Shower track, Micro-Air Easy Start & Microwave - Choosing options

[CanyonWren]

Hello Ollie community!

I am finalizing my options for my new Ollie (this is my first post!), to be completed in late June. I'm planning on living in it full time for a year or two, and am leaning strongly towards the Elite (It's just me, and I'm a little nervous about towing the Elite II as a newbie). I plan to be boondocking at least 50% of the time...but likely more.

I've got most of my options honed in, but am looking for your feedback on three things at the moment. (The solar conundrum is coming, but I've got more posts to read before I can formulate my questions about that.)

First, talk to me about the shower track.

Moisture control is very, very important to me. At first I was thinking shower track was a must-have, but now I'm reconsidering. (FWIW, I'm planning on getting the Nature's Head toilet.) For those of you without one, how easy is it to dry up the bathroom after showering? And for those of you with one, same question. And do you find that letting the curtain dry is more of a hassle than it would be to wipe down the walls without one?

I saw in another post someone proposed using suction cups with hooks to hang a shower curtain. If you've tried this, how's it working for you?

Second, all I can find about the Micro-Air Easy start is that it allows you to start and run AC off of a generator. I'm a total newbie here, and so don't really have much concept of whether or not this is something that I'll need. Thoughts? I like to be in hot environments, but will want something to take the edge off of 102+ degree days.

Finally, for those of you who went with the standard microwave, is it permanently in the Ollie, or is it something that if you don't like it, you can easily take it out at some later point and utilize the space for other things?

Thanks!! Looking forward to joining the community!

Meg

[topgun2]

Meg - 

First and most important - Welcome!

23 minutes ago, CanyonWren said:

At first I was thinking shower track was a must-have, but now I'm reconsidering.

I do not have a shower curtain in my Elite II.  Given the smooth walls of the Ollie, it is very easy to simply use a squeegee and/or a synthetic towel to dry the shower after use - about a two minute job.

26 minutes ago, CanyonWren said:

Second, all I can find about the Micro-Air Easy start is that it allows you to start and run AC off of a generator.

The Easy Start allows you to run the air conditioner off a small generator (2000 watts).  If you are going to seriously boondock in hot climates then the Easy Start is something you should seriously consider unless you want to have a generator of at least 3500 watts.

 

28 minutes ago, CanyonWren said:

Finally, for those of you who went with the standard microwave, is it permanently in the Ollie

No, the microwave is not "permanent" and since Oliver doesn't give you a credit for it if you chose to not have it then I think you might as well get it.  However, if you are certain that you really don't want it then the "finished" cabinet is very nice for either a small toaster oven or small microwave or for additional storage that is already fairly limited in the Elite I.

Bill

[Patriot]

Meg,

Being a fairly new Oliver owner (less than a year) I can tell you we have used our microwave on a few stormy camping nights to heat homemade soups, chili’s, hot cereal and meals in general. We were so glad to have it. We actually upgraded to the convection/micro. I can honestly say we are reeeeally happy to have had it. And like Bill said no credit returned for opting out on the micro. We also thought about resale down the road as we chose specific options. Just another view point. 
Enjoy your time selecting options!

- Patriot

[Mike and Carol]

Meg, if you are going to boondock 50% of the time you need solar.  We don’t have a shower curtain and it is not an issue.  You shower, turn the fan on, squeegee and wipe down, done.  A shower curtain is not going to reduce moisture, the length of your shower and bathroom ventilation will.  

We have a 2000 watt generator and it will run our AC.  We tend to avoid hot weather, so we haven’t had the need to run the AC off the generator much.  The generator is mainly to charge the batteries when the weather is rainy and cloudy.

We use our microwave occasionally.  It just depends on how you like to cook.

Good luck!  Mike 

[TexasGuy]

Good luck with your selections!  I just recently turned in my build sheet for a May delivery and what I turned in was less optioned then when I started.   I tried to focus on things I did not want to retrofit and deal with later. 
 

I was looking at smaller Elite originally and came down to two items for me. At just over 6ft height was issue in smaller one.  I wanted to take my kids sometimes and twin model with dinette if needed won me over.  
 

I deleted microwave in my trailer.  I am not sure if that is option for 2022.  I just don’t use a microwave much even at home and wanted storage space.  
 

