Search the Community

There’s a saying among pilots who fly retractable gear aircraft “there are those who have landed gear-up, and those who will.” I’m glad you have had good luck with none of your stuff growing legs, but if you poke that bear enough - you will -eventually- get bit. I’m generally a pretty trusting guy. Relying on the goodness of my fellow campers to respect my property. That said, I was born and raised in Chicago - where leaving a door unlocked or anything tempting in plain sight is an outright invitation to theft. I’ve had a car broken into to steal what -looked like- a laptop bag. It was nothing but some work papers and political flyers. (Hah! Joke’s on you!) But - replacing that window cost me $60 and a lost day. When I moved to rural NE Texas - I never locked my car or my cabin door. Then again - my front door was a quarter mile from the road and folks in Texas have guns believe in the three S’s (shoot, shovel, shuttup) - even so - I had neighbors who lost some ATV’s and expensive mowers. Sure, your Walmart beach chair or grungy looking Igloo cooler are almost certainly safe left unattended at your camp site for hours or even days. Nobody wants stuff like that. But if you leave an E-Bike unattended - you’ve just invited a less-than-hi est person to help themselves. I don’t think I’ve seen a Honda generator that DIDN’T have a chain or cable on it. Folks DO pass through your campground who won’t share your midwestern upbringing and associated respect for your property. Especially places with easy road access and no security Leave something tempting enough out where an opportunist can see it and have little concern of being caught - and it WILL grow legs. I watched people cruising slowly through campgrounds and marinas with pickup trucks with assorted bikes and the like piled in back. If they see you watching them - they clear out fast. If you’re not watching them - who knows. I don’t tempt fate these days. Even if I’m in a relatively secure place, if my basement door is too close to the campground loop - I lock the door. I wonder what the actual “freeloader” statistic is for public campgrounds. Sure, if you show up between 10 and 4 on a weekend, you’ll likely find an employee. (Maybe not) But on a Wednesday after 6pm? It’s all on the honor system. I see campers in older or run-down units show up at a campground late - after the employees have left. They set up - and they’re gone at first light. Did they leave the required fee in the honor box? I don’t know - but certainly - no employee ever saw them.

@OffWeGo, I reviewed the sketches you provided for the Front Storage Basket and offer the following comments: Placing the unit in front of the dog house will move you 26" away from the cover on the doghouse. This will likely make removal of the doghouse cover difficult, if not impossible for one person when propane tanks must be refilled. To remove the doghouse cover on my 2022 LEII I straddle the tongue of the trailer and am able to reach the handles on both sides to lift it. Some clearance space will be needed between the front of the doghouse and the rear of the storage unit for clearance of the doghouse cover when dis-mounting and mounting. If the top of the storage unit is hinged at the rear, space will be needed to avoid hitting the top of the doghouse. No details are included to show how the storage unit is to be mounted. The indicated mounting positon places the storage unit on top of the fiberglass covering the trailer tongue. The fiberglass would need to be drilled for passage of mounting bolts. You would likely need spacers to keep the storage unit from resting on the fiberglass and potentially cracking it. You would need to tap into the aluminum frame members or use long "U" shaped bolts to secure the storage unit to the frame. As I recall, Oliver uses long "U'" bolt to secure the front storage tray they offer as an option. The storage unit design has a lot of doors (2 side, 1 front, 1 top). This presents a challenge for the frame of the unit to have sufficient rigidity to support the doors. To have sufficient rigidity you may have little choice but to have a square tube inner frame. Having the tubing presents an obstacle to installing and removing the generator, as you have noted. Also, securing all of the door to prevent theft will be a challenge. The top will need a gas cylinder or other support to hold it open, I had an outdoor grill stand fabricated from stainless steel to support a 200 lb grill. My initial design used square tubing to be clad with stainless steel sheeting. I took the design to an experienced fabricator, who recommended eliminating the square tube frame and building the stand using stainless sheet only. This change produced a much better result. There are storage areas on each side of the grill and they have stainless steel doors. The unit is quite stiff and strong. If you are interested I can provide photos of the details. How is the removable shelf to be supported? "L" shaped brackets mounted to the inside of the unit could work. The mounting method could be either bolting or welding. Your sketch lists routing of the power cable from the generator to the shore power connection on the street side of the doghouse. You might consider attaching a weathertight electrical box containing a 15 or 20 amp outlet on the exterior of the storage unit, with a short cable running through the wall into the generator. I suggest making a short cable that would connect from the weathertight box outlet to the shore power inlet. How accessible are the pull starter, choke and controls on the generator when in the storage unit? I have used small Honda generators before and they are usually relatively easy to start, but I never tried starting one in a confining box. I suggest you reconsider having the generator mounted in a storage unit on the trailer tongue, for several reasons: Mounting the generator to the trailer frame will likely transmit vibrations along the frame which will be noticeable in the cabin. The same concern for noise. Having the generator exhaust so close to the cabin presents a danger of infiltration of carbon monoxide into the cabin. Overheating is likely to be a problem running inside the storage unit, even with all of the openings. Additional tongue weight may become an issue. I don't know the tongue weight limit for your Tundra. The generator, storage unit and chocks could add 60-75 pounds. I try to locate our generator as far as possible from the trailer, considering neighbors, wind direction, etc. I use a 25 foot propane hose to connect our generator to the low pressure propane connections on the front and rear of the trailer. I elected not to install any type of cargo carrier on the trailer tongue, primarily to keep the tongue weight within the limits of our tow vehicle, a BMW X5 35d (diesel). I did not like the cargo tray offered by Oliver- too small to meet our storage needs and too difficult to secure. Instead, I installed a rear mounted cargo carrier. The generator, a grill, chocks and Starlink case are accommodated. You can find a write-up on the details here: How To Install a Rear Cargo Carrier on an Oliver Legacy Elite II. Good luck with your project! Regards, Don

