Introduction and Options

[AW1985]

Hello!

 

My wife and I are planning to order/purchase an Oliver Elite II in December.  I am currently in the military, and we are planning on using the Oliver when I retire in 5 years to travel extensively.   We are currently in Alaska, and plan on pulling it up here this coming spring/summer.

 

We chose the Oliver due to the quality and craftsmanship, and we wanted something that would last 5 years of station changes, Alaska, and then a year or two of touring after retirement.  The normal trailers weren't cutting it in the quality department.  We initially decided on an Airstream, but they did not fare well on reviews of dirt roads, durability, etc.  We are mainly looking at the boondocking and off the grid camping in remote locations, and the Oliver seems to do well with this.

 

When we order we are pretty set on the following options:

 

Solar:                                        2800.00

 

30 Amp Connection:             499.00

 

Fiber Granite:                         1800.00

 

Shower track:                          229.00

 

Anderson Hitch:                    700.00

 

Tank-less Water Heater:      1299.00

 

Electronic Key Pad:               395.00

 

Micro-Air Easy Start:             395.00

 

Sani-Con:                                799.00

 

Which options would you choose or cancel if you could do it again?

 

Appreciate all information thus far!

 

 

 

-ALEX

[KarenLukens]

Hi Alex!

 

Welcome to the family :)

 

As far as Solar, I would get it prewired for the Blue Sky and spend the extra money on that system adding as many pannels extra that Oliver allows. The Zamp is a low budget $1100 system that doesn't cut it for me personally and there's no way it's worth over $1800 installed. They're definitely screwing the pooch with their $2800.00 price tag on that run of the mill low budget solar system...

 

I would definitely get the battery upgrade to 4 batteries of your choice and have them put the auxiliary solar plug in on the curb side if it's possible. Propane upgrade, extra port on the back, and see if they offer a propane regulator upgrade because the stock one's howel when you're using outside accessories.

 

I've heard that a lot of options are now standard and that's good :)

 

Reed

 

Edit- You should also get the inverter, this is probably the wife's most used option. We use the batteries when we can to run an induction burner or cooktop when cooking and this really saves on the propane that we basically use for hot water and heat when needed. We boondock most of the time, so saving on propane is a good thing. The 30amp front connection that you have listed is also something that we have to use quite a bit because we got stuck with the Zamp Solar and it doesn't keep up, even at the beach, so last night, I had to charge the trailer with the generator again... The nice thing about the front port is that Oliver also gives you a short 3' x 30amp twistlock cord for it, so hooking up the generator is easy.

 

Another option that hasn't been talked about is the choice of flushing the toilet with gray water, it's something that would be worth while to ask about. We love the Dometic toilet and being able to flush it with gray water would be a great option, if they will do it. We shower and do everything in our trailer and the listed curtain rod option works well as a grab bar when standing or sturdying yourself in the shower. I would not bother with a wrap around curtain, it's just not needed. We don't have a curtain on the shower rod, we use it for hanging wet towels and clothes. No water gets behind the toilet when showering.

 

Also, you should look into rear cameras, there are better options available and it's nice to see who is behind you at all times when driving.

 

Another option that isn't mentioned is, it would be nice to have a light on the front that can be turned on from inside, and it would also be nice to have one of the outside LED lights in the storage compartment, facing the back, so that you can actually see to the back of the compartment because the one that comes stock just points down and shines no light to the back at all, so I have a flashlight sitting there that gets used every day... Personally, I would also get the rear rack holder and set it up to hold chairs, bikes, etc...

 

If I think of anything else, I'll be back :)

 

Reed

 

 

[Mike and Carol]

Alex, welcome!  I retired from the Army 11 years ago after doing 30, then did 10 more civil service in basically the same job here at Fort Sam Houston.

 

We didn’t have as many options to choose from when we ordered in 2015. Here are my thoughts:  we got the solar, fiber granite, and Andersen and are happy with all.  Ours is the Blue Sky solar.  Some owners like the current Zamp install and some don’t.

