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@topgun2 -- when you are camping in this area, do you keep food in your truck and/or trailer, or do you move it all to a bear box? I'm getting ready to head that direction! Really hoping to do some fishing there. Haven't bought my bear spray yet.

Today I received the first initial production mount of the new Honda eu3200i security mounting system. This came after weeks of collaboration, exchanging measurements and photos, emails and phones calls with fittingdesignsco@gmail.com. Note: You will need to modify your cargo box to use the key to unlock the puck mount. This will require drilling a hole in the side of the cargo box in order for the key to be inserted to unlock the puck mount. The base plate of the mount will also need to be be bolted down in the cargo box. I will add additional photos of mounting this gen security system when we return home from the rally. The unit pricing is $375.00 plus tax shipped to the lower 48. If interested, please contact the company at 530-913-2271 if you have further questions or wish to place an order. Patriot🇺🇸 More install photos to come.

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

Oh so close. Looking for a good storage bin option for transporting the Honda EU2200i generator in the truck bed (with a bed cover) to keep things clean and organized. I don’t have the front Ollie basket, plus I want to keep the generator under the truck bed cover away from prying eyes. I tried one of my 24 gallon RubberMaid Action Packer bins and it’s ALMOST perfect for the generator, a 2 gallon RotoPax fuel container, and an extra quart of oil, with a PIG Mat in the bottom of the Action Packer to absorb any oil or gas drips (but I doubt the Honda will leak anything). Holds things nice and snug, EXCEPT for the height. The inside ribs on the double walled lid interfere with the generator handle and gas cap. Might be time to get out the knife and modify the lid by cutting away one full rib, and also adding a small vent hole in the lid for fume venting. Of course for running the generator it will be removed from the storage bin, and allowed to cool down before putting it back in the bin.

@Boudicca908, you are wise to shut off the propane at the tank til you figure it all out. Even a tiny leak is dangerous. Do you have electricity at your campsite? If not, your 5 lb bottle and your Blackstone should allow you to heat water for birdbaths, and cook for several days, at least. Unfortunately, your Truma water heater won't run on electricity. The old school 6 gallon water heaters could run on electric, so you could heat the tank with a generator, and get enough hot water for a shower and wash a few dishes. You have a good head on your shoulders, and looks like you planned ahead with some good gear. Having the backup 5 lb tank (refillable) was an excellent idea. Worst comes to worst, you can always remove a 20 lb tank from the trailer, and connect it to the Blackstone directly. Do you have a generator, also? Are you able to buy (or borrow) an induction hotplate or electric kettle? A small electric heater provides enough warmth to take the "frost" out of the air. Running the fridge on genset electric a few times a day could keep that going, but you'll use a bit of gasoline... I'd suspect one or more of your gas connections could have a small leak. Gas leaks are much more common at the connection fittings than in the line. I'd start at the regulator, and work my way back, if you can. You should be able to see the gas connection with the water heater by removing the lower outside panel. I don't know much about the truma w/h, as I've never seen one. A competent rv shop should be able to get you fixed up in one day, if you can get a "first thing in the morning " appointment. Or, at the least be able to diagnose it in one day, so you could return to the cg and continue camping in a hard-shell tent/Oliver, without propane, til they get parts. Or, maybe one of the three centers has a mobile tech? It's certainly worth asking. At least you have some good tent camping experience, so you're not in dire straits. You'll manage, though not the luxury experience you were hoping for. It's frustrating in the middle of (beautiful) nowhere. Hang in there. Here's a search result for "propane leak" in our forum. The quotes make the search engine look for that phrase. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/search/?q="Propane leak"&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=or

Traveled down a very rough road today in Alaska. Arrived at camp to discover the Norcold 412 refrigerator was dead. Circuit breaker and fuse fine. Removed inside panel under drawers and determined 120V power plugged securely in. Checked to ensure that there was power going to 120V box, and it was. Only other thing I can think to do is get a multimeter and check power at back of fridge and remove the plastic cover in this same location to scout for any in-line fuses. Any suggestions on what to do?