To all of you seasoned, innovative Oliver owners... I would love to get feedback and insights on a tongue box design I'm working on. We've only owned our Oliver since November 2023 and we've camped about five weeks total so far and really love our LEII. We're planning a two + month trip this summer and I'm struggling with a versatile box design for the front. I've seen the product made by Seabiscuit and it's very well made. I would like to take it a step further and enclose the tongue jack and divide the box into a bottom section for a Honda 2200 generator and a removeable top shelf for chocks, blocks and other lightweight items. Please take a look at my sketches and let me know what you think. Thank you all in advance for your feedback. I really enjoy discovering all the creative mods posted here on the forum. FRONT BOX DESIGN.pdf

Ok, you asked for it! 🙂 As a ME, there is a lot to like about this unit. And just a few things to wish for. But the two I identified above are not one of them. In the video he mentioned the capability to hard wire a T-stat. The water wheel disbursal of the condensate appears to minimize the amount of liquid going over the side. That is close enough to strike out that wish item. Now for my video take away notes: (G = Good, NI = Not Ideal, PP = Potential Problem for some owners) PP Some owners have height restrictions. This unit "stands tall" at about 14", a good 5" taller than our OEM Dometic Houghton. A hard deal killer for some owners for sure. Also it will have a greater challenge with wind drag at highway speeds and lower hanging limbs and bridges. But if you follow an 18 wheeler box trailer, they will clear all that out of your way. G Dual fans G Squirrel cage supply air fan G All copper coils and tubing G Brushless motors G Cap tube control system. EXCELLENT. G Shroud not necessary to test run the unit. Nice for those doing maintenance. NI Access to condenser coil for cleaning will require disassembly of condenser coil housing. Not so good for maintenance. PP for those who need a/c where tree and other floating gunk is common. NI Outstanding efficiency at lower setting’s simply due to oversizing the condenser coil and very efficient fan motors. But there it is only putting out about 5,000 BTU's of cooling. Good at high settings. NI Per the video graphic, the high setting of the unit requires 1337 watts of "real power" and another 294 watts of apparent power for a total generator load of 1631 watts. This is still better than what non variable speed units can do and is low enough that most quality 2,000 watt generators can accommodate for this unit as it has a near zero surge on start-up or compressor cycling. G The medium and low settings of the unit have higher efficiency ratings and less impact on your power supply. In fact, they are OUTSTANDING PP The unit on max setting only produces 9,000 BUT of a/c. On a max sun, 100+ degree F Day where we often camp, that low output will take more time to cool down an OE2. Would suggest starting the unit on max an hour before arriving at your camp site. Your spousal unit will appreciate you're thinking ahead. If an owner does not have a problem with that 14" height and does not camp in extreme heat and sun locations, I think that this tested unit is an excellent choice. But as exterior temp increases beyond what 9,000 BTU can handle it would be a challenge. For many owners just starting the cool down before occupancy, it would mitigate the lower capacity. With a larger compressor and minor mods to increase the capability it would become an outstanding choice even for me! GJ

WELL STATED WAYFINDER! Preceeding your post are several disconnects and confusing statements. Part of the confusion is that there are two different designs of our electrical systems. I am not so sure it can be differentiated for label purposes by "Old" or "New". I suspect that the selection of your OEM inverter size determines which system was used. I mention this as looking at the pictures of the 2016 vs our 2018 and the more advanced layout appears with the 3,000 watt inverter, and the more simple approach was used for the 2,000-watt inverter such as our 2018. As such, I believe the OEM inverter size is the deciding factor in which set-up an owner has. Digesting all of the above, my pea brain has summarized the two designs as: 2000-Watt Inverter Systems: May/may not have dual shore power feeds. Will have a PI Eenergy Management System (EMS) located under the rear dinette seat. The PI EMS display has a 15' cord, and as such the display can be found in several locations. In our early 2018 OE2, it is located under the street side bed. Power (City or Generator) flows into the trailer directly to the EMS. The EMS provides power noise filtering, voltage regulation, spike and surge protection. The output of the EMS goes to the Auto Transfer Switch(s) (ATS). This ATS acts as an A or B switch between two power sources. The input is either the 2,000-watt inverter or the EMS. It's output is to the PI Combo AC/DC Power Panel located under the rear dinette seat. At the time, we were stuck with Lead Acid/ATM batteries & power hungry hammer mill Air Conditioner. With the goal in mind of being able to run our air conditioner off newly installed Lithium batteries, an inverter upgrade would be desired. My intent was to do this upgrade with our 2,000-Watt inverter died. In my case the next season, our 2,000-watt Inverter failed. Perfect excuse to upgrade to a 3,000-Watt inverter. But my single 20-A ATS needed to also be upgraded to handle the additional current. A inexpensive and simple solution was to buy another 20-Amp ATS and install it with the output only going to the A/C. A simple mod. The old style EMS has a lifetime warranty. This in my opinion is a good reason not to change the 3,000Watt design below. Keeping the lifetime EMS makes sthe dual ATS approach financially advantageous. A second advantage is that the twin ATS approach greatly reduces the load and in theory increases the life of the twin ATS units. It also is not an "all your eggs in one basket as we have "Hanging Spare" gives you options should an infield failure occur. I like options. 3000-Watt Inverter Systems: May or may not have dual shore power feeds. These newer design systems bring in power from the outside port(s) direclty to the 5100 ATR. This single unit appears to have power condition and protection simular to the EMS above. It also has the power interuption and switching capability as the EMS above. It combines in one box the EMS and the ATR roles mentioned above. Thereby saving in cable, connections and weight. All good. As such the power switching must handle the extra 1,000-watts from the inverter, the switching was upgraded to the 30-A level. This new style design is more compact and from all indications is very reliable. If I had this system, there would be no consideration to going back to the older design. I would however consider carrying a spare 5100 ATR. A good $128 investment. I like options. Hope this clears up some of the fog. GJ