 

Tankless Hot water wasn’t available and we’re happy with the standard tank. Shower track wasn’t available and I don’t think we’d get it - we just squeegee after showering and wipe what’s left with a microfiber.

 

Not sure what 30 amp connection is - surge protector?  We have an external one that plugs into the pedestal.

 

Keyless entry and easy start weren’t available.  I’m getting the easy start installed next week while we’re in Hohenwald and will probably do the keyless entry myself.

 

We got the cell booster and use it quite a bit.  We’re happy with the larger propane tanks and extra batteries.  We also got a propane quick connect in the front that I use for our Weber Q.

 

Overall, we’re very happy with our Oliver. We’ve got about 20K miles so far, leaving Wednesday for 3 weeks!

 

Mike

[donthompson]

Alex,

 

I ordered my Elite II in October 2015 and picked it up at the factory in March 2016.  The map below shows where I've traveled with the Ollie.  I've towed it over 14,000 miles.  As Mike mentioned above, many of the options I opted for in 2015 are now standard.

 

Here are the options that remain options that I am very glad I ordered:  320-watt solar package with the 200-watt inverter.  Add the 4 AGM 6 volt batteries and you have a very good boondocking camper.  These are essential options for the type of camping I like to do.  I also like having the wireless backup camera because I'm a solo camper until my wife retires.  The 30 lb propane tank upgrade has been well worth the cost.  I left Iowa in mid-January last year for a lengthy camping trip to Bib Bend NP, etc., and having the larger propane tanks gave me many extra days of heat during the winter camping months.  I also like the storage basket on the front.  You don't want to add much weight to the rear of the camper.  I use the storage basket to transport my Weber Q1000 grill. I recently replaced the standard toilet with a composting toilet.  If you like to boondock, this is an important option.  You save the fresh water you would use to flush the toilet and you never have to empty a black tank.  You can empty the black tank using a garden hose in many places in the west.

 

I have options I could easily live without:  the cell phone and wifi boosters.  I absolutely wouldn't order the wifi booster again.  The only time I've used it is in commercial campgrounds where the wifi is so bad that I use my cell phone hotspot again.  The cell phone booster is marginally more useful, but if I was looking to cut costs, I'd eliminate it.  I've never used my front and rear propane quick connects. I wouldn't order these again.  I have an extra awning.  It's nice to have, but I haven't used it very often.

 

Of the options you've listed that I haven't addressed, here's what I think.  Recognize that we all approach things a little differently and what may not be important to me very well could be to you.  I agree with the fiber-granite option-I have it and I think it's worth the money.  I wouldn't want the Easy-Start or the 30-amp Convenience Connection because I hate camping where I need the A/C and avoid that kind of weather.  I've only had the A/C on a couple of times and it drove me to pack up and head for higher ground.

 

I have the standard water heater and it works very well.  I wouldn't spend the extra $$ for the tankless heater.  I wouldn't put the shower rod in.  The wet bath is small and adding anything to it is a mistake in my opinion.  I use the shower in the camper infrequently.  I use showers in campgrounds when available and the outdoor shower when boondocking and away from other people.

 

I don't think I'd spend the money on the electric keypad entry unless it made the camper more secure.  I don't know enough about this to make a judgment on its effect on security.

 

There are many different opinions on the Andersen hitch.  I didn't have a choice.  I can't use a weight equalizing hitch with my tow vehicle.  I've been very happy with the standard bulldog hitch and have had no issues with sway, etc.

 

Welcome to the Oliver owners' family.  I think you've made a good choice and I envy your location--camping in Alaska should be great in an Elite II!

 

Don

[AW1985]

Thank you so much for everyone that has posted thus far.  THIS is the reason we chose the Oliver.  The support community is bar none, and I've been lurking for a while.

