John E Davies

No worries, you won’t hurt your solar charging system, it cooperates nicely with the other charging systems on your Ollie. What generator do you have? If it is a little 1000 watt unit you will have to trip (disconnect) the AC circuit breakers for all the other circuits except the converter (charger) or might not carry the load. John Davies Spokane WA

You need a 30 amp RV female to 15 amp male adapter, this is the one I use. It is high quality and won’t melt: You can plug its male end into your generator and then plug the big 30 amp shore power cable into the female end. But it works much better if you plug a heavy duty (12 or 10 AWG) 15 amp extension cord into your generator, then in to the adaptor, and attach the adapter to the side of the trailer using the threaded collar. That way you don’t have a massive cord dangling off the fragile generator socket. The grounding plug is needed, it has to plug into one unused socket on the generator in order for the onboard surge suppressor to “see” the generator and then allow it to connect properly. If you don’t use that plug it won’t work right. Another option if your generator has a 12 volt DC connection, use the supplied cord with aligator clips and hook those to (any of) your battery positive and negative posts. But this is a a VERY slow way to charge and also little risky for a few reasons. It should look like this: Maybe you could just tell us what equipment/ adapters, etc you have at hand, hopefully you won’t have to make a trip to an RV supplier…. And I will say this, you are supposed to figure this stuff out in your driveway, not out in the remote woods 😀 John Davies Spokane WA

The ball has to match the size stamped in the Bulldog coupler. The normal one used is 2”, but Oliver has been installing some larger customer supplied 2 5/16” couplers prior to delivery. Yours is probably 2” but you should visually verify. Welcome to the forum. John Davies Spokane WA

Good catch, you have to be really careful about cheap hoses and connectors. Most are plated aluminum, once that plating is disturbed by normal use, you get dissimilar metal corrosion and white powder, and they can freeze solid to a steel part like your house hose bibb. Most of the $25 “contractor grade” hoses sold at box stores is actually garbage grade. Brass metal prices have really gone up in the last couple of years, so if it seems too good a deal it probably is not real brass. These ones are the real deal, I use them around my house but not on the Ollie. They are superior quality, massive, rebuildable, and have a 10 year no-questions-asked warranty, like their hose reels. I have two of those😬 and some of their nozzles and manifolds. https://www.eleyhosereels.com/products/garden-hose-quick-connect-system John Davies Spokane WA

And it might obscure the license plate if centered. I bet the build and material quality will be very disappointing after using the 1-Up products😬 The Camco one is painted steel and non-stainless hardware. John Davies Spokane WA

I haven’t actually seen that one in person, it looks simple enough to bolt on using big stainless steel bolts and locking nuts. Be sure to put a plastic pad under it to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. One of the members here recently said he was going to do this, search the threads here. John Davies Spokane WA

Have you seen this rack? If you have a Camco tank, this might be usable on your Ollie bike rack cross bar. You might have to remove the receiver from it. https://www.camco.net/tote-tanks/bumper-mount-tote-tank-holder-39010 John Davies Spokane WA

We were at the RV park due west of Whitehorse nearly a year ago. I took this pic there: That is a great town, be sure to go on the steamer tour. How are gas prices? Are you finding premium gas for your boosted Tundra? John Davies Spokane WA

I wouldn’t want to trust an adapter, there have been threads here about changing the small Ollie receiver to a steel 2” one. Once you do that the choices for a cargo rack are many, Just be sure to pick an RV rated one. I really like my 1-Up bike racks and would buy one of their folding trays in a heartbeat. What are the dimensions of your tank? Will it obscure the rear trailer lights? I would install this: Ultra-Tow Step Bumper Receiver - Class II, 3500-Lb. GTW, 2in. Then use one of these: https://www.1up-usa.com/product-category/cargo-carriers/ Alternatively have you thought about a front receiver for your truck? Carry the tank here, it would be out of the way as long as you always remember it is there😳 An extra benefit is you can use a front ball mount to maneuver your trailer, just not at the same time…. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t have direct knowledge, I ran across this document that might help. n/no co Fault Code – No cooling detected by the controls Board reset procedure. First step is to open up the outside compartment and look closely for some blockage, for example mud dauber nests. If you have never done so, blow out that area gently with compressed air, including the control board area. Watch your eyes! The gas jet in the burner section could be restricted, a crusty deposit gradually builds up around the hole, that is very common. I have a Dometic fridge, so I can’t be more specific. Good luck. Maybe consider buying a portable Danfoss compressor fridge/ cooler locally for backup in case it stays dead. At least that would not completely sabotage your vacation trip. You could always sell it when you get back, they are not cheap. Where do you live, please add that info to a Signature along with your hull number and model. If you were near me I would let you borrow my ARB one. John Davies Spokane Wa

That is one big advantage of a HD pickup, you can get rid off the Andersen and use one of those.... Just make sure the ball and mount are both rated for at least 7500 pounds and keep the front of the Ollie light (no big generator in a cargo tray). The weight of the bikes and their rack and the ball mount all count toward the tongue weight. What is the max TW rating for that Curt ball mount? 750? Two typical 60 pound ebikes and an ebike rated rack with swing out adapter could use up 200+ pounds of TW (with the batteries removed). For a loaded LE2 (with a typical TW of 650) that is going to be way too much. For example, this swing-out mount weighs 58 pounds by itself, an aluminum Super Duty Double rack weighs 47 pounds. Steel racks are quite a bit heavier. John Davies Spokane WA