@katanapilot You are not confused any more than I was at first. There are THREE major subjects being discussed, too much for a single forum thread. 1. We have a common situation where Automatic Transfer Relay (ATR) has melted down a bit causing a power outage from Shore power. This box switches from shore power receptacle outside to/from the front Generator 30A receptacle (by front jack), but ONLY if you opted for the front power plug/receptacle (an add-on at build time). The old style ATR box commonly melts down on the plastic bus bar or actually catches fire inside the box (usually a small flame). Most folks get rid of the old ATR box and replace it with the one I have pictured above. (New part # PD5110010Q). In the past two years I know of at least four of these old boxes catching fire or melting down. You would smell plastic/rubber burning. NOTE: If you do not have a 30A receptacle in the front of the trailer, by the front jack, then you do NOT have an ATR box. There is not need for an ATR at that point since you only have a single shore power receptacle next to the battery box. 2. We also have a discussion about a power converter charging the batteries. The AC charger is in the breaker panel box (part # PD405-CSV). I have already upgraded mine, as many have, to be able to charge certified Lithium batteries, but I have not changed over to Lithium yet myself. 3. Lastly there is talk about the inline Transfer Relay Switch (TRS) which provides automatic switching between shore power and the inverter AC source. My TRS is a Xantrex PROwatt SW Inline switch, Part # 808-0915. Not sure who has what in their older trailers these days, but I still have a 2000 watt Xantrex inverter in my trailer, which I have replaced once as well. The inverter provides AC power from the batteries when shore power is not available, so we can still have hot coffee in the morning from our electric water kettle and blow our aging hair with a hair dryer. LOL FYI, if you are plugged into shore power at a campground, there is no need to have the inverter powered on. It will do nothing for you. In my case, the Prowatt TRS detects shore power, and switches to using that to provide you AC electricity, versus getting AC from the inverter. Assuming everything is working correctly. These could all be dedicated threads and likely are in the forums somewhere. I hope I do not add to the confusion. I too was confused at first over all the subjects spoken about.

And for the rest of the story: Replaced the converter, replaced the TOASTED transfer switch, replaced AMG batteries (300AH lithium) and added the dork converter for the Maxx fan. JD, after this experience, I'm not ready to let go of the generator redundancy and we need it for the air conditioner. Love to jettison the generator, we'll see now how it goes with lithium batteries. AND AS ALL OF YOU ALREADY KNOW...... YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU... AND IT'S ONLY MONEY. Now we are good to go.... almost... while installing the new batteries we discovered broken rivers at the top of the battery box... I found an excellent stream with solutions but this will wait till we get home. We'll keep an eye out but the reduced weight of the Lithium (210 lbs lighter than our AGM batteries). 201 lbs, that's a crazy number. Hopefully lighter batteries will be kinder to the battery box. Thanks to everyone's contributed that has helped get us back on the road.

So, you can replace it or simply bypass the ATS. For us, we only use the Shore Power connection streetside. Our PD5100 ATS was about to falter last year and ahead of a major trip, and instead of replacing it, the decision I made was to bypass the ATS! Do this if you are not a generator guy (which is truly against my religion, given the current art of LiFePO4 and inverter technology). I do not need the front Shore Power connection and hence, I do not need an ATS! Less stuff, less cr@p to go wrong! 😎 Note top-right in the picture where you see the interior side of the main shore inlet. Normally, this cable goes to the ATS (large box on the left). The ATS will have two (2) incoming shore power connections and one out to the power panel. KI most RVs the ATs switches as needed between Shore Power and an onboard generator. I rewired ours to bypass the ATS, now wired directly to the EMS (wire it directly to the 120VAC power panel if your older hull does not have an EMS). I left the other cables in place to revert if ever necessary, but never again will I have to worry about the ATS as wired (or spend another $140 to replace it). I have replaced the PD5100 ATS in every (3 of 3) RVs we have owned! It is the nature of the beast! 🤣

Just in case someone finds this old thread. Many of us have since upgraded to the latest version o fthe Progressive Dynamics Automatic Transfer Relay (ATR) Switch box (Part # PD5110010Q). It can still be found at eTrailer.com (as of December 2025). This new part is a far superior model using Wago connectors. PLEASE GET THE OLD-STYLE ATR BOX UPGRADED IMMEDIATELY!!!!! My #110 is wired differently than other trailers of the time period in regards to the front generator power receptacle, it by-passes the EMS altogether. Other trailer owners have the front shore power line going through the EMS too, via the ATR box.