EDIT 05/10/21: related thread: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3247-how-to-external-solar-dc-power-cable-using-factory-furrion-port/ Some background.... most panels will come with “industry standard” MC4 connectors, which can be used with up to 10 AWG wire and are waterproof. But if you have one disconnected and drop it in the dirt it will fill with crud, so you would need to spray that out with contact cleaner or alcohol. Anderson Powerpoles are used extensively in ham radio and other applications, they are not at all waterproof, but they are self cleaning by design, the spring loaded contacts "wipe" each other when you plug them in. They are more compact and they are color coded. The connectors are goof proof, they cannot be plugged in backwards. For this application the 30 amp bonded pair connectors are appropriate for the wire size. You must use their ratcheting crimper or a version of it. I replaced every existing MC4 connector with the Powerpoles. My 100 watt Renogy solar suitcase came with the PWM controller mounted on a hinged flap, this is perfectly fine if the panel is to be used say 10 feet away, but you cannot place it much further because resistance losses along the wires will reduce the charging voltage at the batteries. The controller reduces the 18 to 20 volt panel voltage to say 14.5 volts, and it is less at the trailer. Ideally the controller should be located RIGHT at the batteries, and the panel itself can be far away. The (almost) full panel voltage is delivered to the controller, and at that point the controller reduces that value to charge your system. How far away you can place it depends on the wire gauge, the bigger the wire, the less voltage drop along the run (you must calculate the two wires as a pair, the "in and back" distance). I happened to have some of these neat MTM in-safe storage boxes, the small size fits beautifully. The price is for three, they also have a 12" long version if you want a little more internal volume). I mounted the controller using long 1/8" pop rivets with washers. I drilled a couple of 3/8" holes at each end so the cables could be fed through and the lid closed. It is not at all waterproof, but it is splash proof. The controller itself is advertised as "rainproof". (Older versions were NOT.) I color coded the connectors with self adhesive heat shrink tubing so that when swapping them it would be clear which was which. I modified my existing Furrion solar port harness (used with my ARB fridge in the truck) by splicing in a short pigtail. The wire is 12 AWG solar cable, for exterior use. It is very tough but not very flexible. In this pic, the solar panel is 20 feet away, and the controller box is tucked up on top of the front tire, for rain protection and so it won't get stepped on. The BAT lead is fully extended (not coiled inside). The charging section for my ARB fridge is coiled up when not needed (or it could be used as an extra 5 foot extension, if the fridge is not being used): Or the box can be placed on the ground: Or connected directly to a battery using the supplied alligator clips. You can add an additional 20 feet of cable, 40 feet total, it doesn't affect the charging amps.: I added strain relief ties to reduce stresses on the screw connections. Everything, including the extension cables, fits in the folded unit. I will hopefully get to test this in a few days, I will be camping in a shady site, if the sun shines I can try it out. John Davies Spokane WA

I expect that would depend on several factors. Are you running any other 120V appliances? Is your fridge pulling from the batteries at the same time? Is it Daytime or Nighttime? Are you getting any replacement from the solar? How Much? A more informative question would be "How long will it take to replace 300 amp-hours if I run my batteries down half way while running my AC?" With really good sun, 400 watts of solar and a quality MPPT charge controller will produce 20 – 24 amps of power per hour on average. Assuming there are 6 hours of sunlight during the day, this would amount to 120 – 140 amp-hours over 24 hours. In the middle of winter or on cloudy days, you might get 3 hours of peak sunlight. This amounts to an output of 60 – 80 amp-hours. You should be able to get the batteries back up to 100% SOC in about 3 days. Here again, this is dependent on the sun and how much energy you pull out during the charging period. A generator would be much quicker.

The lack of a low temp charging cutoff wouldn't deter me from buying this battery. That problem can be easily solved by insulating the battery box, adding a heating mat underneath, or adding a low temp cutoff circuit to your charge controller (if that feature is available). Even if a battery has low temp cutoff built in I'd still have a heating mat under it and insulate the box if I lived or camped in cold weather environments.

I take pics of things I have trouble seeing, and after crawling on the floor to get to the fuse panel, I took a pic for future reference (attached). Yours may have a different layout, but on mine it's the 20A DC fuse #3 that feeds both fans. It actually doesn't matter whether solar, generator or shore power is connected, the DC branch circuits feed off the batteries. Pulling this fuse will remove "all energy" to the fans, no matter what incoming power feeds are connected. This is true of all fuses and breakers, whether it's an automotive DC fuse box, and AC panel in your home or an RV which has the combined AC/DC panel. The only power getting to this fan is through this 12V fused circuit. The only reason to throw a main switch is to disconnect all power, coming from the batteries and any connected sources. This would only be necessary if you need to replace the power panel, add a new run for an appliance, wire a new breaker, or other major electrical surgery!