Established primitive campgrounds that don't have electricity do have quiet hours like 10;00 PM to 8:00 AM. This is true of most National Parks in the West, they normally don't have any power available. When boondocking solo out in the woods or desert you can use a generator any time you like, even all night long. But if you have other campers close by, that isn't a good idea, or you might have somebody come visit for a heated debate, or to deliver a bullet to your generator 😉 Fortunately there are wide temperature swings where I camp and low humidity So a 100 degree day will probably get down into the 60s by the next morning. Irun the generator and AC all afternoon and into the evening long enough for the sun to drop or get shaded, then shut it off and open the windows in the middle of the night when the air has cooled a little. I would never want to boondock in sweltering humid weather. Running your batteries all the way down and recharging counts as a full cycle. That takes a toll on their longevity, but for most Ollie owners a 3000 cycle life expectancy doesn't mean very much. For a home solar setup with daily full cycles, that is very important. John Davies Spokane WA

UHMMMM, NO! If you did that, none of your 12 volt devices like lights and water pump would function. You only have to worry about long term storage, when everything else is shut down. While being used for normal camping, the lithiums are fine with full charge coming from solar and the converter. It is just that they are "happier" when stored at a partially discharged state. Maybe, it depends on the battery manufacturer. \What really stresses them is being constantly "topped up", charged those last percent from say 98 to 100%. Such as what happens when you are parked in winter while having them hooked up to shore power or the solar panels. Try to avoid that situation if you can. The solar controller voltage setting can be turned down a little, so it doesn't try charging them that last little bit, but the converter can't do that. That is the reason you should turn off the converter, or unhook the batteries to remove all phantom loads entirely during storage.. Look here: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6629-how-to-find-happiness-with-lifepo4-lithium-ion-batteries-solacity-article/ John Davies Spokane WA

My trailer had a non-standard mechanical stat for just the furnace (since I had Oliver install an Air Command AC)- it failed and I replaced it with this digital one. You will hate the mechanical one: inaccurate, hard to set to the exact right temp, unreliable (the contact points arc and then it quits working), and a really large dead band (temperature fluctuations). Give it a try, but if you start saying bad words, buy and install this one. You can theoretically adjust the dead band on the mechanical one, but it still has a whole lot of really bad features. Emerson 1E78-140 Non-Programmable Heat Only Thermostat for Single-Stage Systems John Davies Spokane WA

As an extra comment, I think most people “expect” to see a permanently mounted (screwed down) fridge in an RV. When it runs primarily on propane and also requires a 15 amp shore power circuit, that is obvious. But once you get to to a Danfoss unit that sips DC power, relatively speaking, then a portable one makes a whole lot of sense to me. It would be very easy to have a shore power outlet, just like the microwave, but the primary power source still remains 12 volts Dc from your batteries. It could so easily plug into your truck, so why make it fixed….? FYI I have owned the mid sized ARB Classic unit for about fifteen years, and it is great. I carry it strapped to one of my center row seats. But when I do take it on long trips, like the last one to Yukon Territory, I HATE the 50 to 60 amp hr per day constant power consumption. It makes me constantly worry about solar positioning, and when the sun doesn’t shine, I worry even more. So most of the time it stays in the garage. I have actually thought about getting rid of it. I am not sold on these Danfoss units in an RV. For a cruising sailboat, definitely! Those rarely get parked under trees! https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/the-danfoss-compessor-refrigerator-pros-cons-and-a-few-tips/ John Davies Spokane WA

That is a very nice unit, but IMHO if Oliver is transitioning to a Danfoss type fridge, I think they should install a top loader (door on top, insulated sides) on a slide out tray. That way you don't dump all the cold air every single time you go inside for an item.... which really increases the energy consumption. These don't cycle nearly as often! Plus you would be able to remove it easily if you wanted to clean it or use it in another vehicle.i I don't believe that it would be any more awkward than a great big door intruding into the hallway, except you would have to slide it out most of the way to open it. There are sliding drawer units, but those dump cold air too, there is no way around it when the sides are wide open, cold air sinks naturally: "Danfoss/SeCOP compressor offers low power consumption, quiet performance, and operation at a heel up to 30°" That last part is nice, I am always worrying about my propane fridge burning out the coil when it is at 30 degree angle 😉 The unit draws 5 amps when running. I think this new Norcold fridge is going to be really hard on a lot of boondockers who can't keep the batteries charged....those who always camp in the direct sunshine in desert states won't have any worries, but a 200 watt+ portable panel is going to be necessary most other times. or run the generator every couple of days. 50 to 70 amp hours a day is not insignificant when you also use the inverter and microwave.. And I believe that Oliver STILL does not let you charge off the tow vehicle if you have lithiums.... which you will need with this fridge! John Davies Spokane WA

