John E Davies

Welcome, are you aware that there is a nearly new LE1 in the Classifieds here that you could drive home from TN next week? https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5369-2021-elite-1-—-60000-firm-—-serious-inquiries-only-please-—-loaded-with-options/ I am a big fan of Northern Lites, though I never owned one, post a pic of your current one please! John Davies Spokane WA

How do you get them out, do you also use a big washer under each head? When I tie down a newly planted tree I use 1/2” x 24” long rebar, driven in with a hand sledge hammer, and after a year you can’t budge them, except if you clamp a big vice grip pliers onto one and rotate it vigorously, it will pop right out of the ground.... So maybe I should upgrade to rebar😜 But I am trying to not have to bring a whole arsenal of heavy tools. It’s interesting how an odd subject like tent pegs can get such varied responses, I thought it would be one of those “dead” threads that makes you embarrassed that you started it. John Davies Spokane WA

EDIT 05/10/21: related thread: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3247-how-to-external-solar-dc-power-cable-using-factory-furrion-port/ Some background.... most panels will come with “industry standard” MC4 connectors, which can be used with up to 10 AWG wire and are waterproof. But if you have one disconnected and drop it in the dirt it will fill with crud, so you would need to spray that out with contact cleaner or alcohol. Anderson Powerpoles are used extensively in ham radio and other applications, they are not at all waterproof, but they are self cleaning by design, the spring loaded contacts "wipe" each other when you plug them in. They are more compact and they are color coded. The connectors are goof proof, they cannot be plugged in backwards. For this application the 30 amp bonded pair connectors are appropriate for the wire size. You must use their ratcheting crimper or a version of it. I replaced every existing MC4 connector with the Powerpoles. My 100 watt Renogy solar suitcase came with the PWM controller mounted on a hinged flap, this is perfectly fine if the panel is to be used say 10 feet away, but you cannot place it much further because resistance losses along the wires will reduce the charging voltage at the batteries. The controller reduces the 18 to 20 volt panel voltage to say 14.5 volts, and it is less at the trailer. Ideally the controller should be located RIGHT at the batteries, and the panel itself can be far away. The (almost) full panel voltage is delivered to the controller, and at that point the controller reduces that value to charge your system. How far away you can place it depends on the wire gauge, the bigger the wire, the less voltage drop along the run (you must calculate the two wires as a pair, the "in and back" distance). I happened to have some of these neat MTM in-safe storage boxes, the small size fits beautifully. The price is for three, they also have a 12" long version if you want a little more internal volume). I mounted the controller using long 1/8" pop rivets with washers. I drilled a couple of 3/8" holes at each end so the cables could be fed through and the lid closed. It is not at all waterproof, but it is splash proof. The controller itself is advertised as "rainproof". (Older versions were NOT.) I color coded the connectors with self adhesive heat shrink tubing so that when swapping them it would be clear which was which. I modified my existing Furrion solar port harness (used with my ARB fridge in the truck) by splicing in a short pigtail. The wire is 12 AWG solar cable, for exterior use. It is very tough but not very flexible. In this pic, the solar panel is 20 feet away, and the controller box is tucked up on top of the front tire, for rain protection and so it won't get stepped on. The BAT lead is fully extended (not coiled inside). The charging section for my ARB fridge is coiled up when not needed (or it could be used as an extra 5 foot extension, if the fridge is not being used): Or the box can be placed on the ground: Or connected directly to a battery using the supplied alligator clips. You can add an additional 20 feet of cable, 40 feet total, it doesn't affect the charging amps.: I added strain relief ties to reduce stresses on the screw connections. Everything, including the extension cables, fits in the folded unit. I will hopefully get to test this in a few days, I will be camping in a shady site, if the sun shines I can try it out. John Davies Spokane WA

John Davies Spokane WA

Overland, do you have a case for your hammer? This one? John Davies Spokane WA

I think I will get some of their stakes and the hammer, it is too cool, and read this..... I had no idea! https://www.snowpeak.com/blogs/explore/the-peg-hammer-story John Davies Spokane WA

Those look great, but they say to oil them after use to prevent rust, do you do that? I like the hammer too but I am not going to spend that much cash on one.... Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

I usually find stones or rocks to lay on top of my ground cloth near the front door, but on the last trip there were NO rocks of any kind, just the heavily compacted gravel site pad. I have a bunch of the plastic sand stakes and the little aluminum stakes that are from an old tent, which bend over when they encounter a rock.... What do you use to anchor a tarp or fancy rug into gravel? Do you add a loop of rope to each to help pull it back out? I found these: .... SE Heavy-Duty Metal Tent Pegs Stake Set (10-Pack) (Strange Amazon pricing, order 20 for just $1 more...) I know this is a weird topic, please comment. I don’t know why I didn’t figure this out in say 1970..... John Davies Spokane WA

