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I had this thought too and then there I was in our local Walmart, a box full of thin noodles! Chris is creating an Americana-Patriot theme for our interior decor, and she came up with the flag idea! I found a cheap 18" wide poly flag on Amazon. Had an old broomstick in the shed. Cut it to size and just a little sanding for the correct diameter. Used 3M spray glue and rolled it tight. Can't drill cloth, so first I used a needle tool to puncture and a center punch to widen the hole. Measured the first hole and mounted it to get the exact point for the second hole, two screws go through the wood center. It sure beats the ugly old burlap brick! Turned out pretty good. When I find a quality cotton flag, I'll do it again in a couple years. I have enough leftover noodle! 🤣

Honestly, I don't how any of you manage, towing with SUVs! Go back to @John E Davies posts and you will see the custom shelving and everything else he did to store just a few small items. We feel inside storage of the Oliver EII is good with ample room for kitchen, bath, clothes and personal items. Where do you put all the camping items in an SUV? The Oliver has little outside storage. The front bin for generator (we stow a fire ring and cooking grate there). Then you have the awkward trunk. All we keep back there is the shore power cord, hoses, an accessory bag, empty jugs for fuel and radiator emergencies and our campground blanket. Back of the pickup is needed for lawn chairs, grill and stand, a folding table, tools and much more. To allow boondocking for a full week, we bring extra water too (35-gal tank). The only constraint is the black tank (will just last a week), but no, we're not composting poop. 🤣 Get a pickup truck eventually and make it a 2500! Still use the Anderson, unless you purchase a modern beast of a truck. It will make setup and tear-down quick and easy and if you find something you want to buy along the road, you'll have the room to bring it home.

UPDATE: The Victron Cerbo/30A charger combo is operating as planned, this setup is adequately maintaining the LFP battery bank when in storage for a lengthy period of time. The only adjustment made was a prior change in the Cerbo’s on/off settings to 75 and 95%, respectively. According to the VictronConnect app, two subsequent charge cycles were recorded by the charger. Upon arrival at the Cow Barn yesterday, the SOC was 95%; I unplugged from shore power and was able to run a two-hour duration test on the A/C with no issues, dropping the SOC to 50%. Pre-combo install, I was unable to run the A/C on inverter due to low SOC upon arrival, and had to use a generator to cool the Oliver while performing routine maintenance and/or repairs; gets really hot in a metal enclosure during the summer heat in Texas! When shore power was reconnected, both the Xantrex (80A) and Victron (30A) chargers came into play. Beginning of test. End of test. Dual charger current.

Love camping in Canada. With the exchange rate prices aren’t bad. We’ve been from the west coast to “Lake of the Woods” near Kenora. A lot of public parks have power as an option at your site which takes away the loathsome generator serenade. Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan was not crowded and enjoyable. Banff is Canada’s version of Disneyland but incredibly beautiful. I agree that most border crossing problems are coming back into the good ol USA but.. One story - during the tail end of the Vietnam War some friends and I were crossing at Vancouver to get over to Victoria and go camping. We were only 18 or 19 and they were still worried about draft dodgers. I could hear the other three being interviewed - swearing that they didn’t smoke or drink, etc. I was last and the old guard wasn’t sure about us. He asked me the same questions and I said that while I had smoked marijuana, I really preferred beer. He smiled, said “Laddy, don’t we all”, and stamp, stamp, stamp we were in.