 

One thing two of you suggested was losing the tankless hot water heater.  They told me it was a popular upgrade.  Can anyone elaborate on the reason?

 

Don, I like your point about different things being more and less important to each individual.  That being said, I do like to hear what makes things easier or more difficult for some.  Already it sounds like I will be adding the propane quick connect and the 30LB upgrade.  Do you have the current Zamp Solar setup?  It reads like you do, and you seem happy with it?

 

I should have prefaced the introduction with my idea of boon docking.  My wife and I are looking for about a week of boon-docking at a time, and will have a 30 gallon external tank for water, and a Honda EU2000i.  My plan was to run one Honda during cloudy days as needed, and AC as needed as well (thus the Micro-Air Easy Start).  My understanding is that the EU2000i will run the AC with this option, and without I would need two EU2000is in series.

 

The solar thing is confusing me.  Can I not get the Blue Sky now?  It reads like Zamp is the current setup.  I am not an electrician, and wiring makes me nervous especially on such a high priced item.

 

 

 

Mike thank you for your service!  We have the same grill, and I think you sold me on the quick connects.

 

THANK YOU all for your quick responses.

 

-Alex

[STEVEnBETTY]

Hi Alex,  welcome!  In my opinion the standard hot water heater is fine, it's simple, straight forward, and it works! We've never run out of hot water ( especially when boondocking) and if it breaks parts are readily available.

 

The zamp solar is Oliver's system of choice, if you read back through prior posts you'll find that the owners with the blue sky system are happy with it,but it can be very complicated to set up and operate. We have the zamp system and I'm happy with it, the longest we have went without power (boondocking) is 8 consecutive days and the zamp system had our batteries (agm) fully charged at the end of every day, full disclosure; we were in full sun and it was sunny every day. My wife did engage the inverter to make toast with an electric toaster, and cook dinner with the microwave. We are pretty conservative with power and it works for us.

 

The easy start does work as advertised, we run our ac with a 2000 watt Honda generator.

 

Good luck with your choices, it's a fun process, and I think you will be happy with the results!

[KarenLukens]

 

One thing two of you suggested was losing the tankless hot water heater. They told me it was a popular upgrade. Can anyone elaborate on the reason?

 

My wife and I are looking for about a week of boon-docking at a time, and will have a 30 gallon external tank for water, and a Honda EU2000i. My plan was to run one Honda during cloudy days as needed...

 

The solar thing is confusing me. Can I not get the Blue Sky now? It reads like Zamp is the current setup.

 

I am not an electrician, and wiring makes me nervous especially on such a high priced item. Mike thank you for your service! We have the same grill, and I think you sold me on the quick connects. THANK YOU all for your quick responses. -Alex

 

The guys that say you don't need the tank less water heater are correct, you don't need it but... For boondocking, you can't beat the Truma tankless heater because you are only heating water as you need it, so your not being forced to heat 6 gallons when you only need 1/2 a gallon to wash dishes, yet both you and your wife can shower immediately, one after the other without the second person getting a cold shower half way thru. Yes, it's an expensive option but we'll worth it, when hooked up to sewer, you can take the endless shower and never worry about running out of hot water. I've had 4 of the 6 gallon Suburban water heaters in the past 30 years and I bought the Truma because having an endless supply of hot water at your fingertips, exactly the amount of hot water that you will need, does not compare in the least, in any way to the 6 gallon Suburban that these guys have in their trailers. Are you buying a $65,000.00+ Oliver just to cheap out on the water heater? No! Ask all of the guys who say that you don't need it, if they have ever had one in an RV in the past... I've been there, I've had both, and I won't go back to the 6 gallon tank ever! The Truma pays for itself in quality time, you don't need to ever wait for hot water.

