FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

[mountainborn]

To assist folks in learning about Oliver Travel Trailers, let's post frequently asked questions in this thread.

For example:

Is a TWIN BED OPTION AVAILABLE ? YES

How hard is it to order the TWIN BED SETUP ? Just tell Robert in SALES

[mountainborn]

SIZE AND LENGTH OF BEDS ? Answer courtesy of SeaDawg:

>

 

Welcome to the forum...

Just answered this question, in part, on another forum....

We have the Oliver Legacy Elite

Big dinette back, converts to standard full size bed... 52-53" (depends on where you measure, tho fairly square...) by 75" This conforms to standard dimensions of many good name mattresses like Tempurpedic... We keep the big dinette set up as a bed if we're gone awhile... Had thought about putting in a different mattress originally, but I sleep very well on the cushions topped with a good quality mattress pad.

 

Small dinette converts to narrow twin... a little deeper and longer than my sofa...

24 x 73

[mountainborn]

MATTRESS OPTIONS AVAILABLE ? YES, Answer courtesy of Northwoods:

>

We also have a model with 2 single beds. The size of them are 27" x 74". We have a mattress manufacturer that will custom build memory foam mattresses to that size. This model also has an extra counter top, storage under the table, and a large drawer under the back bed. If you have any other questions, please call.

Thanks,

Northwoods

[mountainborn]

SOFA OPTION ? Here is meanderthal's cool sofa mod. Thanks TOM ! Just ask Robert in SALES about the extra cushions.

>

Link to sofa mod thread, with Tom's great photo's:

 

[mountainborn]

CLOSET REDESIGN WITH SHELVES ? YES, this is cool, TOM did it again, go meanderthal !

>

Here is the link to meanderthal's mod with photos:

 

[mountainborn]

WHERE CAN I SEE AN OLIVER ? Check the calendar on the travel trailer web site or, just ask on these forums. Here is one such answer from Northwoods:

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We are currently at the Pomona Fairplex RV show. We have the red and black trailers here, as well as 2 white trailers. We are parked to the left of the entrance behind the electric bikes, right in the front. In fact you can see us when you walkd up to the gate. We are having a great response, the weather is supposed to be good, and we will look forward to seeing you there!! Remember that the red and black trailers are probably the only colored "Olivers" that will be made.

[mountainborn]

CAN'T FIND YOUR QUESTION IN THIS THREAD ? Then post it in this link ( Ask another owner ). It will go to the top of the forums and other owners will be glad to help.

>

 

[dougi]

Any advice regarding an Oliver, factory installed, on-board water filtration system?

 

Perhaps a dual filter cartridge system from the RV Water Filter Store?

[dougi]

Would the Xantrex 2.0 ProSine Inverter/Charger (which I already have in my existing RV) work in the Oliver? If it would (is there enough room to install it near the battery bank). I could remove it from my 5th wheel and let Oliver install it in our new trailer.

 

That would be sweet, and save me some money.

[technomadia]

Would the Xantrex 2.0 ProSine Inverter/Charger (which I already have in my existing RV) work in the Oliver? If it would (is there enough room to install it near the battery bank). I could remove it from my 5th wheel and let Oliver install it in our new trailer.

 

I researched the ProSine 2.0 and almost chose it.

 

You can probably fit the ProSine into the space under the rear seat of the small dinette, but if it is tight you can get plenty of space under the far front dinette seat by leaving out the power cord auto-winder.

 

We had the auto-winder removed, and this is where our inverter / charger is being installed.

 

- Chris

[dougi]

Chris, do you mind telling me which inverter/charger you are getting installed in your Oliver, where you bought it, and what it costs?

 

IMO, the ProSine I have may be a bit of overkill, since it has a 100 Amp charger. However it is programable for any size battery bank and any type of battery.

 

IMO, a 50 amp smart (preferable a 4 phase) charger would be all we need for a dual battery bank.

[technomadia]

Chris, do you mind telling me which inverter/charger you are getting installed in your Oliver, where you bought it, and what it costs?

 

I settled on the Xantrex Freedom 458 1500W inverter / 75 amp charger. I believe the total price to have it bought / installed by Oliver worked out to be around $700.

 

- Chris

[dougi]

Chris, what monitor are you going with for your Freedom 458? A Link 1000 perhaps?

 

I looked up the unit and it looks like it would be ideal. They also have a 2000 watt model that is no larger or heavier than the 1500, but that might be overkill for a 2 battery bank. It would run a hair though.

 

Will the unit you're getting fit under the rear seat of the side dinette, or do you have to install it in the space where the shore power auto rewind would have been located?

