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Jason Foster

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Posts posted by Jason Foster

    New Oliver Advertisement - Winter Camping Adventure

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    5 hours ago, Rivernerd said:

    Note the absence of snow.  And the fact that you can't see the actors' breath.  They are wearing what would pass for fall or spring gear in Idaho, with no hats.  

    This is consistent with my earlier observation that the stock Oliver is a "4-season trailer" where it is made, in the Southern USA.  It would also be useful in winter in many parts of Western Washington, Oregon or British Columbia (such as the coast, where it rarely snows).   But, without significant modifications, it is not a true "4-season trailer" for use in Idaho, Montana, Northern Utah, the Northern Great Plains, New England, Canada East of the Rockies, etc.

    I think that is a fair clarification.  Without an industry standard definition of four-season, we will always wonder how far north we can go.  I will never have a problem in Texas, but I might run into some issues in Thief River Falls in January without taking some precautions.  I plan on camping in Missouri after I pick up my Oliver in late December and I have no fear that it can handle that weather.  

    • Like 2

    Touch Lights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    12 hours ago, Ronbrink said:

    We left Palmetto SP yesterday afternoon to have a late lunch in San Antonio, and upon return a few hours later the touch light above the sink was fading in and out. Strange, because no lights were left On. This is one of the lights previously mentioned with a prior problem, but this was a first for this anomaly. When I touched the light it went full bright, but would not turn Off! Sadly, I had to find a way to block the light since I’m a light sleeper, no pun intended! Enter a dinette seat back cushion; to no surprise, another reason for my wife to call me a ‘nut’. So to bed I went, bedcovers over my head, but awakened around 2am with a thought; the Master Light switch. In careful execution and much anxiety, flip Off, light Off; now what? So, with much curiosity, flip On, light still Off, yahoo! As not to push my luck, I returned to bed with a sense of accomplishment and drifted off to sleep once again. However upon awakening, more anxiety and curiosity; will the light come On when touched and operate normally?

    image.thumb.jpeg.410d2390ab71b363e26dda974ddae2f5.jpeg

    A resounding YES! 

     

    Ronbrinks light the next morning.

    Wake Up Face GIF

    • Haha 5

    Hi from Colorado!

    in Introduce Yourself

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Steve Lovaas said:

    Hello everyone!

    I've been lurking for a while as we whittle down the long list of TT's to our final few options. Too new to have a fun couples' handle in the forum. No surprise that Oliver has risen to the top in our search, since we're wanting to camp in Spring and Fall in Colorado (which would sometimes equal Winter elsewhere).

    I've been most impressed with the posts here, though I'm wondering at the posts talking about mods for cold weather (despite the marketing as a "true" 4-season trailer). I'd love to hear some estimates of comfortable cold-weather ranges with no insulation mods.

    As we get closer to retirement (and get our tow vehicle), we'll make our final choice. And I want to be sure we're buying our LAST trailer the first time around ;).

    Thanks!

    Steve Lovaas

    Welcome to the conversation.  It is important to note that I have not received my Oliver yet, but I am a winter camper.  With that said, I must offer up a caveat.  I live in Texas, so winter for me would be equal to Spring or Fall for you.  One of the many reasons I sprung for the Oliver is its ability to handle colder weather.  Oliver's website states that their trailer is four-season, but I figured that it would fall into the Tennessee four-season range rather than the Arctic range.  

    I'm not a summer guy.  When it hits 85 degrees, I'm done camping.  I like cold weather, warm fires and hiking when I don't have to sweat my clothes through.  After owning several different rigs, I went with the Oliver.  It will likely see Colorado Winters during Elk season, but not until I add a few modifications to allow it to handle prolonged sub-zero temperatures.  

    • Like 3

    Touch Lights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    4 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

    Truth is, most of these lights are manufactured offshore.

    12v surprisingly is not a huge market.

    It's a dance, on which we work.

    If it's identified "marine", it has passed coast guard testing, and 4 to 12 times the price. 

    Rv =2 x price. Marine, exponential. 

     

     

    I'm sure they figure those who have the money to boat, can and will pay the premium.  And some of us catch the bug and spend a lot of money on RVs.  Obviously, I wouldn't be here if I didn't get tired of wasting money on the substandard garbage the RV industry is pumping out.  To be clear, some of the new stuff coming out is great but I'm a fan of not reinventing the wheel.  I love 12 volt.  So simple and reliable.

     

    • Like 1
    • Love 1

    Touch Lights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Patriot said:

    My SWAG is where they are cheaply manufactured🇨🇳. Its a consumption item just not meant to last. 