@taylor.coyote It sounds like you have an RV tech on the way. That's the best I think in your situation, especially if you are not familiar with these parts, and on the road without all the tools. As @John Dorrer mentioned, many of us owners with older Olivers have had to replace their Automatic Transfer Relay (ATR) switch, AND SHOULD!!!! I've attached my pic of the old style box (insides) and my new style switch box. I changed out the box myself (with shore power disconnected!!!!). It took me maybe 20 or 30 minutes. I've also noted in my pics that my front shore power receptacle does NOT go thru my Electrical Management System (EMS) box. Many do have their front port going thru the EMS, mine was just not done like that at the factory, which proved handy last year in the hot July whether in Georgia, when my EMS kept over heating and switching off. I think it's time for a new one (to-do list). But, I always carry an external EMS to place on the exterior camp ground pedestals. When I realized it was not the camp ground killing the power and it was my EMS, I just used the front inlet port to run the power and used my external EMS for the rest of the trip. Worked like a champ. So, I guess I will NOT re-route that front port thru the EMS in the future, lesson learned. Not everyone has that front port. If folks do not have the front inlet power generator receptacle, then they will not have an ATR box. Hope this helps a bit, and you get help quickly. Reminder, the ATR switch box should be an annual inspectable item. I just checked mine too since I could not find my old pictures. My old box was very difficult, and scary, to push in the sides of the box to release the tabs. The new box is MUCH easier to push in and release the tabs. Here is the new style ATR switch box (I only order this type of important items. from eTrailer, NOT Amazon: https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Transfer-Switch/Progressive-Dynamics/PD5110010Q.html

I meant ATS, not EMS. You wrote "tapping on the transfer relay make the power go on and off." The ATS can short out and fail often! I have replaced these on 2 RVs in the last 6 years. You can open the box and tighten all lugs which may work. Or you can bypass it. Ours burnt out recently. I could have replaced it but i bypassed it connecting only the streetside 30A outlet, since we do not run a generator and never use the front 30A port. I am assuming you have two (2) shore power inlets (side hull just front of the battery bay and up front behind the basket in front of the LP tanks), otherwise you do not have a shore power ATS. Ours looks like this and your hull is of same generation. The ATS has two (2) incoming 10/3 cables and one outgoing connected to the 120VAC power panel. You can bypass the ATS using wire nuts to connect the hot/black, neutral/white and ground/green wires together. If this is not applicable or does not work... Do you have an inverter? Make sure it is powered on and test again. Is the main 30A breaker in the power panel and/or other breakers tripped? I'll stay online for awhile tonight if you need more help. Best wishes, JD

This was our setup with the Seabiscuit basket and a custom made trunk box. Yes definitely not easy to access the sewer hose, but 💯% doable if you’re able to get on all 4s!😊 And just in case the question comes up about that ginormous bin on the back and tongue weight, we also had a custom generator bin in the front and all weights were golden per CAT scales.

Slight update. I'm waiting for a thermostat, but I also found the Dometic control box that Ron posted a bit cheaper on https://thervsurplus.com/search?q=Dometic™+OEM+3316230.700+(9600024570)&options[prefix]=last so I ordered one. We're going on a weekend trip and I don't think I'll have either of them hooked up, so maybe next week. Buttoned up the AC unit for now. Works great and it's quiet. I tried to power it with my Honda EU2000 generator, but it didn't turn on. Thought it might, but no bueno. PXL_20251028_001654190.mp4

