jd1923

Running off of a 2KW inverter (or compressor as mentioned) is likely a no-go. They list this at the bottom of their spec insert on the RecPro page: This AC unit requires a minimum 2500-watt generator with a dedicated 30-amp service. Using a lower-rated generator may cause difficulty when starting the AC unit or may require a soft starter.* *It is recommended to use a 3000-watt generator with a dedicated 30-amp service.*

Very nice shine @Derek B! When I get around to it, a good shine will take far more work, ours seeing a lot of desert sun and outdoor storage. Great new signature line too! Wish everybody would add location. SE Louisiana is great home base to for US travel east to west! We have solar and it's good yours has the wiring OTT installed. I'm going to replace that Dometic AC too, unbearable noise. We will make that purchase between now and the Oct Texas Rally (not too far for you). Thinking the small Houghton 9.5K BTU model which is a good match for the small Ollie interior. Enjoy and browse all the threads on campgrounds, rallies, and mods!

I love my wife Chris, and as each year goes by it becomes ever more so apparent! We purchased our Oliver just days short of a year ago and we love being together in our travels, no matter where we camp for the night, good or bad. I share this thought today with my virtual Oliver family. I do my things and she does hers and the best things are the times we spend together. She often asks, “How’s the blog going?” She’s referring to this forum and she is always interested. I tell her stories regarding y’alls antics, often over a drink or two before dinner. She listens and smiles, what a smile. Today is a very special day for us, as it is our 30th wedding anniversary! I have a difficult job every year from June 1st to June 7th. Her birthday being the latter date. Last year, as you can see, it was easy as can be, as to her surprise I brought home an Oliver! 😊 What in the world can I do this year! Good thing we do not need to top the great times we’ve had and will always have together. I write this for my partner in life. Love you, Chrissy.

Keep in mind, when running AC, at 70 MPH down a highway, as tight as the Oliver hull is, you're POURING BTUs in the wake behind you! Sitting at a campsite would be say 1.5 less SOC loss and if sitting in the shade, 2x LESS. Hey @rideadeuce, Buc-ee's is a Texas on-the-road tradition (though I do agree with your sentiment)! When we lived in Georgetown TX, Chris' daughter and grandchild in Houston, we would meet at the Buc-ee's in Giddings TX, for the hand-off, so our grandson could spend a couple days with us! He loved the place. Giddings a great east TX town, great Mexican food and a Super Mercado to stock up the fridge! Ahh, great memories...

Agreed @Geronimo John, as always you provide a solid engineering basis. It was a late night find, looked cool at the time! First thing I thought this morning is at a campsite, the 48V DC version is not a simple plug into shore power. Which model did you install? Do you believe the 9.5k unit is adequate cooling for the Oliver? I'm thinking so, we do not plan on extended summer camping in the east. At 1590W it appears it can run off our 2KW inverter, agree? I realize on my current 450AH lead-acid batteries it would not run for long, but later adding 600AH Epoch LI should do the trick. RV Air Conditioner Low Profile 9.5k Quiet AC Unit with Optional Heat Pump and Remote Control, Non-Ducted - RecPro Thanks for your feedback. When I replace our AC, thinking before leave for the October Texas Rally, I should have many more questions. I believe I read you are integrating the thermostat this summer and I would want to do that immediately. I'll be reading here for your updates. Likely will channel the condensate drip to the rear streetside in some way. It's not like our Oliver is what old-car guys call a "trailer queen!" 🤣 (pun intended) Thank you.

