Power cord

[katanapilot]

Does anyone recall if a 30 amp power cord comes with an Oliver?

[Mattnan]

Ours hull 537 did come with a 25ft cord along with 25ft fresh water hose and some quick connectors.  Your Oliver sales person can provide a complete list.  Congratulations on your new Ollie.  

[katanapilot]

Thanks for the info. Saved me ordering one!

[Mike and Carol]

Before ordering essentials like a power cord I’d check with the sales office and get a list of what’s included.  They provide a power cord, sewer hose, etc.

[Trainman]

13 hours ago, katanapilot said:

Does anyone recall if a 30 amp power cord comes with an Oliver?

Yes, it does come with a 25 ft. 30a power cord, just things you might also want and need at times. I carry an extra 25 ft. 30a power cord, you can run into situations where the 25 ft. cord may not reach the power box, it does happen at times, plus both 30a and 50a hookup adapter plugs. I would also get an extra 25 ft. water hose as the same thing can happen when when hooking up in some campsites. I also carry with me a gray water water hose, adapter, and a honey wagon, and I have used them all. The rule of thumb is, miss it twice, then consider buying it. 

trainman

[Galway Girl]

Snipped from page 8 of the  Owners Guide for 2020 Models.

 

Also be aware all this info is available in the "Oliver University" section of the Oliver Web Page...as in the screen shot below...under the tab Travel Trailers you'll see a pull down, at the bottom is the Oliver University area...highlighted in the screen shot in yellow...

 

[Mainiac]

I carry a 30 to 15 adapter, a 15 to 30 adapter, a 'dogbone' 50 to 30 adapter, and a 50' extension card. An extra 20' sewer hose and coupler and a 30 amp 25' extension cord. Thankfully I haven't had to use them all at once, but have been close. I happen to have a bunch of spare adapters that I carry, and have been known to either loan and give away. Somehow I can never find them where I think they should be...

[Townesw]

I recently realized that if my factory supplied power cord was missing I would have no way to connect shore power to my camper. I do carry a 25 foot 30 amp extension cord. I am going to add one of these to my kit 

https://www.campingworld.com/m30a-f30a-90°-locking-ring-adapter-85558.html

This should allow me to use my 30 amp extension cord as a primary power cord. Disclaimer: I haven’t tried this yet. We are on the road. I’ll have one waiting for me at home to try in a few days. 
 

Edited to add: This adapter works with a 30 amp extension cord to serve as a primary shore power cord. 
 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Townesw

[katanapilot]

Got the list from Anita.  Thanks all.  I have a pretty good list of additional items that we carry on our Sprinter MH. I'll duplicate many of those things for the Oliver, plus items to support a pair of Honda EU2200i's when they are available for sale again.  Seems like a stop sale order has been issued once again for a recall.

[Patriot]

On 2/19/2020 at 4:50 AM, katanapilot said:

Got the list from Anita.  Thanks all.  I have a pretty good list of additional items that we carry on our Sprinter MH. I'll duplicate many of those things for the Oliver, plus items to support a pair of Honda EU2200i's when they are available for sale again.  Seems like a stop sale order has been issued once again for a recall.

katanapilot,
I ordered this shorter 10’ 30 amp cord to use if I decide to run our generator in the tongue/storage basket. It’s a top quality power cord. (theOrca a member on here suggested this to me) 

-Patriot

edit- mostly 5 star reviews. An extremely well made in the USA 10’ power cord.

• HEAVY DUTY / MADE IN USA- Featuring an L5-30 Plug to L5-30 Connector on TF Flextreme Cable. Rated for 30 Amps and 125/250V. All custom built Iron Box Power cords are built in Raleigh NC
• HIGHEST QUALITY COMPONENTS – Utilizes top-of-the-line Pass and Seymour wiring devices featuring: Industrial-strength, brass alloy plug blades and connector contacts resist heat rise, provide excellent conductivity. Impact- and corrosion-resistant durable nylon 6 shell material. Integral flexible rubber cord grommet conforms to and seals around wire to provide protection from oils, water, and dirt from entering wiring device.
• EMERGENCY READY – Equipped with superior weatherproofing, you can count on reliable 30 amp power flow, especially in those ”extreme” situations. Compatible with any generator equipped with a L5-30 receptacle.
• INDOOR AND OUTDOOR – Made for various uses both indoor and outdoor these cords are built on heavy duty 10/3 SOOW wire capable of being buried directly in the ground.
• THE WORLD'S LEADING POWER CORD SUPPLIER - Iron Box manufacturers UL listed power cords with only the best components and wire.

