John E Davies

Were there any warning signs like no electrical connection to the gennie, or a nasty burnt plastic smell? That is a scary pic. Does Oliver Service know about this issue? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

A big word of caution about International roaming…. We camped at a county RV park in Washington, near Port Angeles, almost directly across from Victoria BC, our phones connected to a BC cell tower without our noticing, and we got hit with an enormous US$400 data charge, it took several hours in person at the Verizon store to straighten it out. This was several years ago, I am not sure how the current plans work, but be VERY careful about using cell or hotspot data when you are in the USA, but so very close to Canada. John Davies Spokane WA

Use the supplied alligator clips to hook your suitcase solar panel directly to the batteries. Or to your truck battery…. That will tell you immediately whether or not it is working correctly. FYI Oliver’s seven pin harness wire color codes are different, but the actual pin functions are industry standard. If you don’t have a meter as FrankC suggests, get one, since you will have other uses for it in the future. It would be very easy to connect the meter leads to the charge and ground pins, hook up your panel to the trailer batteries, and watch for the voltage rise. I suspect you have a wiring problem in the trailer, as long as your Renogy panel is working. You might want to look at this, it shows the (very awkward) location where your front wire harness splices into the trailer wiring. … https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5271-how-to-junction-box-for-the-7-wire-trailer-harness-under-the-front-dinette-seat/ John Davies Spokane WA

That 4S variant is pretty much a winter capable car tire. You could have run them on the Ollie but you would basically have to run them at the full sidewall pressure, and then there is the risk of sidewall cuts because there aren't as many cords there or in the tread. I think they would be great if they were offered in a Load E variation. Was that $50 for return shipping? That seems quite reasonable to me in these hard times. Tire shopping can be exhausting emotionally, it is always prudent to really study and understand the specifications. Good catch. It would have been bad if you did not notice until after they were installed! Or never noticed and put 50 or 60 psi in them. John Davies Spokane WA

This is possible, the wiring on Olivers is very good compared to the SOB trailers in terms of protected harnesses and looms, but to the best of my knowledge they still do not secure the loose wires properly at the terminal ends, the connections. This results in wires falling off the water pump, for example. So while we are not literally “walking on wires” there could be failure points. My trailer Hull 216 had completely unprotected main battery cables, the soft rubber insulation was wearing away from chafing the steel battery tray. It was a serious fire hazard. Having to string a new wire to bypass an unknown fault is not something a tech or owner wants to do, but it could be necessary if detailed methodical troubleshooting and physical inspection doesn’t find the cause…😳 John Davies Spokane WA

Where do you live? You need to add this info to a signature so it appears in all your posts. Maybe an Oliver owner close to you would be able to help. At this stage in your ordeal you need to bypass Jason entirely and make a personal phone call to an Oliver management person. The lack of diagrams has been a serious issue for literally YEARS and we keep hearing new and inventive reasons why, IMHO it is completely unacceptable, because it results in the emotionally devastating crap like what is happening to you now. If Oliver used industry standard color coding on the wires, it would not be a big deal, but they do not! This is crazy, they changed four of the five colors to the rear lights: I personally would never own an RV or a boat if I could not myself deal with stuff like this, I have the technical background to do it effectively. I really feel for “normal” people who have to rely on the outdated and crippled RV service model. Please keep this thread going. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

That is helpful, but that Technical Service Bulletin was for a missing inverter chassis ground cable, the "third wire", which did not in any way affect the inverter's normal operation, or any of the other circuits,, it was a serious shock hazard in case the inverter shorted out internally to its housing. But that big ground post on the trailer frame is ultimately where the main ground wires should attach. BTW this is a prime example of why we should have wiring diagrams for our trailers! It is CRAZY to expect an RV tech or an owner to blunder around with no accurate references. If Katjo does bring in a residential electrician, the very first thing he is going to say is, where are the diagrams? When he sees there are none, he is going to melt down. John Davies Spokane WA

