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Bill, Let me clarify regarding my installing the brake controller: My tow vehicle is a 2002 Suburban, and we purchased it with the tow package, which included the seven-pin wiring plug at the hitch and a separate plug and pigtail to hook up a brake controller. All that was involved was connecting the wires from the brake controller's pigtail (supplied with the brake controller) to the wires of the pigtail for the tow vehicle, plugging the tow vehicle pigtail into the circuit box under the dash, and installing the controller under the dashboard using a bracket that came with the controller. I drilled two holes to do this. The whole process took me about an hour to do, but I spent about eight hours researching and learning about it ahead of time, in order to do it correctly. It was this easy because the tow vehicle was ready for the installation. From what you say, it sounds like you do not have the wiring run and the seven-pin plug for a trailer to plug into. This is the wiring that not only will engage the brakes, but will operate the Oliver's turn signals, brake lights, etc. If that is the case, then I would recommend getting this done by a professional. I agree with Herm that it makes sense to check with a Volvo dealer to make sure that you have all of the requisite wiring and plug available at the hitch, if it is not already there. If I misunderstood your response and you do have the seven-pin plug but don't know where to tie in the controller, as Cherie suggests, a good mechanic familiar with wiring for towing should be able to install the controller for you. Or, of course, the Volvo dealer could do it. I also agree with Cherie's suggestion that you install the controller within reach of the front seat passenger, as well as the driver. I installed ours that way for just the sort of reason that she mentions. Hope this helps, Steve

Sherry, I don't drink coffee but my husband does. Our friends brought a Coleman camp stove drip coffee maker with them on our camping trips and apparently it worked really well. It would work on the stove inside so we may get one as I have become a fan of things that do not need to run off of a generator or battery. It is on the large side though so that is another consideration. Walmart carries them. http://www.fabulousfoods.com/school/rev ... offee.html Lisa

Robert's digital camera has been busy today . . . more pics are up on the wonder egg. Finishing touches are happening today! Go to photobucket and see: - generator / multi-function basket, sturdy aluminum! - swivel lamp with rheostat control - Robert & technicians signing in on a piece of the trailer (cargo hold cover) - dual Optima batteries & wash station, note the nice finish on the door interior - tire cover graphic - interior shots to include the thermostat controls - Solar Charge Controller up close and placement overview http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... 20Trailer/ 61 more hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -

The aluminum cover is so light that it could easily blow away even in a fairly light breeze, so, securing it so it can't get away goes like this, set it on the ground right beside the generator:

Hasp and padlock added on each side of the generator cover with keyed alike locks.

Try to secure the generator without incorporating the HANDLE. The handle is easily cut with a bolt cutter(not sure on 3000 but 2400 & 2800 and Honda 1000-3000 have been stolen by 2 cuts of the handle at Quatzsite and chain still locked together!!! Chuck

Want to observe the full load test and hear how the generator sounds for your self ? Here is a link to the video that I took during the full load test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5TjpcoU26E

Thanks Pete, you are right. With any new installation frequent inspections are in order. I really like the description of your generator set up and hope you will post photos as you can after your pickup date. Which by the way is getting really close ?

Generator installation completed, we are hooked up and ready to test pull for the first time: > > Just look at butcherknife's grin ! Boondockin' here we come !

Twenty four days later, and I checked back. The video will most likely have been viewed seven thousand times by the end of the month ! Amazing, absolutely amazing ! When someone posts a comment about one of the videos that we have posted on youtube, it comes to our mail box. That will direct my attention back to the video for a bit.

We all have heard the legends of the stripper pole ever since it was mentioned in passing a couple months ago. I thought the legend was just contained to the forums here. And then Robert started referring to the chrome pole cushion support as the 'Stripper Pole' to us on the phone. I was curious that it had entered the lexicon at Oliver, but thought Robert was just humoring us. While we were at our pick up, and referred to it as the stripper pole - Robert was apt to correct us that it's a 'Chrome Pole'. And then, they let us camp inside the factory AND gave us free roam with their golf cart no less. BIG mistake if they wanted to keep the secret of the stripper pole hidden. As I was wandering around the assembly lines in amazement at the number of parts (and thinking of the massive research and trial/error that had to go on for each piece) that come together to create these incredible vessels... My jaw literally hit the floor when I saw 'Stripper Pole' written on the assembly board and the brackets box labeled 'Stripper Pole Brkts' I love how Oliver is so in touch with their customers that even the humor we banter about here makes it so far into the company that it ends up being part of the assembly line. Just think how our our more serious conversations impact this product. And it's funny as all get out too. - Cherie (And if you were expecting pictures of me *using* the stripper pole... )

Good posts, Mountainborn. Knowing just where to find important equipment and information is just as important as having it in the first place. We keep a small first aid kit in a bag hanging in the trailer closet, and a few essential items in the glove box. I try to check the first aid kit for up to date supplies and replacements before each trip. (Usual stuff: small scissors, tweezers, guaze, bandaids, alchohol swabs, gloves, neosporin, sprain wraps, burn pads, cold meds, pain relievers, benadryl, etc.) Paul has had complete training; I've had some. We used to have a small booklet of first aid instructions in the kit, but it disintegrated years ago. Note to self: replace it! Also, I like your idea of allergy and medical instructions in the refrigerator in bags. I'm going to do that, too. Already have emergency contact on the cell phone. Sherry PS One of our friends flies for AirEvac Lifeteam. He's a great guy.