FYI, I just took these pics showing pedal clearance with the handlebar resting on the rear window glass. This is a custom rack that is not elevated like many “plug-in” types. John Davies Spokane WA

20% off: GasStop Propane 100% Emergency Shut-Off Safety Device-for RV ACME type connections If your high pressure hoses are cracked or more than four years old, consider replacing them with their “90 degree” ones for better routing and clearance. Leak check them anyway with soapy water, before ordering the valves, to be sure that are safe! John Davies Spokane WA

That is an interesting idea, but I would not count on it. It would mean extending the trailer frame and the upper and lower flat sheets, and that would be expensive if it were done to every unit made. Structural aluminum, especially the great big 2x5” rectangular beams, is very expensive. I wonder what percentage of sales includes a bike rack…. Maybe 10%? I personally would not want the frame to go back any further, it can already drag, and that would make the “departure angle” even worse. You can always remove the cover completely and store it if you are worried about scarring the gel coat while loading a bike. But that requires relocating the license plate stuff to over the left lights (where it actually should go). I really don’t know why they chose to position it right in the center …. ? John Davies Spokane WA

This is a great point, not only is it not a good idea, it is very bad. A used race with a new bearing will probably cause failure in a short time because the used one has some wear, even if it isn’t visible... New Timkens are sold as matched sets, meaning the two parts were machined for a (nearly) perfect fit. Cheap poor quality no-name ones, especially counterfeits, most likely were not, even if they come packed in the same box or blister pack. It is definitely a buyer beware situation. Don’t be a cheapskate if you tow a lot of miles, and never be one if you tow in really remote locations. Also, keep the removed bearings separated, keep track of where they came from so you don’t accidentally install one into the the wrong wheel! That actually means you installed two wrong ones, with two possible failures! I put a blue paper shop towel on the ground at the axle and put the drum and the removed bearings on it, then I take the parts to my bench to clean, lube or replace one set at a time. That greatly reduces the chance that you will have a “senior moment”. But that can still happen, I recently drove in my last inner seal backwards. 😳 I caught my mistake right away but I had to drive to a bearing store for a replacement, and to buy a spare… John Davies Spokane WA

Those roads are not a hazard for punctures with LT tires, they are crushed gravel, the small stuff, well graded but with washboard where trucks accelerate or slow down, that particular farm road at Steens Mountain was recently graded and had soft piles along the edges, you definitely need to stay off those when moving briskly because the steering tires start to float. The roads that kill tires are the smaller forest roads that use large ballast, those big sharp rocks can tilt up a skewer a sidewall. I destroyed a Subaru Outback tire that way in MT, going less than 10 mph, and it was a wake up call to not rely on a doughnut spare and to not have car tires. Regardless of the speed you drive. If you run car tires or LT tires with a tight tread design, they will throw gravel like crazy. A more aggressive pattern is much better in terms of grip on loose surfaces and for not throwing debris. The original Ollie Michelin LTX tires look fine after five seasons, no cuts in tread or sidewalks. My LC200 has always had either true mud tires or the latest style hybrid “in betweeners” like the excellent Cooper AT3 XLT. John Davies Spokane W/

A 2” aluminum receiver would work IF the walls were not made thinner - simply removing the inner sleeve as others here have done is very unwise from a strength perspective. Some of the very few RV rated rack brands like 1-Up USA use an internal lock that would literally destroy an aluminum part! If I were to do it, I would buy this very strong steel unit and through bolt it on top of the Oliver cross beam with a heavy insulating pad to reduce corrosion. The part will rust and you will have to repaint it regularly! Ultra-Tow Step Bumper Receiver - Class II, 3500-Lb. GTW, 2in. The risk with using an actual tow rated unit is that somebody might actually hook up a trailer to it! I would remove any labels at least and maybe add an Oliver label about 150 pound weight limits. The safety chain openings could be cut off, but in reality they would make a great location for a BIG intimidating cable bike lock. Like this one… Master Lock 8156DPS High Security Cable with U-Lock This is how these racks should be built by Oliver IMHO. The aluminum small opening is a joke in many ways. It just makes people mad. I think it is due to potential liability. John Davies Spokane WA

Silicone grease on the rubber seal works, better than spray. I use Dow Corning DC-4 since it comes in a big tube and lasts longer. DC-4 It is military grade and is used for waterproofing electrical connections like your 7 pin lighting connector. Add some onto a spark plug insulator and the rubber boot will slide right off years from now. I haven’t ever used the non-MIL-spec brands, so I can’t comment on their effectiveness. I have used DC-4 for many decades. It should NOT be used on silicone rubber, for example silicone orings, because it wrecks that material. John Davies Spokane WA

Nice writeup, thanks for posting all the pics! Cracked or broken gelcoat is due to an undersized hole or not heavily countersinking it before driving in the screw. Both are due to sloppy work….. Another option for access is to remove either of the two round red reflectors that are just above the ends of the sewer compartment. They aren't very visible anyway. I ran wires for my rear bike rack aux lighting that way. Some of the factory wiring is a little unsightly, isn’t it?😢 John Davies Spokane WA

Bill …. https://alcobrametals.com/telescopic-tubing/ John Davies Spokane WA