There I go again, quoting myself! 🤣 By chance I found the individual electrical runs for the 110v outlets and microwave. This may not be true in newer hulls, but on ours there is one breaker for both. Good news is the run to the microwave is separate and can be wired to a separate breaker, given one available in the panel. Since I will soon eliminate the PD converter/charger I could use its breaker or install a thin double in its place. I already wired the panel in this way but need the PD converter while I have no batteries in ours, working on the new inverter/charger installation. I removed the Xantrex 2KW inverter yesterday. Ours is inverter only, no charger and it also has the Xantrex PROwatt SW external ATS. The freed-up space is perfect to add a DC-to-DC charger or other needs. I also plan to move the solar ON/OFF switch from under the streetside bed to rear dinette. I already upgraded to motorized ball valves so no pulling of the curbside bed, and I want absolutely no reason to move either bed when camping. OTT really needs this as a future design goal! I sure hope the MP2 does not have some kind of manual reset button! What hokey wiring OTT did. Though I'm thinking back in 2016 the solar inverter option was a rare add-on. When I built an inverter system in our past Class-C, I created a split bus in the panel, one side served by the inverter and the other side having A/C and converter/charger breakers only to be powered by shore power. PD actually makes panels with a split bus for this reason, but mine was hand-cut! OTT wired the microwave and 110v outlets into a standard electrical junction box using only wire-nuts to connect these runs to both shore and inverter. These only went through the breaker on the panel when on shore power, otherwise are protected by the GFCI outlet on the inverter. I removed everything you see in this picture, and you can see the junction box at the top of the picture. The second picture shows the two cables that were wired into the box. They are the two white cables you see lose above the panel which I wired into the panel afterwards. Also yesterday, I purchased my Victron MP2 and VE.bus for programming and Bluetooth connection from Inverter Supply, at a good OTD price, no additional costs: Victron Energy PMP122305120 - Inverter Supply The second picture also shows the main shore power cable (heavy black 600V 10-3 cable on LHS). This will be removed. A new 10-3 cable will be wired from the EMS as input to the MP2 and another from MP2 output to the panel so that the inverter handles all loads including air conditioning. When on shore power from either input (grid or generator) it will allow pass-through 120VAC and/or Power Assist when needed. No generator on our rig, just 600AH Epoch and 3KVA MP2. If this doesn't do it, though it should, I can always add more batteries in the basement!

This new freezer/fridge combo by GZ proved to be more efficient and better in every way than my old reliable ARB fridge. Bluetooth connectivity in cab monitoring was perfect every time. Temps in the unit were always within a degree or two even in the heat wave we experienced in D.C. It was nice to have a true partition for refrigerator items vs freezer items. Dual side plugs for power. Ran perfect off DC outlet in bed of truck or via GZ LiFePO4 solar generator. Not always needed on our week longs trips but for longer trips it is perfect for extra meat, milk, OJ, etc. Overloading the Dometic 3-way fridge just makes it not work effectively. LG compressor brought the temperature down quickly on initial startup. The only downside is the size, takes up a good bit of room but for us when needed is worth the trade-off. They do make a smaller version that is a single zone. .

Just decided on the MP2 for the sole reason is its dimensions. Wow, the 2x120V version is amazing for those with 50A RV systems but we only need a single 120VAC input and output. There are grid capabilities in the MP2 for home use that doesn't matter for RV usage. The original MP is actually smaller in volume, 2 LBS lighter, but the 8.6" depth vs. 6" is the real difference. Also, the MP has an aluminum casing vs. thin steel which may be better in some climates. Under the streetside bed as Mike @rideadeuce installed will be my choice too. I will figure out a footing and strapping for the MP2 without the heavy HDPE and epoxy. The MP2 is 23" long, almost 9" longer but there is a lot of length under the bed. I just added the Beech Lane dual fan for fridge cooling and if needed this would be a great addition to add it the wall to the rear going to the trunk area. I did not hear from any of the 3 or more Oliver owners with in an installed Multiplus re inverter or fan noise. Sure hope it is not noisy as it will be under my bed! Hoping the MP2 has dual battery terminals. It looks like Mikes does in the pics. I see pics from Victron, some show single screw terminal and most show a built-in terminal/bus with dual screw terminals. I have no interest in Victron Lynx buses or any additional bus for that matter. The Oliver already has DC buses installed. One terminal on the MP2 will of course connect directly to the batteries and I will use the second terminal to run 12VDC to the Oliver buses. There will only be the 4/0 cables in the battery bay. Still working on best price and will place an order Monday latest. I'm getting the Victron VE.Bus Smart dongle to program the MP2 and read status via the Victron app. This would be in place of any wall-mounted display accessories. I read I may also need a Victron Current Transformer for the Power Assist to work effectively. These are relatively inexpensive parts. Yesterday, I removed the lead-acid batteries. Today I'm pulling the 2KW Xantrex inverter, the Xantrex ATS and junction box. This is a complete OTT installed working system if anybody needs one. Put the LA batteries on Craigs, who knows. Will oen up the EMS and the 120V AC panel to ready the wiring. Building the MP2 platform will take some thinking! 😂

If this would allow it to be run off a honda 2200 Id definitely be amenable to swapping my dometic for the truma. I was a little miffed that i was forced to go with the truma furnace in the 2023 despite not wanting the truma package which meant furnace and AC control are now on separate panels. I didnt want the truma package because i dont want to 1.) buy another generator when i already have a 2200 and 2.) have to haul a bigger generator around.