I did get easy start.  I think you can retrofit later but that isn’t my forte so I had it added. 
 

I originally was convinced I need shower track.  I did not get one.  I will try without and if needed plenty of options to add suction cups. 
 

The one I struggled the most with was interior selection.  I ultimately with went standard interior as wasn’t crazy about any fibergranite options and felt like really expensive upgrade for what you got.   Instead I am working with Foy on a custom dinette to be centrepiece of trailer. Based on his pieces he and others have share he is a true craftsman.  
 

 

[SeaDawg]

If you don't get the nature's head, you won't need to cover the toilet or keep it dry. If you do get the nh, you need to keep water out of it, but that could be accomplished with a big trah bag, or a plastic tablecloth.

We boondock 99 per cent of the time. We had a microwave, but I think it died from lack of use. We removed it a few years ago, and built our own storage cabinet.

Since you're not given a credit, you might as well get the microwave.  See if you use it. Many do.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

I have installed the suction cups; seems to work fine.  A full size (tub-shower length) curtain covers the door and around the toilet to the front wall.  I don't worry about the sink getting wet.  I sewed a suction cup to each bottom corner of the curtain to help keep it in place.  I haven't tried this yet in the Oliver, but it seemed to work well in our camper van "dry bath" shower/closet.

I do like that this setup will allow me to shower with the curtain in place and the door open.  I don't know if this hinders or improves ventilation, with both fans going and windows open a bit.  I haven't had a chance to experiment; time will tell.  Our shower curtain is a fabric one, so it dries quickly. 

Truthfully, how you approach the wet bath depends on how much you actually use the shower.

[CanyonWren]

Thanks so much to everyone for their replies! All very helpful. (And thanks for the welcome @topgun2.)

Good especially to know that I'll need to keep the composting toilet covered when showering. And that if I want to improve ventilation and keep the door open while showering, suction cups are the way to go.

I don't microwave at home much at all...honestly only to heat up a rice pack I use to keep my feet warm before I go to sleep. I'm thinking I can get a solar powered heating blanket for that.

@SeaDawg, can you share more about your custom cabinet build where your microwave was? What did you make it out of? Was it easy to blend it into the surrounding structure? Do you have photos to share?

And @Mike and Carol, did you go with the Easy Start for your AC? Also, solar is for sure happening, it's just a question of what that looks like. Still learning about it all so I can figure out whether to get AGM or lithium, and whether it's worth it to have Oliver do the installing or to try to find someone local to do it after I get it home. (Is an Ollie ordered without solar wired in such a way that solar installation will work at a later date?)

Thanks again everyone. I'm glad y'all are here to help provide information!

Meg

 

 

[SeaDawg]

 

[Mike and Carol]

10 hours ago, CanyonWren said:

And @Mike and Carol, did you go with the Easy Start for your AC? Also, solar is for sure happening, it's just a question of what that looks like. Still learning about it all so I can figure out whether to get AGM or lithium, and whether it's worth it to have Oliver do the installing or to try to find someone local to do it after I get it home. (Is an Ollie ordered without solar wired in such a way that solar installation will work at a later date?)

Meg, yes we had Oliver install the AC Easy Start a couple of years ago.  Our small 2K Champion will run the AC although we rarely do that.  I believe Olivers are wired for solar but would verify with your sales person.  Mike

[BackofBeyond]

For the shower we use a hybrid system - part of the curtain is connected to the factory slide and we use small suction cups to keep it placed across the door opening, and just above the rear of the sink. When done, it stows conveniently in the front left corner by way of suction cups with the shock cord/ball end. I suppose we could do without, but have just settled on this process for now.

1. Newsflash - we used the microwave last night - made fine baked tators. to go with the stake and shrimp. So, I will now say the micro was/is a good use of space..... yes dear....
2. We had the easy start from the factory - but have not run it off a genset - yet.
3. Compost toilet - I think in the total - it is just easier than the black tank - and dump station process. Grey water is no problem.

