John E Davies

My old standby heater is getting really tired, it was made in 1995 🙄. It still works OK, but the thermostat is very crude and it has a hard time maintaining a set temperature. It is 1500 watts/ 500 watts/ fan. But it is tough and a GREAT size, it tucks away in the top closet shelf. It is also reasonably quiet. I am having trouble finding a similar model but with a digital thermostat. I really prefer having actual numbers instead of a crude unlabeled dial. Caframo makes the Hotshot 1500/ 750 but it is not digital. Vornado makes a couple of really nice ones but they are spendy and loud. I found this one which is only 9 inches high, but it is online from the manufacturer, and they are either in Brazil or Estonia (!) and their Facebook and Twitter links take you to blank pages.. So I suspect it is a scam. http://ecoheater.xyz/ This is quite amusing: .... https://medium.com/@ecoheats/ecoheat-s-is-it-a-scam-review-2019-f0d260ea0595 .... I suspect it is the result of Google Translate from Estonian to Portugese to Engrish. Anyway, can anyone link me a nice tough compact little heater that has a digital display? If I come up empty, I will go ahead and order the Caframo Hotshot and live with the blank dial.... Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

The area is in the heart of the Scablands of central Washington and an oasis for migratory birds. Potholes Coulee (NOT my picture!)... this area gets 8” of rain, so without irrigation there would be nothing here but sagebrush and rattle snakes: This is a typical WA state park, nicely laid out, over crowded and a little seedy because of long term lack of funding. We booked three nights ($35 full hookup, including sewer and decent 4 mbps camp wifi). There are primitive sites available but they are tightly packed, dusty, close to the very busy boat launch, and close to marshland (bugs and ticks). The CG swarms with families on the weekends, and lesser numbers of fishermen mid week. The lake is stocked with various game fish, and the area is crowded with fishing resorts. Many primitive camping spots like BLM and Dept of Wildlife are still shut down due to Covid-19, so we picked this location so we could explore the nearby wildlife refuges, looking especially for migrating Sandhill Cranes. Fishing: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/locations/lowland-lakes/potholes-reservoir. You can rough camp at any of the unimproved boat ramps, but they tend to be close to busy roads and crowded with fish folk. Not super relaxing, but free. Or you can book a spot at a number of RV resorts. There are a dozen or so rough water access points in the surrounding wildlife refuges, they tend to be very lightly used by fishermen with very small craft, and rather remote. A lively ORV area is located at the north end of the reservoir close to the city of Moses Lake, much of it is off limits during bird nesting season, but from July through September it is wide open sand paddle mayhem. If you want to tool around in your 4wd truck, air down and be sure to wear an appropriate flag if you get off the main routes..... https://www.grantcountywa.gov/SHERIFF/SpecOps/ORV/ Thirsday night the park was half full and dead quiet, by Friday night it had filled up and hordes of young people circulated on ebikes and screamed at each other. Arriving parents tooted their ahoohgah or locomotive airhorns (!!!) to announce their arrival, and set up their party spots. Social distancing and masks were notably absent. We spent a couple of mornings looking for birds and wandering the isolated and rough gravel roads and sandy tracks. No camping allowed in any of the cool remote spots.... We had our two labradoodles along, usually they stay at home. We discovered a vast number of juvenile ticks on them after one hike along a marshy area.... Oh joy. My newly installed iPad Mini BSMS aka battery/ solar monitoring station worked great, but it definitely needed to be powered down at night: This is not turning out to be the greatest of trips, but I really enjoy driving the remote back country. The higher spots, such as lookout towers, are still snowed in under many feet, so a desert destination works best this early in the season. John Davies Spokane WA

I could do the suspension (tho I am at that stage in my life where lying on the ground grinding steel has no appeal) but I do not want to do the R&D and road testing, or risk screwing up the trailer and having to put it all back the way it was....there is a nearby fabricator that would do it, but $$$$$$. And no guarantees it would be safe and effective. plus you could not get an aftermarket setup insured. John Davies Spokane WA

Snowball is the “overland Overland” aka “overland squared” edition, Did you know that you can buy a LAND ROVER Hood Decal and easily make an OVERLAND sticker out of it? Buy two of them and you can spell OVERLANDER. Or this.... I think one of those beside snowball’s entry door would look very classy... John Davies Spokane WA

If you never offer an option like this, you will never attract those buyers, who often have VERY deep pockets. Sooner of later the Old Fart market for Ollies will die off, and the younger ones will be looking at these trailers. This was not intended to be nasty, I am an Old Fart, pushing 70. I spent today exploring remote BLM land in the Washington Channelled Scablands in my Land Cruiser, with “Mouse” parked safely in a nearby manicured state park, because she will not go there, no way, no how. I have waypoints for glorious places I cannot camp in, unless I pitch my emergency tent.... John Davies Spokane WA

