Batteries not charging

[Roger]

My camper has a 3000 Watt Inverter and the Lithium Pro Package.  Right after a camping trip last November I noticed my batteries were not charging on shore power at home.  I discussed the issue with Oliver and they recommended I take it to a shop and have the surge protector examined.  Rather than take it to a local dealer. I setup an appointment at Hohenwald (it's only a 5-hour drive for me).  Yesterday I went to Oliver and they worked on the issue. At first Oliver thought it was the inverter which they replaced.  However, this did not fix the issue. They then re-checked the surge protector and found the wire from the EMS to the breaker panel burnt as well as a burnt connector. They put my old inverter back in and replaced the surge protector and the batteries now charge.   The work was done quickly, professionally and I was charged for only what was actually needed. While it was there I had them fix a couple of other small issues and grease my fittings.  

This is my second trip to Hohenwald for work on the camper since it bought it new. I am very happy that we can still go to Oliver for work and really appreciate that we can set an appointment and reasonably expect the work to be done timely, and well.  It was nice to be able to drive up Sunday, drop off the trailer Monday morning and then drive back home Monday night with the trailer. 

[katanapilot]

Glad you were able to get your issues fixed.  However, this is yet another report of burned wires in the AC power system on these trailers, which is very concerning to me.  Seems more like a QC issue at the factory than anything else.

Also, one would think they would do a little more troubleshooting before throwing parts at the issue.  Finding a bad connection/burned wire should be relatively straightforward versus replacing an inverter.  It's reports like this (and very similar ones from car dealers) that make me very wary of repair shops.  They start R&R of expensive parts before doing any real troubleshooting. 

[Patriot]

@Roger 

Great report. I have always had an excellent experience at the Mothership, glad you did as well. 

Safe Travels! 

[jd1923]

6 hours ago, katanapilot said:

...this is yet another report of burned wires in the AC power system on these trailers, which is very concerning to me.  Seems more like a QC issue at the factory than anything else...

I agree to a point, yet this ISSUE is NOT a QC issue of the component manufactured by Progressive Industries. It is actually a QC issue of OTT the installer/trailer manufacturer. I promise you!

Over the last 18 months, I have rebuilt EVERY electrical and mechanical system in our older hull. I have 50 years experience in automotive repair and accessory installations, mechanic and electrical work in restaurant systems and residential construction. This is poor quality in the installation of OEM and aftermarket accessories by OTT.

I have found that OTT is relatively lax in their product installations.  Very good at fiberglass manufacturing but much less capable in accessory installation. It's always difficult to get good help! I have found breakers installed in the wrong direction (yes, they have designated source and load side), I have found bad crimps and multiple crimps along a path where a direct run could have been achieved. Awful installation of furnace duct work, bad grounds, etc.

OMG, how many Truma issues have been documented in this forum? Is it the Truma product or is it the installation. The list goes on... They installed a basic 110V receptacle in the attic of our trailer. Did they cut a properly sized rectangle opening with square corners, no far from it! I have showed this awful picture in another thread.

If I was ever to order an Oliver brand new (not happenin' in our lifetime) I would order one with absolutely NO options and install everything myself. This is the state-of-the-art with OTT manufacturing. BTW, our older hull has so far lesser issues as compared to the many I read here with newer hulls. The difference is you with newer hulls have warranties, given you are nearby and have the time to travel to Hohenwald.

Back to the issue at hand...
The PI EMS is a simple device, but often fails due to improper installation (lug nuts not tightened adequately upon installation, nor retorqued later after some travel). There is an incoming feed (shore power after the ATS), three wires (hot, neutral and ground) on both sides, in and out. Wires fail when connections are not sound!!! It is the installation!

