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  1. If you turned the EMS off and you're now charging correctly you may want to investigate why your EMS is preventing your generator from supplying power. Possibly a problem with the EMS itself or there could be truly something wrong with your generator output. By turning your EMS off you will no longer be protected from AC line problems. Is it possible that you could borrow a external power watchdog to test the output of your generator?
  2. OK - good on the grounding plug. Other than turning the inverter off and then on again I don't know of a way to "reset it". However, I don't think that the inverter has much if anything to do with your problem. Basically, the generator produces 110-120 volts of electricity and sends it through the EMS (making sure that the generator electricity doesn't hurt your Ollie) to the transfer switch and then to the charger/converter. The charger converts the 110 volts down to 12 to 14.6 volts and sends that electricity to the batteries. Therefore, the inverter never comes into play. Do you have a multi-meter that you can use to test the voltage coming out of the generator? I really hate to do this to you - but - I have to leave the Forum now. Hopefully someone will pick up the ball (like Steph and Dud B did) to continue to try to help you. Good luck! Bill
  3. Agreed, LifePOH batteries do not require ventilation as they do not generate gas. My comment was intended to clear up what might be a misunderstanding by some readers. Lead-acid batteries generate gases during charging which may vent into the battery compartment, these are corrosive and flammable. That’s what the external vents in the door are for, and Oliver is required to put them there to meet RVIA standards. SeaDawg recommended sealing the external vents, which many of us have done, along with extra insulation. Venting into the basement isn’t required, as you have experienced, but it may help in temperature extremes, as many previous threads have discussed. For example, parking with the street side in full sun in Arizona in the summer @ 115F ambient. All I have done is cut two 2” holes in the sides of the battery box. I’ve noticed it is cooler inside the battery box on very hot days with the street side in the sun.
  4. Thought I'd wrap up this discussion with some more test data. It's been around freezing here the past few nights so I wanted to verify past results and include a baseline test with the original OEM setup with just the return by the furnace. Pretty much all original results (OEM return blocked, and two 6" returns added at the rear of trailer) were confirmed, with some minor variances, with curbside rear temps increasing on average 15 degrees, street side rear temps increasing on average 20 degrees, and the under sink area increasing on average 12 degrees. Floor temps at the rear of the trailer increased 14 degrees. These increases were from a cold start in the morning. To start, all under floor areas were about 5-6 degrees warmer than the outside temps, and 11+ degrees colder than the inside temps (I keep a small space heater running in the trailer in the winter). Interestingly, when I put the heating system back in its OEM configuration, and closed off my 6" test returns, this showed only 3 degree temperature increases in the rear curb and street side areas. So not so great there! Under the sink, however, had similar gains (12 degrees). So I think some return air must travel in through the spaces between the cabinet drawers and back to the area under the sink. In my 2015 E1, the cabinet box is open in the back so return air can pass through to that area. All this may not apply to some of the newer trailers, but there are a lot of older ones out there that could benefit from this mod if you travel when it's cold out. Just how cold one can go I can't say yet, but this mod will certainly help a lot and is very simple to implement. The E1 will be different than the E2 as the furnace locations are different among other things. The same principles will apply however, with high pressure (cabin) moving to low pressure (under floor), and the returns will just be located in different areas. Preferably, but not always, as far away from the furnace and supply outlets as is practical (depending what path you want the return air to travel). Thanks. Now I have some big holes to drill out...yikes! 🤯 Dave
  5. We got our LE2 with the bike rack mount and realized we will probably always carry our folding Ebikes in the back of the truck under cover. With that understanding we decided to add a cargo tray and locking box for general items needed for setup, and camp site necessities. Obviously weight is a critical factor so with the tray, box and gear inside we are shooting for less than 200# total. I'm sure we have succeeded after adding up the weigh of all items. The most difficult part is making the extended rails for the tray to mount on. I used the same T6061 aluminum that Oliver uses on their frame members. It's available in small sizes at local metal supply houses such as Metal Supermarket. The aluminum tubing drills and cuts easily with carbide woodworking tools. Use a little lite oil on the blade to keep the aluminum from fowling the blade. You must use good eye protection when cutting. I copied