John E Davies

I agree, a 100 watt portable panel kept in bright light ALL DAY LONG in summer would be a useful bonus. But a typical unit with onboard (crippled) PWM controller can only be placed about 20 feet away due to voltage losses in the wires , so finding that long exposure of light will be problematic sometimes, like with a site under tree cover. And if you are not parked under any shade, the roof panels will provide way more current and you don’t have to fuss with them four + times a day, and lock them to a rock to avoid theft. A 100+ watt portable panel with a 20 to 30% higher efficiency MPPT controller ($100+) mounted inside next to the trailer batteries would be much better, since without the added voltage drop the cable can be a whole lot longer. A 200 watt portable wired this way would be REALLY useful, if you have room in your TV to store it and are comfortable moving that weight. But a 200w one is $$$ especially with an additional larger MPPT controller... and you also need to factor in the cost of long heavy gauge extension cables outside. You can go cheap and buy a no-name panel and controller from Amazon, if you are unconcerned with its build quality, performance and follow up customer support. Considering that most panels have warranties measured in decades, I think this would be a big mistake. I got an excellent Renogy 100w folder kit for Christmas ($230) and plan to eventually wire in a Victron 20 amp MPPT controller inside. If I can find the time - there are lots of projects right now. https://www.renogy.com/solar-panels/folding-solar-suitcases/ John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome back to the forum, I hope you can post some pics and tell us how you are adjusting to your new Ollie lifestyle. The other way to look at break-ins is to put everything of value, including paperwork, garage remote, etc, in a small bugout bag, and take it into the house each and every night. Leave the car doors unlocked, a thief will open them and look in the glovebox and console and leave. Lock it up, you end up with a busted window or jimmied lock, and possibly weather (water) damage to the interior. If it is a polite crook you may never even know he was there..... unless you find him asleep in the back. John Davies Spokane WA

Carl, thanks for clearing up my confusion, obviously I was not fully informed. That was great information. I do want to caution that the Anderson is NOT suitable for offroad use. Graded forest roads, small potholes, washboard, no worries. If you remove all the chain tension it will do about as well as a regular ball hitch, but when they are tight they severely limit articulation, and they can put a huge amount of stress on the truck and the trailer frames when the back of the truck drops into a gully or washout. It also has very inadequate ground clearance in those situations. Also, it actually is not very good at weight distribution compared to a traditional hitch with big steel spring bars. It excels at controlling hobby horsing as Bill pointed out, and at controlling sway, which an Oliver does not need. Get a dead weight offroad coupler like the one Overland has, I am sure he will chime in or you can Message him to ask. If necessary you could add rear airbags to level the back under a load, and maybe install better shocks with adjustable dampening. I have the Andersen and I really wish my Land Cruiser could do without it. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks, I suspect that it is a special design made just for Ollies. They make a similar one in steel, but it is sideways. And quite a bit cheaper. around $122 at Home Depot.... Does yours have a MORryde part number? It sure would be nice if the Ollie factory would drop ship to an owner straight from the distributor. It would save on the extra shipping and handling cost. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Sorry, but this is very incorrect. The Gladiator is a stretched Wrangler, a lighter duty vehicle than the full-sized 1500 pickup trucks. For example, the Ecodiesel 3.0 engine is a towing marvel, when in the larger truck; the current model tows up to 12,500 pounds. In the Gladiator it was derated to 6500 pounds because of the limited cooling capacity of the narrow Wrangler front end, they could not get a big enough radiator and intercooler in there to cool that hot running little engine. https://www.motortrend.com/cars/jeep/gladiator/2021/2021-jeep-gladiator-ecodiesel-first-drive-review/ When the new Gladiator was announced the press predicted a huge market, but that has not proven to be the case. I think a lot of Jeep enthusiasts wanted a return of the classic J Series with a full sized drivetrain and frame, to pull real loads, but with that classic square body. John Davies Spokane WA