I have been in contact with OTT Service department recently, to ensure that I have my Xantrex settings correct, before I test out using a small generator that was given to me. I plan to post a separate thread about the generator, but during this conversation with OTT Service, we were unable to find the definition of a setting labeled "nAt". Anyone know what it stands for? For reference, here is my description of it and the OTT Service response. Apparently it's not a setting that can be set via the Xantrex bluetooth app, but has to be done by using the Xantrex Panel. That is a process that I have not succeeded doing yet, as I get lost in the endless codes and can't seem to follow them from one screen to the next, book in hand. MY QUESTION TO OTT SERVICE: Checking through my Xantrex Settings, I noticed the following settings on MY XANTREX APP are different from the "normal recommended" settings in the Knowledge Base article. (The Xantrex App doesn't provide the setting #, only the setting name; I've tried to insert the setting #s here for clarification). INVERTER (heading on app) #13 Inverter Shutdown Recovery -- mine is set at Manual Restart. In MY MANUAL for 2022 Elite 2 components, the default setting reads "Manual -- Man". On the app, my Xantrex is set to "Manual". BUT on the OTT Knowledge base it says the setting should be "nAt" and I don't find that defined anywhere ... I am still not sure what this setting should be. OTT SERVICE RESPONSE: I cannot find a definition of that abbreviation but this is the setting that would need to be changed through the panel. I want to note that OTT Service department has been extremely helpful to me.

On the last leg of our summer family vacation we stopped at my dad's in MI. Next morning, I drove down to Elkhart, IN and had SDG install the Atmos 4.4. Guys were on time, efficient and knowledgeable. Installation went great! Pics below: They now offer SoftStart as an option on their website but I brought my own SoftStart Breeze (smaller version) . Atmos 4.4 Pics Removed the old Dometic Penguin II, cut drain line and plugged. Cleaned surface, applied very small bead of Dicor self-leveling on the inside perimeter of fiberglass 14 x14 opening Removed interior shroud. Penguin shroud was screwed to fiberglass ceiling, the 2 holes on each side will barely show after Atmos plenum installed. Fixed mine with a couple of the small glow in the dark dots we use on the ceiling to amuse the kids. Kevin was able to use the wiring for the original thermostat location to power the Suburban propane heater control. I may change or remove this later. They used Molex connectors instead of JXN box additional pics The new unit is a good bit quieter (6-10db) depending on mode and has around 40% less draw on the battery. On high it was pulling 1200 W vs 1800 W for the PII. Fan only was under 300 watts. They were done with the install in 2 1/2 hrs. App and remote are working well but still figuring it all out. I know this is short but on our way home to TN. I did find out that the Atmos 4.4 is designed so that the fresh air coming in and the exiting conditioned air is in a sealed unit and does not contact the outside (humid air). So running the fan only does not introduce humid air, it only re-circulates cabin air. Still awaiting answer on how exactly AUTO mode works. From the manual, it only states that it senses ambient air and automatically heats and cools but nothing about a parameter. You actually cannot set the temperature in that mode at all as far as I can tell. I did notice this unit manufactured 3/24 is using R-32 refrigerant. Best, Mike

Santa came today, Christmas in July! Never received such beautiful batteries 600AH total. They came just before I started teaching my class today, got the FedEx guy to get them in my garage. On a break, I had to open one! Measures 13.12V in the box. Got to buy my new inverter ASAP. Love it!

Don’t believe that’s the case in my trailer. My Xantrex inverter/charger acts as a pass through when on shore or generator power and the GFCI outlet is powered - which then powers (and ground fault protects) everything plugged into it. In my case, that’s the microwave and all the 120 volt receptacles.

