Investigating and Oliver Elite II as a possible replacement for our squaredrop (Newbs from northern Ohio)

[Steve Morris]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:12 PM, SeaDawg said:

All of that is a "that depends."

We rarely have had hookups in 14 years. You do what you need to do, and the national luna is a great unit.  I'd love to have one, when we get on the road again.

The NL fridge is remarkable efficient. The 90 uses less energy than most discount 35-50L units, averaging .32Ah in fridge/fridge mode and 1.7Ah in freezer/freezer mode harsh conditions. And that's unloaded.

We lucked into ours! We were visiting the aforementioned David Bates in Bellefontaine in 2015 when he was still carrying Conqurer trailers, and they were swapping all of the National Luna 90s to the new darling, the Snowmaster. It was a $2800 fridge at the time, and he was disposing of them for $1000. This is when an ARB 50 was $850 plus shipping. I couldn't pass it up. It has been running, loaded with water jugs, 24 hours a day from March to after Christmas, either plugged in here at home or running on the Bluetti solar generator in the Cruiser ever since. I love it and would buy another if this one ever croaks!

[Mike and Carol]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:27 PM, SeaDawg said:

Do you have a photo?

That's what I've gotten into mine. 

It's ridiculously tiny. We knew that going in. I live with it, because I love the fridge. 

 

I should have taken a photo.  It was small.

[SeaDawg]

It is, in my fridge. Requires skillful packing and prep. 

And, frequent  defrosting,  as well. Every 10 days to two weeks, in humidity.

Its small, but full length. Or, maybe I should say depth. 

Much deeper than my old Dometic.  But, probably less than half the size.

 

[John and Debbie]

7 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

Sadly, I can't eat ice cream anymore. Dairy is limited to yogurt and cheese. 

I'm such a blue bell fan, but it doesn't agree with me. Holidays, I live with the consequences of a spoon or two. 

My husband has agreed to ice cream store stops, instead of taking up  freezer room. 

Does lactaid work?   A lot of people can't tolerate dairy.   Northern European ancestry can for the most part.   We're from Swedish ancestry so we have no problem. 

[Steve Morris]

Anita at Oliver called yesterday to make sure we got the printed brochure in the mail, and to answer any questions we had. We had a nice chat, but the old saying of "you don't know what you don't know" definitely applies here. Since we are currently in a 5X8 squaredrop (a boxy teardrop) without plumbing, gas, or any appliances built in, and basic electrical, everything about a potential purchase is unknown. We've done a *lot* of reading and YouTubing over the last couple of years, but I know there will be tons of questions down the road if we go this route.

That said, Deb received her "golden ticket" from Maker's Mark as an ambassador, and her bottle is ready for pickup in Loretta, Kentucky. (Side note; she doesn't even like whiskey, but signed up for the free stuff they send at Christmas every year. 🤣 )  Meanwhile, Choice Privileges emailed me and let me know that I need to use my points on a stay before August 1, else lose them. So after Maker's Mark, we're headed to Hohenwald for a factory visit and to tour the Elite II.

Who knows whether we'll leave with one less check in the checkbook...

[topgun2]

They don't come much (if any) better than Anita!

Be sure to bring that camera with you - not only will it help you to remember what you saw, but, in the event you actually do write that check, it will serve to help you down the road when you are trying to remember what is exactly behind "that" wall.

Also, don't be afraid to ask questions and look at anything that interests you.  Certainly you can take as much time as you desire on the tour - I'm certain that you will be impressed.

Bill

[Steve Morris]

Thanks to someone on here, we just ordered a set of AB Lifestyles custom sheets for our Hiker squaredrop trailer. When we bough the 5X8 Hiker, we added a 6" folding Milliard queen mattress and queen sheets. The problem with the queen mattress is that it is the exact same width as the inside of the trailer, and long enough to push into the open lower galley area. So no ventilation around the mattress, even if I put the venting stuff underneath, Last week I closed off that galley area, and cut the mattress down to full-size mattress length, but wider than full size. Any sheets we found are for 12-16" thick mattresses, so tons of wrinkles. 