Our older hull came without an EMS. I installed this one which is the same part OTT uses as OEM. I advise you to open the EMS (6 small Phillips screws to remove the cover). Inspect all the wires (looking good? insulation intact with good bright colors?). Then tighten ALL 6 connections (grounds too). That is all that is necessary. If you find a lose connection, that would later produce a burnt wire. It's just that simple. You're welcome and best wishes, JD

Edited January 8 by jd1923

[FloraFauna]

10 hours ago, jd1923 said:

I agree to a point, yet this ISSUE is NOT a QC issue of the component manufactured by Progressive Industries. It is actually a QC issue of OTT the installer/trailer manufacturer. I promise you!

Over the last 18 months, I have rebuilt EVERY electrical and mechanical system in our older hull. I have 50 years experience in automotive repair and accessory installations, mechanic and electrical work in restaurant systems and residential construction. This is poor quality in the installation of OEM and aftermarket accessories by OTT.

I have found that OTT is relatively lax in their product installations.  Very good at fiberglass manufacturing but much less capable in accessory installation. It's always difficult to get good help! I have found breakers installed in the wrong direction (yes, they have designated source and load side), I have found bad crimps and multiple crimps along a path where a direct run could have been achieved. Awful installation of furnace duct work, bad grounds, etc.

OMG, how many Truma issues have been documented in this forum? Is it the Truma product or is it the installation. The list goes on... They installed a basic 110V receptacle in the attic of our trailer. Did they cut a properly sized rectangle opening with square corners, no far from it! I have showed this awful picture in another thread.

If I was ever to order an Oliver brand new (not happenin' in our lifetime) I would order one with absolutely NO options and install everything myself. This is the state-of-the-art with OTT manufacturing. BTW, our older hull has so far lesser issues as compared to the many I read here with newer hulls. The difference is you with newer hulls have warranties, given you are nearby and have the time to travel to Hohenwald.

Back to the issue at hand...
The PI EMS is a simple device, but often fails due to improper installation (lug nuts not tightened adequately upon installation, nor retorqued later after some travel). There is an incoming feed (shore power after the ATS), three wires (hot, neutral and ground) on both sides, in and out. Wires fail when connections are not sound!!! It is the installation!

Our older hull came without an EMS. I installed this one which is the same part OTT uses as OEM. I advise you to open the EMS (6 small Phillips screws to remove the cover). Inspect all the wires (looking good? insulation intact with good bright colors?). Then tighten ALL 6 connections (grounds too). That is all that is necessary. If you find a lose connection, that would later produce a burnt wire. It's just that simple. You're welcome and best wishes, JD

 

I had several electrical issues that were resolved under warranty at a local repair shop. In all cases, it "appeared" it was not the component but the OTT installation of the component. OTT honored the warranty and was very cooperative along with the component manufacturers (Truma AC and the inverter folks) in resolving the issues. But I learned just because electrical items work at trailer delivery does not mean they are right or will continue working.  I hope my electrical issues are all resolved especially because I am now out of warranty, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are not.  I too have noticed how crudely and unrefined the cutouts in the interior hull are for some of the components - glad it's not just my trailer, I guess and we can all share the aesthetic.  Unlike JD, I don't have the time, skills or interest to do all of my own electrical work on this or a stripped-down trailer.  As it is, I just wish I had more time to camp and cooperative weather to go with. Finally, although I managed to resolve these issues with Oliver's generous help locally (and the shop did a fine job), I feel it is critically important to have the Mother Ship as a backup and intend to have them do overall maintenance of the trailer every few years to supplement my own.  No local shop (especially one that is not a dealer) is going to know the Oliver trailer and systems weak points as well as Oliver.  

[Rivernerd]

12 hours ago, jd1923 said:

I agree to a point, yet this ISSUE is NOT a QC issue of the component manufactured by Progressive Industries. It is actually a QC issue of OTT the installer/trailer manufacturer.

This is consistent with my experience as well.  Oliver's factory quality control could be significantly improved, although review of comments on other RV forums suggests it is still much better than its competitors, including Airstream. 

What sets Oliver apart even more is its top-notch Service Department run by Jason Essary.  Jason and his staff spend much of their time correcting mistakes made, and dare I say sloppy work by, workers at the factory.