 

 

The Zamp is the main system that Oliver offers but I have heard that you can get the Blue Sky as an option now. Either way, it's going to be tough up there with Solar and cheapening down to the Zamp just won't cut it in Alaska even on the Solstice, cloudy days take top notch Solar Systems and you would be better off with no solar and using your generator, then going with the Zamp, it's not good enough, plus you're going to need a 480watt system up there. I have the 320 plus another 100 and it's still marginal. If Oliver just offers the Zamp, then I would buy Solar elsewhere because it's overpriced garbage... You will be better off just running your generator for an hour or so every day and keeping the batteries charged up that way.

 

My ex was Army and we spent 4 years at Ft Rich/ Elmendorf from 83 to 87 and loved it. I would make some calls around Anchorage, Palmer or Fairbanks if youre up there, about Alaskan Solar Systems and see what the companies up there recommend, and also ask them for their opinion on Zamp... I'm sure you will get the same style answer as mine :)

 

Reed

 

 

[donthompson]

Alex,

 

I have the Blue Sky so I can't comment on how the Zamp compares.  Reed is very knowledgeable and I respect his opinion on the Zamp.  He also makes good points in favor of the Truma tankless water heater.  If and when my Suburban bites the dust, I think I'll install the Truma!

 

 

 

Don

[wdw0528]

I am following this (and many other threads) with much interest as we are close to placing our order. I called the Oliver business development director (Brent Robinson) today to confirm if the Blue Sky was an option that they are offering and he said it is not and they have no plans to return to it.

 

While I appreciate (and respect) Reed's opinion on the subject - I'd like to hear from some folks using the current Zamp configuration and if you are satisfied with it? While we do intend to do some boondocking, I don't expect it to be more than 10-12 days at a time maximum and I think/hope that with a generator for back up we would be fine with either? - thoughts....

 

We appreciate all of the valuable input from all of you and look forward to joining you on the road soon.

 

Darrell & Kathy

[topgun2]

WDW -

 

I can't really give you much to go on regarding the Zamp.  I have the Blue Sky with the 4 Trojan 105's and could not be happier.  Given the relatively unique situation in which Reed and Karen seem to use their solar system and the general lack of negative comments about the Zamp, I'm guessing that for most people the Zamp is fine.  But, that is only a guess on my part.  I hate to say it, but, nothing really gives one good answers besides research in regards to their own situation.

 

With regards to the water heater - I have the standard Suburban and can echo what Steve&Betty had to say about it.  I never leave it on for more time than it takes to heat the water that I will need for a shower.  In this regard - I bought a meat thermometer that came with the "meat" probe attached to a wire that is about 20 inches long ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017613C3C/ref=sxbs_sr_ss_b_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3221812782&pd_rd_wg=VjNU3&pf_rd_r=KQKCYFV7KKYF7REM4FVT&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B017613C3C&pd_rd_w=IyTDL&pf_rd_i=taylor+meat+thermometer&pd_rd_r=fa01d713-84c7-4176-b1a9-8995112f7810&ie=UTF8&qid=1509471050&sr=1  )  I placed the probe against the tank of the water heater under the Styrofoam insulation that surrounds it (there is a convenient seam right in the horizontal center of this insulation) , ran the wire out the cold air return for the furnace and attached it to the "read out/alarm".  Setting the "read out/alarm" to 105 degrees (about the water temperature that I like to shower with) about ten minutes prior to taking a shower I then just go about doing other things until the alarm goes off.  At this point I turn off the water heater and take my shower.  There are a couple of things to mention about this.  First, it saves propane by only heating up the water that you are really going to use.  Second, by just using only "hot" water in the shower I avoid the momentary shot of cold water that one gets when using the shower head flow interrupter (taking a Navy shower of course).  Third, I save fresh water tank water in that I'm not having to cool down hot water that is too hot and I save water that I would have used in trying to find the "correct" showering temperature.  Obviously this saving water is not a problem if you are hooked to city water but that is a rare event for me.  In the event my wife or fishing buddy is along, I simply repeat the process for heating the water.  Virtually all other needs for hot water are taken care of by heating the water on the stove or microwave so that I do not heat 6 gallons just to do a hand full of dishes.