The main problem with a HUGE battery bank on a tiny trailer is how the heck do you recharge it? The Ollie lithium option does not even include any Tow Vehicle charging. If the sun is not shining and you are not connected to shore power or a running sizable generator, your depleted batteries will stay that way. The whole system needs to be balanced, input and output. John Davies Spokane WA

TAXA Mantis: these rather odd looking but HIGHLY functional offroad trailers are now available in an Overland spec..... https://taxaoutdoors.com/habitats/mantis-overland/ The only thing they forgot was disk brakes. Come on Oliver, we need better running gear. I would have paid an extra $10,000 for these factory installed parts..... John Davies Spokane WA

I love those newer 8 speed Power Wagons, (I just wish they would bump up the power a little, how about a 7.3 liter Hemi....) Please post a pic of his truck and trailer. Is the No Bo a toy hauler? What will he carry in it? John Davies Spokane Wa

I am an old timer, and I think everyone should learn to back manually, but I will not discourage the use of such a wonderful feature. I am sure that I would use it, should my TV ever come with the magic knob. I just ask that everyone be prepared to do it yourself, if it blows a fuse one day. My wife knows how to drive and maneuver the trailer, in theory, the reality is that she would love the knob.... John Davies Spokane WA

The manuals have always had questionable content, which appears to be bulk “cut and paste” from other sources with little regard for how it applies to an Oliver. In the 2017 manual the warranty section talks about dealing with a problem - “talk to the dealer that sold it to you”.... And the tires section is excessively full of generic technical information like sidewall date codes, tread wear and speed ratings, information that is readily available everywhere, but there is nothing about the correct pressure for an Ollie. And five years later they still have nothing about that item. Omitting detailed electrical diagrams in the last two years’ books is inexcusable! Sometimes I wonder if the folks who write the manual even own and use a travel trailer; if they did, the written guidelines might make a little more sense. John Davies Spokane WA

Add a couple of super strong cargo tiedowns in less than a minute, assuming you removed your third row seats. Full thread is here : https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/add-2-solid-cargo-anchors-for-less-than-10-at-the-third-row-seat-latch.1247368/ FYI this should work with any SUV with third row seat anchor in the wall or floor, but you might need to use a different size hook. John Davies Spokane WA

I think that using the black tank as you suggest would work, but personally I would be horrified to have the big ugly pipe just sticking up out of the floor. How about instead, using the vent pipe as a fill tube? Install a hinged waterproof access hatch under the vanity as others have done, tee into the vent and bring a new pipe out to where it can be accessed. If you could figure out a rubber gasketed coupling that would allow it to pivot, that would be more excellent. I would not like to dump cooking waste where it might spill and run down inside the hull 😬 I also wonder how you will clean all the new parts, the black tank was never intended to store greasy stuff, just more natural, errr, organic deposits. A regular flush of nearly boiling water when you are connected to a sewer might work. Or do what we do, just wipe the pots and pans with a paper towel and put it in the trash bag - no solids and very little grease goes down the sink. John Davies Spokane WA

Since access is difficult, I chose to make two backing plates from aluminum 6061 T6 with 5 mm threaded inserts. That allowed me to install the posts by myself; if you have a helper, you can use self locking nuts and flat washers instead. Locate the post positions as shown. Using a long bit (6" or more) drill the center pilot hole, it has to go all the way through the two walls and that big gap between them. Drill the two screw holes in the battery compartment wall only! Then drill the middle hole to 7/8". Inside the cabin, tape off the area around the pilot hole and drill a 2" hole . This hole is scary, since it will show with the seat cushions placed against the outside wall. It will be covered with a white plastic plug after finishing. Use a razor knife to cut and peel away the foil bubble insulation, do NOT leave it in place.The silver foil is conductive, so it should not be close to the positive cable. Sand the 2" hole smooth with coarse sandpaper (80 grit). If you are using nuts, get your helper and slide in the post from the battery box with the short post facing you, and secure it with screws. There should only be one or two threads extending past the nuts, or they will interfere with the cable terminal end. If you made backing plates, cut off a couple of long screws, thread them into the inserts and place it into the box. Place the post over them and then remove one. The other will serve as a grab handle so you can hold it while you get the other screw started. Repeat these steps for the other post. Shorten the big cables as needed and attach them inside the big gaps, access is easy: Cover the holes with plugs. These work OK, but they have to be glued in place with clear silicone or they will fall out: ... 2" White Plastic Hole Plugs If you are anal, make warning placards for the posts. FYI I did not use any epoxy to bed the flanges, it could be added carefully, but I don't think it is needed. It would certainly strengthen the connection. John Davies Spokane WA