On you guys' advice, we ordered a set of custom sheets and mattress pad from AB Lifestyle, and they should be here after next week. They were going to ship them sooner, but that's when we will be down in Hohenwald. 😉 We got the cheapest set they offered, but the quality and service will be a good indicator if we need to order a set of Oliver Twin sheets from them next spring. 🙂 

[Mike and Carol]

3 hours ago, Steve and Deb said:

On you guys' advice, we ordered a set of custom sheets and mattress pad from AB Lifestyle, and they should be here after next week.

We like ours!

[Steve Morris]

Slight delay in our plans. We originally intended to leave for Kentucky yesterday, and then down to Hohenwald later this week. But recovery from some minor surgery on Wednesday isn't going quite as quickly as I'd hoped. Not a big deal, I just thought I'd bounce back immediately. I guess bouncing back takes longer as you get older...

Anyway, this week was a nice open gap in our schedule, and it doesn't look like another will occur until at least mid-August. Grrr!!!

I know that @Dave and Kimberly are only about three hours SW of us and have offered to let us look at their Elite II. Is there anyone else closer to northern Ohio west of Cleveland with an Elite II? Or someone passing though that we could arrange to meet? That might be enough to convince us to start an order process (or possibly eliminate an Oliver all together) and then take the tour later.

Thanks for any input!

 

[EDIT] I'll create a thread looking for someone local in case someone passing though doesn't read this post

[SeaDawg]

59 minutes ago, Steve and Deb said:

 

[EDIT] I'll create a thread looking for someone local in case someone passing though doesn't read this post

That's a good idea.

[AZ Wonderer]

On 6/7/2022 at 10:21 AM, topgun2 said:

No "custom orders".  But, you can always ask.  The 2023 that Oliver brought to this year's Owner's Rally had a compressor fridge in it.  So, that now just might be an option.

Again, you can always ask.

 

My understanding from Oliver is that the 3-way refrigerator will no longer be offered in the Oliver because the manufacturer is discontinuing it.  All 2023 Olivers, therefore, will be standard with the 2-way compressor refrigerator and, as noted already, the outside vent will be replaced with a small fold-down table, perfect for condiments, according to Oliver. I don't know the size of the freezer but, I agree, I'm happy not to have the vent cut-out and look forward to faster and more efficient refrigerator cooling.

I'm guessing the Norcold compressor fridge that Oliver will install is this one:  Norcold N305/ N306 - Refrigerator and freezer in a 2.5 cubic-foot unit.  The freezer is definitely bigger than a kid's showbox.  🙂

Edited July 14, 2022 by AZ Wonderer
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[Guest]

7 hours ago, AZ Wonderer said:

I'm guessing the Norcold compressor fridge that Oliver will install is this one:  Norcold N305/ N306 - Refrigerator and freezer in a 2.5 cubic-foot unit.  The freezer is definitely bigger than a kid's showbox.

That a different fridge than the one photographed in the Elite Demo 2023 post seen by Steph and Dud B.

[MobileJoy]

On 6/7/2022 at 3:16 PM, Mike and Carol said:

Like BIll said there was a drop down table in the place of the vents.

I noticed in the 2023 demo at the rally that the bathroom door had the twist knob lock instead of the magnetic lock that is used in my 2021 LEII. I asked about this. I was told that this trailer is actually a retrofitted older model meant to show the Truma AC, the compressor fridge, and some other things. I did not ask if the actual 2023 model would include this drop down table.

[SeaDawg]

@AZ Wonderer, the link you provided is a gas norcold,  and quite small. 

Norcold does make dc danfoss/secop compressor fridges, but I don't think they sell one of an appropriate size (at least 4 cubic ft) that will fit in the spot in the Oliver kitchen. 

[AZ Wonderer]

4 hours ago, Kirk Peterson said:

That a different fridge than the one photographed in the Elite Demo 2023 post seen by Steph and Dud B.