    So bought and installed with cost in mind instead of longevity and quality?

    Problem with Kitchen Sink Rusting

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    2 hours ago, KenB said:

    I have a little experience with corroded stainless steel.  My experience is from when I TIG welded the stainless steel brewing fittings together for my home brewery.  I already knew how to weld mild steel, but had to research the specifics of welding stainless steel and how to maintain its stainless characteristics.

    Are you using a chlorine bleach based cleaner on your sink?  Stop doing that.  Chlorine can dissolve the protective oxides on a stainless steel surface, exposing the metal surface to the environment which leads to rust.  How about cleaning the sink with steel wool?  That's not good either.  Iron fragments can get microscopically lodged in the stainless which leads to rust.  Use a ScotchBrite pad or bronze wool instead.

    In order to passivate (establish the protective chromium oxide layer) the recently cleaned spot on your stainless steel sink, you need to use a product containing oxalic acid.  As mentioned earlier, Bar Keepers friend is one product.  Others include Klein King Stainless and Copper Cleaner, and Revere Copper and Stainless Steel cleaner.  Bar Keepers friend comes in a powder and a liquid.  I always make a paste out of the  powder and scrub the area clean with a ScotchBrite pad to passivate any recently welded stainless steel fittings.  

    A paste of Barkeepers Friend powder and a green ScotchBrite scrubby pad should take care of the issue on your sink.  Just keep the chlorine bleach products away from anything stainless steel.  

    HTH, Ken

    I can't add anything to this.  Well written and explained.

    • Like 4

    The wait

    in Welcome To The Oliver Travel Trailer Forums

    Posted

    7 hours ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

    “Boondocking is very appealing to me, not so much for my wife, but she is coming around to it.  The composting toilet would be fine for me as well, but my wife would never go for it.  She has a tremendous sense of smell which gives her migraine headaches from time to time. ”

    Jason, I was truly surprised at the lack of smell emanating from our composting toilet.  We use coconut coar in the base of the toilet, and the only odor we detect is a slight earthy coconut smell.  The toilet fan does a good job of minimizing all odors.  Being free of the need (and mess) to dump a black water tank when leaving a campground is a gift.  

    While I am on board with the idea, I would have to convince my wife.  That might not be too hard to do since I would be the one doing toilet cleaning duties, but it will have to wait.  We can add one later if needed.

    • Like 2

    There goes the neighborhood...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

    I think Brevard could host a Hallmark movie. Little Sylva, a county away, is another little gem.

    Small town Western North Carolina is worth the travel. Imo. 

    East Texas has a few beauty spots but can't compete with North Carolina.  We will visit that State one day.

    north carolina GIF

    • Like 1

    The wait

    in Welcome To The Oliver Travel Trailer Forums

    Posted

    1 hour ago, ScubaRx said:

    We too have camped through some serious storms, most all of which were thunderstorms. I am always somewhat anxious during one while we are inside the Oliver. The fiberglass hull provides zero protection from a lightning strike. If it gets bad enough, we will leave the trailer and get inside the truck. This would be the only time that an Airstream is clearly better than an Oliver due to the fact that its metal body normally protects people from lightning strikes by acting as a Faraday cage.

    We have never been in a hail storm of any consequence.

    I agree there is a very small risk of electrocution inside of a fiberglass trailer during a lightning storm.  However, lightning is fairly predictable in that it strikes the tallest objects.  If you boondock on a hill with no trees around, then lightning will likely strike a metal object nearby, your truck.  Is it worth the risk?  Probably not.  I concede in this situation, the truck is the safest place to be. 

    I camp in trees.  Preferably, big ones, so I'm not really worried about lightning.  Instead, I would be much more concerned with the trees falling.  Statistically, trees falling kill a lot more people than lightning.  Last March we were camping when a storm came through.  Dropped a bunch of huge trees.  One of which landed directly across an RV pad two campsites down.   I'm curious.  What would survive a tree falling better, my truck or the Oliver?  Perhaps, a good bugout plan should be implemented.  I'm a bit lazy for that so I will likely just sleep through it.

    • Haha 1

    There goes the neighborhood...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

    @Jason Foster, just bring your camera, and a credit card. Transylvania county NC is full of beautiful waterfalls, and picturesque little towns. 

    (Always garlic in the cabinet... but never sighted a vampire.  Just pleasant humans.)

    Beautiful waterfalls and pleasant humans sound great.  My wife is always looking for those perfect towns like you see in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

    • Like 3
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