topgun2

Yep - pics are viewable. Shame - it WAS pretty though. Bill

Here in Western North Carolina we are getting close to the maximum of today's solar eclipse - maximum here is around 1pm and it started at 11:46 am and will end at 2:42pm. Only approximately 44% of the sun will be covered and about 5 minutes ago that made the sun look a bit like "pac-man" Hope that the weather is good for all that are interested in this type of thing! Bill

Absolutely correct - just giving examples of propane usage. Yes, these are the "averages" that I've read about also. However, my current lead acid batteries are still running strong going into their 8th year! Bill

All Olivers come standard with a surge protector. And all Olivers use a 30 amp electrical connection - not 15/20 amp and not 50 amp. Of course, you do know that if you have a 30 amp connection to shore power you can still use a lower amperage connection. However, you can not run all the things in your Oliver (i.e. microwave and air conditioner) at the same time if you are on the lower amperage supply. With regards to how long a bottle of propane will last (particularly running the air) - that depends. How hot is it outside, how cool do you want it inside? what other things are you using propane for - cooking, hot water, fridge? Perhaps what you are really asking is, "in typical usage, how long does a 20 pound tank last?"?. Or, should I really get the 20 lb tanks or the 30 pound tanks? I can run my fridge on one 20 pound tank for about 6 to 7 weeks. But, during this time I'm usually camped at altitude where the average temps are cooler and I usually camp solo, so, there isn't a bunch of opening and closing the fridge. I also use a solar shower for heating shower water except for those times when its cloudy and I use a Mr. Heater propane heater for taking the chill off those frosty mornings (this saves both propane and electricity - don't run the furnace blower). While I agree with the two comments above relative to learning - don't be discouraged! We all had to start this journey someplace and most of us are still learning. Bill edit addition: I forgot to mention the 20 versus 30 lb tanks. Obviously if you get the 30's then you will not have to get them refilled as often and you have 33% more with you. This 33% really matters if you plan to do a bunch of winter camping in cold weather. However, the downside of the 30lb tanks is that they MUST be refilled at a business that does this sort of thing. With the 20lb tanks you can "swap" them for other tanks at most grocery stores, gas stations, hardware stores, Lowes, Home depot OR you can get them refilled just like you do with the 30's. In addition, the 20's are lighter than the 30's. It should be noted that when you "swap" the 20's, they are generally not filled to the same capacity (i.e. they are not really full) and the cost per gallon or pound of propane is generally more expensive than it would be at a refill facility. But, if you are in an area that simply doesn't have a refill facility, there isn't really much you can do with that empty 30 pound tank.

Good for you guys! Chilly there - yet?

Nice hat! It looks like you've made the turn to the east?

Or a small piece of electrical tape.😃

B flat, A, C, B natural p.s. DUH! wrong composer!

Drain it and sanitize it. Bill p.s. glad the "switch thing" worked for you! Unfortunately, I don't have an explanation as to why "flicking" that valve switch has anything to do with the Truma. One could argue that if it now works then all is good, but, I'd like to know why it now works. Sometimes those "simple" switches will have an "issue" with contacts or the little motor that they activate will get confused and just needs to be "reset" and/or the contacts get "cleaned" by the flicking. But, as far as I know, that switch has absolutely nothing to do with anything concerning the Truma.

Unfortunately Overland doesn't interact here on the Forum much (if any). Hopefully he will reply to you. If not - simply left click on his avatar and then left click on "See Their Activity". I started at page #1 and went through page #20. Bill

You can get the type that JD used HERE. But any single pole 12 volt switch will do - I used one like THIS that I bought at WalMart. Bill

Try "flicking" that valve drain switch a couple of times to see if that gets it going. If that doesn't work then open up the dinette seat hatch that is nearest the bathroom. When you look down into that hatch area you should see two black pipes running from the general direction of the bathroom towards the rear of the Oliver. The smaller of those two pipes is your grey tank. Next in looking at that smaller pipe find the valve. It should look something like the pic below except that there will not be a "handle" on the top. But, it will have a cable on top. Reach down and pull up on the piece where the cable is attached. That should move the "blade" that opens and closes the valve. Sorry but I can't help you on the Truma since I do not have one. Bill

If it helps you any - I just reviewed the first 20 pages of Overland's posts/threads and didn't find any reference to what you are looking for. I've got to run right now or I'd keep looking for you - Sorry. Bill

No problem - your location makes the situation even more interesting at 3am!😁 But, the switch mod is basically the same.