Same here and that means there is no GFCI unless running the inverter. It's also odd that Mike with hull 308 has a GFCI outlet and your hull 628 does not, like my old hull 113 does not. Why? I believe we have two generations of OTT hulls and Xantrex products, mine being a 2016 and yours a 2020. My 2KW Xantrex only has 6 possible connections. On the backside with the fans, there are 3 DC connections, B+ an and B- connected by 4/1 AWG cable directly to the batteries and a 6AWG(?) ground that connects to the yellow ground bus under the rear dinette seat. The front side does have a dual GFCI outlet, rated 120 VAC 16.6A, the monitor cable and LCD screen The older Xantrex in our hull does not have what you wrote "20 amp feed to the AC input of the Xantrex." Do you have the more modern look Xantrex, fully rectangular, squared edges painted gray? Or does yours look like mine, rounded edges metal looking black vinyl coated? I believe you have the newer generation Xantrex. BTW, who cares! I'm ripping mine out end of July, the Xantrex, the Xantrex ATS, the funky little electrical box stuck in the corner that connects inverter supply to most 120V circuits, all the but the A/C. I will show my work here and looking forward to seeing yours. All that matters, is... After all the old is removed, you connect the Victron MP to the batteries in the same way and to the ground bus. You connect shore power from the PD5100 ATS to the AC input and connect the 50A L1 output circuit to the entire Oliver 30A AC panel. This time including the 20A breaker for the air conditioner that was previously bypassed. Can't wait! Pictures to follow: 1) GFCI close-up on inverter 2) PROwatt SW, with junction box above and inverter below 3) Rear Dinette seat with PD5100, self-installed EMS, Xantrex 2KW inverter and self-installed KISAE TS20 switch for running A/C on inverter.

I have already forgotten about using the generator traveling down the road and the usefulness of the power assist probably because I used a Yamaha propane generator that ran the PII without difficulty with a soft start. Since converting to lithium I have forgotten about it already. I was thinking from a lithium powered standpoint. It would be useful for an owner trying to use a smaller generator.

Given the PD5100 ATS, the MP inverter would treat a small generator as a form of under-powered shore power and the Power Assist would kick in, adding required power. But yes, adding the SoftStart lowers the initial surge to allow running on a household 15A circuit without tripping a breaker. The extra features of the MP2, I will likely not use. It is the dimensions and +1AH more on idle is 24AH per day. Still what fits best will make the decision. Next week I will open all street-side basement panels, measure, plan, decide and purchase. Given the MP2 is better, why can I buy one for $997 and the MP is $1,169, from authorized dealers. Another point for the MP2!

What is automatic AC transfer switching? All Xantrex Inverter/Chargers incorporate an automatic transfer switch. This switch senses when outside AC Power is present and transfers the load from the inverter to the source of incoming power (shore or generator). The unit also automatically switches from invert mode to charge mode.

When I took down the Xantrex, I took down the input leg and then cut short the other run to connect to the output straight from the 15 amp breaker (farthest right) that powers the first GFCI plug (right side of dinette) that powers all the others plus the microwave I think. Then MPII Line IN from the PD ATS, then the Line OUT 1 from the MPII to the Main input at breaker box. Hope that helps. I am terrible and trying to draw diagrams on-line. Wish it was more clear. Mike I am on vacation, so doing this by memory but I believe this is correct.

From the Mulitplus manual: "Automatic and uninterruptible switching In the event of a supply failure or when the generating set is switched off, the MultiPlus will switch over to inverter operation and take over the supply of the connected devices. This is done so quickly that operation of computers and other electronic devices is not disturbed (Uninterruptible Power Supply or UPS functionality). This makes the MultiPlus highly suitable as an emergency power system in industrial and telecommunication applications." The ability for the inverter to choose between an AC source or DC battery power is what I meant by internal ATS and ALL Victron 3KW inverter/chargers (and greater models) have this functionality. They all also have Power Assist, which is not only internal switching but smart partial switching when shore power is lacking in covering the full load, it pulls what's necessary from the battery bank. Another way to word this is these more capable inverters do not require an external switch, like the Xantrex PROwatt SW (see pic1) or the KISAE TS20 that some of us have added to switch the air conditioning between AC/DC. The common usage of the term ATS in a RV is the switching between generator and shore power, like the PD5100 (see pic2) installed in our Olivers. The Quattro can switch AC/DC uninterruptable as the Multiplus and ALSO has the capability to switch between 2 AC sources like the PD5100, hence the PD could be eliminated if installing a Quattro. I thought about this for about a second, but it's more expensive and I'm not running a generator anyway with a 3KW inverter and 600AH in new LiFePO4 batteries. I had a PD5100 fry in our Bigfoot RV that I replaced, but if it does so in the Oliver with this upgrade we'll just run on the inverter. It's funny in the video, he used the name Multiplus all through the video and in his last sentence he said "Quattro." The 3KW Multiplus, MPII, Quattro, and other high-end models, all have a 50A line1 output. In my hull the Xantrex PROwatt SW is wired to all AC circuits but the air conditioner. The purpose of the KISAE TS20 is to add another ATS for the air. When the Multiplus is installed, given 50A output for a 30A panel, it will be wired to all loads on the panel, including the air conditioner, and no need for external switches like the Xantrex PROwatt SW and KISEA TS20! Why not?