How much $ for the new slide assembly? Anybody who has had almost 300 pounds of AGMs riding in the old one should certainly look closely for failures. I am replacing my four, with two 29 pound lithiums. What a tremendous weight savings, and a huge amount of stress removed from the tray..... Are you going to carry any stuff in the unused space near the door? Maybe mount a plastic ammo box, if it will fit? John Davies Spokane WA

NCeagle, FYI 110 degrees F outside air temp is not uncommon in summer in much of the West, not just in the SW desert. I try very very hard to avoid those southern deserts in the middle of the year. Moab UT is stunning, but no place to be from July though Sep. I don’t even know how people can live in Phoenix..... You can’t always avoid blistering heat. All you can do is run the AC and bail out to a motel if it gets too hard for you or your pet. John Davies Spokane WA

“To sum up, for long and happy LFP battery life, in order of importance, you should be mindful of the following: Keep the battery temperature under 45 Centigrade (113 deg F), under 30C (86 deg F) if possible – This is by far the most important!! Keep charge and discharge currents under 0.5C (0.2C preferred) Keep battery temperature above 0 Centigrade when discharging if possible – This, and everything below, is nowhere near as important as the first two Do not cycle below 10% – 15% SOC unless you really need to Do not float the battery at 100% SOC if possible Do not charge to 100% SOC if you do not need it” https://www.solacity.com/how-to-keep-lifepo4-lithium-ion-batteries-happy/ Does the Oliver factory lithium option have any features to help cool the batteries, other than having no vents and some insulation inside the compartment door? Any idea how hot the inside of the box gets on a 110 degree day in direct sunshine? Have you considered the importance of keeping that side of the trailer in shade during extreme sunny weather? If you tend to not run the air conditioning, maybe you should consider using it more often, and starting earlier in the day. The onboard battery management system will prevent charging at a certain high temp (135 deg F for Battle Born) but keeping it well below that amount seems to be pretty important. I am working on a powered fan vent system for the box and the two electronics compartments on that side of the trailer. The design of the LE2 box, with two nested cubes and the pantry sitting on top, traps heat like an oven. Venting might also reduce the temp inside the pantry.... I drilled my first set of holes yesterday 😳😳😳 It sure would be nice to have a way to actively chill the batteries, but I can’t imagine any practical way to do that in an RV. John Davies Spokane WA

I can’t recall, and I don’t want to remove one to see, are the Ollie switches for a round hole? Like this? These are 20 mm diameter. They have various colors, and this non illuminated. I am really wary of super cheap switches from Amazon, as in 12 for $10. I am sure they are garbage. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I will start a new thread when this is done, there is still much to do (and drill). John Davies Spokane WA

Does anyone know what switch Oliver uses in their factory wiring? I am looking for a matching SPST one with green or blue LED illuminated when on. Or another brand that matches the appearance and mouhting style would be fine too. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

My personal feeling is that a new trailer towed 2500 miles to your home is not a new trailer, it is now used. You never know what road damage might occur after nearly a week on our highways, especially during winter months when some are covered in sand and corrosive chemicals. One that is shrink wrapped at the factory, winched onto a truck bed and delivered that way is still new. Trailers do not age while sitting, unless by harsh weather. They age and deteriorate through accumulating towing miles. I am sure many disagree with this viewpoint, but would you consider a brand new car driven 2500 miles to your home to still be “new”? At the very least wait until April or later to have it delivered by towing. John Davies Spokane WA

DeeKay, As I mentioned a couple of posts above, the black tank is several inches higher than the grey. So you would need a pump to do what you suggest. Also it would be difficult to keep an inlet screen free from debris like hair and soap scum. Draining in the reverse direction, black to grey or black to fresh, would be simple. And yes, the bathroom sink drains into the grey tank, along with the shower. They share a common drain line, which is where the isolation (“travel”) valve comes into play, it blocks that pipe so smelly water does not slosh up into the shower pan when you hit the brakes. PS, I think in another post you mentioned you were getting an Elite, you need to clarify when asking questions, since there are differences in the way the systems are laid out. If you don’t specify, most people will assume the larger trailer since that is by far the most common model. John Davies Spokane WAl