 

Yes, the Truma is slightly better with regards to winterization and, yes, one does not have to think about turning the water heater on or off, but, there sure are a bunch of ways I can think of to spend the difference in price.

 

Bill

[KarenLukens]

Bill is right the Zamp works, it's just not the best of the best or even close. Zamp does not have a shunt, so that really limits its capabilities. When we started looking at Oliver, everything was top of the line, rated best of the best and they told us all about the Blue Sky System, another best of the best product, and that's why we bought the Oliver, because it was packed with the best of the best and for $60,000+ that's what we expected. That story is elsewhere on this forum. We paid $2800 for the Blue Sky System and that's the bottom line. Bait & Switch, we ended up with something unfamiliar, then I did tons of research and found out that Zamp is simply put, overpriced low budget garbage, not what we paid for. It retails for $1100, so Oliver should have lowered the price for it considerably, but they chose not too. It takes about 1hour 40 minutes for them to install the Zamp system. If you are OK with mediocre garbage being installed on your trailer, then go for it :) I paid for top of the line, was told that I was getting the Blue Sky System by the Oliver Sales people, did my research and learned all about the Blue Sky System, and then... I got ripped off, plain and simple Bait & Switch...

 

We went with the Truma because it's set up to protect itself in the freezing temps, you simply turn the switch to Winter mode and if the water heater gets down to 37° it starts cycling itself on to keep the water from freezing in the water heater. It keeps the water at 37° on its own. During the winter with the Suburban 6 gallon, you have the choice of leaving it on, or draining the system. Knowing that we will be camping in below freezing temps quite a bit in the winter, we chose the Truma for the self protection Winter Mode because we camp in snow every year in the Spring. This also is the second tankless heater that we have used for camping, it's a good Winter hot water system for Southern Alaska. Before I bought the Oliver, I read thru every page written on this forum. It took about a month then, but it taught me so much. It should be on every buyer's to do list :)

 

Reed

[AW1985]

Well--WE ORDERED it.  Hull number 318!  It's set to start production in January, and we can change our options up until two weeks prior to production start.  We chose a later production month to accommodate  a May delivery.

 

As it stands we ordered the following:

 

Solar (the Zamp was the only option, but it comes prewired to accept additional panels).  In the end I think it will work for our needs, and I really like the idea of not adjusting or modifying items that deal with electricity.

 

Anderson Hitch-  We have a 2017 Tundra that we purchased to pull our new travel trailer.  I don't think the Anderson will be required, but I like the idea that I could pull it with my Tacoma on tighter and more demanding trails if need be.

 

Fiber Granite- Color to be determined by my wife

 

Shower track-  I liked the setup that G&J Roaming & Rolling applied to their trailer.  They are on YouTube and have been a great help in the decision making process.

 

Tank-less Water Heater-  I'm sure the conventional tank would suffice...but I like what Reed said "Why skimp?" at this point?

 

Electronic Key Pad- I hate keys, and it just made sense

 

Micro-Air Easy Start- We have an existing EU2000i, and I think this will be easy to integrate into our setup

 

Four (4) Trojan T-105 Batteries with Hydrolink- This is going to open a can of worms, but I chose this setup for several reasons.  I wanted the ability to recharge if they completely drain, and my understanding is the the AGM batteries can lose efficiency and ability after several complete discharges.  Ideally this never happens, but If so, I think these are a safer route.  Correct me if I'm wrong, please!

 

30Lb Tanks-  First hand accounts sold me.  We are in Alaska for the next couple of years so I'm anticipating heater usage!

 

Cell Signal Booster-  I read several things on this upgrade.  Some say it's useless.  Some love it.  Obviously comes down to the individual user.  What I tried to do was research the individual item, reviews and first hand accounts.  This system actually received excellent reviews outside of the Oliver community, so I pulled the trigger.  In the end, We don't camp to be around people or signal, so not a deal breaker either way.  Any first hand accounts would be appreciated.