Since purchase of my OTT last year, I had been thinking of installing a MicroAir EasyStart on my Truma A/C. However, I wasn’t sure if it would allow my Truma A/C to run off my Champion 2000W generator, especially since I run it on propane and often camp at elevation. Fortunately for me I met @mossemi at the Oliver Rally last May and it turns out that he has the same generator and like me, runs it on propane. He told me that with the EasyStart, his A/C ran fine off his generator even at elevation. Thanks to Mike for that info. So now you can imagine my excitement when they announced that there were going to be ten EasyStarts given away at the Rally! But alas, I was not one of the winners. However, I met a nice couple from Oklahoma who did win one. And as luck would have it, they had decided not to use it, so they graciously gave it to me! Although I made several attempts, they refused any compensation. So I owe them a big thanks. Below are the details of my installation. First, thanks to @Patriot for previously posting this video: SoftStart Install on Truma A/C I found it to be very helpful for understanding how to remove the A/C covers, where to mount the EasyStart, how to run the wiring, how to get access to the control board and for making connections to the capacitor. However, DO NOT follow the detailed wiring instructions because the video is for a SoftStart not an EasyStart. Next, a couple of thoughts on safety. After I removed the A/C cover I found an old mud dauber’s nest. Fortunately it was not inhabited at the time. But they seem to like that area, so beware. Second, the video doesn’t mention it but you should make sure that the capacitor has been discharged before working around it. Since I’m not a qualified electrician, I won’t comment any further. Finally, I used my 17’ Werner ladder to get access to the roof. The optional Werner platform made this much easier. Also, accessing the roof from the curb side felt safer since the awning acts as a short railing. I used a sheet of rubber tool box liner and a piece of interlocking foam utility mat to protect the fiberglass and provide slip protection. With those additions, I felt safe enough to work in my stocking feet. As shown in the video, the white cover can be taken off by removing the eight screws (covered with lap sealant) with a T30 Torx driver (note that the two screws at the back are shorter than the others). Following that, removal of two additional T30 screws allows the foam cover to be lifted off. Be careful as you work with the cover off because the exchanger fins are easy to dent. Access to the silver electrical box is achieved by removing three T15 screws (one on top, and one on each side). Here’s the EasyStart device that I installed and the universal installation kit that comes with it: In general, I followed the wiring instructions provided by Micro-Air. I will say that I found the generic wiring instructions to be a little confusing (did I mention that I’m not a qualified electrician?). However, I was able to find specific wiring instructions for the Truma (that even I could understand) here: EasyStart Wiring Instructions for Truma A/C Although not necessary, I first removed the cap covering the wiring connections to the compressor motor with an 8 mm socket to confirm the wiring colors at the R, C and S terminals. (I don't know why but this photo is upside down and I couldn't figure out how to change it). I did deviate slightly from the installation instructions in one aspect, as I chose not to cut any wires but instead use terminal connections. That way, if I ever decide to remove the EasyStart, I can put everything back exactly the way it was. So instead of cutting the Red wire coming from the control board, I removed it and installed the provided 14 gauge Black wire with female terminal in its place. I then cut the Black wire and crimped on a male terminal to the portion not used and connected it to the female terminal on the Red wire that I had just removed. Finally, I used a WAGO push-in wire connector to tie these two to the black wire on the EasyStart. Next, after removing the white cap from the run capacitor, I installed the Orange wire from the EasyStart onto the Herm terminal next to the White wire. Then, I removed the Blue wire from the capacitor terminal and replaced it with the White wire from the EasyStart. Finally, I connected the Blue wire that I had just removed to the Brown wire from the EasyStart. Here’s a look at the wiring after everything was tidied up with zip ties: Overall, I’m pretty happy with the installation. However, looking back there is one thing that I wished I would have done and that is to add a bit of HVAC tape to the top of the EasyStart to give some additional support. I’m not sure how well the double sided tape will hold to the foam, especially given the conditions that some of our roads are in. I’ll probably go back and do that at a later time. BOTTOM LINE: After the install of the EasyStart, I noticed a very gradual ramp up of the compressor, as expected. More importantly, I can report that my Truma A/C runs very well with my 2000W Champion generator running on propane, even at 6000’ elevation. Added bonus: Unlike before, I can now run the A/C off my 15 A circuit at home. If you have any questions about this install, feel free to comment below.

While preparing for an upcoming trip, where I’ll probably need to run a generator for AC, I decided to utilize some unused space in the dog house to store my RotoPax 2 gallon gas can. I used to carry it in the tongue tray with the generator, but now I’ll always carry it for emergency fuel. I made a rectangular box that's sized so there is just enough friction to hold the gas can snugly in place without needing a strap, and narrow enough to fit between the propane tanks and the front of the doghouse. The tank can’t come out anyway because of the doghouse cover. I measured the can after leaving it in the sun for a while to account for any expansion. The fuel can holder is made from 1/2” void free plywood (baltic birch), and it’s put together with glue and screws. It was rattle can painted with primer and plenty of white gloss, then attached to the frame with self drilling 1/4” screws, like the ones holding the propane tank tray. It can be locked through the handle if desired. The RotoPax gas cans were originally made for off-roaders, and they are pricey at around $85 each. But they are practically indestructible, and they come in different colors for diesel or water. I’ve had mine for around 7 years and it’s never leaked a drop. There are knock-offs available on AZ for about half the price, but I can't vouch for their quality. From the plywood scraps, I also made a little box for the luggage scale that I use for weighing the propane tanks. It was made in the same way with magnets to hold the hinged lid closed. It was mounted in the doghouse in front of the propane tanks. Hope someone finds this useful. Cheers! Geoff