I just want to throw this out for your consideration. A long day trip, ten hours with the engjne running. A Redarc charger will give you around 110 amp hours, day or night. Your standard solar may give you double that.... unless it’s overcast or night time. Working together in full sun they will give you up to 300 AH..... I think the DC to DC charger is a must have for anybody with lithiums, simply because it provides a decent amount of reliable power, regardless of weather conditions that will disable any solar device. And I am not saying that because I just installed one😬 OTH the regular 12 volt power wire from many TVs (but not a Land Cruiser!) will sort-of charge them, say to 70%. Better than nothing IMHO, especially if you have rooftop solar to assist. John Davies Spokane WA

If you install a DC fridge you will need a better way to recharge. For your gas fridge, use the propane mode when towing, but always be aware of the wind direction when refueling at a gas station. I have done this forever and have yet to blow something up. You can fix the lack of TV charging for the factory lithium batteries relatively easily, but you have to be able to fabricate a mount and run wires or hire somebody to do it. If your TV has a “smart” alternator you have to run a small gauge voltage sense wire all the way up to the engine bay, but most TVs do not require this. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5270-how-to-redarc-dc-to-dc-11-amp-output-trailer-charger-installation/ Consider a separate DC compressor fridge located inside your truck, it will be very useful for stocking extra supplies. I carry a mid-sized ARB one for any trip longer than two weeks. I haven’t camped at over 8000 feet, but so far the gas fridge (running on propane) has been fine, even going over 10,000 foot passes. Run with what you have before getting too worried about upgrading..... John Davies Spokane WA

Very nice. I love working with aluminum. Are you OK with the ground clearance under the receiver? Does it look as if it or the cargo box will drag? FYI if you remove and store the spare tire cover, you may be able to mount the receiver on top and still be able to remove the spare, you just have to unscrew the big all-thread retaining rod to allow the wheel and tire to roll to one side. This pic shows how it just clears my fixed rack. John Davies Spokane WA

I think a portable unit is a great accessory, but ONLY if you have the rooftop array. As a stand alone charger it is really limited, because while you are towing, obviously there is no solar charging! So you might miss twelve hours of charging at up to 20 amps, until the time you arrive at camp, and THEN you have to hope you can find a clear spot for your portable unit, and the day is ending or the sun has gone behind a mountain. Your tow vehicle, as the trailer is delivered, will not do it. With a roof array, your system will always be operating, even when you fire up the inverter and microwave at a lunch stop, to keep the system as fully charged as possible. There is no shade on a highway to block them. Buy the roof panels, then if you feel they are a little lacking, buy a small portable panel, and put the controller inside the Ollie if you want to tweak that device’s performance. John Davies Spokane WA.

Adding pics..... I am not sure what is the current model, this is mine: I found a Beckson cowl vent that might work OK, but unfortunately the downhill slope (like that A Liner!) will cause it to fill with water or leaves. So maybe a simple piece of angle would be best.... Comments? John Davies Spokane WA

Actually I don’t like traveling with the Maxx Air vent raised, unless it is wide open it flops around and gets battered by gusty crosswinds on the highway. I plan to add ventilation to below the closet door, to the closet/ bathroom wall, and to the bathroom divider wall itself, so I can get air through those areas with the glass door closed. I would leave two rear windows cracked open for air in the back. I think a hefty piece of aluminum angle, shaped nicely and bolted down a couple of inches in front of the bath vent, would work fine, but it isn’t at all aerodynamic. But neither is that massive solar array! It needs a fairing too. John Davies Spokane WA

For the vent, has anybody installed a small plastic one, or perhaps made one from aluminum angle? I would like to be able to tow with it OPEN without having dried insect carcasses pile up inside the front of it, they are really hard to excavate! I would prefer something very small and aero, but have not seen such a product. A-liners come with a smoked plastic one but they are really too wide: Something similar to this marine cowl vent would be elegant: Also, has anyone done anything about the outside front edges of the solar panel, to cover the milled grooves and make it easier to “de-bug”? I was thinking some thin polished stainless strips bonded with VHB tape would look good and also would clean up easily. They would also resist the occasional wayward rock strike better than the soft aluminum.... Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/search/?q=tpms&quick=1 https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2482-review-tire-traker-tt-500-tpms/ John Davies Spokane WA