 

My wife will undoubtedly decide and change her mind several times prior to production, so we might have more questions.

 

Is there any one place to view different Oliver color schemes and combos, or did everyone just scour the internet for hours like myself?  And pics or fabric suggestions would be appreciated.  We have a small dog, and we are concerned about shedding and fabric feasibility.

 

Now the waiting.  I'm a MEDEVAC guy, so I have lots of downtime to lurk and surf the web for Oliver ideas.

 

Thanks!

 

-Alex

 

 

[donthompson]

Alex,

 

You were smart to seek comments from owners and you've made great choices for solid reasons.  Welcome to the Oliver family!

 

 

 

Don

[KarenLukens]

Congratulations :)

 

You did your research and ordered the same options that we did, haha :)

 

We love the cell phone booster and it does a good job in remote places, we've gone from 0 signal to 2 bars enough times for it to easily pay for itself. You need to be right underneath it for it to work and we would have had it put in back, under the rear window, had we known this beforehand, but moving it is one of my next projects. We have the King bed model and do most of our communications inside from the bed at night or in the morning. We also had them add an extra 120vac outlet, USB port, reading light, and 12volt dc outlet above the bed by the windows, back in each corner on both sides, so we both have our own charging stations and reading lights, this has been a great option for us. Another thing, depending on your bed type is putting in a switch for the light right above the bed or night stand in the twin model. It's hooked in with the main lights and needs to not be, another project in my future.

 

Did you get the front 30amp port? You will be glad that you have it for the 2000i, plus the short cord that they provide works great.

 

We just looked at all of the samples for the interior and I think that Anita sent us both floor samples and countertop samples, or Karen got them from somewhere. We chose from the samples sent to us. You should just have them add the extra Solar panels now, why have a port on the roof that isn't used? You're going to need it with all of the clouds up there, that's what we have found, spending a lot of time in Oregon and Washington, with a lot of cloudy days, a 480watt solar system is perfect for everything. Our friend installed his own Bogart Trimetrics 480watt system for $1400 and it works great and charges everything up even on cloudy days, we will be pulling out the Zamp on ours in the future and putting a better system in, but we have some discussions with Oliver coming first because I really think that they should help pay for it, being they advertised and sold us the Blue Sky System before Zamp was ever seen on the Oliver Web page... Read about the difference between an MPPT system vs a PWM system like the Zamp. You will either need 480watts, or wish you had it...

 

The Hydrolink? Yea I got it also and I'm neither here nor there on it, pulling the caps to add water isn't a big deal and the hydrolink leaves the water 1/8" below the line, which is fine, but not full... Still though it adds resale value but to me, it's not really needed and I end up pulling the caps sometimes anyway to make sure everything is working perfect.

 

We were the first to get the latex mattress upgrade and this or the southern mattress upgrade are a must have for sleep comfort. Extra cushions? No... In fact we changed out the dinette backrest cushions to pillows and it's way more comfortable.

 

I'm not sure how the Anderson hitch will work off-road, I've never used one... We spent a lot of time camping in the Hatcher Pass areas along with glacier camping at the Eklutna and Mantanuska Glaciers on weekends, some 4wd but not bad with posi pulling a trailer on the steeper gravel roads. There's a lot of good dirt roads to those great fishing spots and we flew down them all :) Peter's Creek and Eagle River have miles of great camping and fishing, close to town sorta... I envy you guys living up there, we are planning to come up but haven't finalized any dates yet, but it's on the list :)

 

Really give the Inverter option some thought as this is another big plus to have 120vac with the push of a button. With no Inverter, there is no need for the microwave, we use ours daily with with our induction cook top and for nuking leftovers.