I just completed a Victron update to all the solar components in our trailer, including the Victron 50amp DC-DC charger. It has been great. I was originally thinking of doing the work myself but soon realized I was too far out of my comfort zone regarding the complexities of the install. This job I delegated! Expensive, yes. But The job as it was done went way beyond my expectations. I was very lucky to find an outfit locally that really knew what they were doing and take great pride in their work. The cost of the DC-DC charger was part of a much larger project so hard to break it out. There will be two sides to your install, the TV and your trailer. I found a way to fish 4awg cables from the streetside rear dining seat (where the battery box is) forward, under the bathroom sink, and then out the front of the trailer next to the 7-pin plug cable. The charger is mounted on top of the battery box. My truck luckily has a battery distribution fuse block with multiple fuses up for grabs including a 60 amp fuse to which the truck-side wiring was attached. The truck wiring terminated with an Anderson plug that was bolted to the underside of my bumper with a custom bracket directly under the 7 pin plug (which is next to my license plate). This location I highly recommend as it makes attaching your fairly large 7 pin and DC-DC charging cables nicely aligned and easier to manage. I'm getting similar charging profiles as JD iirc. For me, I don't like traveling with propane on, so I switch to DC mode on my fridge when under way. Always have full batteries on arrival! These new lithium batteries charge up fast if they can get the power and this little charger really delivers! Of course, it only works when your running your TV. So, as JD mentioned, this will be of no benefit if boondocking and stationary. That's where your remote solar panels come in to play if you have them. I suppose worst case, you could use your TV as a giant generator to charge your batteries but many campgrounds, especially in the National Park system, or in CG's that don't allow portable generators, this would not be allowed. Super glad I got the charger, no regrets! 👍👍 Dave

The following was copied from a former post and provided herein to better consolidate progressive modifications to the Savana in regards to the opening statement: “Ultimately, two storage boxes were acquired to safely stow much of the cargo; specifically, underbody tool boxes.” Cargo Securement Assurance/General Discussion Posted December 14, 2024 When towing with a truck, the majority of ‘stuff’ brought along on a camping trip or road adventure is conveniently stowed within the various holds of the Oliver and bed of the TV. However, even though my former crew cab Silverado 1500 had a storage box under the rear seat, it was mostly used to accommodate service tools and supplies for the truck and thus, found myself utilizing the rear floorboards and seat as additional cargo space when traveling. There’s peace of mind knowing cargo carried in the bed of a truck is adequately secured, not so much for that behind the front seats! All one needs is something going on from behind when something tragic is happening up front, no bueno! We’re required to wear seatbelts for good reason, proper securement of vehicle interior cargo should be of equal importance. I would be interested in learning how owners with trucks/SUVs safely carry their cargo within. My awareness of cargo securement was heightened recently with acquisition of a converted cargo work van as my TV; specifics are detailed in a forum post last October under ‘Towing an Oliver’ and titled ‘2019 GMC Savana 2500 Cargo Van’, if interested. Unlike service utility work vans that generally have a partition or cargo net, along with containment shelves and boxes, to secure cargo and ensure personal safety; conversion and passenger vans are more designed for ‘people’ cargo. In the aforementioned forum post, I addressed cargo containment, but cargo securement was still under consideration. Here is what I did to address the subject matter: Maiden voyage to Texas Oliver Rally, Inks Lake SP; cargo contained, but not secured! DC CARGO E-Track system components were obtained via online purchases from Tractor Supply. Each of the Buyers Products boxes were fitted with six of these brackets, three at the top of each end. A 1/4” x 8” aluminum backing plate was used to attach and strengthen these mounts. Backing plate cut to size, holes drilled and tapped for mounting bolts. Containment boxes prepped for backing plate and E-Track bracket installation. Super Sliders affixed to bottom of containment boxes for ease of handling on interior carpet. Three E-Tract rails fastened to deck to accommodate securement straps. Aluminum plate at floor level is runway for folded e-bikes. This box was slid rearward once back box was removed for storage at COW Barn. It primarily contains items typically kept in the TV with additional storage space, as needed, a trunk per se. Ratchet straps best used for non-towing vehicle use. Box securement once e-bikes are deployed. Wider Cam straps best used for e-bikes and subsequent box securement when traveling. Rear box is for camping ‘stuff’, forward as a trunk and more ‘stuff’. Driver’s side box securement using ratchet straps. View of e-bikes ready for ‘takeoff’ on runway! Cam strap securing e-bike. Ratchet straps for spare propane tank, generator and other needs. Items too long for the containment boxes are stowed behind at side panel. Oliver-mounted hoist used to transfer box at storage facility. TV moved forward to enable box positioning. Cam straps used for the lift. Containment box lowered onto platform cart. Liking the modular containment storage.

First, I would say it would be easy to get help from friends at the rally for replacing batteries. A full inverter mod, the custom work of mounting the very LARGE Victron Multiplus II, stripping our all Xantrex parts (ATS and junction box) and related wiring changes may be a lot to accomplish at a campsite! I ran in and out of my garage/workshop 100 times while doing mine for tools and 4-5 trips to Depot or Lowes for hardware over a two-week period of time. If you study the mod threads, plan really well in purchasing parts, get very ready, have a lot of patience (new friends too), maybe, good luck! 🤣 You want the 12V inverter and do not need the UL-certified model (required by code for home installations only). I went with Inverter Supply for these parts for free shipping and no sales tax (see picture). You NEED the VE.bus to configure the Victron for charger/battery spec settings. There are two models (I purchased the USB-C model and there is also USB, depends on the laptop you would use to setup). You need an Ethernet cable also to connect the VE.bus to the Victron MP2. There are YouTube videos showing the configuration steps. You also posted pictures showing the Progressive Industries ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) and the display which shows the readout of shore power stats. The ATS switches between the two shore power sources (side outlet and front outlet usually for generator in front basket). This will not change but the power coming out of the ATS, connecting to the 120VAC breaker panel has to be replaced with new 10-3 AWG cables to go to the inverter and back to the breaker panel (buy 15 ft to be safe, I used about 12 ft, it runs from streetside bed basement where our new inverter was installed up to the breaker panel under the rear dinette). The Victron MP2 has dual terminal bolts on both + and - sides. I ran the 4/0 battery cables, from batteries directly to the Victron MP2, removed from the 2KW Xantrex (I had the same older model) and all secondary 6 AWG cables that OTT had on the batteries, I also bolted to the Victron bus vs. out to the batteries. If you get this all done at the rally, that will be a great story! Take pictures and post...