[technomadia]

Chris, what monitor are you going with for your Freedom 458? A Link 1000 perhaps?

 

I've actually written some in-depth posts detailing my research into battery monitors. You can find them posted here in the Oliver forums, or the original is in my Oliver thread at my blog: http://radven.livejournal.com/tag/oliver

 

Here is the post on battery monitors:

http://radven.livejournal.com/128906.html

 

As you can see, we are getting the Blue Sky IPN-Pro Remote that integrates into our solar charge controller.

 

I looked up the unit and it looks like it would be ideal. They also have a 2000 watt model that is no larger or heavier than the 1500, but that might be overkill for a 2 battery bank. It would run a hair though.

 

Will the unit you're getting fit under the rear seat of the side dinette, or do you have to install it in the space where the shore power auto rewind would have been located?

 

I believe the factory folks decided that the best fit would be where the shore power auto rewind was located. I had planned on deleting this feature anyway, so this worked well for us.

 

- Chris

[dougi]

I've been reading some of the older threads and noticed that the tongue weight of the Oliver was stated at 400 pounds. The information from Oliver says the tongue weight is 240 pounds.

 

Can someone explain the discrepancy? Is it due to the extendable and retractable tongue on the Oliver? I am hoping to tow with my Toyota RAV4, V6, with factory tow package, and a 400 pound tongue weight is a bit much for that vehicle, IMO. I was wanting to keep the tongue weight below 300 pounds.

 

Does anyone have any info about this issue?

[bugeyedriver]

DougI,

 

That may have been my post about the Wonder Egg's tongue weight measurement I had done at the Bluebonnet Casita Rally. My trailer is not standard and I was wanting to get an accurate tongue weight.

 

Causes for a heavier weight for the Wonder Egg would be:

 

Two thirty pound tanks instead of twenties. (You'd not only have the extra weight of the fuel, but of the metal in the larger tanks themselves - perhaps an extra 55 lbs overall)

 

About 75 pounds or so of generator related equipment was mounted inside a custom made box mounted on the tongue, in front of the electric jack.

 

So, the figure you have is not that far off for a "stock" unit.

[dougi]

Thanks bugeyedriver. That info is helpful. I am staying with the 20# cylinders to save weight. Actually I am going with these semi-clear composite cylinders, which are MUCH lighter, allow you to see the level of the propane in the bottle, and will NEVER rust:

 

http://www.litecylinder.com/

[dougi]

I am seeking input on the following Oliver factory options:

 

Generator Quick Connect, priced at $719

 

Soap dispenser, kitchen, priced at $66

 

Soap dispenser (3 way shower), priced at $71

 

Twin Bed Setup, priced at $720 (I've seen the pictures, but they don't tell me anything)

 

Back Up Camera, priced at $840

 

Thermostat for A/C (and heat, I think), priced at $215

 

Solar Ready option, no price given.

 

If anyone has any of these options in their trailer, please tell me how you like them, if you think they are worth the extra $, and what benefits they give you, as opposed to not having them.

 

I already own two Honda 2000i generators with the Parallel Power Kit. What would the Generator Quick Connect option do for me?

 

I already own two nice solar panels that I can use individually or in series. Would the Solar Ready option be helpful? I think it includes a solar controller and a battery charging monitor of some kind.

 

Robert is out sick and is currently unavailable.

[jam49]

Hi Chris and Cherie,

I have lots of questions also. Just exactly what is an inverter/charger and why would I need one? How do I know how powerful one to get? Where do you store your cord since you put the charger where it would have gone? Thanks, jam49

[dougi]

Jam49:

 

An inverter charger is not needed UNLESS you camp without electrical hookups, like at a National Park, a Wall*Mart parking lot, or anywhere you don't have access to an electrical outlet.

 

You can get an inverter with out a charger, a charger without an inverter, or a combo unit that has both. The inverter converts 12V DC to 115V AC, so that you can run things like a satellite receiver box for your TV, or any other electrical device that requires 115V AC electricity. The size inverter you need depends on the electrical load you plan on putting on your system. Some folks want to be able to use a hair dryer, which uses at least 1600 watts and requires a large capacity inverter. Some only want to power a laptop, which requires only a small (portable, plug-in) inverter.

 

The charger simply recharges your batteries, and in my opinion is the most important of the two devices. A "smart" charger" (three or four phase) allows you to quickly and safely recharge your batteries. With a smart charger, which come in various sizes, you can recharge your batteries much quicker than with a standard charger, saving you run time on your generator. You need a smart charger sized to your battery bank. If you have a 200 Amp-hour battery bank, then you need a charger with about 1/4 of that amperage, or a 50 amp charger.

