John E Davies

'Fire! Fire! Fire!’ The Perplexing, Deadly Electric Bike Problem.  Malfunctioning lithium-ion batteries in the increasingly popular form of transportation have been linked to numerous explosions, blazes, and deaths—and little is being done to reduce the danger John Davies Spokane WA

It has a 23 gal fresh tank, full of water that adds 192 pounds…… Is that a typo? If not, what were they thinking? John Davies Spokane WA

You need to keep the compressor at no more than 60 psi. It will not hurt anything. Using 120psi off a big compressor will rupture lines. I suggested blowing out twice with AF between those two processes. As long as you trust your AF is rated to -50F, I think you would be safe with just the AF. The main thing is to try to eliminate any and all trapped pockets of water. Do you plan to carry an extra propane bottle? You will go through the gas incredibly fast. Depending on the inside temperature…. My adapter is a Camco one, I drilled out the tiny hole to make it flow better. I see that you can now buy one like that, see below. John Davies Spokane WA

If I thought the temp was going to drop much below 0 degrees F, I would drain the entire system (long before the cold hit!) and blow it out with air, then do an antifreeze treatment, and then blow THAT out with air. The real worry with using only compressed air is that there will always be a little leftover water in the system, and it will accumulate at the low spots like the street side check valves. Doing it twice with AF in between should make the system freeze proof. The folks who really get screwed don’t winterize nearly soon enough, and when they do try to do it - “OMG an arctic blast is here!” - all the drains are frozen solid and it is far too late. This is all entirely theiretical for me 😬. The coldest my unheated but attached RV bay has every gotten is +42 degrees F. John Davies Spokane WA

Oh yes, ask your truck and trailer insurance rep for any limitations/ exclusions about such an extensive off season trip in inclement weather. John Davies Spokane WA

Gerry, no offense, but I think it is a foolish crazy idea. But this is from a guy who parks his trailer thru the entire winter. I have been towing for 50 years, and I do know the perils of winter driving, especially on cleared roads (hard packed snow.) Ignoring the nasty effects of mag chloride, you could not pay me enough to tow “Mouse” over them. I suggest that you at the very minimum install a set of 100% winter tires on the truck and the trailer… . No All Season can begin to compare, even if it has the snowflake symbol on it. The compound is too hard below 40 deg F. My LC200 has studded Nokian Hakka LT tires and they are wonderful. I scrapped a set of three season old studless Nokian snow tires with 70% tread left after a sphincter tightening experience on sheet ice on the Interstate that almost killed me. That exact same scenario involved my son and my old Land Cruiser 80, four years ago, but he totaled it. Studs rule! Unfortunately soft tires will wear really fast when towing and the steering will be disturbingly vague. The trailer may not like them either. Around here the number of TRAVEL trailers you see on the road from Dec through Feb can be counted on the fingers of one hand... I believe deep down that for a trip like this you need a truck camper on a big pickup. Period. John Davies Spokane WA

“Customer states car won’t start after towing behind RV… Clutch is hard to operate.” https://www.thedrive.com/news/rv-driver-annihilates-fiat-500-by-flat-towing-it-in-first-gear-on-the-highway John Davies Spokane WA

This is a great deal on a used lens…. John Davies Spokane WA

See the May 16, 2022 post here about the fan wires and corrosion. If there are any signs of green nasty crud, ask for a new pair of fan assemblies, they are happy to send two! https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/1978-nature039s-head-composting-toilet-installation-in-an-oliver-big-thread/page/5/ John Davies Spokane WA

This is the method Andersen recommends. It is fine IF you have room to pull forward. Some really short sites don’t have that room. And if you want to hitch up the night before departure, while the truck is at an angle, it isn’t very practical. John Davies Spokane WA

Battle Born Black Friday John Davies Spokane WA

I’m using a pair of turnbuckles with self locking stainless nuts, rather than chain binders. On my trailer they fully replace the front extension chain sections. They work MOST excellently! They are lighter but do have more failure points, OMG…..! Andersen did not approve of ANY mod, but the tech said that a 2600 lb WLL would be OK, as long as you don’t actually adjust tension with them. Just remove slack! If I bust one, I will replace them both and continue on. They greatly improve the rather poor Andersen Experience. IMHO. The reason you can’t find that thread here is that the original poster did not bother to put the subject in the title, which screws up Search. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6707-andersen-hitch-hookup-mod/#comment-72082 John Davies Spokane WA

I would like to once again point out that an Ollie is a recreational vehicle, and it is specifically mentioned in the manual that it is not designed for full time occupancy. And that for winter use in frigid temps the water system must be winterized if the furnace is not used. A few owners certainly do full time them, but to live in them continually as a residence requires extra diligence in keeping all the complicated systems working as designed. Especially in frigid temperatures! I am not sure that anyone relying on the overwhelmed professional RV service industry should try this. I certainly would not attempt it if I could not fix stuff myself! My first suggestion to Margaret is to get the water and gas leak(s) fixed. ASAP. The latter is a huge safety risk, do not use any gas appliance until that is corrected (turn off the main valves!!!). Proper furnace operation combined with adequate air flow should correct the moisture issues caused by excess inside humidity… once that inside leak is stopped! The second suggestion is to move to a warm desert location for the winter. Have you gone door to door asking neighbors for help? RVers are generally a friendly bunch, maybe you can find one who understands and can repair your trailer’s faults. BTW with the furnace operating, warm (ish) air from the basement goes into the spaces between the hulls. That should stop any chance of ice forming in those locations. Space heaters inside the living area do not do that. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