Maybe a political protest? Though NO mechanical device is completely foolproof and inherently safe, I’d tend to trust Honda before some of the Harbor Freight fly-by-night brands out there. I had a no-name discount store open-frame generator for a season. It kept my freezers going during a week-long power outage, but I wouldn’t trust it as far as I could throw it. I suppose if one were gonna design and install a ventilation/cooling system in an enclosed box on the front of the Ollie, they may as well go whole-hawg and design a system that monitors CO, temperature, etc and shuts down the gen and triggers the fire suppression system if parameters were exceeded. I wonder if folks in motor homes with built-in Onan or Generac generators running -inside- the body of their RVs give it so much thought….

We also have a Honda EU2200 in the bed of our F-150. When we need the generator, I remove it from the truck. It sets on the ground outside of our trailer or truck for "Just in Case" bad things that happen. Having it run in your TV or Tongue Box has several problems. One is that up front you have no line of sight to see a fire. At least if you put the generator on the ground and to the street side, if it cooks off, you have a chance of seeing the fire ball directly. Now I have never heard of a Honda generator "Self-Immolating"..... but if ours does, we will not be exiting the trailer about 4 feet from the fire. With it on the street side we at least could have an opportunity to see the fire ball and exit the trailer on the curb side. I would then grab the cord and disconnect it from the generator. Then use our awning crank as a hook to move the burning generator away from our Ollie. Or it could just sit in a box in the box at the front of Ollie and maybe the auto fire extinguishing system will overcome the leaking gasoline fire. Or if you run it in the TV bed, and it has a "problem", you would have a great excuse to buy a new TV. But then, what are the odds? Maybe something to really think about I suspect. 🙂 Safety John

We like the looks of the SeaBiscuit strange box. Yeah, a little pricey, but tempting. First major trip out - I lugged the Honda 2200eu (I think) along with us in the truck bed. Never used it once. I was thinking of the SeaBiscuit locking box for the generator - but figured it probably wouldn’t be worth the investment based on that non-usage. Our OEM Oliver storage basket is only used for picking up firewood when entering a CG, bag of garbage heading to the dump station, or staging my blocks, chocks, Andersen WD wrench, and San-T-flush hose. I never traveled with anything in it. Though I know it will likely reap howls of disapproval, I had been thinking that a locking SeaBiscuit box here would be a great place to have a -running- generator. Properly modified with large vents and fan for cooling and combustion air AND a suitable system for moving exhaust away from the trailer. Yeah, that’s the part that will make the hair stand up on the back of your head. That said, every generator-equipped motor home I’ve ever seen just routes the exhaust to the edge of the vehicle. Wonder if there’s any history of CO deaths for those guys. (Like I said guys - I’m not doing this - just brainstorming!) Of course, best practice is keep your running generator FAR from your RV. Unfortunately, the Honda generators seem to have “Steal Me!” stenciled on the side, so unless I’m sitting outside watching it - I’d never even be using it.

We've been very pleased with the basket and boxes. Now that we've had them for almost 6 months we can give more feedback. First, many have asked about their weight limit. As @Patriot mentions, this is a question better answered by Oliver. Sea Biscuit doesn't provide a weight limit, but the basket and boxes are very robust. Oliver has a 150 lb limit on their optional bumper receiver. Our unladen receiver weighs 26 lb, so we're looking at a maximum of about 176 lb hanging on the rear bumper. The Oliver receiver could probably handle more weight, but you also have to consider front/rear weight balance. Our Sea Biscuit basket and empty boxes combined weigh 74 lb. If we observe the Oliver weight limit, we can carry 102 lb maximum in the boxes. We only carry about 30 lb of bulky/dirty items in the boxes: chocks and blocks in one rear box and a (very) small grill in the other. We also have the Oliver front basket, sometimes loaded with 70-80 lb of gear (e.g. generator and fuel) which helps offset the weight on the rear. Access to the dump hoses stored in the bumper is a minor inconvenience, but less so if you keep the hoses attached. Since we have the Nature's Head, we only have to deal with gray water. If we had a black tank, then we wouldn't want to troubleshoot a leaky hose or connection while the basket is attached. That brings us to another access issue. The basket must be pulled out about 4-5 inches to remove the spare tire cover. This isn't a big issue though. We can just pull the pins holding the basket on the bumper and slide it back a little without removing it from the mounts. No tools required. Fortunately, we haven't had to use the spare, but the basket won't be a problem if we do. Besides the convenient storage, especially the easy access to the chocks and blocks, an unexpected big benefit is that the boxes are at countertop height when parked on level ground. We always have an outdoor table set up. The boxes are also strong enough for a 225 lb person to stand on, making it easy to visually check things on the roof. Steve