Hey @Geronimo John, I've been studying this thread, on and off over the last year and still need to read and learn more. An extremely quiet Low BTU model makes sense to me, and the Oliver does not require 13.5 BTU at all, given the interior cubic feet and insulated shell. I also need to role this into a lifepo4 upgrade. It will be a one or 2-year plan for me. It only makes sense to do these mods in unison. I will NOT but another Dometic product for any purpose. I have also read, too many times, how those who bring their Oliver for Truma and custom fiberglass work are "very happy" with their purchase. We cannot afford the time, distance and cost of such, so that's not happenin' for us. Loved how our friend @MAX Burner wrote about your side-by-side comparison last summer. I abhor motor noises, unless it's my Cummins pulling an incline, or a sports car tuned for performance at 7000+ RPM. We want QUIET and LOW fan speed and I believe the solution just might be a Houghton AC! Ran across these components in research today and somehow, I want to make this work! I read here about some member(s) are wiring 12V batteries in series which would of course produce 24V but then I'm wondering how, do you step 24V down to 12VDV for all the standard RV lighting and other accessories. How about 48V to 12V? Is that possible? Do we have any true battery/solar experts here? I'm going to spend weeks/months researching this, but is there a way to pair these components in an Oliver? I would truly love the read the opinion of all members who know the physics behind this! (maybe this should be a new thread?) Thank you GJ and OTT Forum members - 48V Air Conditioner for RV - 9.5K Low Profile AC Unit with Heat Pump and Remote Control Non-Ducted - RecPro 48V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery - Heated & Bluetooth (epochbatteries.com) No inverter required if these two components can somehow be combined in an Oliver. I'm generally more of a "here and now" sort, yet technology will amaze!

Problem is too many company policies are created by lawyers. OTT is likely worried some of us will load our trailer up to 10K LBS, so they likely factored in a 50% margin in their number. The rating on the tire is MAX. Tire companies do not suggest running at MAX unless you are running MAX weight. This chart is for the OEM tire brand/model and you can look for a Cooper table, but for the same size tire, Load Range E, they will all be about the same. Notice at 50 PSI on the table the rating is 2090 LBS. We have four (4) single tires (The rows marked "Dual" are for dually TVs and Class-C RVs). Four times 2090 = 8,360 LBS and nobody should load that much stuff into their Ollies! 65 PSI on these tires is for a dual-axle trailer with two 5200 LB axles. At 40 PSI, 4 of these tires will carry 4 x 1795 = 7180 LBS and the Oliver Elite II has a GTRW of 7,000 LBS. Therefore, if you are not exceeding the GTRW you can run as low as 40 PSI. Most of us add a little margin, but regardless of the OTT company position 60 PSI is WAY too much. In prepping for our last trip, when I check pressures, all 4 tires were between 46 and 48 PSI, so I made them all 46 and did not have to extend the air line from my compressor. The all had just the right amount of bulge at this pressure.

When I saw this yesterday, I was thinking a pair. But why not, it's only money! But then I have a garage full of hydraulic jacks in all shapes and sizes, multiple pairs of jack stands, tire ramps, so I better use that money on something else. Art, what's in your garage? For Oliver owners that do not already have considerable automotive tools, a pair of these would likely allow for any maintenance work you would consider, working one side at a time. One is just not enough, except to change a flat. Nice combo tool!

Already had a Dewalt cordless in my garage for car care, so I have it on our departure list. Chris uses a half-length broom for the center hallway and takes one minute with this around the edges. I have many of these 20V batteries required and an extra charger sits in the Oliver Attic. Mine is an older version: DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum, Tool Only (DCV580H) - Vacuum And Dust Collector Accessories - Amazon.com I'm in the camp with @topgun2, can't "justify carrying yet another piece of equipment." The vac sits in a TV toolbox and there is no way I would mount something in the Oliver closet which has just enough space. I might have other Dewalt tools with me, an impact or drill, and always have one or two of these for the campsite (I got everybody in the family one for Christmas, so they stop taking mine)! DEWALT 20V MAX LED Work Light, 100 Degree Pivoting Head, Up to 1000 Lumens of Brightness, Cordless (DCL050) - Amazon.com And finally, the inside stays cleaner when the campsite is clean! I always bring this in the TV. I blow the common Arizona red-oxide dust off the hull after a dirt road excursion, and I blow the camping mat clean after our Charley (like what@MAX Burner calls "Knuckleheads") brings all the dirt, dust, burrs and weeds in from our surroundings! I have a larger AH battery or this unit, yet all Dewalt 20V are interchangeable: Amazon.com: Dewalt DCBL722BR 20V MAX XR Brushless Lithium-Ion Cordless Handheld Blower (Tool Only) (Renewed) : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I forgot about the 300AH model, and it makes a whole lot of sense! Thanks for the reminder. Go with the two 300s is my take. Bottom line, 460AH is VERY good, 600AH is exceptional, and if you're our friend @rideadeuce who ditched the tray to go for 2x460, OMG 920AH is "priceless." Both options fit in the battery tray. The smaller 300s at 58 LBS are easier to handle in length and weight vs. the 20+" 84 LB monster. At today's prices I calculate the 460 is $3.04/AH and the 300s are $3.66/AV, but you get 600AH! Right now, the is a MEMORIAL10 code, so two 300s are 1,978.20 plus tax and ship! Wow, I want these, but still have to wait for other mods. Last Black Friday they had an extra 15% OFF sale. You could start with just one, but that is barely more usable AH than what you already have. As far as wiring @topgun2 is correct, but I would not pull a fuse in your tow vehicle (TV). You may want it when towing another trailer and forget it's disconnected. It is simple enough to pull the wire at the positive busbar. Here is a picture of mine, though your newer hull may be different. Should be a black wire, easy enough to test. When disconnected from both busbar and TV it should show open/no voltage. When connected to the TV you should read +12VDC. Test OFF and ON until you are certain. In my pic, it's the black wire on the left hanging. Later I taped it up and taped it to another insulated wire, so it sits open.