 

Reed

[STEVEnBETTY]

Alex, congratulations on your purchase and welcome  to the "family". I second Reeds recommendation on the inverter, ac power when you're boondocking can be very handy.

 

 

[topgun2]

Alex -

 

Welcome to the family.  Doesn't it feel good to be free of all that cash (just kidding)?  I too found choosing the interior colors and fabric a difficult task.  Certainly I'm no home decorator.  So, I went with about as neutral a combination as I could find staying with the browns with a hint of grey.  I figured that this would be the best for hiding soil and would allow me to add splashes of color with throw pillows, spreads, place mats and the like.  Good luck with this job.

 

As Reed mentioned, think about additional 110, USB and 12 volt outlets along with any additional hooks that you might want/need.  And, I'll join the group recommending the inverter.  Actually I seldom use it, but it sure is nice to have when needed (think toaster oven for toast and re-heating pizza).

 

I happen to be a fan of the WiFi booster.  While on the road I can simply pull into virtually any fast food joint, go into my Oliver and get WiFi while I'm having a real sandwich - no need to go inside the joint as you usually have to do without the booster.

 

Bill

[ScubaRx]

...I have the standard Suburban and can echo what Steve&Betty had to say about it. I never leave it on for more time than it takes to heat the water that I will need for a shower. In this regard – I bought a meat thermometer that came with the “meat” probe attached to a wire that is about 20 inches long.  I placed the probe against the tank of the water heater under the Styrofoam insulation that surrounds it (there is a convenient seam right in the horizontal center of this insulation) , ran the wire out the cold air return for the furnace and attached it to the “read out/alarm”. Setting the “read out/alarm” to 105 degrees (about the water temperature that I like to shower with) about ten minutes prior to taking a shower I then just go about doing other things until the alarm goes off. At this point I turn off the water heater and take my shower. There are a couple of things to mention about this. First, it saves propane by only heating up the water that you are really going to use. Second, by just using only “hot” water in the shower I avoid the momentary shot of cold water that one gets when using the shower head flow interrupter (taking a Navy shower of course). Third, I save fresh water tank water in that I’m not having to cool down hot water that is too hot and I save water that I would have used in trying to find the “correct” showering temperature. Obviously this saving water is not a problem if you are hooked to city water but that is a rare event for me. In the event my wife or fishing buddy is along, I simply repeat the process for heating the water. Virtually all other needs for hot water are taken care of by heating the water on the stove or microwave so that I do not heat 6 gallons just to do a hand full of dishes. Yes, the Truma is slightly better with regards to winterization and, yes, one does not have to think about turning the water heater on or off, but, there sure are a bunch of ways I can think of to spend the difference in price. Bill

 

Me Li-keee...

[Spike]

Sorry to come so late to this discussion, but here are my 2 cents worth:

Consider the composting toilet. We are happy with ours. Consider the water saved and no need to find a safe and legal place to dump the black water.

We too pull with a Tundra and found the Anderson hitch unnecessary. I did install the electronic Sway Master for added safety and am happy with its performance thus far. (I would guess that Oliver would install it--for a price--if asked.)

I also installed a tire pressure monitoring system and am very happy with it, knowing that my tires are properly inflated at all times. I think that Oliver should have this as an option--like the rear-view camera and monitor, which we have and appreciate.

--Jeff

 

 

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 10/30/2017 at 4:45 PM, KarenLukens said:

 

The guys that say you don't need the tank less water heater are correct, you don't need it but... For boondocking, you can't beat the Truma tankless heater because you are only heating water as you need it, so your not being forced to heat 6 gallons when you only need 1/2 a gallon to wash dishes, yet both you and your wife can shower immediately, one after the other without the second person getting a cold shower half way thru. Yes, it's an expensive option but we'll worth it, when hooked up to sewer, you can take the endless shower and never worry about running out of hot water. I've had 4 of the 6 gallon Suburban water heaters in the past 30 years and I bought the Truma because having an endless supply of hot water at your fingertips, exactly the amount of hot water that you will need, does not compare in the least, in any way to the 6 gallon Suburban that these guys have in their trailers. Are you buying a $65,000.00+ Oliver just to cheap out on the water heater? No! Ask all of the guys who say that you don't need it, if they have ever had one in an RV in the past... I've been there, I've had both, and I won't go back to the 6 gallon tank ever! The Truma pays for itself in quality time, you don't need to ever wait for hot water.