the way the bike rack rails were machined. Here's the results of the project: We have pulled the camper a couple times for local camp outs and the weight of the addition is completely unnoticeable while towing. The box is well made but light weight with locking double latch system. It has a double layer of aluminum in the lid and is foam filled to keep the contents from heating up too much in direct sun. The whole thing is very sturdy and at 220 pounds I can stand on the box lid to see the top of the camper with no effect to the box lid. Good traction and very solid. The softener tank is mounted with a tank wall mount and strap and is set up with quick connects and the standard hoses hook up in just a minute. The softener comes with a regeneration kit and it takes about an hour to perform a regeneration using a box of table salt. It will last up to 2000 gallons of water depending on the mineral content. No need to remove the tank for regeneration, just connect the kit to the external QD fittings and run the process. When done, you are good to go for a few more camping trips. No more hard water scale or rust on pluming fixtures. Remove the tank for winter storage inside the garage. I'm very pleased with the overall project. The box can be removed just as the bike mount is removed for spare tire access. You can actually access the spare without completely removing the tray assembly, Just slide it out about 6-8 inches and the cover and tire are removeable. I bought a self lit license frame and mounted to the back of the tray. I added a plug connection to the license light wire to power the new license plate light. I wanted a removable connection for obvious reasons. The connection is mounted on the lower part of the spare tire cover under the original license bracket. The old license plate bracket is still useable if the tray and box are removed. Tray: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017H9N4E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Box: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MK4F68/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 License Bracket: https://www.amazon.com/Car-License-Plate-Light-Chrome/dp/B00S1Y5TSK?pd_rd_w=jpDah&content-id=amzn1.sym.e8faeee7-63c9-4cb3-96e0-e50a41f3b35b&pf_rd_p=e8faeee7-63c9-4cb3-96e0-e50a41f3b35b&pf_rd_r=018MZ7KVYFFMGM0WSKBV&pd_rd_wg=mdsBW&pd_rd_r=eff79229-c9bb-45a5-8656-400649d9a361&pd_rd_i=B00S1Y5TSK&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_t Softener: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Y2KNFFL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 Tank Bracket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00208DY76/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  6. When I tested the metal box lined with aluminum foil, the lid was also lined with aluminum foil with overlap of foil from the lid and box. A few years ago my testing was with a cell phone's ability to receive calls and messages while in a unlined metal box that failed, but with aluminum foil liner the phone could not receive calls and messages. Not sure if that test is relevant with a FOB, but that was my test a few years ago. One of the things that got me thinking about this again (not Faraday cage related) while on a camping trip last January, I could pick up someone's Victron Bluetooth signal (guessing 50' away) with my Victron Shunt app. Highly recommend using a different PW other than the original multiple 0 PW with the Victron app.
  7. Well, I'll be .... Sure enough, the metal box continues to NOT allow the door to be opened - there is simply no response from the truck with the doors or lights or automatic deployment of the step - no matter how close or in what position I place the box. However, as with Patriot's safe in the console, the truck started! I placed the metal box inside the console, outside the console, in the back seat, and under the seat - all with the same result. Interesting! Bill
  8. I think your plan is very sound. On the other hand I tried a similar metal box from some other product and it was only marginally effective. If you got right up against the door handle the touch door locks would still unlock. Also even though the fob was in the box, with the box sitting on the console arm rest the truck still started. On the other hand the pouches I got from Amazon are nearly a year old and the truck still will not respond in any way with the fob in the closed pouch regardless of where you put the pouch in the truck, including placing the pouch with the fob right in the tray of the console near the receiver. The fob rolled up in a few layers of aluminum foil is just as effective. I think every item on Amazon has at least a small percentage of negative reviews, no matter how good the product is. As long as an item rates 4 stars or better I pretty much disregard the negative reviews as spurious, or even the competition planting the negative reviews in hopes of bolstering their competing products. Whichever method works to your satisfaction, I think it's well worth the trouble for the added security and peace of mind considering the cost of vehicles and even the difficulty of replacing one these days. I just edited my previous post and added the Amazon link to the pouches I bought. I'm pleased with the overall performance of this pouch to date.