Inclement weather - today and tomorrow - first time stuck in the Ollie - but we have the WWW, and local stations, oh, and each other😍

RB

[Moonlight Mile]

FWIW, as to options I could have done without: shower curtain track, Andersen, hypervent matting (I would find it myself if I wanted-needed it later and cut the pieces myself because to me they look kinda like those anti-skid area rug things for hardwood floors and just sit there loose between bottom of cushions and fiberglass compartments under them; wifi cell booster (I notice no difference at all but maybe I am just not aware of something techy I am not doing or have not set up something with it - it is a switch you flip off or on). YMMV!!!! 

Options I LOVE: convection micro (and I don’t even “cook”), Easy Start AC, solar panels, Truma, power awning, keyless door lock and fob, missile launcher out the rear (ok I made that one up). Heh.

Remember, I am talking ONLY about a 2021 E1. YMMV!

PS. I bought a good dehumidifier and keep it in the shower basin. But that’s just me.

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Moonlight Mile

[DavidS]

5 hours ago, Moonlight Mile said:

wifi cell booster (I notice no difference at all but maybe I am just not aware of something techy I am not doing or have not set up something with it - it is a switch you flip off or on).

We find the Cellular Booster works well, with a boost of 1-2 signal bars if used properly. This signal increase is great when camped in areas of poor cellular signal. 
However, there are details that matter. The interior antenna for the Cellular Booster is mounted under the cabinet above the dinette, and a cell phone must be within 18-36 inches of that antenna. Thus, the Cellular Booster only works at the dinette. 

There is an additional important step to get the Cellular Booster to work properly. After you turn on the Cellular Booster you should briefly put the phone in airplane mode, and then turn off airplane mode. This forces the phone to let go of the distant cell tower with the weak signal, and to now look for the closest “cell tower,” which is your Cellular Booster. If you have been out hiking all day, your phone will remain connected to the distant cell tower, and you can get it to connect to the Cellular Booster by cycling into and out of airplane mode when at the dinette. 

If you also have the WiFi Ranger router system, there are additional possibilities. If you have a MiFi device, it can be placed on the dinette and be connected to the WiFi Ranger, either by WiFi or a wired direct connection. This allows all of your devices to connect to the WiFi Ranger, and gain the speed boost from the Cellular Booster via the MiFi device. Your devices can then take advantage of the speed boost not just at the dinette, but throughout the trailer and outside as well. 

Finally, if you set your phone to use Calling Over WiFi you can similarly use the signal boost for phone calls throughout the trailer and outside as well. 

[Moonlight Mile]

17 minutes ago, DavidS said:

The interior antenna for the Cellular Booster is mounted under the cabinet above the dinette, and a cell phone must be within 18-36 inches of that antenna. Thus, the Cellular Booster only works at the dinette. 

Thanks for this info. Do you happen know if this is all still applicable to the 2021 Elite 1 (with the Wifi Cell Booster)? I don't think I have the "Wifi Ranger" unless it was an option not mentioned in my "Electronics Pro Package." 

[DavidS]

6 minutes ago, Moonlight Mile said:

Thanks for this info. Do you happen know if this is all still applicable to the 2021 Elite 1 (with the Wifi Cell Booster)? I don't think I have the "Wifi Ranger" unless it was an option not mentioned in my "Electronics Pro Package." 

I think it does apply. The Electronics Pro Package listed on the Oliver website includes both a 4G Cell Phone Booster and a WiFi Booster. My 2016 trailer (Elite II) has two on/off switches; I think they are labeled "Cellular Booster" and "WiFi Booster." My trailer has the WiFi Ranger Sky Pack model for the WiFi Booster, and I learned about the wired connection from their instruction manual. I expect the technology has improved since I got my trailer, and Oliver may currently be using different models. 

[Moonlight Mile]

15 minutes ago, DavidS said:

I think it does apply. The Electronics Pro Package listed on the Oliver website includes both a 4G Cell Phone Booster and a WiFi Booster. My 2016 trailer (Elite II) has two on/off switches; I think they are labeled "Cellular Booster" and "WiFi Booster." My trailer has the WiFi Ranger Sky Pack model for the WiFi Booster, and I learned about the wired connection from their instruction manual. I expect the technology has improved since I got my trailer, and Oliver may currently be using different models. 

I looked in my manual(s) and I see info for WiFi Ranger, but the brand I actually have is something else, I think. "Sure" something? Anyway. Gah. Sorry. Just haven't had time to work with this stuff. At all. Very helpful post though!