John E Davies

You most certainly trashed the NH vent fan too, better order a new one. Add a note to your checklist, when filling that unused black tank with grey water, disconnect the vent hose from the toilet and aim it downwards..... just in case. If I ever change the black tank to a fresh tank, I will cap off that 1 1/2" vent and add a 3/4" overflow hose going out the belly, just like the OEM fresh tank has. You can't fix stupid, but you can reduce the likelihood of a major disaster.... Don't feel bad, we have all done idiot stuff. John Davies Spokane WA

If you have had more than one Ollie, please include the mileage of all of them, combined as one figure. I think it will be eye opening to see how many owners “rack up those miles”. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I watched a little of that, thanks for posting., He makes some great comments, I thought it was amusing that he had towed it 3000 miles, that is pretty low for many Ollie owners, we have a few with well over 100k miles and counting. I expect that his crap plastic suspension bushings are trashed already. He commented that the roads out west are rough, I agree 100%, and that is my main gripe with Ollie suspensions, they are not built to deal with that on a routine basis. Why oh why won’t Oliver give us a decent “rough highway” suspension option? 1 1/2” of up travel and no rubber bump stops is just plain silly…. John Davies Spokane WA

If the front of the trailer is not already facing south, shift it so the sun shines on the doghouse (to warm the bottles). You could even carefully put a small 110 volt electric box heater in there to assist. That might help. Does your range and fridge work on propane? If so, it is not a supply issue. The jets on both WH and furnace can be replaced with smaller ones to compensate for thinner air, but this shouldn’t be done if you will often be close to sea level. The standard 6 gallon Suburban WH jet can be replaced in half a minute, literally, it is held in with a spring clip. The furnace one requires a good bit of disassembly….. If the tank isn’t flowing gas at all, you could have a regulator issue, or you might want to buy one of these…. Powerblanket John Davies Spokane WA

Please clarify what you are asking. Also you need to post your model and hull number. Here is the back of the controller for my hull, the ground wire goes down and in a very roundabout way to the battery negative post, but the positive has a circuit breaker (under the street side bed), then it goes to the battery positive. If your trailer is correctly oriented, you can tilt the panel toward the sun for a lot of additional winter charge. Just fabricate a couple of prop arms. They have the added benefit of making it way easier to work up there, plus snow and ice will slide off... do not tow in that configuration😳. John Davies Spokane WA

GJ, great comments The beauty of the Redarc is that it doesn’t require disturbing the wiring in the TV. An exception is if you have a “smart” alternator, then you have to run a small voltage sense wire up to the TV battery positive, and also one inside the Ollie. I once wired a TV and a Nash travel trailer as you describe, I used OO welding cable. This was about 1988, there was no such thing as lithium batteries. It worked quite well, but it is NOT a mod to be taken lightly with today’s sophisticated computer controlled electrical systems. CAN Controller Area Network John Davies Spokane WA

Oliver does not mention this rather important fact in any of their literature. It’s very deceptive IMHO, especially for a trailer that is advertised as “get off-grid with our new lithium pro package”. Maybe they mean “get off grid but bring a big generator too”. John Davies Spokane WA

The Redarc charger was a lifesaver on our last trip, 4500 miles through BC and lower Yukon. There were many days where the solar was completely useless, because of cloudy or rainy weather. With the DC to DC charger, I could count on 110 amp hours of charge in a ten hour drive. I ran the generator a couple of times to operate the AC, and only once more did I need to run it to recharge the batteries for about an hour. We stayed at hookup sites about a third of the time. I would like a little higher charge rate, for sure, but for simplicity this is hard to beat, as long as the wires in the trailer are to spec (not undersized!) and I have no regrets. On sunny days I have no worries at all, the combined rate of up to 30 amps of solar and TV charging is great. BTW there is no way my Toyota 5.7 would charge the lithiums more than part way, max voltage is way too low. I would see 14.5 volts (on a Scan Gauge II) with no load, but when hooked to the trailer and charging AGMs, it dropped to around 13.7. That low voltage works fine with the Redarc, which bumps it up to an appropriate value for whatever battery chemistry is selected. And it is a smart charger, so it knows when to taper off the current. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5270-how-to-redarc-dc-to-dc-11-amp-output-trailer-charger-installation/ John Davies Spokane WA

Did you order a “lithium capable” charger board? If not, change or cancel your order. The newest board has a switch so you can upgrade the batteries without having to buy another complete board. The cost should be the same. Order from here for a much lower price: https://www.ltdrvparts.com/PROGRESSIVE-DYNAMICS-PD4045-LITHIUM-CHARGING-SECTION-PD4045LICSV-PD4045LICSV.htm https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4812-how-to-progressive-dynamics-pd4045-lithium-upgrade/ John Davies Spokane WA