All sellers should consider having a full inspection performed before listing the trailer, and have that report available for a buyer to study. The crazy long wait times are very bad, there is nothing you can do about that as a buyer, I guess, but a seller has no excuse! John Davies Spokane WA

I am sorry for your trauma, and finding a reason for a flaky electrical system can be very hard. With so many 12 volt circuits being involved in the problem it seems to me that the cause is between the batteries and the distribution panel. Maybe inside the panel itself. Can you duplicate the failures by moving wires? A detailed inspection of every wire may be in order, perhaps there is a failed crimp or a loose terminal. I know for SURE that the 12 volt fuse holders are very prone to getting loose, the little brass “ears” that grab the blades of the fuses can be bent back by careless fuse installation, then the connection goes away entirely or becomes sporadic. This has happened to my fridge and the Natures Head toilet, both quit unexpectedly. Both are on separate circuits, both had loose fuse contacts. Get a small pair of precision needle nose pliers, insulate the tips with tape or heat shrink tubing, and check every single fuse holder, Remove the fuse, tighten the two pairs of ears slightly by squeezing them together, and reinstall the fuse straight in using the pliers, do NOT just jam it in with your fingers. That bends the ears! I borrowed this pic from dhaig, I hope he doesn’t mind. It clearly shows those ears.. Do some detailed poking around, eventually you should figure this out. Good luck. And for all buyers, always insist on a pre-purchase inspection if you are not able to do it yourself. If a trailer’s systems don’t work as advertised, or the trailer has signs of neglect, run away. John Davies Spokane WA

Keep in mind ventilation requirements, look at the installation manual for those specs, for example vertical or horizontal, and distance between objects. The Victron units prefer to be vertical with a few inches of top and bottom clearance, the Redarc ones are more forgiving, some can even be mounted under the trailer frame. John Davies Spokane WA

No worries, put it inside if you like, but you then lose the ability to use your portable panel with other trailers or to charge your truck battery, for example, if it goes flat when you are exploring elsewhere.. What brand and type controller do you have? You might want to consider installing a high quality MPPT unit under the bed, and keep the older one as your emergency spare or for other applications as I mentioned above. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCSTM43/?coliid=I15VG6R4AT33N3&colid=1X5H11EH41351&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it As long as you use good quick disconnects, you can easily switch from one setup to the other. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5478-how-to-remote-mount-the-controller-of-a-suitcase-solar-panel-not-inside-the-trailer/ John Davies Spokane WA

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article262460447.html John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks, I wonder why it has no placard, maybe Oliver forgot it? Every factory installed switch I have seen has a label near it. That would save silly questions like mine. My floor lights have a switch near the galley water pump switch. I never use them either😬 John Davies Spokane WA

Forgot, it isn’t uncommon for the gas jet to get a build up of crud around the hole, that thread shows how you can clean it. But if it is running too rich at 7500 feet that may not fix it. John Davies Spokane WA

Great report, I am glad the Ollie worked so well. What solar port is on your trailer? If it is the round Furrion one, that connector is only rated for 10 amps, which is why the 10 amp fuse is there. The wires are plenty large. So if you have that round connector you are grossly overloading it with 18 amps. If you have a different brand, it may be rated higher. I haven't ever had any issues with water heater or furnace at 7500 feet. You should check and adjust your gas supply pressure to be sure there isn't a problem there, before swapping jets around. For the gas check you need a special tool or have an RV tech do it. If the gas supply is in spec, then you can proceed with the following. FYI it is about a two minute job to swap out the gas jet in the Suburban water heater for a smaller one. It simply clips in place. Since it obviously was having issues, try a smaller jet, ask your local RV shop what they recommender for the size. A larger number stamped on the brass jet is a SMALLER hole. You don't need to pay somebody to do this! Put the original back in when you get back to say 5000 feet. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3243-how-to-service-and-inspect-your-suburban-hot-water-heater-gas-system/ John Davies Spokane WA

