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I just watched the video below in which the Wayward Waggs discuss a recent California Sate law which bans the sale of small gas powered generators and phases out the use of these over the next few years. https://youtu.be/pY3PR1bDHoU Bill

Most generator discussions focus on 2000cc units that allow for soft-start of the AC. I've got a very old, but like new-in-box, Yamaha EF1000cc unit that I've thought about taking as a backup for charging the batteries if the weather is marginal for a large number of days. I expect I'll be in Yellowstone with no AC for 7-14 days, with a chance that days before and after will be boon-docking also. If I just want to be able to top off the batteries, any downside to just using the small 1000cc generator? (Solar Pack with four wet cell batteries) I'll be traveling with a couple of friends in their 23' Airstream. They have a 2000cc dual-gas generator, but if we don't need AC, the smaller generator has more appeal. Thoughts?

A bit of serendipity as I was troubleshooting the loss of all power. That turned out to be an outlet that probably went down during our recent lightning storm. Anyway, while checking circuit breakers, fuses and the inverter GVCI switch I found two lonesome bolts that have been waiting for someone to finish drilling two holes in the aluminum support beam under the the pantry shelf. It looks like it supports that fiberglass component. No movement and seems very sturdy, so trying to decide whether to finish the job. Wonder if there are two nuts on the other side? 😉 Actually looking at the photos now, it looks like there was a washer on the aluminum, which now makes me think they backed out and I need to figure out hard to push up and see if I have holes on the other bracket...something for tomorrow. I know that fiberglass wasn't moving when I checked...

I used to empty and remove my Yakima Rocket Box Lo manually, then unclamp the crossbars and remove them. Reinstalling was a hassle because I had to measure and readjust everything each time. The box weighs 50 pounds empty, so it was pretty awkward getting it up and off the roof. It usually took me an hour of fussing to get everything “just right” and reloaded with cargo. I found a new in box heavy duty ceiling hoist on Craigslist for $150, MSRP was over $500. I mounted it to my 10 ft garage ceiling. Now I back the truck underneath, loosen the crossbar clamps, strap the bars to the hoist and lift the whole kit and kaboodle off the truck. It takes about five minutes, and I can lower it down to 4 feet off the floor to access the stuff I usually carry in the box on summer trips (chairs, flagpole, shovel, MaxxTrax, etc). The no-slip gearbox at the top is driven by a long crank handle, just like a manual canopy on an Ollie. The handle stores on a wall eyebolt when not in use. The box throws no shadows, probably because I have so many LED shop lights up there😁. The two safety straps are not really needed, but they make my wife feel better about having her SC400 underneath all that weight….. if we lived where there were earthquakes, they would definitely be needed, just in case the ceiling should shake violently. John Davies Spokane WA

Hello All, I am trying to test whether my Westinghouse iGen2500 can run the A/C in my Legacy Oliver II (2017). The Surge Protector throws off the Error of E2 when I am hooked up and running, which means the ground and neutral is disconnected at the generator. I am awaiting a Bonding plug from Amazon in order to help remedy the situation. Fingers crossed. However, In the meantime, I decided to bypass the Surge Protector, and see if the generator could run the A/C anyway. Before I even turned on the A/C though, the generator surged to 1.5-2kW of power, and nothing (no fan, fridge, lights, etc...) was running. I figured that power could be hurting something, so I turned it off. Curious if anybody has had this issue before particularly with generators. Might have something to do with the neutral ground disconnect, but not sure. Definitely don't want to damage the converter haha!

Has anyone used the new Honda 2200i generator to run the AC on your Ollie?

Hull 806, Lithium batteries, 3000 watt inverter, 2200 watt generator Here's my situation: My batteries are at about 85% and I want to recharge throughout the day with solar. I also want to run the generator and turn on the Air Conditioner. Once the generator is connected the battery charger immediately puts about 1600 watts of demand on the generator until the batteries are at full charge (about 20 minutes). Then the generator returns to idle and I'm good to turn on the Air Conditioner...works fine. My question for this situation: What is the best method to prioritize the air conditioner/other over battery recharging? Thanks....Steve

Trying to decide which to get... I like the idea of more storage with the locked box, but having to remove the generator for every road trip is probably a pain too. What do you prefer?