My trailer #218 does that when climbing really steep mountain grades, such as 5000 feet in half an hour, the sudden pressure change burps the grey water odor out the kitchen sink trap. I started using a little Camco TST and that is no longer a problem, it kills the nasty odor and adds a bit of lemon scent.There may be something wrong under the sink, in looking at my plumbing diagrams, there is another vent for the grey tank other than the one in the bathroom, mine may be dysfunctional since the sink burps and the grey tank is really slow to drain if the travel valve is closed..... Does anyone know if it is a TWO way valve, or just for either negative or positive pressure? You don't need to add the full recommended dose of 4 ounces of TST unless you know the tank will get completely full, I usually dribble in a couple of ounces max. One reason I like it is that every Walmart has it in the RV section for around $7. I save the bottles for other uses, like carrying bleach (water treatment), vinegar (composting toilet) or mineral oil (drain valve lubricant). The bottles store neatly in the pantry without taking up as much space as the big round bottles. Be sure to relabel them! The original labels come off easily. JohnDavies Spokane WA

Well, I am glad you resolved it, but OTH I am a little horrified at the idea of a hydraulic jack. If the parts had exploded with a mighty crash, any and repair all costs would rest entirely on your shoulders. I think you should have waited for Jason to comment before bringing in the heavy artillery. Please post his response. This is getting more and more interesting. I would put stainless bolts there, but that is up to you. John Davies Spokane WA

This is my 2017 Hull 218, looking forward toward the dinette, the wheel well is on the left. There is a significant gap there. OTH there is no insulation on the bottom of the tray as in your pic, so maybe that is deceptive. You can easily see the diamond texture of the inner plate. l On mine, that top bolt was in place and tight, but the bottom one was missing (the holes were drilled and lined up). I am guessing that your tray has settled down. Your support is not good news: I think Oliver needs to get involved in this, to make sure there are no other related issues. What batteries do you have? If they are the AGMs, there is about 300 pounds of dead weight there, that load really really needs to go straight down to the frame main structural member, not rest on other fiberglass parts! Imagine the severe intermittent stresses when you hit a freeway dip or big pothole....those are big G loads! Good luck, open a service ticket ASAP, keep us informed please. John Davies Spokane WA

My trailer had only one bolt installed, I added a second one in the empty holes. Yes, it supports the battery floor, they definitely need to be in there, and tight…. .Look around with a mirror and flashlight or stick your phone in there and take some pics, make sure the floor is not settled or cracked around its perimeter. The floor is a piece of 1/8” diamond plate aluminum, with 1/8” fiberglass at the top and bottom. Open a support ticket, Oliver Service needs to be notified. Yours is probably not the only one with improper assembly 😳 John Davies Spokane WA

I suspect assembly problems at the factory, if the pilot holes are drilled too large, the screw threads will not hold. Mine are doing fine after five camping seasons. I used the same material in a 1” thickness to add additional mounting plates, I bonded the HDPE to the fiberglass with JB Weld, then screwed 6061 T6 aluminum to that with stainless sheet metal screws. As an ex A&P tech, structural aluminum is my material of choice, I won’t add any more wood to my Ollie, no way. John Davies Spokane WA

Chris, just go to your local industrial bearing supplier, ask for genuine Timken seals and bearing SETS (bearing and race matched pairs) for a standard Dexter 3500 pound trailer axle, they know exactly what is needed. Buy four extra inner seals to carry as spares. buy some extra cotter pins. Then you are good to go. This is not rocket science, these parts are ubiquitous, but finding high quality parts is the real problem, not Chinese crap with zero quality control, or worse yet, Timken branded counterfeits. The bearing store will have the genuine ones. A bearing or seal with Dexter stamped on it is crap too. Use Redline CV2 and repack every 12K to 15K miles. There is NO need to repack more often if you keep an eye on bearing temperatures. IMHO. Boat trailers need that frequent servicing because they get dunked into deep water while the hubs are warm, and the sudden drop in pressure sucks water in past the seal, contaminating the grease. I don’t think this is an issue with your Ollie. Use high quality parts, and a high quality lubricant, no worries. You do need to recheck your hub bearing play after say 1000 miles, the new races can shift ever so slightly and you may need to tighten one more slot on the adjuster nut. I rechecked mine and three of the four needed a little extra tweak. FYI you can remove and drive in races and seals with a big hammer and an old screwdriver, but proper tools make the job SO much easier, and you will not swear nearly as much. A seal puller, bushing driver set and an axle cap tool are great to have, if you have room to carry them. Buy this for sure, check prices because they vary wildly: … If you also buy a water heater pressure relief valve removal socket, you can nest the two parts, wrap them in movers stretch wrap (U-Haul), and they don’t take up much space at all. John Davies Spokane WA