For RV use I recommend this one. https://www.amazon.com/Uni-T-B4Q094-UT210E-Current-Capacitance/dp/B00O1Q2HOQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Uni-T+B4Q094+UT210E+True+RMS+AC%2FDC+Current+Mini+Clamp+M+W+Capacitance+Tester&qid=1609729532&s=industrial&sr=1-1i It does most common measurements like voltage and resistance, but the most useful feature is the clamp on ammeter. You can use it to measure current without disassembling any wires, though they do need to be separated from each other, not inside a loom or harness cover. For checking your electric trailer brakes it is WONDERFUL. I liked mine so much I left my regular multimeter at home, and gave one of these inductive ones to my son for Christmas. Look through this page to get an idea of how it is used for measuring amps. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2685-how-to-brake-wiring-is-undersized-some-answers-and-partial-solution/ You can use it at home, but really a plug in outlet/ gfci (ground fault) tester with LED lights might be more useful, and it would also be very good for checking a campground electrical post before plugging in.... John Davies Spokane WA

Maybe this was just another brain fart, I seem to be having a whole lot of them lately. “This Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth built-in pairs perfectly with our lithium batteries. You can download the free VictronConnect phone app to manage your new battery monitor directly on your phone!” This was posted directly on the Battle Born website, so my assumption was that the text was indeed referring to BB batteries. However, I suspect this is a cut and paste description of the Victron product literature, so “our batteries” probably means “not any other batteries”. https://battlebornbatteries.com/product/victron-bmv-712-battery-monitor-with-bluetooth-built-in/ Wouldn’t you read that meaning if you had not heard otherwise? If it had said “OUR Victron monitor will pair with our Victron batteries”, then that would have been not a all confusing..... The whole lithium situation is riddled with mis-information, missing information, and vague descriptions. There is really no excuse for this being so darned hard to interpret! John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome, you will find lots of help here. You can swap the Bulldog coupler or the service department in Hohenwald can do it for you before they ship it. I do recommend this mod, especially since you have another trailer with the big coupler. While the Andersen mounts bolt on (you cannot weld steel to aluminum) it would be a pain to move those from trailer to trailer, so a second set on your other one makes the most sense. If it has a steel frame, they could be welded on. Take a look through my “How To” threads, they should be useful in helping you to make a decision. See the link in my signature. I also agree about towing it yourself, back to your home. It really is a big trip, but many of us here in the Pacific NW have done it and I don’t recall anybody regretting the decision. Being able to spend a few days in the middle TN area, to make sure everything is working and that you fully understand the systems, is very important. The factory can fix any issues and it is fairly hassle free process. I do remember one owner who was very upset because the Truma water heater did not work from the first day. He made a big fuss here in the forum, then finally admitted that he was in the area near the factory for several days and just thought it was “user error”. He never even called Service to ask about it, and he didn’t give them a chance to fix it before heading back across the country. Then he got mad..... don’t be him, give Oliver a chance to correct any issues there rather than at some random RV dealer who may not be able to get you scheduled for six weeks. John Davies Spokane WA

Are they still Load E (10 ply)? I am not sure why they choose that stiff of a tire on these trailers, Load D would be plenty adequate , would weigh less and would also make the ride a little softer. Tho the heavier tires will resist sidewall cuts a little better. John Davies Spokane WA

Yikes, you are a long way from your baby! Are the batteries hooked up and connected to shore,power? Is this a self storage place? If yes to both, consider renting one of their very small storage units, and ask them to raise your trailer, remove all four wheels and store them in there for you. They should also lower her down partially so some of the weight is carried on jack stands or big wood blocks under the steel subframe, behind the rear wheels. You could buy a pair of TALL 6000+ pound (per pair) stands and have them sent there so they could do it. Cost for a pair would be around $50 jack stands 14-21” Nobody will bother messing with trying to haul her away with all the wheels missing.. I don’t think any locks will do much more than slow a pro down a little, a battery powered saber saw with a metal cutting blade, or an angle grinder, will make short work of most anything you can bolt or padlock in place. I’m sure others will wonder, why so far away? John Davies Spokane WA