Hi all. I ended up buying the A-iPowered Yamaha 1800 running watts generator. The generator runs fine but when I plug the trailer into it and just run the microwave which that size generator can handle easily, it shuts down the generator. There were two Oliver owners at our camp site who told me the Oliver trailer sees the generator as a floating or open ground and that I needed to get a plug for the generator that will fixed the ground issue. One guys said he got his from Oliver and the other owner made his own but I was told can easily pick up a plug for this in Home Depot or any hardware store. Can someone tell me what I need to buy to solve this? Imelda

Generator box - Has anyone made their own and if so any suggestions? It is my intent to put this box where the storage box from Oliver goes. I want the generator completely enclosed with a cover that opens. It will have vents for air to come through and exhaust to get out. Our generator runs on gas or propane.

For any if you still looking for a generator, this came up in our Lowe's ad today. One day sale. I'll delete this tomorrow. 2500 peak, 2200 run time. I'm pretty sure it would run my little ac, if necessary, but that's not the purpose for us. We're adding it to the generator fleet for backup for our daughter, and to run some power tools at our camping property. Some very good reviews. At the price, we'll take a shot at it. Deleted link , as it's no longer on sale. It's $599, now.

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

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

I ordered this Rubbermaid 24 gallon storage container thanks to a post by another owner on the Ollie FB page. I think will work fine for carrying our Andersen chocks, jack blocks and other initial trailer set items while freeing up even more room in the truck bed. I will post a review of how much gear it will hold after it arrives.

Just in case anyone is having trouble finding a portable generator . . . . . . I received an email from Lowe's today saying they have Honda 2200i generators back in stock! And they will ship to your home. I quickly put one in my cart and ordered, before they were sold out again. I was afraid it would be like buying a used Ollie . . . . . if you hesitate, you lose. I am excited to have the means to charge our batteries. My husband said we didn't use our camper van generator much, so do we even need a generator? I say, with electric/water RV sites in short supply, we may be boondocking more this year. I convinced him by adding that it would come in handy on the ranch, as well. Much easier than toting around our not-so-portable 4K generator that he's been using. No stopping us now 😎 Edit: I forgot to mention that the generator that is now in stock at Lowes is the TAG (commercial model). The price is $50 more than the standard 2200i, but it has bluetooth connectivity, which will be nice; you can shut it off remotely, as well as monitor operation. Sounds good, in theory. We'll see how it works.

Hi, all. I want to buy a small portable quiet generator to charged up my Oliver when dry camping. My question is if the model I want to order A-ipower Yamaha generator 1800 running watts with peak wattage 2300W would have enough power to run the AC?

Here is a related thread, I installed a similar box up front under the jack: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2688-how-to-junction-box-for-trailer-harness-repair-or-extend-the-harness/ This all came about because I wanted to install a ... Redarc DC to DC Battery Charger .... and I needed to know FOR SURE that the wires were big enough. 12 AWG is the absolute minimum according to Redarc, and bigger is always better, especially in an Ollie with a very long run back to the batteries. Here are the existing butt splices, half of them are absolutely buried under the sewer pipes. Time for a J-Box! So I cut all the splices, and dragged the ends up to where I could inspect the wires. Most were OK, but the white Ground wire was not. Somebody extended the front wire with a smaller sized one. Darn it! I bolted down the box next to the 120 VAC outlet. I spliced into the green and white running light wires and brought them up to the box via the bottom hole. The other wires come in from the left and right sides. I ran heavier 10 AWG black and white wires (power and ground) from the box back to the appropriate posts. So now the Redarc charger will not suffer from excessive voltage drop, and with the easy access, it will be very simple to troubleshoot any future 7 Wire Harness problems. The new splices are easy to ID because they have clear spiral wrap plastic, and they are secured to the inside wall using a 1" thick block of HDPE plastic, bonded with JB Weld directly over the small LED light. The placard goes inside the J Box using 3M double stick tape. Here is the placard, in Apple Pages format: Oliver Junction Box wiring placard Rear 7 pin.pages Note that I indicated where those marker light splices are - I hate not knowing! John Davies Spokane WA

On 2/19/2021 at 8:28 AM (under the thread "Length of Sewer Pipe Extension Needed," John E Davies suggested (in regard to dust at the back of a trailer) that "Vortex generators would help a lot, but only if you never slowed below 30 mph😬." Have any of you installed Airtabs on your trailer and/or TV? If so, what was your experience? Less dust? Noticably better fuel mileage? Other?