Welcome Derek, your hull is just a pup, and we love mods! When you get a chance, fill out your signature so we all can better help you. Of interest in your hull # of course, tow vehicle, general location and anything else you want tagged at the end of your posts. Meet you on the road or rally!

Nothing wrong with that antenna. You should get signal in the cab. Is the AC blocking line-of-sight to the TV. Mount it a little taller? Strange.

It's about the only trailer tire (ST) made in the USA! Put a set on my flatbed trailer 5 years ago. When I noticed the price today, I was like, What??? Just the cost of the today's economy. I'm going to have leave these on 10 years vs. 7! We only use it on slow roads around the county to haul dirt bikes, or an occasional trip to Lowes or Depot, low miles, keep them covered. Size on mine a little smaller. That would have been +$10 back then. Wow, by the time I need new ones they'll be $300 each!

Thanks @SeaDawg, the 026 just hit a 30-year anniversary. New carb and fuel lines, 20" bar and a tune-up 2 years ago and she screams like new. You probably know by now, calling "the guy" is a last resort for me. We had a mature American Elm at a home we had in N VA. A friend when leaving said, "Do you know your tree is splitting?" It was the kind of tree that had 2 main trunks and it was splitting right down the middle. It looked like the one side was going to break and fall. Of course, that was the side that would land on the dining room of our 2-story red brick colonial. Oh man, a tree guy would cost a small fortune on this one! I did an engineering study of height, angle, mass, and thought and looked, and thought and looked... About 10 days later, I got up the courage. We put two 24' extension ladders to get up as high as possible. Used double HD tow cables and tied the two trunks together at that height. I cut a wedge aiming down the driveway and away from the house. Then held my breath and cut the backside slowly. The trunk leaned and the cables drew tight. Then it pivoted at the cut and landed 180 from the house. Chris has the whole episode on video somewhere. It broke a couple landscape timbers is all. Got out the 100' tape and that trunk was 80+ ft! We spent the next 2 weekends cutting it up for firewood. I did have a 30HP Kubota then with a front-end loader to help! Next time the buddy came over he asked, are you going to cut down the other side. I said, I got nothing but acreage that direction. It can fall when it needs to.

Decent combo-unit @JBurton. It should save space and time!

Whoa @SeaDawg! Sherry, it's a good thing that appears a light landing on the roof. Looks like the leaves and density of small branches cushioned the fall. We had an oak tree branch downed by lighting years ago. It took down a gutter, some roof damage and the rear of a Dodge Intrepid certainly needed a body shop. Hope it's just clean-up for you! If I was in the neighborhood, I'd be over right away with my Stihl 026 and pole-pruner to help! 🙂

I went with a more permanent install on the paper towel holder and our side shelf is attached with magnet discs VHB to the side (shelf sits bottom of the attic when using the beds). The holder came with shaped tape to fit and after one outing it fell off. I cut 3M VHB 4950 to fit the small base and it's been holding even since.

Very cool, lots of good ideas here! Given suction cups can hold your flag, blowing in the wind is a testament for holding strength. My bias comes from those phone holders and other suction cup attachments designed for the truck windshield. One came with my gauges display. I mounted mine permanently below the dash. Once we get a shine on our exterior, it should work. Agree with Bill on the garbage can holder. I like the little one for interior use. Our interior fiberglass shines like new so should it maintain a good hold.