 

 

You are correct that many of the decisions on optional equipment depend on your specific camping needs.  Those with RV experience have the advantage of knowing what those needs are.  Those of you new to RV life should get all the input you can and make your best guess, knowing things can always be changed later.

We have had both the standard tank water heater and the Truma.  We tried to get the standard type installed in place of the Truma, but Leisure Travel Vans took that option away, I suppose to streamline production.  Here is my experience:

Standard tank water heater:  We (mostly) do not use much hot water throughout the day, mainly for dish washing.  One reason I wanted the standard WH is that you can use the campground electricity instead of your LP.  In this case, we leave it on.  When boondocking we rarely turn it on.  When we do, we try to schedule hot water usage together in order to utilize the entire tank of hot water.  For just a small amount for dishes, we heat water on the stove, using campground water if available and also dump in onsite drains.  This works well in USFS/BLM facilities where you might have water and drains, but no power - what I call "sortof boondocking". This conserves onboard water and holding tank capacity.  It's more like tent camping, but with a comfortable bed and private toilet.  The only caveat with the tank heater is you have to remember to turn it on, but this quickly becomes habit.

Now the Truma:  This is a bit of an unfair comparison because the Truma we currently have is the Comfort Plus model.  The difference being, it has a recirculating pump that keeps the water in the lines from the heater to the faucets hot at all times (when set to Comfort mode).  This has the advantage of saving the amount of water you would run to get hot water at the tap; maybe not a lot, but it is advantageous when your water supply is limited. However, the Truma installed by Oliver Truma Comfort (not Plus) does not have this feature.  Yes, you only have to heat the water on demand, but there is going to be some waste, unless you collect that initial cold water and use it for other purposes.  One other advantage Truma has over the tank heater is that it is much easier to drain the tank if you encounter freezing weather and don't want to keep it running (both types will keep the tank water warm enough to prevent freezing, but they will use precious LP that might be better used to run the furnace in cold weather.

I decided on the standard heater.  Yes, with the Truma you don't have to plan much, as far as hot water usage goes.  Turn it on and forget it.  As long as you have LP and water you have hot water when you want it.  However, two things swayed me the other direction: 1. having two power sources for hot water and 2. availability of parts and certified technicians, should the heater require warranty service.  The Truma has been widely used in Europe, but has just recently found its way to the US. Consequently, service centers are pretty much limited to larger cities and RV dealerships who sell units with this option.  I asked a local shop and most any RV tech can work on them, with assistance from Truma technicians, but they cannot perform warranty work.  Our nearest authorized service is 2 1/2 hrs from home and who knows how far from some of the remote places where we like to roam.  

Before deciding, think, realistically, about how you might use hot water and consider the disruption that might occur should you experience problems with the Truma on the road.  Most any competent RV tech can work on the tank water heaters.  Besides, it's $1,300 that could be spent elsewhere, even if it's just for fuel to get you where you're headed.

If you are concerned about resale, I believe it is a relatively easy upgrade for someone to do, or have done, should they prefer on demand hot water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Susan Huff

[SeaDawg]

Not really sure what is being posted here, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the choice of the standard water heater. It's included in the price. It's easily serviceable.  For boondockers, it can help to limit water consumption. 

I often heat water for dishes in a tea kettle, to further limit water use. 

Mostly,  it's what you want. I've had both. They're both good.

Sherry

Edited June 24, 2020 by SeaDawg
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