You need to have a backup generator, at least 1000 watts, a Honda EU1000i is perfect for recharging the batteries for those days when you have no solar at all. You will have to adjust down the Oliver charger settings but can get about 40 -45 amps into your batteries without a problem this way. It should be gasoline powered since it appears that you will never have any propane 😉 or if you get it fixed and it runs out. Honda EU1000i If the Dreo is the model I suggested you can run it in its Eco setting and it won’t use 1500 watts. But don’t run it off the batteries except for a short while. You have to balance your energy consumption with the available energy that recharges the batteries. There is no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to solar systems… John Davies Spokane WA

So.... I only partially emptied the tank, because I took a trip on Saturday. I'll continue to drain it and see how low I can get it. If the tanks have a small bit of water left in them, is that okay for winterization, as long as I fill the lines between ports and tank? ** I only use fresh and gray -- I have composting toilet. @dewdev -- Did it hit you in the face?! @topgun2 I have the Truma Aqua-Go water heater, and I believe I have to use the bypass valve for it, as well, whenever winterizing and also when sanitizing the tanks and lines. I will watch those videos again because I want to be sure I'm doing everything correctly. I do have the optional electric heater / filter for that Truma. Can it run using the solar lithium batteries, if I'm boondocked? Does the Truma WH need to be TURNED ON at the Water Heater AND at the Truma control inside for that heater element to work? I believe it does. My friend has a wild hair to boondock for about 3 weeks in the Black Hills, Yellowstone and Grant Teton beginning after Labor Day; I don't have a generator. I'm hoping that my batteries will last that long, if I'm not using anything else. I can recharge my phone in the TV, and I can use a flashlight if need be. As long as I can keep my Oliver safe, I'm fine with the cold. I brought a down sleeping bag. I'm likely going to drive back to Bismarck to stock up on things for this upcoming journey (parts unknown!) which is the adventure I have been yearning for. Since I'm still without use of propane, I am preparing to winterize, stocking up on drinking water and alternative foodstuff that doesn't need to be kept in the fridge. It's a bit frustrating since I brought a lot of great food to cook, but that's okay. @topgun2 thanks for the advice on 4-6 gallons of AntiFreeze.

Mossemi put me onto a series of audio books by C.J. Box. The main character is a Wyoming Game Warden by the name of Joe Pickett. These are easy listening and if you have ever spent time in and around the Buffalo, WY area you will recognize a number of the places. I've tried to listen to these books in order but there really is no need to do that - each can stand on its own. Bill

Solved that issue by buying mainly box wine. Unlike the old days, there are some decent box wines out there. But, my main criteria for wine is 1) does it taste good to me? And 2) does it trigger allergies? We removed our microwave years ago when it died from lack of use, I think. With your extensive outdoor cooking setup, you'll probably never miss it. We love the additional pantry space in our little Elite. I say, whatever works for you. Several ideas in this thread, from folks who converted.

Fifteen plus years ago when I bought our Yamaha generator to accompany us on our travels, I wanted a way to secure it in the basket. I had a vinyl covered cable with looped ends that perfectly fit around the generator and the basket twice. I secured the ends together with a puck lock. I now keep the lock on the top of the generator under the cover to protect it from road grime and the weather. It also makes it much easier to get to when I want to unlock it (about once a year to change the oil.) This has worked all these years as I still have the generator. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the generator weighs in at about 165 pounds, so it'll take a big ole girl to steal it.

Patriot, I hope that I don’t have a theft issue either! It was under a tarp for five years which could have been removed easily with a pocket knife. I did have a strong cable and lock but, as far as I know no one ever peaked under the tarp to find out. Yes, I have thought about a heavy hasp (probably home made) to tie the lid to the box. Still thinking about that. Then again no one knows what is in the box and weather it’s even worth the hassle to find out. Added locks gives the impression that there is something important in the box. Who knows?

In our experience of 15 years with the ollie, using solar as our primary choice of charging, but using a genset when we have a string of crappy days, I'll offer this: We use the generator (in our case, 2008 Elite I with only two agm 105 ah 12v batteries) in the morning hours, when most depleted, so the genset is charging in "boost" or "bulk"mode, most efficient for the gas running the generator. Once the on-board controller throttles back to "absorption", and definitely if we take a walk and its in "float", if weather is halfway decent, we shut down the generator and let the silent and efficient solar panels finish the job. The next modes step down, and solar works fine. Actually, better than a genset, at low amp charging. (Side note: if we have to charge a tool battery or something else, we'll do that while the generator is running.) This has worked extremely well for us. A few notes: we have no microwave. We have no inverter. We camp, not rv. We do have an electric dc fridge. But, the principles would be the same. If you use a lot more amps (microwave, toaster oven, electric coffee pot, etc) you may need to run a generator at night, for a bit, as well, even with lithium. The cool thing about lithium batteries is that they actually "like" the middle charge range. Agms want to be topped off every day. Lithium doesn't need that. You'll find your sweet spots, whichever batteries you have. With agms, I try to not go below +/- 75% charge, as I know that extends the life of my (arguably expensive) batteries. With lithium, I'd be ok going down to ten or 15 per cent , but I'd try to keep them in the mid range (30 to 85)