Yes, you're right!  My apologies.  I checked...this is the fridge that will be used in the 2023 Oliver Elite II.  It's an Isotherm CR130 EL:

ISOTHERM Cruise 130 Elegance Silver, 4.6 cu.ft., AC/DC, Silver Door, 3-Sided Flange | West Marine

 

[John E Davies]

3 hours ago, AZ Wonderer said:

.this is the fridge that will be used in the 2023 Oliver Elite II.  It's an Isotherm CR130 EL:

ISOTHERM Cruise 130 Elegance Silver, 4.6 cu.ft., AC/DC, Silver Door, 3-Sided Flange | West Marine

That is a very nice unit, but IMHO if Oliver is transitioning to a Danfoss type fridge, I think they should install a top loader (door on top, insulated sides) on a slide out tray. That way you don't dump all the cold air every single time you go inside for an item.... which really increases the energy consumption. These don't cycle nearly as often! Plus you would be able to remove it easily if you wanted to clean it or use it in another vehicle.i

I don't believe that it would be any more awkward than a great big door intruding into the hallway, except you would have to slide it out most of the way to open it. There are sliding drawer units, but those dump cold air too, there is no way around it when the sides are wide open, cold air sinks naturally:

"Danfoss/SeCOP compressor offers low power consumption, quiet performance, and operation at a heel up to 30°"

That last part is nice, I am always worrying about my propane fridge burning out the coil when it is at 30 degree angle 😉 The unit draws 5 amps when running. I think this new Norcold fridge is going to be really hard on a lot of boondockers who can't keep the batteries charged....those who always camp in the direct sunshine in desert states won't have any worries, but a 200 watt+ portable panel is going to be necessary most other times. or run the generator every couple of days. 50 to 70 amp hours a day is not insignificant when you also use the inverter and microwave.. And I believe that Oliver STILL does not let you charge off the tow vehicle if you have lithiums.... which you will need with this fridge!

John Davies

Spokane WA

[John E Davies]

As an extra comment, I think most people “expect” to see a permanently mounted (screwed down) fridge in an RV. When it runs primarily on propane and also requires a 15 amp shore power circuit, that is obvious. But once you get to to a Danfoss unit that sips DC power, relatively speaking, then a portable one makes a whole lot of sense to me. It would be very easy to have a shore power outlet, just like the microwave, but the primary power source still remains 12 volts Dc from your batteries. It could so easily plug into your truck, so why make it fixed….?

FYI I have owned the mid sized ARB Classic unit for about fifteen years, and it is great. I carry it strapped to one of my center row seats. But when I do take it on long trips, like the last one to Yukon Territory, I HATE the 50 to 60 amp hr per day constant power consumption. It makes me constantly worry about solar positioning, and when the sun doesn’t shine, I worry even more. So most of the time it stays in the garage. I have actually thought about getting rid of it. I am not sold on these Danfoss units in an RV. For a cruising sailboat, definitely! Those rarely get parked under trees!

https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/the-danfoss-compessor-refrigerator-pros-cons-and-a-few-tips/

John Davies

Spokane WA
 

[SeaDawg]

We've had the indelb truckfridge version of the cf130 on our older elite for 4 1/2 years now, and I can say unequivocally it is the most reliable, most efficient fridge we've ever had. Why do we love it? Because it works, on all ambient temperatures and elevations we've camped in, it cools down quickly, makes ice cubes in an hour, and, did I mention, it works? Consistently. And, it's really quiet. And, a light inside. 

I think the western and southern campers, especially,  will find this to be a big plus. And, folks who routinely camp at higher elevation.

There's a really good reason why most Aussie and European trailers come equipped with dc compressor fridges. The cf130 is undoubtedly better insulated than mine, and it's coast guard approved, so a higher price tag. 

We have tracked 50 to 70 ah used per day with ours. We have managed with 200 watts fixed solar, and 100 watts portable solar, but that required a lot of power management,  and occasional use of our generator. We upgraded our fixed solar to 2 x 200, and portable to 200, 2 years ago.

Our Elite only has 2 x 105 ah agm batteries,  so you can easily do the math... The bigger elite 2 trailers, with 4 battery capacity,  will find it much easier to manage power, even with fla or agm batteries.  

No one at Oliver asked me for a recommendation,  but if they had, that cf130 fridge would have been my recommendation. 

John E Davies had a good point on the cold dump of door openings, but that was even more true with the 3 ways, imo.

 A number of sailboats have incorporated a slide-out portable unit like he suggested,  and I'm sure it's a great idea, but it's still the same concept as digging around in an ice chest. I'm ok with that as a portable freezer someday, but not as my main fridge. 