BUTCHERKNIFE: It was our first outing of the year, Lake Greeson, Kirby Landing, jug fishing. It had been one of those Winters that seemed to hang on, and on. We were camping in a 34' motorhome and pulling the boat, "Harm's Weigh" http://www.geocities.com/harmsweigh/ , behind it. We had been planning the fishing trip during one of the worst ice storms to hit our area in many years. The power had been off for a little over three weeks. We live on the end of the power line, in a "saddle" of a "finger" that runs down from Cross Mountain. It was wearing upon us pretty heavily, what with the refueling of the generator, keeping up the livestock, ect., ect.. Though we had satellite access to the internet and television, we would plan and dream about warmer Spring Time days on the lake, Fish frys, dominoes, and good times with old friends. It was the first morning of the first day at the lake. Up early, I had started the coffee and was sitting at the picnic table under the screen tent. Betty came out of the moho saying that we would have "woppum" biscuits for breakfast so we could get on about the business of setting out the bait traps. Woppum biscuits is them that are frozen in a cardboard tube. To open them you wop um' on the edge of the table to open them. We were going to quickly get breakfast out of the way and get out on the water as soon as possible. Pouring her a cup of coffee, Right after the wop, I heard her say that the biscuits were stuck togather.

The controller box does migrate... but manually... we have to walk it over to the next vehicle..... Sometimes we use the Volvo, now mostly the Dodge... Our daughter has pretty much claimed the Silverado as her ride. But, I have to say, I don't blame her. It's a fun truck to drive. Sherry

A couple comments on refilling the Oliver's tank using the Camping World portable, collapsible tank and the Oliver pump: 1. The process to refill the Oliver tank using the pump is just plain simple. What a feature! We went to a freshwater source, filled the portable tank (keeping it in the bed of the pickup), and drove back to camp. There, we opened the curbside window, opened the seat cubby to access the pump, put the already attached plastic tubing out the window, slid the screen and window back into place, changed the valves. Fed a hose from the portable tank to a five gallon bucket, put the plastic tubing in the bucket, and turned on the pump. The whole process, from start to finish and putting everything away, took about 15 minutes filling and emptying the bucket. We used the bucket to keep the plastic tubing submerged and keep air out of the line... the filled plastic, collapsible tank in the bed of the pickup. We have a soft bedliner, but checked for pebbles, sticks, etc before filling the tank. the valves turned for intake, filling the Oliver freshwater tank with the aid of its own water pump. 2. Comments on the Camping World water tank itself: It's a great product for the money. Thanks again to DougI for the link. Much less expensive than other available products, folds up after use to store in its own box... about 12 x 15 x 3 or so, and lightweight when empty. After using it three times, it's proven to be a great buy. The directions show it being carried on top of a vehicle, which I don't think I'd do. We carried it full in the pickup bed, and it shifted around some. I personally wouldn't trust it on top of the cab. Directions clearly state "not for use on the highway". The directions say to flush it with solution and a gallon of water before each use. Even after filling and draining three times, I still smell a faint "plastic" smell from when I first turn on the water tap in the Oliver. If I bought another one new, I'd fill it and drain it into the flower beds at home a few times before taking it on the road to get rid of that smell. Other than that, a great product, came with every fitting needed to do the job except the freshwater hose itself. Heavy enough guage that with care, it should last quite awhile. Sherry

Chuck, Did you purchase a kit and do the Honda 2000i propane mod yourself, or have a shop do it? With the generator on the tongue mount how will you tap the propane? I think the quick connect for the grill is on the rear, am I right? Do you intend to open the propane cover or make your own hole for an access? More pics are posted on the production album. You can see Jason modeling several locations for the tag (I'll have a customized tire cover graphic) and you can see pics of mounting the top shell onto the rest of the unit. The metal bar exerts inward pressure on the top as the suction cups pull out the bottom for a firm seal. 15 more days . . . . . . . . . .