Interesting question - As we all know - our hulls are made in a fashion similar to a boat. As such, there are limited places that something like water can run from the inner bottom shell down into the outer bottom shell. However, there certainly are places where this can happen as can be seen in the pics below. But, certainly a hole in the shell can be easily seen in the one picture and it just so happens this hole is located under the fridge where I assume the propane and electric lines are run. Note that this picture is looking from the outside into the area under the kitchen sink. Water can also get between the shells in places like where the entrance door is located. I've also included a picture of the bottom outside shell in order to see all those places where water just might collect. For those unfamiliar with "Scupper holes" on the Oliver, they can be seen by looking under any Oliver while looking for stainless steel cups or cones that open towards the rear of the Oliver. These pieces actually create a "venturi effect" while driving down the road which draws air out from between the inner and outer shells thus helping dry any moisture that may be in between the shells. Bill

Bryon - Well - While the scupper holes will allow "running water" (perhaps read that to mean "a fair amount of water") to drain, there are still a number of places inside the hulls that will catch the water. Certainly moving the Ollie up and down (front to back) and side to side such as when you are traveling down the road, will help "release" this water from places where the water can catch or collect. For what water is left over, the scupper holes provide for air movement between the hulls. The greater the air movement - the faster the water will evaporate. Indeed, this is one of the main purposes of these scupper holes - to help remove condensation (water) from between the hulls. Bill p.s. Maple syrup is probably another story give its viscosity and residual it would leave after it evaporates. Read the thread about the leaking sewer hoses and cleaning what was left over after the leak.

At first I thought that I'd eventually remember to turn that case right side up before opening it but, then, I simply put a strap on it. The "fun" of putting all those Pittsburgh sockets back in the individual places where they belonged soon lost its appeal!🤪

Are you certain that your charge controller is set properly?

There are "scupper" holes in the very bottom of your Oliver which should allow "most" of this water to drain out. However, if I were you I'd make sure to prop open the "hatches" under your beds and dinette area in order to allow for more air flow therefore drying this area out even faster. Bill

Yes, there is a fuse on the wire(s) leading away from where the wires come out of the back of the propane detector. The purpose of the switch is that it is a bunch easier to find this switch at "zero dark thirty" than it is to find that fuse and dismantle it when you are still half asleep, the alarm is going off and your significant other is yelling. Bill p.s. It should go without saying that in the event anyone decides to deactivate this alarm via either a switch or via the removal of the fuse, they should first determine that there is no actual leak. And, either the fuse should be replaced in its original position and/or the switch turned back to the "on" position as soon as possible. Failure to do this could be extremely detrimental to your health.

What batteries do you have in your Ollie?

Good question - My leak (as I mentioned) was under the dinette seat nearest the bath. There is a small section of "rubber" that connects to two sections of black sewer pipe under that seat. This rubber section is held in place with a standard stainless steel hose clamps similar to THIS. Apparently the screw tightening device on the clamp gave up the ghost thus causing the clamp to loosen/fail. Since I was on the road at the time (near West Yellowstone, MT) the first thing I did after determining the location of the leak was to simply try to tighten the clamp. Unfortunately, that did work in that turning the screw on the clamp did nothing at all. The good news is that the ACE Hardware store in West Yellowstone had a clamp that was very simple to install. Bill

Does the solar controller on the 200 watt panels allow for different batteries? Mine does not - therefore I can not change anything on my solar controller. If yours does allow changes then I'd set it to whatever you have in your Ollie. The Jackery has a lithium battery which (as I understand it) can be charged at AGM setting but the lithium will simply either not fully charge and/or it will not be charging at the optimum rate(s). Bill

The picture I posted is from under the aft dinette seat between the hulls - there is nothing at all to see from the seating area under the dinette. In the picture I posted - the "white" area that is behind the aluminum switch holder is actually looking through the hole of the propane/co alarm from the inside to the outside area under the dinette. Sorry but I don't have any other pics of the "full" installation which would show the actual switch. However, the switch is simply mounted in that hole you can see in the aluminum mount. Hope this helps. Bill p.s. here is a better pic taken from JD's post on the subject:

Yes...that's it. Just be certain that your new panels have their own solar controller and that the polarity (reversing adapter (if necessary) are there. Bill Just to be safe - you might also want to check the fuse on that Zamp external port.