jd1923

Assuming 2 batteries for 74A total, near 74 AH when running compressor continuously on a hot afternoon. Ty

Ron if I remember correctly, Mike @rideadeuce reported his Atmos running at 75 amps (the Dometic P2 runs at 150A, when hot outside, compressor running). I'm not sure if Mike's number was full current draw when the compressor is running or an average with some cycling. Nashville sure gets hot in the summer. I see highs in Houston consistently at 90F this week. What readings are you getting? It would be nice to know the high amp rate compressor running and hourly AH usage on a 90F Houston afternoon with A/C set at say 76F or whatever setting you feel is comfortable. If 75A is an average, of course that's 75AH hour. With a 260AH battery, this is near 30% SOC loss per hour. @Skipster reported 4% in one hour, so that must be on a cold 62F day running low-speed fan mainly.

Never seen a leaf break this way! What junk Dexter sells. We should not have to replace leaf springs, bearings, and other major parts of these trailer axles! It’s only a 7K lb occasional use travel trailer. I would hire the mobile repair guy. I would not be a customer of a service center that cannot schedule a date and get it back same or next day. They need 2 weeks, give me an appointment in 2 weeks. That’s BS.

Others will chime in who use RV antifreeze. I don't as I prefer to blow the lines dry enough with compressed air at 40 PSI. I have a thread on doing that (search for "antifreeze" if interested). If you use antifreeze, you certainly do not need it in the freshwater tank. You would really have to rinse it several times start of next season to get rid of it. A little water in the bottom of the tank will freeze, and with several cubic feet of air space above it for expansion, there's no physical problem. Water expansion when freezing only affects plumbing full of water between the turns and joints. When plumbing freezes with trace amounts of water within it will not damage the pipes and certainly not tanks. To answer your question directly: If adding antifreeze to the freshwater tank you would want to see a little pink liquid leak out of the drain, to be sure it made its way into the drain plumbing, and then close it.

We replaced the Dometic on the Bigfoot Class-C we had, after ours had a stuck fan. It threw a bearing and was dislodged on an angle. I unbolted the unit from inside and slid it an inch or so to be sure. Then asked my son Adam to help. I asked him to climb up on the roof and throw it down below. My single request was to hit the gravel drive ONLY. Placed on the curb in time for our city annual trash pickup. We hoisted the new unit up top using an extension ladder as a long ramp. Can't believe anybody would pay $600 for this model! Not likely up here (slow Craigslist in our area), though perhaps if we lived down in the valley. I will pull the SoftStart off the old unit to save $300, if it's still in good condition and will work on the Atmos. Been meaning to climb up there to take a look.

There are a few members here that had this experience and could chime in. From what I remember in the 22 pages before, these failures have not caused other real damage. Nothing you can do but to go get the work done. It's a short distance so pick the best route to go slowly, maybe skip the highway unless it is nicely paved, which is hard to find these days.

Good in a pinch but not enough volume for us. We have one of the old hulls where OTT messed up the FWT installation. The suction hose only reaches to the half-point level of the tank. We consistently get only 18 gallons from our FWT when the water pump starts gurgling! Oliver offers the repair and too bad visits by prior owners in 2018 and 2020 to Hohenwald and nobody thought to fix this! We may get there one day, but in the meantime... With our TSC 35-gal potable water tank we can refill the FWT twice, so we get about 54 gallons total after a fill. When TV and TT are hitched, I use the 25 FT hose and 10 FT hose we travel with to make the connection. Took a call to Norwesco to order the hoop mounts: Norwesco 35 gal. Horizontal Leg Tank at Tractor Supply Co. I custom fit a cover to keep the sun off the tank and water: Amazon.com : Dokon Heavy Duty Patio Ottoman Covers Waterproof Outdoor Ottoman Cover Anti-UV Patio Side Table Cover, Patio Furniture Covers with Air Vent, Rectangle (28"L x 22"W x 17"H) - Black : Patio, Lawn & Garden Boondocking with 54 gallons of fresh water, we can last over a week or until the black tank is full.

How far do you have to go? Drive easy and slow like a school zone over RR tracks!

These are designed for lifting the good wheel on a dual axle trailer to mount the spare on the other. I don't believe if you have a pair of these that one would fit between the two tires as needed to level one side, as the Oliver dual axles are spaced closely to each other. Amazon.com: ANDERSEN HITCHES | RV Accessories | Single Rapid Jack | 3620 : Automotive I've had an old aluminum version of this since the 90s. I used it to change a spare tire or two on the road since. Not sure why I've been carrying this, as the Oliver has power stabilizer jacks that can be used to mount the spare. I should just keep it on our flatbed trailer. Amazon.com: EZ-Jack Combination Jack and Wheel Chock for Dual Axllee Trailers - 20,000 Lb Cap. EZ-Jack EZJACK : Automotive

They are expensive! Got to admit, found an eBay seller with a one-off pair for $60 (looked hard and long)! A better set would be as strong yet maybe taller. The Andersons are 4” tall, and they just fit between the wheels. I can see the required height on the LevelMatePRO before using. If > 4” move and try again! Then drive up ‘til level and you shouldn’t drive past the top. However, I have done so when I have gone in reverse when should have gone forward, or vice versa. What a mess, just drive forward, right over the dang things and try again! I haven’t broken one yet (rated to 30K LBS). 🤣

I missed you Jason, glad to see you posting again! 🤣 I got the grumpy look too, but I put a big smile on and talk to everyone we see on the road. Sometimes Chris says, "Are you about done?" We love to take pics with all the different and often strange travelers we meet!