That is the reason I had an inspection list nearly 100 items long when we picked up our Hull #1291 in 2022.  My inspection, and initial "shakedown," revealed only a couple of issues that were corrected by the Service Department before we towed our Elite II from Hohenwald back to Idaho.

12 hours ago, jd1923 said:

(lug nuts not tightened adequately upon installation, nor retorqued later after some travel).

Thanks for the reminder to retorque electrical connections after the trailer has been towed a while.  The electrical connections in our "homes on wheels" surely get rattled loose more than those in our homes.
 

[katanapilot]

13 hours ago, jd1923 said:

I agree to a point, yet this ISSUE is NOT a QC issue of the component manufactured by Progressive Industries. It is actually a QC issue of OTT the installer/trailer manufacturer. I promise you!

Over the last 18 months, I have rebuilt EVERY electrical and mechanical system in our older hull. I have 50 years experience in automotive repair and accessory installations, mechanic and electrical work in restaurant systems and residential construction. This is poor quality in the installation of OEM and aftermarket accessories by OTT.

I have found that OTT is relatively lax in their product installations.  Very good at fiberglass manufacturing but much less capable in accessory installation. It's always difficult to get good help! I have found breakers installed in the wrong direction (yes, they have designated source and load side), I have found bad crimps and multiple crimps along a path where a direct run could have been achieved. Awful installation of furnace duct work, bad grounds, etc.

OMG, how many Truma issues have been documented in this forum? Is it the Truma product or is it the installation. The list goes on... They installed a basic 110V receptacle in the attic of our trailer. Did they cut a properly sized rectangle opening with square corners, no far from it! I have showed this awful picture in another thread.

If I was ever to order an Oliver brand new (not happenin' in our lifetime) I would order one with absolutely NO options and install everything myself. This is the state-of-the-art with OTT manufacturing. BTW, our older hull has so far lesser issues as compared to the many I read here with newer hulls. The difference is you with newer hulls have warranties, given you are nearby and have the time to travel to Hohenwald.

Back to the issue at hand...
The PI EMS is a simple device, but often fails due to improper installation (lug nuts not tightened adequately upon installation, nor retorqued later after some travel). There is an incoming feed (shore power after the ATS), three wires (hot, neutral and ground) on both sides, in and out. Wires fail when connections are not sound!!! It is the installation!

Our older hull came without an EMS. I installed this one which is the same part OTT uses as OEM. I advise you to open the EMS (6 small Phillips screws to remove the cover). Inspect all the wires (looking good? insulation intact with good bright colors?). Then tighten ALL 6 connections (grounds too). That is all that is necessary. If you find a lose connection, that would later produce a burnt wire. It's just that simple. You're welcome and best wishes, JD

I didn't say the issue was with Progressive Industries.  OTT wires the trailers and connects the components.  It's issues with these connections that have been reported here multiple times.  That being said, there are component level issues as well - some due to failures of the components themselves, some due to improper installation. I stand by my comment of less than stellar QC "at the factory".

Edited January 8 by katanapilot
added clarifying text

[ScubaRx]

We are all going down the road towing an earthquake through a hurricane. No screw ever gets tighter with vibration, it always loosens. I go completely through our Hull #50 at least once a year and check all bolts and screws for tightness, especially the electrical connections. I’ve preached this for several years on multiple platforms. You can’t blame a manufacturer for a loose screw on a a product  that you’ve used successfully for years. The impetus is on us to maintain the product through regular inspections and maintenance.

 

Edited January 10 by ScubaRx

[John Dorrer]

44 minutes ago, ScubaRx said:

We are all going down the road towing an earthquake through a hurricane. No screw ever gets tighter with vibration, it always loosens. I go completely through our Hull #50 at least once a year and check all bolts and screws for tightness, especially the electrical connections. I’ve preached this for several years on multiple platforms. You can’t blame a manufacturer for a loose screw on a a product  that you’ve used successfully for years. The impetus is on us to maintain the product through regular inspections and maintenance. No

Well Stated👍

[jd1923]

11 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

We are all going down the road towing an earthquake through a hurricane. No screw ever gets tighter with vibration, it always loosens. I go completely through our Hull #50 at least once a year and check all bolts and screws for tightness, especially the electrical connections. I’ve preached this for several years on multiple platforms. You can’t blame a manufacturer for a loose screw on a a product  that you’ve used successfully for years. The impetus is on us to maintain the product through regular inspections and maintenance. No

I agree with this completely but not all defects we see fall into this category. This does not explain the circuit breaker wired in the wrong direction, not the lazy cutout opening for an outlet. I would not be proud of this level of effort (two pics).