  9. Ron: I caringly rewrote my above thoughts at least a dozen time specifically to be kind and respectful. It was also made in the hopes to highlight that the apparent intent to install larger litho's without the supporting and securing battery box tray should not be executed. The idea of having litho's directly sitting in the battery bay may work for a given owner's use. But certainly would likely become a serious safety hazard should their use change. I learned just how rough the Yukon Territory and some Alaska "corduroy roads" are two summer ago. For strictly highway use, unsupported and unrestrained litho's may work just fine. But what happens when that trailer gets sold, and the new owner is unaware of such an install's vulnerabilities? As a Registered Mechanical Engineer I am ethically required to not be silent when I can foresee a significant life and fire safety hazard. Having that much weight not fully restrained and/or supported in a battery box of a mobile application would be a problem. Especially for a mobile application that will be subject to high amplitude multiple directional accelerations. That said, your suggestion for a load spreading and battery restraining "platform" certainly is a suggestion in the right direction. I think it is a great suggestion. But from the perspective of respect and understanding, was it appropriate for you to suggest it? From "The knife cuts both ways" perspective; the answer is no. But from the higher perspective of Oliver Safety and caring for our family members: I think we can agree that both our intents were spot on. GJ
  10. If you have the Xantrex inverter I believe you have to change the AC input setting, that would be # 28 setting in the Xantrex FXC Control app. Your 1000W generator at 110V is only approx. 9A, the Xantrex (my 3000W anyway) is factory set to 25A because the breaker size for the inverter is 25A and the main power supply is 30A which is greater than the breaker size. So when you connect to a generator or house receptacle that supplies lower amps, you need to adjust setting #28 down to match the current incoming power supply. Or like @dewdev said, shut off the circuit breaker to your inverter.
  11. An interesting and neat looking storage area. How much does the new storage box and mounting system weigh and how much weight will you be able to safely carry in the box? Thanks!
  12. We've had the Battery Box on our radar screen since we purchased Casablanca back in March from its PO in TX. One of the Hull #226 selling points for us was that the PO had recently replaced the AGMs with 3 Battle Borns and added a Victron Smart Shunt. However, upon learning from the forum, the BB install by the PO was less than optimum - or at least to our understanding at the time. We were surprised that there wasn't a battery master "shut-off" switch. This fact was the main driver for this project - after looking into what we "really" had on our hands, the pervasive project "scope creep" showed its ugly head! Full Disclosure: Although we've had several RVs over the decades, never have we owned Lithiums. Thanks to these forums, learning about the nuances and particulars of LiFePOs, specifically, Battle Borns - and even more specifically, their application with the Oliver, has taken some time to digest. We didn't want to delve into the "fray" of "cleaning up" what was previously installed until our understanding of this particular system was at a high enough level not to screw something up. So, thanks to the forums, many of y'all's posts regarding the subject, and special thanks go out to @Geronimo John for his patience and guidance with what ended up being a fairly large scale re-design of Casablanca's DC distribution system. Initial Configuration and Issues: 1. A key indicator that there was an issue somewhere within the "DC system" was that the charge controller would never reach 14.4 volts; 13.6 was the max ever observed/measured. 2. The BBs were stacked in an unusual configuration on the battery tray. The rear two batts were aligned side-by-side facing left/right and the third "outer" BB was aligned 90 degrees off facing fore/aft. Several cables were too short not allowing full battery tray extension. Clearly not a neat/tidy or logical configuration. 3. The battery bank was not strapped down. 4. Although likely large enough for intended current, the three BB's parallel connections were made with 1/0 cables versus the 4/0 cables distributing the current into the trailer. 5. Several positive and negative connections were made directly to the battery bank without the use of any sort of terminal post or terminal bar even though the Smart Shunt was in place. These connections were bypassing the SS, not good - thus contributing to phantom current within the DC distribution system and not allowing the Victron App to capture all DC power activity. 6. One cable, a yellow 4 AWG, ran from a negative BB terminal to the wrong side of the Victron SS; this cable essentially paralleled the 4/0 cable from the same terminal to the shunt. This made absolutely no sense. 