Do they stay attached on very bumpy roads with a full spray bottle (or beer can) inside? John Davies Spokane WA

I am trying to understand why you would feel the need to plug each door vent hole with an epoxied fiberglass plug..... instead of simply adding a disc of foam rubber with RTV sealer/ adhesive. Are you also removing the outer chrome grills and blending in the areas with white gel coat? If that is the case I would just order a replacement door without any holes. If you are leaving the grills in place, epoxy might make their future removal a lot harder. A camp pad from Dick’s will work, but does anyone know its R value? A single layer of thin bubble foil insulation is R1. A 1” rigid (and fire retardant) foam board from the box store is R5. That is what I plan to use. Comments? John Davies Spokane WA

I had two Victron batteries for a very short while, but I ordered the wrong model and had to ship them back🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 That screen shot was from one of those. I ordered replacement Battle Borns and will be really upset if the Victron BMV-712 Smart will not connect to each individual battery as indicated on Battle Born’s webpage. My transition to lithium technology has been a pretty rotten experience so far. John Davies Spokane WA

Overland, I am confused by this entire event. Doesn’t your VictronConnect app tell you the actual internal specs - cell voltages and such - for EACH battery? Surely a failed battery would be indicated by a difference in internal voltages, and if the battery’s internal BMS had failed completely, you wouldn’t even be able to do this much. Are you using this app or a different one? This screen shot is for a Victron battery. ”This Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth built-in pairs perfectly with our <Battle Born> lithium batteries. You can download the free VictronConnect phone app to manage your new battery monitor directly on your phone!” https://battlebornbatteries.com/product/victron-bmv-712-battery-monitor-with-bluetooth-built-in/ John Davies Spokane WA

MontanaOliver, I drive the same rough, narrow high altitude forest roads as you do, and those endless washboarded ranch roads, but I cannot imagine doing so in a massive dually with that long wheelbase.... You must be a whole lot tougher than me. The reason I tow with a Land Cruiser is so I can park the Ollie and I can drive those roads without getting physically beat up, or high sided, or broken down, or forced to back several miles down a dead-end road. Love the Magruder Road scenery! I drove about a mile up that exact rough side road in your second pic, with my old LX450 and a 10 ft trailer, and turned around after a mile. It got too ledgy. I had to unhitch it and back and fill, and dodge a long stream of upset ATVers coming down from Burnt Knob lookout. Great memories of a once in a lifetime route. Idaho Magruder Corridor John Davies Spokane WA

I have to smile at this. I always turn mine on when towing, even in sunlight. I think it adds extra visibility for other drivers - it might jar a texting one awake - and I think it looks very cool. The little diamond eye marker lights are so bright, they are like little suns. I have had people flash me, that just proves that it works. In heavy “nightmare” traffic I turn on the headlights and the fog lights. I once had a Mazda 6 Sport Wagon that was a beautiful beige/ green metallic color, with no daytime running lights. It got hit hard twice in parking lots, and there were ALWAYS people pulling out in front of me because the car was so hard to spot. I didn’t want to drive with the lights on so I added bright always-on LED strip lights above the front spolier. That stopped the “people pulling out” problem. It didn’t help with parking lots, so I just parked as far away as I could from the store front. But it taught me the benefits of driving with lights on in daylight..... Am I alone in doing this? John Davies Spokane WA

How long do you plan to keep your GMC? The reason I ask is that the hard wired factory camera has got to be pretty expensive. I personally would not invest in that system, because if you trade in your truck or wreck it, the trailer components may be worthless either for your next TV or for the buyer of your Ollie when you sell it.. A universal system may not be as technocool, but you don’t risk losing a big investment. At the very least, run the wiring externally underneath as you mentioned, and make sure it is easy to remove later. You could always resell that system in the future. Do you know if the GMC camera can be operated while driving forward? Maybe a Camera Settings change? If it cannot, then that is another negative point for choosing that over a more versatile wireless aftermarket unit. John Davies Spokane WA