Update: July 13, 2024 I completed the Houghton 3400 “Humidity Mod” as presented in the attached "Wiring Modification for Interior Fan" document. This excellent write-up was provided by GSM Bear, Version 2 and posted 7/30/2023. His document needs to be fully understood before starting this Mod. It took me about 2 hours working off a ladder on the curb side to carefully complete the mod. Suggestions: The suggested wire measurements are adequate and allow for re-termination if necessary. No need to add any extra length. I recommend that you prefabricate the new brown, black, and white wires. Much easier to do so on your bench vs. on the roof. Then physically plug them into the relay. One less thing to worry about when on the ladder. You will need all the “Parts and Tools Needed” as listed by GSMBear. Additional Tools and Supplied I Found Useful: Ladder Head lamp Wire cutter Magnet on a stick Large Phillips bit Silicone to reseal the electrical box Needle nosed & regular pliers Camera (I took pictures to allow me to “blow up” to get a closer look into the electrical box connections.) Mod Results: The Houghton ran as expected as the fan shut down with the compressor when it cycled down to low speed (Fan set to auto). Houghton also worked as expected with the fan set to low speed. This is the ultra good dehumidifying and quietest setting. Significantly lowered the humidity levels in the cabin. I had to set the remote temperature to a MUCH lower setting to get the cabin to a cool level. The unit Cycle time was significantly extended with the mod. As in extended way too infrequently. I believe that at the end of a compressor run, the fan shuts down with the overhead super cold coils, The coils then chill the air in the unit and being heavier it sinks down past the thermistor. As a result, the process keeps the thermistor “Chilled”. This delays the restart longer than desired. Moving the thermister to a location outside of the unit is needed Hence, the Thermistor Mod is required, as GSMBear states in his document. More to follow with completion of the Thermistor Mod in the next day or two. GJ GSM BEAR V2 RecPro Houghton Interior Fan Mod v2.pdf

Following. Our Victron MPII just arrived, along with all of the other Victron equipment. Install to commence next week. Like others, the power assist mode was the primary driver. I found when running on generator power (dual Honda EU2200i) paralleled and in ECO mode, the generators could not start our Houghton heat pump. So I had to run them with ECO mode off all the time. I'm hoping that with power assist from the Victron, I can run the Honda's in ECO mode and still start the Houghton. Considered adding soft start too, but will wait and see if the power assist works as advertised.

It never fails to amaze me how far out in front of Oliver corporate we owners are. I inquired of HWY RV in Salem Oregon as to the install of a Dometic Fresh Jet 3 to replace the Penguin II noise generator in my hull number 615. They messaged Jason E, and he advised them that "as we have not installed a Fresh Jet 3, we advise caution as the fit might not support the unit properly." That is a very reasonable decision, and stopped me from proceeding. However, in searching the Forums it appears that at least three of us have switched out the A/C and no one mentioned any problems. Lack of reporting is not "data," so I have asked Dometic to provide me with footprint and bolt pattern drawings of both the Penguin II and Fresh Jet 3. Will they do it? I guess that depends on the attitude and enthusiasm of the person at Dometic who gets my email. I sure hope they do as I am very leery of proceeding when "not 100% sure." Could someone who HAS switched a Penguin II for a FreshJet 3 please comment on footprint and bolt pattern? (Please!) In summary, so far I have not found actual data as to the direct comparison of any of the three units mentioned. If and when I get actual data, I will append it to this topic. I can say that I really liked the attitude and professionalism of the service folks at HWY RV in Salem, Oregon. If my replacement project becomes a go, you can be sure that they will be the folks that do the work.