We have the fresh tank defect, the water pump pulling air when FWT is still half full. This was a design and production issue for OTT on some older hulls. They should have communicated a recall, but did not and instead kept it hush-hush. Years ago they would fix it at no cost, but ONLY when the owner realized the situation and drove down to OTT Hohenwald for a scheduled appointment. Our Hull, a 2016 model, was returned to OTT for service in 2018 and again in 2020. Prior owners likely only camped at campsites with full hookups. Perhaps they did not know of the defect and had not asked for the repair. OTT knew or they could have checked and had it fixed years ago. 

I entered a service ticket on this last year and OTT Service would not help me. I asked for the repair parts to get it done locally, and the answer was NO. They could not even confirm that if I drove 2200 miles to Hohenwald that they could fix it! My short-term fix is a 35-gal FWT in the bed of our TV! We refill the FWT every 18 gallons and with the extra tank we have 3 x 18 gallons, for 54 total.

When y'all who do a regular pilgrimage to OTT for service... Do you think OTT will remove the cover of your EMS and tighten the lugs? 🤣

 

Edited January 9 by jd1923

[topgun2]

@jd1923

There are a number of inaccurate statements in your post above.  Specifically, please refer to any number of prior posts here on the Forum regarding the issues and whole story (to include Oliver's involvement ((or lack thereof))) relative to the fresh water tank issue.  Hopefully a review of the entire situation will help with your (and/or anyone's) concerns in this regard.

March 13, 2018

October 26, 2017

May 5, 2024

Note your participation in this May 5th, 2024 thread.

With regards to the "cutouts".  I believe that it was sometime in 2018 when Oliver "standardized" their wiring for all Oliver Travel Trailers.  Prior to that - for both your Oliver and my Oliver a certified electrical tech was hired to do the wiring on each trailer.  Since there were more than one tech (I've been told that there were as many as three at any given time) and since it is doubtful any of these tech had specific RV experience, the wiring and connected "cutouts" were dramatically different from one trailer to the next.  Yes, perhaps Oliver should have had a QC person go back and check each tech's work.  But, it is fairly obvious that Oliver didn't believe this was necessary given that the tech's were "certified".  Once the "cutouts" were "hidden" by cover plates the only way they could be seen would be to take things apart - as you and many of us have done.  Same thing (I believe) applies to the circuit breaker issue you mention.

While not "perfect" my Oliver continues to serve me extremely well after ten years.  If I had not purchased an Oliver I would be on my second or third RV by now and still dealing with trying to make those things into an Oliver.  Yes, it is frustrating to deal with someone's carelessness and/or lack of proper technique/skill but it is a fact of life and Oliver through its own quality control system tends to limit most issues of this nature.

Finally, From my experience, Oliver has always bent over backwards in helping many owners correct any issues with the trailer.  And this extends well beyond what the stated warranty period may reflect.

Bill  

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

There are a number of inaccurate statements in your post above...

Note your participation in this May 5th, 2024 thread...

From my experience, Oliver has always bent over backwards in helping...

Not for me. I have entered 3 service tickets in the last 18 months and not a one turned into a definitive or helpful answer. Yes, I did comment on the May 2024 thread. There is no solution for me there. I will read the older threads, thank you.

I asked for installation instructions, the OTT service rep said there are none. I asked for suggested location of the spin weld, he didn't know. Why did they not document the past repairs they made? I asked for repair parts, no "it depends on the tools used" was the answer. I asked can they do the work if I drive to Hohenwald, he would not promise this. It seemed like they no longer have the inhouse capability. PM me if you want the name of the OTT service rep. I also have several related emails.