Hi Pete, I got the generator quick connect on "Ollie" and my Honda 2000 already converted to propane so will tap tanks direct when I get my gen tongue mount. Glad Robert talked me into the furnace as we used it in Tenn and is quieter than the Casita! Still gonna keep the the Little Buddy Catalytic heater for boondocking. Chuck

Chuck, sadly I do not have it mounted on the tongue yet. My fabricator has drug his feet until I have called Robert at the factory looking for assistance. My fabricator is a local guy and has been dependable in the past, but this time . . . . . Robert being the nice guy that he is, said sure, we can help. I will give my local guy a bit longer then I'll go to the professionals to get it done right. We have been towing with the tongue extended two extra feet out, in anticipation of mounting the generator on it. It towed just fine out to Arizona and back earlier this week. The two extra feet really shows in this photo. This photo was taken near dripping springs, not far from the Christmas mines, South of Globe, Az. Those are the Pinal Mountains in the background. It was pretty early in the morning as you can see by the angle of the sunlight. We had just broke camp at the Apache gold Casino campground and climbed up over the backbone of the Pinals. The town of Christmas is gone now, the mine swallowed it up. This is the second town that I have lived in that has disappeared into a open pit copper mine. No hard feelings over that. It is just that it is not possible to re trace old childhood footsteps and friends when there is nothing left but a hole in the ground. Our Ollie sure needs a bath after driving through a blizzard above the Mogollon Rim, then two days in the dust of the high Sonoran Dessert. None the less, ain't that a purty' sight !!

SeaDawg, The yamaha 3000 watt inverter generator has eco mode and is very quiet as well as fuel efficient. You can do pretty well what you want in the way of running things, but the electric start is a after market accessory at the time we bought our 3000. Our Yamaha dealer instaled the start kit for us but it was a bit high in cost. The 3000 Yamaha fully fueled, start kit and all weighs in at nearly 200 pounds. With the tongue of the Oliver fully extended, there is room on it for the 3000.

Here is a look at our tongue extended all the way out. Note the two holes in the tongue where the lock down bolt goes, torque rating ninety pounds. We extended the tongue all the way out in anticipation of installing our generator on the tongue, using those bolt holes.

Thanks, again. I'll look at 6cyl trucks. Nissan Frontier seems very reasonable priced. Can you tell me how many AmpHours are the Optima batteries? Is there a sort of smart charger in the Elite that would allow 3 stage charging from a small Honda generator? And how long for delivery after ordering, approx? I sent an email with these Qs to Oliver yesterday but no word back. Hopefully, they are so busy it slipped by them... Dusty No RV No Vehicle Just retired

The July issue of Trailer Life mentions that the Oliver is aerodynamic and "for the fuel-conscious". No doubt that it's more aerodynamic than the wider box style trailers of equal length but just how much fuel can be saved towing an Oliver? Let's say we're pulling both type trailers with a Toyota Tacoma (V6). What would the mpg be for each?

CUMBRES PASS COLORADO ELEVATION 10,022 FEET We found this one on http://www.freecampgrounds.com Here is a paste from that website, it has several entrys including ours. > Chama Pass State: Colorado Nearest City: Chama, NM Nearest Town: Chama, NM Cost: Free Number of Campsites: 10 or less Max days allowed: 7 Road: Dirt Miles from paved road: 0.20 Scenery Rating: 5 out of 5 Noise Level: 1 out of 5 Amenities: None Status: Official Months Open: Unknown Description At the top of Chama Pass - right behind the railway station. Follow the signs to the campground and take the first left just after exiting the highway right behind the railway station. The very first spot IMO is the best. If you have a big rig, walk in first unless the first spot is open. Water at the campground, about 2+ miles up the hill. $3 dump at visitor's center in Chama (town). You're actually in Colorado here but Chama is in New Mexico. Contributor: Kathy Smith Fulltimers SD Added: 1/28/2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments (5) Post a Comment Overnighted here on 06-24-2008. The directions are right on. Snow still heavy on the ground in shady areas. Snow mosquitoes abundant during daylight hours. No seeums' not bad at all. Great spot. Easy walk to the train depot. 10K feet of elevation. Posted: 7/3/2008 Larry Harmon Vandervoort Arkansas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This spot is Cumbres Pass--not Chama. It is about 12 miles north of Chama, New Mexico, on Highway 17. Take a left just past the old railroad buildings. The road is marked Trujillo Reservoir 2 miles. Then take the next left (a few 100 yards) and drive in behind the buildings into a beautiful camping area. There is a very clean, well supplied, vault toilet. As was said earlier, water is available at the campground about 2 miles farther in. It is Trujillo Campground and is 14 dollars a night. The free area is much prettier and more convenient. I tent camped there July 11 and rode the Cumbres-Toltec train the next day. Wonderful! Posted: 7/19/2006 Beth Murray Bastrop Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Simply a perfect spot at 10,022 feet. It's behind the station, first left of the turn from the highway. A 5 of 5 for scenery and a 5 of 5 for quiet. Take NM-17 from Chama if in NM. See more at http://community.webshots.com/myphotos? ... ity=VgqYav Posted: 6/22/2006 Richard n Shirley Weatherford Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where is Chama Pass? I can find no one who ever heard of it. I am assuming Highway 17 north of Chama, NM. Is there another name? Can anyone give additional directions to the campground? Posted: 6/5/2006 Beth Murray Bastrop Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This could be a great location for individuals who are interested in riding on the scenic Cumbres and Toltec narrow-gauge railroad, which runs in summer between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado. There are several trains each way, and even the option of debarking at the pass, but tickets must be purchased at either starting point. The Antonito segment is considerably longer and more scenic since it parallels the Toltec gorge, but there are more tourist shops and restaurants in Chama. The views are great! Posted: 4/28/2006 John Pueblo Colorado > This photo is of the honor pay box at the visitors info. station in Chama, Nm.

