (note: you need to allow for the 6 degree slope of the cover in order to get the camera to look directly behind and not at the ground so much), connect to the available power that was already there and then run the cable from the camera up to the WiFi sending unit at the propane cover. I ran this cable under the Ollie along basically the same route that is taken by the propane line on the curb side. Of course I protected this cable by covering it with plastic wire guard and all connections were soldered, taped (silicone tape) and heat shrink taped. Since you are planning on doing this yourself I'd suggest that you plan on installing a switch to be used to turn that Ollie camera on/off. Getting a power wire shouldn't be difficult at all in that you can either tap into the running lights down in the basement or up in the attic depending on where you plan on putting the camera. Good luck! Bill