Just purchased two cans of the Debond and thanks again. Not bad with no tax added and only $5 S&H. Chris is the painter in our family, keen on detail. She has volunteered for this duty and was happy to hear of this product. Will report back on how it worked. We're just doing the prep work, so that when I take it to a professional fiberglass detailer, I won't have to pay many shop-hours for prepping. I don't want them working around old caulk but instead getting right to the edges. I will also remove as much exterior trim as possible, like taillight bezels and doghouse handles, just to name a few, before dropping it off for detail work. I expect the professional to use the 1200 grit sandpaper and do whatever is necessary to remove oxidation, and if I was to recaulk what's necessary, not for "asthetics" it would be as you suggested, by someone who knows "the ins and outs of the sealant." After cleaning up the cr@p, I'll spend my time on installing a new AC unit and other mechanical tasks per my core competencies. BTW, the only mold/mildew on our Oliver, inside or out, is on the caulk outer surfaces! 🤣

5-bolt 15" wheels are standard for the 7000 GTWR. Olivers were originally over-engineered. Costs saving perhaps. I have a dual-axle flatbed trailer, two 3500 LB axles with four 15" wheels and of course ST vs. LT tires. This is common, OTT did us better, but I guess not on new hulls.

@rideadeuce, does your CradlePoint have an external antenna to broadcast Wi-Fi? If not, this is why you cannot receive Wi-Fi at your TV. The access point is a simple wired solution or a superior broadcast antenna. The Parsec has 4 cellular antennas to bring in cell signals, SIM card in the router for your cellular carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon). We went with a Business T-Mobile account since they recently added 5G in our area. It has a GPS antenna for location accuracy, and 2 Wi-Fi antennas to broadcast a good 100 FT full circle around the antenna. Chris can be online, at highspeed while I'm towing

Not always having good luck with suction-cup attachments, I went this route: JONKEAN White Handheld Shower Head Holder with 2 Hanger Hooks, Strong Adhesive Shower Head Holder, Adjustable Shower Wand Holder Wall Mount, Bathroom Waterproof Shower Handle Holder No Drill Need - Amazon.com The main plastic holder detaches and only a 1/4" thin clear piece left taped to the Oliver. During travel the holder fits nicely where the shower head is stored. I use it often!

@rideadeuce just remembered something... It's better if the access point is physically in your truck. You can run Ethernet from the attic to the basement, all the way front to the hitch area. Like many have run with their DC-to-DC cabling. Then another leg of Ethernet under the truck to the interior. Mount the access point behind the rear seat like I did my router install. It runs on 12VDC, so you will have to pull a run from the truck fuse panel, likely by the driver-side kick panel. I saved this on my Wishlist, when I was planning to do the same job: Amazon.com: IP68 Waterproof RJ45 Coupler, Shielded Pure Copper Waterproof Ethernet Coupler, IP68 Waterproof Ethernet Outdoor LAN Cable Connector for Cat5, Cat5e/Cat6/Cat7/Cat8 Ethernet Cable (Black 2 Pack Female) : Electronics

Mike, you don't want 2 routers, because then you have two logins, need two antennas, splitters are not good, and more issues. What you need is a Wi-Fi access point. Then you would run ethernet cable from your CradlePoint router to some forward cabinet position. I have a Pepwave Access Point, included our bundle and did not use it. I thought I may need it distance to the trailer, but not so due to the power of the Parsec antenna. You could just get a better antenna. I can read Wi-Fi at 2.4GHz and 5GHz right now from my home office to my truck presently parked 100 FT away going through two walls. Parsec Husky Pro 7-in-1 Antenna – MobileMustHave.com I was about to list this item on Craigs for sale! PM me if you're interested at my Oliver family discount, part still NIB: AP One AC Mini - Peplink Wireless 2.4ghz/5ghz A/B/G/N/AC Wireless Acce – MobileMustHave.com As you can see a simple wired access point is a lot less $$$ than a high-end antenna. And both will have their own installation challenges to consider. Best wishes, JD

Oh and BTW, the NHTSA should have Bulldog Manufacturing run a recall too! They mislabeled a 5000 LB coupler with a 7000 LB label! Check page 4 of this thread. @Jason Foster asked for a better picture of the label, then I wrote a commentary re wrong labeling, Bulldog being at fault, not OTT.