7. As stated above, no battery master switch. We've always had a master switch in previous campers - handy for longer term storage and eliminating phantom current. In case of fire, we wanted a "safety switch" located outside the camper and inside the battery box to quickly secure DC power after quickly exiting the rig. SUMMARY OF WORK PERFORMED: The closer we looked at the DC set-up the more questions and issues surfaced. There were other ancillary DC system "gripes" but the above list really paints the picture of what we were dealing with... After quite a bit of forum research, thought, and informative and lively discussions with Geronimo John; a clearer project plan developed. 1. We made an assumption that the PO didn't upgrade the "lead-acid" charge controller circuit board as part of the BB installation. This rationale would explain why we never observed more than 13.6 volts on shore power with the controller energized. Sure enough, after pulling the board, it was clear that the board was doing exactly what it was intended to do - charge lead-acid batteries; as it didn't have the Lithium micro-switch option. So, we ordered a replacement 45-Amp board from Amazon with the Lithium option - enter "project scope creep." Above pic shows replacing the LA charge controller with a Li-capable board. The lead-acid board is 100% functional and will be posted for sale on the forums. The new Li-board cranked right up and the BBs finally received the charge intended for a Lithium battery bank: 2. Disconnected and removed the 1/0 cables connecting the 3 BBs, labeled and stacked them sequentially from back to front. Sized cables to allow full extension of the battery tray and added nylon tie-down straps from Rangley. Cut, crimped, heat shrunk, and installed new 4/0 color-coded cables in parallel configuration: Made a terminal buss-bar from 3/16" x 1" solid copper for the Blue Sea Systems master switch (Amazon) which will be heat shrinked once it arrives. Contoured a poly board from an old cutting board to mount the switch, like many owners have done. Mounted a positive (+) terminal bar with the master switch to accommodate DC connections. In the new configuration, only 4/0 cables are connected to battery terminals - removed the various "added-on" connections and placed them appropriately between the (+) terminal bar and the Victron SS. Now, all DC (-) connections are made through the shunt so all DC power measurements are captured with the Victron Application. Peace of mind - priceless. While we were at it, we added an SAE solar input port for the 200W Renogy suitcase solar modules - more scope creep... HA! Not being an EE, I'm sure there's something left out, but in the end, we've got a clean set-up in the battery compartment, fully functional Victron SS, and the appropriate charge controller to manage the BBs. Time for a cold one. Cheers! A & D
  13. I'm probably the minority here, but I don't really like big crowds. I camp because I love nature and quiet evenings where the crickets converse with each other in harmonious symphony, adding to the trumpeting overtures of coyotes and the occasional fluting of a tree frog or bass tympany of bull frogs. The wind blowing through the trees, snow drifting lazily along a riverbank, and birds singing the praises of our Creator are the only friends that I've ever known. When I join a forum or schedule a meeting with like-minded people at a campground, it actually goes against my grain and puts me out of my comfort zone, but that is a good thing I suppose. Tina, my wife, always says that I need to come out of my box to smell the fresh air every now and then.
  14. While looking around the internet for this material I came across a number of RV Van modification companies that use this stuff extensively and also sell it on the open market. It is used mostly for sound insulation more than thermal insulation though. Apparently the R value of the thinsulite is 5.2 better than nothing and pretty good for something this thin. Yep, seen the pipe wrap by the box load in the home centers and hardware stores.
  15. As a safety check as you contact Oliver. There have been a few of those under the dinette transfer switches that failed due to loose wiring connections inside and had thus melted internal wiring. Transfer relay wires can wiggle loose and cause the switch to toggle back and forth when power is applied. To check, you would need to disconnect from shore power and generator, then open the transfer switch box to check if its connections are tight and no smoked wiring.
  16. A couple more things to try - 1. have you simply shut everything off, unplugged the generator from the Ollie and waited at least 5 minutes to give all systems a chance to reset? 2. If it is the transfer switch (I doubt this because you've now had the same problem with both the front and side transfer switches on your Ollie) and you have a rubber mallet then you can hit (tap) the transfer switch box. This will help the springs inside the switch snap back into place if they are "stuck".
  17. Okay we turned off the EMS and it is charging with the generator. Okay so what does that mean? How do I fix this for the future. I trust the generator is okay. Is there a reset for the surge protector?