Edited May 21, 2020 by Patriot

[John E Davies]

Just a heads up about the cheap cords from Amazon, they are cheap for a good reason. They use sub-par wires and the engineering and build quality outside and inside the plugs is not very good. For an emergency backup, one would be fine, but for one used often, that you must rely on, get a high quality Marine shore power cord or adapter from Marinco or another top brand. https://www.marinco.com/en/products/connect

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by John E Davies

[Patriot]

13 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Just a heads up about the cheap cords from Amazon, they are cheap for a good reason. They use sub-par wires and the engineering and build quality outside and inside the plugs is not very good. For an emergency backup, one would be fine, but for one used often, that you must rely on, get a high quality Marine shore power cord or adapter from Marinco or another top brand. https://www.marinco.com/en/products/connect

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

John, 

The custom 10’ cord I purchased above is made right here in the eastern part of our state in Raleigh, North Carolina.  here- https://www.pduwhips.com/aboutus.aspx

It appears to be very well constructed with top notch components and has many very positive user reviews. I try to source and purchase high quality products here in NC when I can. I think it’s gonna be a keeper. And agreed, ya gotta be careful on Amazon. If I by chance I unlikely wear this cord out or it fails, I will give Marinco a try. 

-Patriot

Edited May 21, 2020 by Patriot

[theOrca]

Stand by for sticker shock if you have to buy Marinco products. The standard joke in the local boating community is that if it is "yellow" it has to come with a 100% mark-up because it is "Marine Grade" just from being yellow! I bought a 50' Marinco cable because the local West Marine store just wanted it to heck out of their store (heavy, big, took a lot of shelf space, had it for two years, etc.). The gave me a smoking good price, like half off! I then cut it up and made-up the sections and connectors I needed.

Edited May 21, 2020 by theOrca
info content

[WhatDa]

 

On 2/19/2020 at 1:50 AM, katanapilot said:

Got the list from Anita.  Thanks all.  I have a pretty good list of additional items that we carry on our Sprinter MH. I'll duplicate many of those things for the Oliver, plus items to support a pair of Honda EU2200i's when they are available for sale again.  Seems like a stop sale order has been issued once again for a recall.

Just a note on the generators -- you'll need a neutral grounding plug for most generators or it'll trip the Progressive Industries power monitor.  This is the one we use.

We also just went with the Ryobi generators (blister pack of two  2300W with bluetooth control. with the 30amp kit was less than one Honda - if you dont trust Ryobi's 3 year warranty I think I could have gotten the Home Depot one and still been under the cost of one Honda) but only use one - the other is in storage.   They seem to be in short supply now too.  Haven't had as many recalls as Honda, folks in Puerto Rico ran them 24/7 for a long time after the hurricane and swore by them.  Bluetooth app lets you see hours run and monitor remaining runtime on fuel.  You can also set a timer for it to cut off after a certain amount of time (ie just recharging batteries) or send a remote kill (ie just waiting for AC to cool down camper).

We hardly use ours with solar, just to run the Microwave a few times and once to charge the batteries because we were under a canopy of trees and there was snow everywhere.  We used it once just to see if it would work with one for the AC - and it did.  So even if the Honda really is superior (I don't think it is), it's not worth the investment to us for a rarely used piece of equipment.  Your needs may be different.

[SeaDawg]

Thanks for mentioning the neutral ground plug, Whatda. It's an important,  though inexpensive,  little bit.

As much as I  love my 12 year old Honda 1000, I  would probably be looking at another brand, if I  were buying today. Not familiar with the Ryobis, but sounds like it's done well for you.

My sister has had good service from a Costco yamaha engine (not Yamaha genset) genset that she purchased for less than $500. Pretty quiet, very reliable. Came with the cables to pair with another, but one serves their needs. 

Sherry

[John E Davies]

My suspicion (completely unconfirmed) is that a Yamaha powered generator at Costco is going to be OK, but I bet the engine is “dumbed down” to make that very low price point. I bet the insides are not as finely put together as a Blue Machine.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[SeaDawg]

John davies, I'm sure at that price point it's not the equivalent of the same size true Yamaha. But, since she uses it a dozen times a year or so, mostly to charge batteries, it's perfect for her, and affordable.  

An alternative. 

[WhatDa]

5 hours ago, John E Davies said:

My suspicion (completely unconfirmed) is that a Yamaha powered generator at Costco is going to be OK, but I bet the engine is “dumbed down” to make that very low price point. I bet the insides are not as finely put together as a Blue Machine.

John Davies

Spokane WA

I know manufacturers do this for Walmart, but generally Costco seems immune from this.  Quick check is to compare model numbers and if you really want to go down the rabbit hole, look at parts diagrams if available.

[gatorewc]

I purchased 2 of the A1 2300/1800 generators from Sam's on sale for $700.  I researched every brand out there and the Honda & Yamaha were the front runners for sure.  With the amount of use it was hard to justify the expenditure to purchase one Honda.... and with the current recall that kinda made my mind up.  (Plus having $300 in Sams rebate cash made the decision much easier.). 