I put everything in the same places, every time. I put sandwich supplies in one big ziplock on one shelf, and take it out to make lunch. Meats in a bin. Produce in the slide-out drawer. Everything has a mapped place, so I can find things quickly. 

The only problem we've had is ice buildup in the smaller freezer. I defrost it every 10 to 14 days, but, remember that we routinely camp in places with higher humidity, and we often camp 6 to 8 weeks at a time.  It takes a very short time to defrost, anyway. (Don't use a hair dryer to defrost!)

We routinely camp without electricity.  Just solar. 

 

 

[Patriot]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:23 PM, Mike and Carol said:

You could not get 25% of that in the freezer I saw at the rally.

Agreed Mike, we were both pretty shocked at how tiny the freezer space was when we saw it at the rally. We did like the new Truma AC and learned it will be a while before Oliver does a retrofit IF they decide to do them at all. 

[SeaDawg]

11 minutes ago, Patriot said:

Agreed Mike, we were both pretty shocked at how tiny the freezer space was when we saw it at the rally. We did like the new Truma AC and learned it will be a while before Oliver does a retrofit if they decide to do them at all. 

I don't know if that's Oliver's decision. Last I read, the truma ac was only available for new oem install.

Very few Truma products are available for retrofit.

Ps, that tiny freezer is full depth, and not quite as small as it looks. 

Mine has worked well for us for 4 years.  

[Patriot]

12 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

I don't know if that's Oliver's decision. Last I read, the truma ac was only available for new oem install.

Very few Truma products are available for retrofit.

Ps, that tiny freezer is full depth, and not quite as small as it looks. 

Mine has worked well for us for 4 years.  

In our observation the new 2023 freezer is really small maybe 1/4 the size our Norcold freezer and that’s being generous at best. The refrigerator compartment is two thirds the size of the Norcold.  My bride even pointed the smaller size as she does an amazing job packing our cold items for extended trips. We thought  we could maybe get one large bag of frozen blueberries in there. 🫐😅 We are very happy with our Norcold so far especially it’s size. 

 

[SeaDawg]

My guess is 1/3 of our original norcold , and replacement dometic. 

Not a game changer for us. 

I appreciate the increased fridge capacity,  more. 

Everyone has a different camping style.  And, yes, we adjusted ours for the smaller freezer in the 130.

Still. Very happy campers.

[Patriot]

1 hour ago, SeaDawg said:

My guess is 1/3 of our original norcold , and replacement dometic. 

Not a game changer for us. 

I appreciate the increased fridge capacity,  more. 

Everyone has a different camping style.  And, yes, we adjusted ours for the smaller freezer in the 130.

Still. Very happy campers.

Just spoke with Mike Sharp at Oliver Service and he confirmed Oliver is planning to retro fit the new Truma AC into the existing owners Oliver’s. The Oliver LE2 with the new Truma AC at the rally was in fact a 2020 model. So we’ll consider having our Dometic Penguin swapped out for the new Truma. Mike said the retro fits could possibly begin in March of next year. Something we may consider as the Truma is a quieter unit for sure after listening to it while at the rally while inside the demo.  

[Mike and Carol]

1 hour ago, Patriot said:

Just spoke with Mike Sharp at Oliver Service and he confirmed Oliver is planning to retro fit the new Truma AC into the existing owners Oliver’s. The Oliver LE2 with the new Truma AC at the rally was in fact a 2020 model. So we’ll consider having our Dometic Penguin swapped out for the new Truma. Mike said the retro fits could possibly begin in March of next year. Something we may consider as the Truma is a quieter unit for sure after listening to it while at the rally while inside the demo.  

I’ve been thinking about the Houghton.  If Oliver does a retrofit with the Truma AC I will definitely be interested.  The worst feature of our Oliver is the Dometic AC.  Mike

[Patriot]

22 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

I’ve been thinking about the Houghton.  If Oliver does a retrofit with the Truma AC I will definitely be interested.  The worst feature of our Oliver is the Dometic AC.  Mike

Agreed. We really liked how quiet the Truma AC was and I thought why not just call Oliver and ask? Let’s just hope that the supply chain keeps chugging along and Oliver receives plenty of Truma AC inventory. 👍🏻