This is a thread I was very hesitant to start, it is pretty complicated, it fundamentally changes the factory design, and it is not for the faint of heart, it involves drilling big holes and reworking a lot of cables. But a couple of members have expressed interest, so I will post my pics and comments, with this caution: don't attempt this if your trailer is still under the initial 1 year warranty. And definitely don't attempt this if you are not comfortable making high quality cables. PLEASE UNDERSTAND: This mod is designed for the standard 2000 watt inverter (with 250 amp main fuse), a larger one will possibly draw too much current, especially if you run the air conditioning!!! This will work for up to three Battle Born 100 AH lithiums, I have no idea if it will be OK with other brands or models. Before doing this mod, I relocated all my small positive and negative cables inside to common bus bars. Here is the original factory wiring on my Hull 218 (2000 watt inverter and four AGM batteries). A little messy: Here is my new lithium battery setup: Each battery has its own 175 amp terminal fuse block and two short, equal length 00 gauge cables that connect to Blue Sea Terminal Feed Through Connectors, rated for 250 amps each. Access to the posts is very easy with a full sized ratchet handle and socket, simply remove two nuts, pop off the cables and slide out the tray. There is room for a third battery, and the cables for it will be identical. You need one of each color, with the 5/16" terminal stud. This matches the other terminal eyes in the wiring and batteries. prices vary wildly, shop around! Holes on the flange are sized for 5 mm screws, I used stainless socket head ones from Amazon, there are lots of sources. First you need to get out all the old cables, that might be a little tricky, since the access is very limited in the "slots" between the battery box and the surrounding inner cabin wall. You can get one arm up there, but it is really awkward and itchy from the fiberglass dust. You can do this from inside the box: Remove all the cables, you can leave one of the small wire glands in place if you need to run an extra wire there, such as a temperature sensor or a power wire for a battery monitor smart shunt. Cover the open holes with aluminum tape if you like, or leave them as-is for some ventilation (lithium batteries ONLY) More.... John Davies Spokane WA

Mine (Hull 218) has had a slight gap at one top corner since new and it has a little motion there, but I haven’t bothered fixing it yet since it hasn’t gotten worse in four years. It is 1/2” HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) board, which is way too thin IMHO for securing a heavy inverter vertically with four small and short self tapping screws. It would be barely adequate for a horizontal mount.... I may simply drill straight through the board and bolt it all down hard using big stainless machine screws and nylock nuts. The surface it mounts onto is 1/8” thick fiberglass (no extra core), and it is not especially sturdy. Snomad, consider adding a Poll to your top post, so we can vote and see how many units have a problem. This could turn into a service bulletin... it is not a safe situation. John Davies Spokane WA

Those are fast for the installer but I hate them, IMHO any crimped splice is better than a “poke the wire in the hole and hope it stays connected” one. I won’t replace all mine, but in the future if I am chasing an intermittent connection those fast splice things will be the first place to look. I think they have no business being on a travel trailer that is bounced and shaken, at the very least they should have some stain relief (wire ties) to prevent individual wires from moving around. Do that and I think they will be pretty reliable, just not 100% reliable. FYI on Hull 218 there are some that are completely buried under multiple layers of electrical tape (!) and practically inaccessible, such as: I replaced those two with crimped butt splices. Good luck, please start a new thread about your fan problem and what you discover. John Davies Spokane WA

I agree that Prime is hard to beat, OTH there is no need whatsoever to drive all over the place to check stock, just about every major box store’s website shows current inventory or when it is due, and some like HD even show the isle and bay numbers, and if they don’t, a phone call usually gets the answer. And Walmart and others now offer free home delivery on many items. I am a huge fan of Prime, but if I can save $40 on a $90 purchase by driving a few miles, I will always do that, if it doesn’t take me out of my way too far. Some things are “Amazon only” which IMHO is really weird, I never understood that sales model. John Davies Spokane WA

I have used those for decades to carry emergency gear in my trucks, they are great, but not even water resistant, make sure you have some drain holes in the bottom, and don’t put anything inside that you don’t want getting damp. Prices vary wildly, search well and don’t assume the current Amazon price is the best.. If you are not in a hurry, return that one (free) and wait for a price drop.... And REI has it for $50, if there is a store near you, pick it up there.... https://www.rei.com/product/634288/rubbermaid-action-packer-24-gallon. If you are not already a member, join for free and save 20% on that purchase..... John Davies Spokane WA