What is the unlabeled switch for? Ejection seat? No, that would be red. Thanks. That extension cord is kinda in the way there, you can replace it with a short right angle one, rotate the 120 VAC outlet 180 degrees and the cord will then go straight up so it is less at risk for being kicked. Something like this, I haven;'t used this particular brand. Tripplite make some too that are probably better built. John Davies Spokane WA

I have had to panic stop a number of times when towing, for clueless pedestrians and once for five elk standing on the center stripe of the highway. I topped the steep rise and there they were. In every case I stood on the brake pedal, not once did I try to evade. Of course a turtle is a completely different threat level. I wouldn’t hesitate to run over one, and I have nailed a tom turkey dead center with the truck and trailer tires. But I think most people towing a three ton trailer would be too busy stopping, not evading. John Davies Spokane WA

😳 That has to be very hard for the service techs, how can they efficiently fix brakes, swap axles or remove the subframe? Perform frame repairs? I would have expected a four point lift to be the next thing to be installed after the roof and walls…,, Maybe they just tow the Ollie over to the Production area for major work? John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for posting. Do you have any inside-the-building pics that you can share? Do they let you come inside the service area to, for example, look underneath your frame while it is up on a lift? What is the hourly rate and what does a typical annual service cost, do you know? Do they provide detailing services? John Davies Spokane WA

So this happens with the gearbox installed? It seems like a very major design flaw. I had to modify my handle so it would function with the gearbox removed, but the tool does work fine with it in place. Maybe you could figure out an alternative setup, the part that fits over the jack gearbox needs a 1/2” square female drive. It could be made by buying a pair of cheap Harbor Freight extensions and welding the female ends together. Use a regular 1/2 drive ratchet handle to operate it. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6811-how-to-lengthen-your-emergency-jack-handle-so-it-will-fit-the-rear-jacks-with-the-gearbox-removed/ John Davies Spokane WA

They sell there own brand corded one, I don’t know who makes it for them. The kits are a good value rather than buying pads or other items separately. https://www.griotsgarage.com/buffers-pads/polisher-kits/ John Davies Spokane WA

137.3 inches. Almost 18 inches longer than the Land Cruiser 200 (120 inches). It should be fairly stable with the Andersen. OTH the LE would be a better match in terms of tongue weight and off road ability, but that last part was not part of the question. There are some important frontal area and TW limitations, the LE2 would need to be kept tongue light. For example, keep the generator in the front of the bed, not on the tongue. https://offroading.com/the-2022-jeep-gladiator-towing-capacity-an-in-depth-comparison/ John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for posting! That will definitely save fussing around, recording trip lengths and missing some! But you still have to keep a basic mileage log for the maintenance items. I quite like the new style spoked wheels, they would really show off a set of disk brakes with stainless calipers and rotors! Unmmmm good! John Davies Spokane WA

If you are just doing short trips and not racking up a lot of miles, the Ecodiesel doesn’t make very much sense. Short trips with inadequate cruising time for regens is very hard on any modern diesel. The high up front cost and long term expenses for emissions stuff and DEF will buy a lot of gas, but that wonderful torque is addictive. I personally would not own another diesel vehicle of any kind. But the Ford 7.3 Godzilla gas engine has diesel like power, but with super simplicity and it appeals to me for those reasons. I have to admit that I love the look of the Gladiator but the price seems a little out of line for what you get. Have the dealers quit price gouging? John Davies Spokane WA

I just bought a Dewalt polisher, mainly because I used to have a nice Porter Cable one with cord, and I just hated dealing with that; tripping over it, pulling the plug out of the socket, and dragging it across my freshly polished paint (!) And I have about six other Dewalt tools and lots of batteries. I haven’t used it yet, but I need to do my truck since the sides are all brush striped from fire roads. I got a killer deal on an open box one on eBay for $375, free shipping. It was in perfect condition. Griots Garage sells great care products, I bought a bunch of pads, polishes and tools from them for the Dewalt. It doesn’t come with any. https://www.griotsgarage.com/buffers-pads/ John Davies Spokane WA