By “after every major use” I meant if you run it a day or two in a power outage and then put it away for an unknown period of time, maybe for another six months! Drain it first! If you are on a weeks long camping trip and run it every now and then, drain it when you get back home. If you do not get into this habit, you will forget to do it and the darn thing won’t run right the next time you need it. If you transport it inside an SUV it would be wise to empty the carb first or you may get odors....Fuel stabilizer, for sure. Alcohol free gas if you can get it (all Maverik stations have it). All my power equipment runs on this. This Archoil 6200 Fuel Treatment is voodoo magic. I use it routinely in every vehicle and in my power equipment. My neighbor’s mower was surging and that is a sure sign of a plugged main jet in the carb. We tried a double strength dose of the 6200 in fresh gas and let in run. In twenty minutes the surging disappeared and it ran normally. John Davies Spokane WA

I quite like the electronics panel, it has some cool features like the digital display and USB outputs, though I am not sure I would charge my device directly off that rather than plug in somewhere downstream with a smart converter. It does have a combination ignition/fuel shut off which is not good. You cannot turn off the fuel and run the carb dry, so you should drain it manually after every trip or major use, so the old gas won’t dry up in there and plug the jets. John Davies Spokane WA

Since you have to pull the intake off, be sure to check the EGR pipe in the very back near the firewall, it can crack at the flex joint and now would be a good time to just put a new one in. And consider changing the starter too, since you will be right there..... I really hate working on my stomach, do you have one of those mechanic’s topside creepers like these: ..... https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mechanic+topside+engine+creeper&i=automotive&ref=nb_sb_noss If I were forced to do a job like that, I would buy one first, my bones won’t take it otherwise. What fun, we need pics. John Davies Spokane WA

Or you could just upgrade to the triple slide bunk house Casita, lots of room! This one popped up on Craigslist for just $800! LOL, John Davies Spokane WA

katanapilot, if you haven’t replaced the tranny filter and done a full system flush, do so ASAP. Here is a guide for the Land Cruiser, it is basically the same: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/complete-transmission-flush-diy-video.988261/ The fluid is supposed to be “lifetime” but it does get VERY nasty. Mine has 143,000 miles on it, and I am in the middle if doing the job. I doubt that any previous owner did it because the dealers are really reluctant to do it, they do not even stock filters or pan gaskets! It isn’t at all difficult, but if you have three out of the twelve 6 mm pan bolts snap off, and have to spend half a day drilling them out, it will make you scream. Fortunately all the outer bolts, the ones that snap, have a big flange on top so you can replace them with longer ones and nylock nuts. Or helicoil those holes if they are not too buggered up. I will be interested to hear about your supercharger, does the kit include remapping the engine ECU? Does it require a dyno tune? Add another fuel injector? How does that work? Maybe you could start a new thread about it. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, within the Oliver family the question is “Is that some sort of Casita?” Get used to it. Though I do admit that within the last year more people seem to recognize an Ollie and the number of those questions has decreased. John Davies Spokane WA

I was simply blown away by the new bigger Tundra when I first crawled around it at a car show fifteen very LONG years ago. I asked if they planned to produce a more capable version and I was quite disappointed when the salesdroid said no.... I still won’t buy one, they are really missing out on the huge US Heavy Duty market. John Davies Spokane WA

I think that under a bed is a truly horrible location for something you routinely access, unless you travel solo and that bed is not in use, or if it doesn’t have sheets and blankets on it. You could maybe relocate yours to a spot poking through the inner wall near the inverter, if there is room. This mini switch with key would not be very intrusive, but you would need to mount it very high under the mattress overhang so it would not get kicked. It would still be easy to access there. I picked the location up front for the main switch to keep the cable length as short as possible, I do not like long unprotected cables running all over! OTH I installed individual terminal fuses which could also be added to a standard system. I have three chargers, the Progressive Dynamics shore power one has no switch, it gets controlled by its circuit breaker under the front table. The solar and Redarc (DC to DC) chargers each have an output circuit breaker like the main DC one Oliver installs, that can be opened (turned off) by pushing the red button. They are under the rear street side bed. When towing the PD breaker is off normally, even if I plug into power. The others should be adequate for my needs, but I haven’t yet tested them in challenging conditions. I normally don’t fuss with them on the move, the Redarc one does get turned off when stored because it has a small parasitic loss. John Davies Spokane WA

OK, I’ll bite.... why does a natural tunnel have train tracks going into it? John Davies Spokane WA