Yes, tires off the ground are anything but stable and yes, you need to get close to level first. I have a set of the yellow ramps you have, but not for the Oliver since they do not work well for dual axle. I only use them for when I need the rear wheels on the TV higher. I used the awkward orange squares to level before I decided to spend the $90 on the Andersons! Glad I did. Often Chris quickly places the two Anderson levelers on one side while I'm still parking the truck and when ready I pull up or back up in a quick minute to level. I got a pair of the Anderson 8" tall round platforms for the rear stabilizers and now only use our old orange squares for the front trailer jack. It's so much easier. Looks like the newer Anderson levelers have a ribbed bottom for better traction: Camper leveler - Andersen Hitches Trailer Jack Block - Andersen Hitches

I would think the Tundra 5.7L would be a very capable TV for a 7K LB trailer. It's easy enough to add a trans cooler. Adam and I added one to his '97 T100. Our Lexus GX has one OEM. When I replaced the trans fluid there was a procedure to get to trans up to "temp" to fill the fluid to the right level. I thought it was 180F but not sure of the number. Keep in mind this was running the trans in neutral, certainly not towing. You have to imagine that I'm familiar with this stretch of road. Driven it some 100 times in the last 20 years. The Ford E450 Class-C 6.8 v10 we used to have would groan or downshift and scream, barely get to 40 MPH up this stretch! It appears you found a great cooling mod and love you gauges. I was never into gauges on vehicles past but went full route on our Ram which already had a trans cooler. I wanted to keep eye on all relevant temps while towing. Also, the 2nd gen Ram 5.9 Cummins in OEM form is quite detuned, so I also added a tuner for more power. Program #1 adds MPG efficiency when around town. Program #2 adds power for towing (amazing climb on this mountain road), and programs 3-5 are for the crazies that run at tractor pulls (I never use the extreme programs). The Edge Juice w/ Attitude included the tuner and all the gauges and a quality 7" display. TFT stands for Trans Fluid Temp, IAT is Intake Air Temp, ECT is Engine Coolant Temp, and EGT is Exhaust Temp (important to be <1200F when running hard or on tune programs). First need on a Cummins Diesel is to maintain 14 PSI in fuel pressure. Love this setup for towing power and monitoring vitals. This picture was captured towing our Oliver (I asked Chris while I was driving), a mild climb just south of Hoover Dam on N Hwy 93. It was high 90s outside and at 1728 RPM, I was likely driving about 65 MPH in OD. I have never seen numbers over 200F. Obviously, these are different designs in transmissions. The highest temp I've seen was 193F. Not while towing but due to the climb from Parowan UT up to Cedar Breaks NP, a 4000+ FT climb in 20 minutes.

So, who is truly the brains of the operation? 🤣 I’m thinking we give you way too much credit! GREAT upgrade, Mike. Ty

Very nice, Steve! Your recent posts amaze!

Maybe then your Oliver did you a favor, now is the time to upgrade. Linked my upgrade thread below. I reused the microwave bezel but your looks integrated to the MW. This should be the model I had. The dimensions were a good fit. I would try the "Like New" one for $104! If it's not just right, return it: Amazon.com: Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 Stainless Steel Air Fryer, 360° Quick Cook Technology, XL capacity, 9-in-1, 12 Pre-Set Cooking Functions including Bake, Rotisserie, Broil, Pizza, Slow Cook, Toaster : Home & Kitchen

Mine too would be like @topgun2’s. It was installed a bit better than yours. I pulled ours out recently to replace it with an Emeril Air Fryer. if it was me, I’d rip out everything I could and build a new solid mount. The front bezel should just be a surround, not a mount. Don’t be afraid to use some real 2x4s! Mount steel brackets to the rear or side case wherever possible.

Rich, you have what I was referring to as a late model HD beast! Not sure of our total payload, but with Chris, Charley and me inside and loaded with all tools and camping equipment, I weigh our TV at under 7400 LBS. Estimating 650 LBS hitch weight (10% of ready Oliver weight), and GWVR at 8800 LBS, it nets 750 LBS available payload. We can hit some flea markets along the way! 🤣

Trying to imagine how this happened on the curbside. Somebody driving on the wrong side of the road? Was it cross traffic, somebody did not see you or not stop?