I am familiar with the small terminal block (“junction”) you are referring to, mine uses spade connectors to make power wire connections to the Norcold’s power box (seen with the white and yellow labels in pic). In my install, I disconnected the two power fed lines Oliver routed (10 AWG) into the lower exterior fridge compartment, being the two wires shown wrapped in electrical tape. Rather than cutting these wires to make a splice, I choose to strip a 1/4” length of insulation off each, whereby the wire strands could be separated enough to loop 6” pieces of wire (red +/yellow-) through, that also had insulation removed (5/8”) at its’ midpoint. Once inserted, these wires were simply folded in half, then twisted to join at the bare wire junctures and subsequently soldered, heat-shrink treated and taped. Then these two added power leads were respectively connected to the control panel and fan wires via quick-connect terminal crimp fittings. I did however, have to splice a short piece of larger gauge wire onto the control panel wire ends because they were too small for the QC fittings used. The 14 AWG wire you have should be of sufficient size for your fan mod.

Your disconnect needs are different than mine, so I choose a location under the rear dinette seat. I was interested in a disconnect switch in order to allow battery removal for a future battery upgrade and I wanted less obstacles in the battery box. It will work for your needs wherever you place it. I have some small pieces of 4/0 cable and I can make a short jumper if you provide the connectors and cover the shipping cost. Mossey

I recently installed the Beech Lane dual fans and was able to run wires from the interior cabinet, above the microwave/Norcold, down and behind both units for the fan control panel/harness and power connections in the upper and lower exterior vent/cover areas, respectively. Access for fishing the wires required folding back the cabinet’s protective mat liner, removing the round access port cover and detaching the AC outlet box (after turning power off at the breaker) that the microwave plugs into, as well as drilling a hole (see pics). Additionally, I had to remove the foil tape and angled aluminum plate that occurs behind the upper exterior vent/cover to enable the wire fishing process; specifically, the fiberglass divide between the two units inhibits passage wherein a visual and physical interaction may be necessary. Regarding your wall switch, if you could get 12V power of appropriate gauge wire to it, then power wires would not have to be fished down to the lower reaches of the fridge for connection. Steps taken in prep to fish wires. There was a passageway found inside the outlet cutout to the lower right, other side of the interior cabinet wall from the microwave power cord, leading to the upper exterior vent/cover area Control panel wires prepped for fishing. Wire loom installed during stages of fish process. Routing completed to upper exterior vent/cover area. Interior cabinet buttoned up! Quick connects used at 12V power connections.

Did some testing today. It's only 95 out, must be 115 down in Phoenix, yuk! Yes, as @rideandfly and @mossemi mentioned there is a simple thermal switch screwed into the top RHS of the condenser. It was difficult to get a reading before the switch on the bottom end, so I pulled both female spade connectors. Voltage readings were odd, most prevalent number was about 4.3V and it read as high as 5.5V and sometimes lower too, weird. No where near 12V and this is a 12V fan. I made a spade jump wire to connect the fan, bypassing the thermal switch. The fan would not run at all even giving it a quick push start. The switch from the light switch panel was working, going from 4.3V to zero and back with the switch. I used the ground from the junction below with the heavy gauge yellow and the light blue wire to the fan. It looked to be connected properly as @DavePhelps had suggested checking. Testing B+ and B- at the junction box read 13.6V which is the same number the Victron app shows for the house batteries. What the heck? What would produce 4V or 5V and not 12V? Is the wiring so old and worn it has become one big resistor? Hope not, which could cause a fire. So, the easy fix for $90 is to replace this fan with the Titan or Beech Lane dual fans that other owners have done. I would not be able to use the switched power since it is not delivering 12V. I could run new wire from the junction below. In AUTO mode do these turn on-n-off with temp? I would mount the control box behind one of the panels, not in the upper cabinet as one post showed unless it can be fished there w/o going through the microwave cabinet, as I just insulated that cabinet for an oven. Can the ON/OFF temp settings be adjusted on these? I would hate to bypass the switch. Maybe I can run +12V up to the switch panel and back down. Any ideas are appreciated as always! Thanks