Greetings! I am planning on purchasing a Honda EU2200i inverter generator for our Elite I and am interested in how best to secure the generator. I am ordering the tongue box and plan to transport it there. I was interested in your thoughts on how best to secure it there as well as when you are using it in camp. Thoughts? Carl

Having just purchased a 2018 Oliver Elite II from the first owner, I am hoping that you all could provide a little help. The Oliver receipt that the first owner gave me lists the A/C System as a "Standard Dometic Penguin II with Micro-Air Easy Start". No mention of BTU value. The Oliver maintenance manual does not list the BTU of this A/C. I am thinking it is 13,500 BTU's. Does anyone know for sure so I do not need to call Oliver to ask? i would like to buy a generator so I can run the Oliver equipment including the A/C when boondocking. I would like to use the Oliver's propane. What is the minimum size generator I should purchase? Thanks

Has anyone used one of these? Seems like a nice size generator for a just in case scenario. Not having to carry gasoline would be a big bonus. It is only 1000watts so it wouldn't run the AC but if your only looking to charge your batteries in a pinch it might be a good choice. How fast can the ollie take a charge? Would the trailer charge faster with 2000 watts or is there a limitation on somewhere in the electrical system? https://alpgenerators.com/products/alp-generator-1000-watts-blue-gray

I had no idea, I am highly impressed. I was starting to install a computer fan below the floor for moderating temperature fluctuations. I was really shocked when I hit metal.... 😳 My one hour job turned into four. I was using a 4” hole saw and 3/4 of the way through my Dewalt drill gears blew up. I finished with an electric scroll saw and a hacksaw blade in a straight handle. Then I went full analog and got out my 20,000 rpm air die grinder. Ugly..... fortunately it will all be hidden. I want to keep moisture away from the laminations, so I wil seal all that with epoxy before mounting the fan with an aluminum plate. Which I also made today.... I am beat. I ordered a new drill too. John Davies Spokane WA

I thought I would find answers here, but no . . . . We are still trying to procure a Yamaha 2200i generator for our 2021 Elite II. We prefer the Yamaha over Honda mostly for the fact that it has a 30amp plug; Honda does not. Sadly Covid, hurricanes and wildfires have depleted the supply chain, at least for Yamahas. I've been trying, since October to procure one, to no avail. I email suppliers regularly: October: When do you expect the Yamaha 2200i to be available? Answer: Most likely sometime in December. Ask to be put on an email notification list." Today's answer: Not until Spring. Perhaps you'd like a 3,000W? Me: Already have a 3,100W; want something quieter and more portable that can be carried in our pickup bed tool box. We will have the 2,000i in stock next week. Me: Need it to occasionally run A/C We can sell you two! Now Spencer Savage @ Yamaha is telling me the 2200i won't run the A/C. I'm reading older posts of some Oliver owners, in the past, running a 13,500BTU with a 2,000W generator. Oliver now comes equipped with a 11,000 BTU A/C and I can't run it with a 2200i generator? (Lithium Pro Pkg with soft-start option) At least we won't need A/C for a few months; really don't want to tote around our 3,100W 125# generator for occasional use of high wattage appliances and cooling, not to mention how to keep it from being stolen. My question for Oliver owners out there lucky enough to have a Yamaha 2200i, or even the Honda version: is this the generator we want, assuming we can find one?

I have just started looking at inverter generators and was wondering how often owners have needed to use them for charging batteries, run AC or electric appliances, Honda and Yamaha are the most popular but 2020 consumer reports recommends the DEWALT DXGNI2200 or RYOBI 2300. Having owned Honda cars and motorcycles I know they are very reliable and have good warranties but also command a premium price. The recommended models are $599 and $629 at the big box stores. Our camping style is dry camping at state and national parks and we plan to spend a winter in AZ in the future. The trailer we have on ordered will have solar and the 4 AGM batteries as well as the 2000 Watt inverter. Also for around the same price is a 200 Watt portable suitcase panel which may be an option. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences.

Has anyone had any luck finding either a Honda or Yamaha 2200w inverter generator? These days they seem to be in the same category as toilet paper and disinfecting wipes 😷 We have a Powerhorse 3000 inverter generator that we use it at home for emergency power outages. We purchased it for use with our 5th-wheel, a few years back, but my husband wants something more portable and quieter to take along with our Oliver. Our preference is the Yamaha. It's a tiny bit louder than the Honda, but has a few features the Honda lacks - fuel gauge, 30 amp outlet, dual handles and a bit longer run time. I've looked at several sources and all are out of stock with no estimate of when they might be available. Any ideas???