Q - How long would it take a 2000 watt generator to recharge 390 amp hour battery? A - The time it would take a 2000 watt generator to recharge a 390 ampere hour (Ah) battery depends on several factors, such as the charging efficiency, the condition of the battery, and the charging rate. Assuming a charging efficiency of around 80%, which is a reasonable estimate for most lead-acid batteries, we can calculate the charging time using the following formula: Charging time = Battery capacity (Ah) / (Charging rate (A) x Charging efficiency) To determine the charging rate, we need to convert the generator's wattage to amperage, using the formula: Charging rate (A) = Charging power (W) / Charging voltage (V) For a typical 12-volt lead-acid battery, the charging voltage is around 14.4 volts. Thus, the charging rate of a 2000 watt generator would be: Charging rate (A) = 2000 W / 14.4 V = 138.9 A Plugging in the values, we get: Charging time = 390 Ah / (138.9 A x 0.8) = 3.5 hours Therefore, it would take approximately 3.5 hours, or 210 minutes, for a 2000 watt generator to fully recharge a 390 Ah battery, assuming optimal conditions and a charging efficiency of 80%. However, in real-world situations, the actual charging time may vary depending on factors such as the temperature, the state of charge of the battery, and the type of battery chemistry.

We've been bringing this stuff along ever since our trip from NM to Key West in 2018. We were staying a few nights in Grassy Key and the flying/biting bugs were awful - they gravitate toward me more than D, so I was already enjoying a couple weeks-worth of lumps. HA! Bought a couple cheapo box fans from WalMart and set them up on our "patio" to sit in front of... A local couple came by and said they liked our fan arrangement but to get some "Bug Soother" - so we did. For us it works great and we've got at least a couple spray bottles living in the bathroom overhead storage. D buys it by the gallon from Amazon... Haven't tried it in Alaska yet, seems like the go-to stuff up there is a high percentage DEET spray! Ugh...

Honda just released a new 3200watt (26.6 ) amp generator. It is in the same format of the EU 2200i. It will fit under a tonneau cover an should also fit in the front basket. I haven’t measure the basket yet thought. 60 pounds, fuel injection, and all of the same features of the EU2200. It is a little expensive at list price $2999, the 2200 main and companion together are about $500 cheaper than the 3200. If I hadn’t just bought the EU2200i main and companion I would really consider this because of the space savings and one less generator to maintain. The 2 Eu2200i are 4400 watts or 36.6 amps vs 26.6 amps of the 3200

Concur w/@SeaDawg: we've been using the Ecotemp at our dry cabin in CO near Mogote since 2008 - our's runs on a pack of D-cell batts, you definitely need to remove them as a part of your winterizing checklist. We built a vented plywood box and mounted it on the cabin for outside showers - 100's of showers, indeed! Good product for sure.

I tried the heat gun idea, but it didn’t give enough clearance. That extra material has to go away completely. The Honda generator has a very large vented gas gap that needs all the height clearance possible. I ended up cutting away the inside top wall of the lid in one corner and that just barely gives enough height clearance for the generator gas cap. The generator handle fits between the ribs on the lid since the generator is offset to one side of the Action Packer (see photo in the original first post above). Now the lid does fit and latch closed. The outer lid surface remains intact.

I'm confused. You do realize that without the neutral-ground bonding plug installed, neither of these can run since there will be NO generator supplied 120V getting past the EMS in your trailer? The plug does not change the amount of current coming in, but allows the EMS to accept the electricity in a configuration that it expects and will accept. The microwave and air conditioner are never going to run at the same time off a 2000 watt generator no matter what you add. I've never tried, but I doubt they would run together with my Yamaha 3000 watt.

This is a great subject. I never thought about how long the AC would run just on lithium. It kind of changed my mind about cost for lithium vs AGM. My wife and I do not have a Oliver yet. We have a Casita and we have been talking about upgrading. We carry a propane 2000 watt generator. It runs 16 hours. Our AC has a soft start so no issues running. We live on the east coast and very rarely need the Generator. We spent one summer on the road in 2020. We plan to head to Alaska and Canada one summer. Would love to have a Oliver by then.

@mountainoliver I like the way you secured the aluminum box to the Oliver frame it appears very robust vs self tapping screws. How do you plan to secure your generator when in use? Can you post up a few photos of your gen inside the box when not in use? Thanks! Patriot🇺🇸