I wanted ventilation for that HOT compartment in warm weather. This also functions as another furnace return air path. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5329-how-to-victron-mppt-solar-charge-controller-underneath-the-street-side-bed/ I think there are way too many dead end spaces in an Ollie, like the pantry and closet, and those electronics bays. There needs to be much better air transfer through all of them. John Davies Spokane WA

Did the RV tech go up top? It most likely is seeping in from the roof, as you said the floor is a tub and it is highly unlikely that a leak from a window or plumbing joint will pool there. It could be the top of the entry door too. My roof vent leak; https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4003-how-to-maxxfan-remove-and-service-preventive-maintenance-to-avoid-water-damage/ Please post your model and hull number. John Davies Spokane WA

You can put panels on your garage roof, no worries, but you must add a solar controller right at the trailer, because the external solar port just connects directly to the batteries. Easy to do.… https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5478-how-to-remote-mount-the-controller-of-a-suitcase-solar-panel-not-inside-the-trailer/ In your shoes I would remove the Zamp PWM controller in the Ollie and replace it with a more efficient Victron MPPT one, and use the old Zamp for your roof charge controller. Kill two stones with one bird - a double upgrade. You will need to figure out how to cover the big ugly hole where the Zamp is located. I installed an iPad Mini 2 there, to run the Victron Connect app, interface with my Garmin inReach, and some other stuff. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5357-how-to-mount-a-tablet-computer-in-place-of-the-zamp-controller/ John Davies Spokane WA

I am not sure how I feel about this, they did politely blur my house street number, license plate and face, but the actual app shows my physical address…. and much of the contents of my RV bay. Should I request that they blur out the Ollie and the inside of the bay? Am I being paranoid? Comments? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Yes the big CLAM fits on a bed. John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome to the forums. Here you go. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t think baking soda will do anything for the smell. You are actually supposed to flush the pipes and fixtures every couple of years with a dilute acid (vinegar and water 50/50) to remove calcium deposits. If you fill the tank normally with softened water, obviously this isn’t necessary, I would do a couple of thorough water flushes and follow up with your scent free AF, or just blow the system out very well with regulated compressed air. When you are done, the p traps can be treated with common grey tank deodorant.. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Thetford-Grey-Water-Odor-Control-Rv-Camper-Holding-Tank-Treatment-24-oz-PN-15842/101776576 If that “lemony fresh” smell is also bothersome to your daughter, use a few ounces of mineral oil in each one. That won’t deodorize, but it it will act as a physical barrier to grey tank vapors, and it will also lube your dump and vent valves. John Davies Spokane WA

This is very incorrect. As long as you manage the AC loads correctly, you can certainly run off a 20 amp or 15 amp circuit. The 30 amp power is needed for running all the loads at once. When hooked up to a smaller supply, just turn off the hot water heater and fridge circuit breakers (run them on propane). Do not operate the microwave. Do not expect to run the air conditioner while charging lithium batteries. Do the latter early in the morning, until they are topped up, then turn off the charger and run the aircon in the afternoon…. I rarely hook up to shore power, and when I do it is hardly ever 30 amp. You can access the xantrex charge control settings and turn down the output current if needed, this has been discussed in several other threads. John Davies Spokane WA

Standard operating procedure when winching is to place a heavy blanket or similar soft weight across the cable at its midpoint to absorb most of the energy if it should break. Synthetic winch rope is super expensive, but it doesn’t fray, kink and cut your hands, and it does NOT stretch, so it doesn’t store energy like a steel cable or an over stressed nylon snatch strap. I chose not to install a winch in this Land Cruiser, instead I carry shovel, chain saw, heavy truck chains and Maxx Trax recovery boards. And of course I have an air pump and I air down the tires if needed. If all those won’t do the job (assisted by Toyotas incredible CRAWL control), I am calling for professional assistance, by phone or by sat com. … Crawl Control on the 2020 Land Cruiser | Getting Unstuck From Sand | Self Recovery Long ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to help a stuck motorist. Now I am inclined to just call for professional help - legal ramifications of a botched recovery are too horrible to contemplate. John Davies Spokane WA

Be very aware that many motorists around you will not understand what is going on, they will only see “something” pouring out and leaving a long splashy stream on the highway. They might think your trailer plumbing is broken 😳😳😳 I have done this in the past, drained the fresh tank, but only on deserted backroads. I personally don’t recommend doing it. Don’t be this guy: …. 18 years since the Dave Matthews tour bus dumped 800 pounds of feces on people taking a cruise John Davies Spokane WA

The reason Oliver installs that huge vent right beside the furnace fan is because that is specifically required by the manufacturer’s installation instructions. You can go ahead and add return air paths far away, just be sure the total square inches is equivalent to that big grill. I plan to do this, I will be removing my Dometic fridge for maintenance and I am going to see about making a return grill at the entry door down low, forward of the fridge. Once you have plenty of air return, from different areas of the hull, then you can block off and sound insulate the existing air return, which will dramatically quiet the furnace. This is a future How To article, assuming it works out. John Davies Spokane WA

NH and Oliver doen’t seem to worry about it, it is a regular round 12 volt connector. I have never noticed any issues. It is carrying low voltage and not much current. It isn’t a safety hazard if it gets splashed.. John Davies Spokane WA