There's always a complainer! Ours don't slip on any surface and adding a rubber mat would be a pain. What in the world would you have to do to break one, OMG! I get them on and watch the LevelMatePRO as I'm climbing up to level. They work great by me.

Sure, 2WD is the way to go with a TV, more payload and less climb getting up into the cab. Older 2500 here, not like the HD beasts they market today. User manual states use WDH for hitch weight over 500 LBS. My truck has the Dodge OEM "Helper Springs" too, but they do not engage soon enough on a light trailer. I've tried w/o the Anderson and it rides much better with, less bounce at the hitch, steering feels more grounded. I tried many ways to mount as been suggested. If jack height and being an inch back does not work, I just loosen the chain nuts. Then I drive out of the campsite to straight clean pavement and get down there with a 1/2" drive ratchet and quickly tighten to 5-6 threads showing (I can feel the right torque) before getting on the highway.

How in the world did you find that wire way back there? Geoff, you're my new hero! Love your older quality tools too. Best wishes, JD

@DavePhelps, I have a new idea after considering what @Snackchaser added. Yeah, it would be great to be neighbors! 🤣 If the charger (AC-DC converter) fails, it would generally blow the 120VAC circuit breaker. If it produces too much DC amperage, the directional wiring I suggested would protect the circuit. If the charger somehow created a dead short on the DC side, without blowing the AC breaker, then you would want it wired as Geoff suggested. Btw, the breaker being close to the battery vs. charger is negligible since it's only 2-4 feet of cable in either direction. New idea: Keep your original drawing as-is but instead of the 50A breaker, install an ANL fuse. Geoff also mentioned using a fuse. Fuses are NOT directional as DC breakers. BTW, 50A is not enough for the 45A charger (45A x 1.25 = 56A, so go up to 60A). Purchase ideas: Amazon.com: Blue Sea Systems 5123 ANL Fuse, 60A : Blue Sea Systems: Automotive Amazon.com: Blue Sea Systems 5005 ANL Fuse Block with Insulating Cover, 35-300 Amp, 32V DC : Blue Sea Systems: Tools & Home Improvement Have you removed your original battery cables yet? Check to see if OTT installed an inline ANL fuse. Mine had one, but our hull also has an inverter. The OEM 12VDC wiring in our hull was reversed from what's shown in your drawing. Switch the bus and breaker in your drawing and that's how ours was installed. OTT also wired both the 40A breaker from (not to) the bus and from the solar breaker in reverse direction. Originally, I thought OTT wired the breaker in the wrong direction, but they did so because the converter is wired directly to the bus (see red 6 AWG cable in wire loom left side of bus in picture). The picture was taken during my recent upgrade to new batteries, inverter and buses. The two red 6 AWG wires you see loose come from the AUX side of the breakers and were run directly to the batteries. So, OTT reversed the direction as I had suggested and appears to be standard from what I found online. Anyway, the ANL fuse will provide better overall protection. Be sure to buy an extra fuse!

Good plan in general Dave. It's a good simple solution. I always enjoy hand-drawing plans on good old-fashioned graph paper! First, do not mount +positive buses, breakers or other connections to a conductor, e.g. aluminum. Simply dropping a tool could touch a hot connection to the grounding conductor. Use some kind or plastic, PVC, or other non-conductive mounting board. 1/4" HDPE, or thicker if preferred, would work well: Amazon.com: HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) Sheet, Opaque White, Standard Tolerance, 1/4" Thickness, 12" Width, 12" Length by Technology Island (12" X 12") : Industrial & Scientific This may not make sense initially but turn your 50A breaker the other direction. DC breakers are polarized and work on magnetic force and have to be in the direction of current flow. They are marked BAT on one side and AUX (load) on the other side. Normal use is that the battery supplies current through the BAT side of the breaker to the load. In the case of the charger, current is pushed the other direction, from charger to battery, so the directional breaker must be wired in reverse; charger to BAT post and batteries to the AUX side as they are the physical load when charging. The copper bar is a good idea but will not easily fit given one post needs dual connections. You could easily make a short U-shaped jumper cable with either 4 or 6 AWG wire. Lastly, the BAT post of the 40A breaker needs to be connected to the batteries without passing through the 50A breaker as in your drawing. It will still be on the AUX post but after you have switched the direction of the 50A breaker it will be on the right side of the breaker in your drawing so that power to the +tive bus is not going through both breakers. If you like, post a revised version of your drawing and I'll take a look to see if you if you understood my suggestions. Thanks for doing this, because in advising you, I just reviewed the wiring in my recent upgrade and found I had a directional mistake. Easy to change and I will correct ASAP, thanks again.

The Renogy 400W Suitcase specifies 11A short circuit amperage and Max Series fuse rating of 15A, listed on product label. Use fuse rating per solar panel specifications.