  18. Good Day All, Just purchased the aforementioned generator (my first) and I’m wondering if it's normal for the unit to vibrate so much in ECO mode. The throttle doesn't surge and it idles very steadily. When ECO mode is off, vibrations go down. Does anyone have experience with this particular model? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
  19. OK - the data link error should not have anything to do with the charging problem. This error code only means that the remote display is not communicating with the main EMS computer. I do not have a generator, but, I still suspect that the issue lies with the either the generator or the transfer switch. Try what Steph and Dud B are telling you. Bill p.s. thanks to Steph and Dud B for trying to help out!
  20. On my recent fly fishing trip to Wyoming I stumbled upon a Forest Service "de-commissioned" campground. My destination was fishing the Buffalo Fork River and I knew that there was a large Forest Service campground (Turpin Meadows) at the end of the paved Buffalo Valley Road. I also knew that there are numerous boondocking sites on this road. However, when I arrived I found the Turpin Meadows campground FULL and even the availability of many of the boondocking sites were hard to come by. So, as I headed west back toward Moran Junction I saw a small sign 9/10th of a mile west of Turpin Meadows for Box Creek Trail Head. The 3/4 mile dirt road ends at the trail head where there are 8 campsites. The Forest Service took away the picnic tables but left the bear boxes. While the pit toilet is not "serviced" by the Forest Service (this means that it is not cleaned nor do they provide TP) the campers using this facility do sweep it out and the result is that it is in better shape than the average. There is water but it is marked that it is not potable, however, both potable water and trash disposal can be done at Turpin Meadows. During the week I camped here it was never full and most nights there were only three of us staying there. It is super quiet but certainly be "bear aware". So, if you are in the Grand Teton area and want to get away from the crowds but still want great hiking and/or good fishing without a long drive on a dirt road, you might want to consider Box Creek. There are stunning views of the Tetons from many of the hiking trails, from the river and from the drive west on Buffalo Valley Road. GPS: N 43 degrees 51minutes 42.5 seconds, W 110 degrees 17 minutes 39.0 seconds Bill
  21. No Art, our front receptacle appears just dusty inside, nice straight contacts, hardly used at all. We've never used it and I'm not lugging a generator, don't want to hear one and we keep our fire ring in the front bin. The front seal looks like it needs replacing since it is somewhat dissolving from weather, causing a black streak to run below it. Thanks for asking. I should replace (make) that seal. Was merely mentioning, to do a full SmartPlug conversion you would need to replace both receptacles and the cord to do it right. For $158, we will have a brand-new twist-lock receptacle, everything OEM like new!
  22. When I needed a short-as-possible 4/0 cable to attach the new shunt, I found the shortest I could buy was 1 foot. Another thing you can do when making your own is to offset the angle of the lug (can't buy these). Notice the pic of the 2 AWG cable above, where one lug is 90 degrees to the other. I built it that way because one side mounts vertically to the battery post and the other side mounts horizontally to the power distribution box. Also check out the pic of my short cable above. I mounted the lugs 180 degrees to each other that gave me a 3/4" lift to mount on the shunt. @topgun2 since Twist and our hull 113 are cousins, send me a PM if you want me to make you a couple custom 4/0 cables, at cost to your specs.
  23. In prep for a trip to southern Utah next week I have been preparing the Oliver. I posted earlier about some water freeze issues (my fault, not the Oliver) that have been corrected. I also posted about issues with our Dometic refrigerator and thought our issues were related to the often maligned circuit board that provides power and ability to cool from AC, DC, or LP gas. With help I was able to get a new circuit board (sounds like the last in the world) and installed it this morning. I'm thinking now that it may not be the board but something else. Here's the symptoms: when I am connected to shore power and flip the ac circuit breaker in the Oliver to "on" it immediately trips a GFCI breaker located on one of our outdoor outlets...not the ac circuit breaker in the home breaker box. When I disconnect shore power and attempt to operate the refrigerator via the inverter no breakers in the Oliver trip but there is no power to the refrigerator. Looking for suggestions. Faulty refrigerator?
  24. Now - this is interesting ---- I lined the metal box with aluminum foil with the exception of the lid. Now, when approaching the truck - about ten feet away - the truck's courtesy lights come on, the doors unlock and the running boards deploy. So, I didn't even get inside to see if the truck would start since my lined box failed even step one. Next I'll try lining the lid but that will have to be tomorrow. Bill p.s. thanks to Patriot for busting my safety bubble!
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