 

If you camp without electrical hookups and want to have 115V AC electrical service and a battery bank that won't let you down, you need to look into these devices and educate yourself on them. They are expensive, costing at least $1,000 for a good inverter/charger and monitor for your battery bank. The cheapest way to go is to never camp without an electrical hookup, but that limits you greatly, and puts you further from the peaceful out of the way camp sites that so many people go camping to enjoy.

 

Happy camping.

[herm]

Speaking of chargers, does anyone know anything about the "45 amp charger w/ charge wizard" which comes standard on the Elite? Is that considered a smart charger? Will it work fine under both shower power and generator power?

 

I wasn't previously even considering the inverter/charger option because I think I can get by with a cheap, portable inverter with a 12V plug...good enough for charging electronic devices. Other than a hairdryer, what types of things are people plugging in that require so much 120V wattage (and consequently a hard-wired inverter)?

[dougi]

The charger that comes with the Legacy is standard fare, and will only be serviceable when the trailer is hooked up to shore power. For camping beyond one day while only using the lights for a few hours, the charger is woefully inadequate. The "Charge Wizard" is, IMO, worthless. I've heard others say they like it, but when the charge rate was measured while my trailer had that set up, it was charging at a rate of less than 3 amps per hour, even when hooked up to shore power and the batteries half discharged. At that charge rate it would take several days to charge the batteries to full capacity.

 

IMO, a "smart charger" with a capacity equal to at least 1/4 of your battery bank's amp hour rating is essential. You can expect to pay at least 3 or 4 hundred dollars for a 40 or 50 amp charger, which is what you would need with a two battery bank. The "charge wizard" cost about 25 bucks and, based on my experience, does absolutely nothing.

[dougi]

Things that RVers might want to use that require 115V AC power, other than a hair drier, could be:

 

Curling irons

 

Microwave oven

 

Electric razor

 

Satellite receiver for watching satellite TV

 

Many TV's are 115V AC only, especially the larger ones.

 

A coffee maker

 

A toaster for making toast.

 

Power tools, like a drill, a saw, or an impact driver, or recharging same.

 

To know what size inverter you need, simply add up the wattage of any AC appliances you might be using at the same time. The average RV will use at least 50 amp-hours of electricity per day and 100 amp-hours is more like it if you use a coffee maker, a toaster, or equivalent.

 

Some of these appliances are available in 12V DC models and those are preferable if they work well. They are preferable because anytime you use an inverter, you are loosing efficiency, anywhere from 10-20%.

 

I recommend a book you can get at Camping World, and other places:

 

"Living on 12 Volts with Ample Power," by David Smead and Ruth Ishihara. It is excellent and not overly technical. It will help you understand RV and boat 12 Volt electrical systems, including all the modifications that are necessary for happy boon docking. The first thing to understand are the batteries, and this book does an excellent job of explaining their proper care and maintenance, along with everything you need to know about inverters and smart chargers.

 

If you don't want to immerse yourself in the subject to that extent, I suggest you never camp without shore power. If you do, you will likely run down your batteries and be unable to recharge them in less than three days of continuous hookups to shore power.

[herm]

Thanks, DougI. I'm not entirely new to RVing (just got rid of our 24' stick/tin trailer a year ago), but we always camped with electric hookup. So, I guess you could say we've been doing things the easy way. Sounds like I need to seriously consider ditching the standard charger if we want the freedom of running off of batteries and a generator.

 

Being a sailor, I also understand the importance of maintaining/monitoring battery levels; however, I've never had to deal with things like satellite, TV, hair dryers, microwaves, etc. I guess you're allowed a few more luxuries in the RV world if you have the right equipment, and the consequences of draining the batteries are a little less severe.

[dougi]

Absolutely Herm, If you want to use your RV off grid, then the most important piece of equipment is:

 

A smart charger, and

 

A battery monitor that keeps up with amp-hours used and amp-hours restored by your charger.

 

If you don't have those you are in the dark and you can't recharge your batteries quickly with your generator. Without a smart charger it would take many hours of gen run time to recharge your battery bank. You would be replacing amps at a rate of less than 5 per hour. With a smart charger, you can replace amps at a rate of 25% of your rated battery bank amp-hours, up to the point where your batteries are about 80% fully recharged. From there to 100% it will be slow going with ANY charger.

 

The actual usable capacity of your battery bank is between 50% discharged to 80% charged. If you have two batteries with a combined amp-hour rating of 220 amps, then your practical usable battery capacity is 30% (80% less 50%) of 220 amps, or 66 amp hours per recharge cycle. That should be adequate if you are conservative, and your batteries will last for years and years.