Mountainborn, from the information you posted, your batteries are working well because you never discharge them very much. The inverter you are using is used only to power the satellite receiver, which as you said pulls only a small amount of power. The rest of the power you consume is all 12V power, lights and the TV I would assume. Since the TV is an LED screen, it too pulls very little power, as compared to an older type box TV. If that is all the power you are using while off grid, and you have two batteries, you should always be in good shape. However, if you had a larger inverter and used it to power your microwave, hair curlers, toasters, coffee makers, etc, you would likely run your battery down and they would take many hours to recharge to near full capacity. Battery voltage readings are useful for determining remaining power only if the battery bank has not been charged or discharged for 48 hours or more, which makes most voltage readings useless, because they are almost always taken while the battery bank is being discharged or being charged, or has recently been discharged or charged. A voltage reading of 12.2 volts, if taken after the batteries have rested for 48 hours, tells us that the battery bank is about 75% discharged. A 12.2 voltage reading, taken while the lights and the TV are on, tells us nothing about the state of charge of the battery bank, although things are probably just fine with that kind of voltage reading while the batteries are under load.

I've just posted my thoughts on the Oliver's "Entertainment Center" option, and our reasons for choosing not to have it installed. My post is here, and copied below (without links or pictures): http://radven.livejournal.com/134727.html ==== The Oliver Elite comes with an "Entertainment Center" package installed by default, consisting of a Jensen JE1508 15" LCD TV, a Jensen AWM960 wallmounted stereo with AM/FM/CD and DVD playback, and four interior speakers. The Oliver's Entertainment Center package is certainly nice by RV standards, but it actually does leave a lot to be desired. For one thing, the Jensen monitor is not wide screen, it is physically no bigger than most laptop screens, and it runs at a much lower resolution (1024x768) than we are used to. The ability to run off of 12V power and decode broadcast HDTV signals is nice - but for our needs DVD playback and usage as a secondary computer monitor is what is really important. (The Jensen JE1907DC 19" widescreen is a worthwhile upgrade to ask for, but still lacking for what we want...) The DVD player however is the biggest disappointment. The AWM960 can only output lowres interlaced composite video to the TV, not high-resolution component or HDMI signals. So even though the JE1508 screen can handle HDTV resolution input, the quality of your DVD signal will be closer to VHS quality than what you would get from a modern upconverting DVD player. Not acceptable at all. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any other "mobile" AV system that can do any better. Even the upcoming Jensen AWM970 (which adds iPod support) will still only output composite video. What I've come to realize is that with "mobile" AV electronics, you end up paying much more and getting much less. What we are doing instead... Instead of the factory-default setup, we've decide that a 22" computer monitor will make for the ideal display screen inside the Oliver. Our top choice right now is the highly-rated Dell SP2208WFP, a 1680x1050 resolution 22" monitor with integrated webcam, HDMI inputs, and a super bright display - all for only $299. Other promising alternative 22" screens include the low-power ViewSonic VLED221wm or the HDTV-tuner equipped ViewSonic N2230w. To provide the DVD playback, speakers, and audio amplification - I've been researching small "home theater in a box" systems. Expect a post documenting this research soon. The more urgent challenge is finding the ideal mount to attach the monitor to the Oliver. There are literally hundreds of LCD monitor mounts to choose from. We need a mount that will hold the monitor securely in the corner of the Oliver, but which can ideally swing out over the table for better position while being used as a second monitor. It would also be very cool if the monitor can swing in front of the window, allowing movie viewing from the patio. The Jensen MAF50 mount looks particularly promising - it can tilt, swivel, pan, and extend out over 16" from the wall. The Oliver factory reports that they can install either a hanging mount (like used with the current TV), or a wall attached mount. Using a wall attached mount gives many more options - but it must be installed in the factory BEFORE the inner and outer shells of the Oliver are mated. I will report back here with details. In the meantime - monitor, mini home theater, and monitor mount recommendations are appreciated.