That said.... I like your mounting concept. But in an adverse situation the short height will foster spilling contents out of the storage basket. This is a major reason that the OTT box and all the options above have height enough to ensure stuff in the basket stay in the basket. If you were to:: Match the size and shape of the Oliver Box foot print, this would mitigate the Basket/TV interference damage issue somewhat. Ditch the hanging fuel containers outside the basket. Reduce the fuel load and mount a fuel container inside the frame of your basket. Would require vertical tang. Ditch the blue straps and get some STRONG ones. These plastic strap ends will fail under impact. The larger picture below seems to indicate that the blue straps are run up and to the flanks of the generator handle. IF this is the case, a better solution would be to "X" them on the front and back big sides of the generator, running them through the handle. I would also increase the bottom width distance to help reduce movement port/starboard directional movement. Or add another strong strap port/starboard also passing through the generator handle. Combined the above would significantly mitigate the situation. GJ

When towing with a truck, the majority of ‘stuff’ brought along on a camping trip or road adventure is conveniently stowed within the various holds of the Oliver and bed of the TV. However, even though my former crew cab Silverado 1500 had a storage box under the rear seat, it was mostly used to accommodate service tools and supplies for the truck and thus, found myself utilizing the rear floorboards and seat as additional cargo space when traveling. There’s peace of mind knowing cargo carried in the bed of a truck is adequately secured, not so much for that behind the front seats! All one needs is something going on from behind when something tragic is happening up front, no bueno! We’re required to wear seatbelts for good reason, proper securement of vehicle interior cargo should be of equal importance. I would be interested in learning how owners with trucks/SUVs safely carry their cargo within. My awareness of cargo securement was heightened recently with acquisition of a converted cargo work van as my TV; specifics are detailed in a forum post last October under ‘Towing an Oliver’ and titled ‘2019 GMC Savana 2500 Cargo Van’, if interested. Unlike service utility work vans that generally have a partition or cargo net, along with containment shelves and boxes, to secure cargo and ensure personal safety; conversion and passenger vans are more designed for ‘people’ cargo. In the aforementioned forum post, I addressed cargo containment, but cargo securement was still under consideration. Here is what I did to address the subject matter: Maiden voyage to Texas Oliver Rally, Inks Lake SP; cargo contained, but not secured! DC CARGO E-Track system components were obtained via online purchases from Tractor Supply. Each of the Buyers Products boxes were fitted with six of these brackets, three at the top of each end. A 1/4” x 8” aluminum backing plate was used to attach and strengthen these mounts. Backing plate cut to size, holes drilled and tapped for mounting bolts. Containment boxes prepped for backing plate and E-Track bracket installation. Super Sliders affixed to bottom of containment boxes for ease of handling on interior carpet. Three E-Tract rails fastened to deck to accommodate securement straps. Aluminum plate at floor level is runway for folded e-bikes. This box was slid rearward once back box was removed for storage at COW Barn. It primarily contains items typically kept in the TV with additional storage space, as needed, a trunk per se. Ratchet straps best used for non-towing vehicle use. Box securement once e-bikes are deployed. Wider Cam straps best used for e-bikes and subsequent box securement when traveling. Rear box is for camping ‘stuff’, forward as a truck and more ‘stuff’. Driver’s side box securement using ratchet straps. View of e-bikes ready for ‘takeoff’ on runway! Cam strap securing e-bike. Ratchet straps for spare propane tank, generator and other needs. Items too long for the containment boxes are stowed behind at side panel. Oliver-mounted hoist used to transfer box at storage facility. TV moved forward to enable box positioning. Cam straps used for the lift. Containment box lowered onto platform cart. Liking the modular containment storage.

@Just Joe There are many available options out there for front storage boxes. In 2023, we did an epic 42 day loop out west and had our Honda 3200i mounted in the front basket. We never used the generator. During the trip, we quickly learned that storing a gen in the basket was not best use of this valuable storage space for our travel needs. The first thing we always found ourselves needing were chocks, blocks, 30 amp cord, LP grill hose, extension cord, and just all things go to gear. This meant opening the tailgate and unloading this gear out of a storage box in the bed of our TV. After returning home and doing a little research, I opted to order and install a front storage box from SeaBiscuit in Johnson City, Tenn. We actually went to their shop and picked it up as we do not live that far away from JC, Tenn. David and Kristine Hess, owners of SeaBiscuit, are some of the nicest people we have ever met. The quality and craftsmanship of their USA 🇺🇸 made products are excellent in our experience. On this year’s 47 day trip out west, the SB cavernous water tight storage box was a great decision for us and has served us well. It sure was nice to have quick access to set up gear instead of opening our tailgate and pulling out our gear at each base camp. We now store/carry our rarely used 3200i gen locked down in our TV bed. Everyone’s budget, storage and travel needs are different. This storage box works for us and is how we roll. If you decide to attend the 2025 Oliver Rally at Lake Guntersville State Park in Ala, David & Kristine Hess and their staff will likely be attending with products to display. Hope to see you there! Welcome to the forum! Patriot🇺🇸