Am I being inaccurate is showing pictures of shoddy work? Our roof looks pretty good now after 20+ hours of my labor. Wish they had never violated it.

Lastly, take a look at the dates of the earlier posts you cited. This proves OTT new of the issue as far back as 2017. What is their excuse for not fixing hull #113 in April 2018 when it was there for other service? Or 2020 when it was there once again. Oh yeah, I read here they do not keep service data by hull numbers (a basic first step in tracking defects for quality control). And a manufacturer cannot blame poor quality on subs as you have suggested. Has quality improved through the years? This cannot be determined, without tracking defects and service by hull number, but I sure have read many, MANY posts re issues on hull #s 1200 and above!

We love our Oliver too! (Now that I have 600 hours into getting her right!) Sorry, but my posts are accurate, though maybe not always appreciated.

[Mike and Carol]

Some historical perspective might be useful in the discussion of standardization of the early trailers.  Those of us who ordered our trailers in 2015 recall that a small number of trailers were being made by a small group of workers.  The production of trailers had just started back up after being shut down for a number of years.  Most trailers were ordered by the future owner, with different features and options.  It was common to call and request installation of a desired accessory or to change the installation of something else.  You could call and ask that electrical outlets be moved or added here and there.  Oliver was trying their best to accommodate buyer desires and requirements which resulted in some “one off” work and installs and prevented the standardization that is being discussed today.  Mike

[Teaney Hull 292]

On 1/8/2025 at 12:06 PM, Rivernerd said:

This is consistent with my experience as well.  Oliver's factory quality control could be significantly improved, although review of comments on other RV forums suggests it is still much better than its competitors, including Airstream. 

What sets Oliver apart even more is its top-notch Service Department run by Jason Essary.  Jason and his staff spend much of their time correcting mistakes made, and dare I say sloppy work by, workers at the factory.

That is the reason I had an inspection list nearly 100 items long when we picked up our Hull #1291 in 2022.  My inspection, and initial "shakedown," revealed only a couple of issues that were corrected by the Service Department before we towed our Elite II from Hohenwald back to Idaho.

Thanks for the reminder to retorque electrical connections after the trailer has been towed a while.  The electrical connections in our "homes on wheels" surely get rattled loose more than those in our homes.
 

Would love to get a copy of your 100 item inspection list. Gary 727 224 2754 Hull 292 bought in Dec 2024

[katanapilot]

On 1/8/2025 at 1:39 PM, ScubaRx said:

We are all going down the road towing an earthquake through a hurricane. No screw ever gets tighter with vibration, it always loosens. I go completely through our Hull #50 at least once a year and check all bolts and screws for tightness, especially the electrical connections. I’ve preached this for several years on multiple platforms. You can’t blame a manufacturer for a loose screw on a a product  that you’ve used successfully for years. The impetus is on us to maintain the product through regular inspections and maintenance.

 

Without a doubt.  However, our trailers are (or should be) designed and manufactured for how they are used.  A few lockwashers and/or threadlocker installed where needed and connections torqued to their proper value would mitigate some, if not most, of these issues. 

Apologies for being too lazy to research - but does Oliver suggest in their manuals for owners to retorque electrical connections periodically during ownership?

[FloraFauna]

On 1/8/2025 at 12:39 PM, ScubaRx said:

We are all going down the road towing an earthquake through a hurricane. No screw ever gets tighter with vibration, it always loosens. I go completely through our Hull #50 at least once a year and check all bolts and screws for tightness, especially the electrical connections. I’ve preached this for several years on multiple platforms. You can’t blame a manufacturer for a loose screw on a a product  that you’ve used successfully for years. The impetus is on us to maintain the product through regular inspections and maintenance.

 

Just to be clear, my wiring issues above were not loose nuts or any other maintenance issue.  They were a result of component installation at the factory.  I love my Oliver trailer, it has generally performed well, and the service department is wonderful.