You can buy custom length cables of any type and size, and they are quite affordable, but this really limits how well they will fit and also you have to wait for them to be made and shipped. I don't believe they will install anything but straight ends, but you can order one unfinished, with one raw end for you to complete. They also sell high quality battery cable by the foot, they have all sizes. The prices are a little lower than most other suppliers. A good crimper is essential, a crude "beat on it with a hammer" one will be acceptable if you can access the parts away from the trailer. If they are in a tight location, or to make perfect crimps, you need a good hydraulic tool: TEMCo Hydraulic Lug Crimper Tool TH1818 DIELESS Indent 10AWG to 400MCM And some heavy self adhesive heat shrink tubing to cover and reinforce the connection: For cutting, a big cold chisel and that great big hammer will work, with the cable laid onto a piece of steel plate or a bench vice. This is way more elegant, it gives precise even cuts, it won't slip and smash your hand, and you won't say any bad words: That particular tool will fit over the big 4/0 welding cable that Oliver uses (with inverter) but only if it is slid down the length of it from one end. If you need to chop a long 4/0 or larger cable in situ, you will need a big size cutter. I had no troubles using this medium sized one on all the Ollie cables. TEMCo TH0001 4/0 (0000 Gauge) Wire and Cable Cutter – with 12 in. Handles Sometimes an angled end terminal fitting will be useful, to allow the cable to lie in a more natural position. These are very hard to find locally, and it is not recommended that you bend a straight one, it can cause cracks and eventual failure. Choose a terminal end with the exact hole size you need, or one smaller (you can drill it larger). For any cable carrying high current, do not install oversized ends on a smaller post, it limits the contact area and could possibly cause issues like overheating or loosening. I hope this is useful. Measure three times, cut once! John Davies Spokane WA

The factory wiring leaves those great big cables unprotected between the batteries and the main fuse. This mod adds individual fuses at each battery positive post. The fuse size you pick should depend on the battery maximum current rating. For my Battle Born lithium 100 amp hour batteries, 175 to 200 amps is appropriate. NOTE these may not work on the factory wiring, a lot depends on how much room is available and if the cables have enough length and if they will fit properly. You might need to replace a cable end with a different shaped one. This thread is a FYI for folks who might want to modify the factory setup. Search for discounted prices, these Blue Sea parts can often be found at marine suppliers for way les than Amazon Prime and they often include low or free shipping too. The blocks and fuses are sold SEPARATELY. Be sure to buy a couple of extra fuses for your spares kit. John Davies Spokane WA

Maybe cottonwood seeds? Those look similar and they do make a real mess. My daughter’s Outback had a huge mouse nest, blocking about 90% of the airflow. Yuck, fortunately no signs of chewed wires, just grass and fur. Regardless, you should be changing that filter annually. Cheap generics are fine if changed frequently. John Davies Spokane WA

Before using a lube, try removing the steps and filing the slots smooth, follow up with fine sandpaper like 360 grit Wet or Dry. Mine has never needed any kind of lubricant. If that doesn’t take care of it, then you can try a dry lube. While you are messing with it, if you have a drill, add some drain holes as needed so water doesn’t pool when the steps are stowed, since that isn’t good for aluminum. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/1993-how-to-drain-holes-in-the-lower-step/ John Davies Spokane WA

That is really cool, pun intended. Home Depot sells a similar foam but it is 3/4” wide and slightly lower at 7/16”, do you think it would work? It is way cheaper. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-3-4-in-x-7-16-in-x-10-ft-White-High-Density-Rubber-Foam-Weatherstrip-Tape-R734WH/100151221 This is going onto my Honey Do list. John Davies Spokane WA

The terminal feed through posts are Blue Sea, they might be installed without drilling extra holes, but I bit the bullet and put two 2” access holes on the inside of the hull, which made attaching parts there super easy. Then I covered the holes with white plastic plugs. They are not noticable. I will try to get that thread going, it will be a long one, though I may break it down into smaller ones. John Davies Spokane WA

If you use a steel blade it can damage the gelcoat, this works well and will be gentle on the finish. It is useful,for removing stickers and all sorts of other tasks. Plastic scraper Any decent white silicone sealer will be fine, you do not need to use a super duper type like on the roof. I have been using the JB Weld stuff in various colors and it works fine. Or just pick up something locally. JB Weld Silicone Sealant Tape the perimeter of the area carefully, apply the sealer, wipe smooth with a finger, then immediately remove the tape. Pretty! John Davies Spokane WA