The reviews on most all different brands are very positive.  Availability and trust in your neighborhood store or repair shop is really what makes or breaks having a good experience.   Usually if you do not have problems from the start when you purchase a product you normally are satisfied.

I have ran one of the generators around 2 hours now and it seems to do a very dependable and capable.  Only time will tell.  Once we get our Ollie in July we will do some testing to make sure everything runs great.  

Erv Carter

Edited May 22, 2020 by gatorewc

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 5/21/2020 at 11:16 AM, WhatDa said:

 

Just a note on the generators -- you'll need a neutral grounding plug for most generators or it'll trip the Progressive Industries power monitor.  This is the one we use.

We also just went with the Ryobi generators (blister pack of two  2300W with bluetooth control. with the 30amp kit was less than one Honda - if you dont trust Ryobi's 3 year warranty I think I could have gotten the Home Depot one and still been under the cost of one Honda) but only use one - the other is in storage.   They seem to be in short supply now too.  Haven't had as many recalls as Honda, folks in Puerto Rico ran them 24/7 for a long time after the hurricane and swore by them.  Bluetooth app lets you see hours run and monitor remaining runtime on fuel.  You can also set a timer for it to cut off after a certain amount of time (ie just recharging batteries) or send a remote kill (ie just waiting for AC to cool down camper).

We hardly use ours with solar, just to run the Microwave a few times and once to charge the batteries because we were under a canopy of trees and there was snow everywhere.  We used it once just to see if it would work with one for the AC - and it did.  So even if the Honda really is superior (I don't think it is), it's not worth the investment to us for a rarely used piece of equipment.  Your needs may be different.

How does it compare noise-wise to the Honda 2000?

[topgun2]

Susan - 

A quick check using Google finds that the Ryobi 2300 is 57db while the Honda 2200 is 48 to 57db.

Bill

[WhatDa]

In the real world, I don't care too much because I've probably run the generator more to keep the fuel fresh than to actually power our place.  Solar works great - but we are fairly low power users when off the grid.  I wouldn't dump a lot of money into a generator unless I plan on boondocking where I need AC often.

 

[SeaDawg]

Back in the day (which wasn't really that long ago), if you wanted a reasonably quiet generator that you and your neighbors didn't find irritating, you had to pony up the bucks for the red or blue. Iff brand work genset didn't have much, if anything, for noise abatement,  but they were cheaper.

In the recent past, the European community and other countries have enacted regulations on reasonable noise limits from generators, and many other items.   And, the US buyers have shown a strong desire for less noise. Now, you can buy reasonably quiet other brand gensets that will do the job, have inverter technology, and often come with included capability and cords for combining the power of two sets. Some even use a Yamaha engine.

Not saying they'll ever have the same quiet output, or long term ease of repair or reliability of Honda and Yamaha, but for occasional or infrequent use, it's certainly worth shopping around.

I've even seen a few dual fuel models in other brands, though not yet (that I know of) with big red or blue. At a reasonable price.

Sherry

 

Edited June 22, 2020 by SeaDawg
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[Mike and Carol]

I know that Honda is the gold standard for inverter generators, and about the same price as gold.  I had a Champion 3400 duel fuel that I ran on propane.  Very quiet.  It was an excellent generator for less price than the smaller Honda.  Alas, it was a bit heavy (98 lbs).  I sold it and bought a Champion 2000 at Tractor Supply.  Normally $399 on sale for $349.  37 lbs, same noise figures as the Honda.  It’s gasoline only.  It will start and run the A/C.

We haven’t used it a lot.  But last fall at Grand Teton the sunny weather turned cloudy and dark.  Our solar couldn’t keep up and we had to run the furnace at night (and during the day), so I was glad I had the little Champion.

Mike

[GraniteStaters]

I own a Honda eu2000i and tested it on our 2019 LEII to insure that with the ez-start capacitor would run the A/C.  It did just fine.  It did require me to manufacture a neutral grounding plug to the Progressive Surge Protector to allow the successful transfer.  I also had to buy an adapter to convert to the 30amp outlet on the Oliver.  Factoring the weight of the inverter, gasoline and the additional power cord and adapter, I decided to investigate the dual fuel Champion inverter.  It is 3000 watts when using propane.  I had to add a low pressure regulator and hoses to allow connection to the propane ports on the LEII.  It is just a bit heavier than the Honda + Gas, but not much if you are using a two gallon container.  I don’t have gas in the inverter tank at all to keep the weight down. This unit also requires the neutral grounding plug, but has a 30amp TT outlet in addition to the 20amp duplex outlet.  The neutral grounding plugs into the 20amp outlet. It is heavy to lift to the back of my truck, but with nice weather can be run right from there.  Both inverters need protection from the rain per manufacturer because of their electronics.