I am a big fan of Klein tools 😁. I am glad you are up and running, is there a fuse in the positive line? Mine did not have one, it should be “about” 10 amps, my Furrion port is rated at that. I am not sure what the Zamp one requires. John Davies Spokane WA

In regards to fur clogging vents, you could buy some inexpensive furnace filters or bulk filter material in rolls, cut out pieces and tape them over any openings at floor level, such as the furnace inlet grill and its outlets. Use a high quality blue masking tape like 3M, or even no residue gaffers tape, it won’t be hard to remove later and won’t leave residue. The masking tape should be fine for a season, since it will be out of direct sunlight, which tends to cook the glue…. Don’t forget to cover the propane CO detector too, it needs free airflow to its sensors. We used to travel with our two 40 pound Australian Labradoodles (99% non shedding) and it was fine except in wet weather, or when one found a mud puddle. But the older dog has gotten neurotic about traveling long distances, which freaks out the younger one, so we have stopped bringing them at all. My daughter house sits them for $25 per day, cheap compared to a kennel, which the dogs and their owners would hate. We and the dogs are happier with this arrangement. If we had to start over we would have only one animal, a mini Australian doodle of 20 pounds less. Non shedding, hypoalergenic, super easy to take care of, very people oriented. Great dogs! John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, that wire should go into an unused socket in the ground bus. Strip off some insulation, somebody just forgot that one, and it was not caught before delivery!!! Check all the other screws, there may be loose ones. John Davies Spokane WA

This has been mentioned in passing in a couple of threads, buy for those who missed it….. I would not wait a second, this has been going on for a while, there is no telling when the price will go back up. They are terrific batteries with an excellent warranty and inexpensive shipping if you do need service . Read this: …. Spec sheet, Installation John Davies Spokane WA

I personally won’t tow in winter because of all the corrosive chemicals (mag chloride 😳) the DOT uses, but if your brightwork, frame and suspension are already corroded, go for it. Just try to wash the hull and frame after every trip if the roads are caustic. That can be very hard to do in sub freezing temps, when many self serve car washes are closed. I am not sure how those who use there Ollies as ski lodging manage it. If they even bother…. maybe they don’t care how they look. John Davies Spokane WA

I set mine at 60. Normally it read lower at most campgrounds, but OTH I have seen it showing 60 at a few, so there are indeed campgrounds with higher pressure. Be aware that a place with 40 psi can still have extreme pressure spikes, which an old fashioned RV "regulator" (flow restrictor) can't stop. Your adjustable one with gauge can handle those. I have a test gauge for home use, it has a red needle that stays at the maximum value, it can be eye opening to leave that on your faucet for a few weeks. My house pressure is pretty low, normally about 40-45, but that needle has been much higher . John Davies Spokane WA

Yep, I pulled mine off the day after getting home from delivery. It is a pretty lame design. The trailer looks much better without it, and it certainly stays 100 times cleaner up above the awning. Install rain gutters over the windows and the upper fridge vent, then no worries. Also, removing said gasket gives you a place to lash tight a padded ladder (so it doesn't fall over and leave you stranded up there). John Davies Spokane WA

Chris, read all of that thread, you need to build up the frame rail at least 2" to clear wires and provide a level platform. That gets it above the height of the big waste water pipe. John Davies Spokane WA

What Hull number? The earlier ones like mine (#218) have no easy way to disconnect the panels, they used a self resetting automotive circuit breaker. You could replace it very easily with one of these: Push the red button to disconnect power, reset it by moving the yellow lever back into position. Easy. I don't understand why Oliver cheaped out and used an inappropriate breaker, when they used that exact same part for the main DC bus, underneath the streetside bed.... Your fat black pair of solar wires should be visible coming down (from the Zamp controller in the overhead cabinet) to meet at that location. Just remove the existing $2 breaker and throw it far away, mount the Blue Sea one in its place. Here is a pic showing the one I installed when I changed controllers: John Davies Spokane WA

How lovely for Oliver to just lay wire bundles over the frame right where you need to store items..... This has been working fine for one camping season. You could substitute materials, but the foam board is SUPER light weight, inexpensive, fire retardant, won't absorb water, and is easy to find at any box store. The big problem is what do you do with the unused material...? https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5272-how-to-flat-foam-storage-tray-for-the-front-dinette-seat-compartment/ John Davies Spokane WA