Design decisions?

[Steph and Dud B]

2 OTT design decisions strike me as odd:

Why aren't there separate switches for left/right flood and outside courtesy lights? Sometimes I want to light my patio area without blinding my neighbors on the street side.

Why isn't there an indoor switch for the 120v water heater element? Sometimes the campground voltage goes low and I want to switch to gas hot water instead.

Both of these are pretty common in other brands, so I wonder why OTT opted against them.

[topgun2]

30 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Why aren't there separate switches for left/right flood and outside courtesy lights? Sometimes I want to light my patio area without blinding my neighbors on the street side.

Interesting - on my 2016 I have separate switches for the curbside and street side for the "patio/flood" lights.  However, I have only one switch for the "puddle/courtesy " lights.

32 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Why isn't there an indoor switch for the 120v water heater element?

I have heard of a couple of owners moving this switch to an inside location.  It shouldn't really be all that difficult.  However, I'm not sure why Oliver has never done this.

Bill

[Chukarhunter]

37 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Sometimes I want to light my patio area without blinding my neighbors on the street side.

For the first year of ownership, we never used the patio lights at all because we didn't want to blind ourselves on the curbside, much less the neighbors on the streetside.  Like other Oliver owners have, we ended up adding amber film over all the patio lights and the light is now warm and subdued.  I agree that Oliver should provide separate switches for street and curbside lights, but we found that adding the amber film to the lights is an easy, low cost way to mitigate those annoyingly bright lights for everyone affected.

[Mike and Carol]

1 hour ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Why aren't there separate switches for left/right flood and outside courtesy lights? Sometimes I want to light my patio area without blinding my neighbors on the street side.

Why isn't there an indoor switch for the 120v water heater element? Sometimes the campground voltage goes low and I want to switch to gas hot water instead.

Like BIll, we have separate switches for our outside porch lights.  Not sure why that was discontinued.  It would be nice to have an inside switch to control the electric element for the hot water heater, but you can turn on the propane without turning off the electric element.  Mike

[Fritz]

On 2/16/2023 at 11:28 AM, Chukarhunter said:

For the first year of ownership, we never used the patio lights at all because we didn't want to blind ourselves on the curbside, much less the neighbors on the streetside.  Like other Oliver owners have, we ended up adding amber film over all the patio lights and the light is now warm and subdued.  I agree that Oliver should provide separate switches for street and curbside lights, but we found that adding the amber film to the lights is an easy, low cost way to mitigate those annoyingly bright lights for everyone affected.

Similarly, I added a dark tinted film.  Subdues the patio lights, which really should be switchable by side.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017MWRQY6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Gliddenwoods]

Fritz, could you describe (or better yet share a picture) how dark the black film dims the bright white light? I want to dim but still have it a functional & usable outside light when required. Thanks.

[topgun2]

15 hours ago, Gliddenwoods said:

Fritz, could you describe (or better yet share a picture) how dark the black film dims the bright white light?

You can get an idea of the diming effect by looking at the pics and video at the Amazon link provided above.

Bill

[MAX Burner]

On 2/16/2023 at 11:28 AM, Chukarhunter said:

Like other Oliver owners have, we ended up adding amber film over all the patio lights and the light is now warm and subdued. 

It would be interesting to find a supplier for "dimmable" LEDs and adding rheostats for the master switch panel patio and courtesy lights.  SOBs out there have this feature.

[Fritz]

16 hours ago, Gliddenwoods said:

Fritz, could you describe (or better yet share a picture) how dark the black film dims the bright white light? I want to dim but still have it a functional & usable outside light when required. Thanks.

So far I've only tried the dark film in the driveway, but it seems there is plenty of functional light.  From a distance, the "bright-in-your-face" light from a distance (i.e., neighboring campsite) is substantially diminished.  The awning light on more recent trailers is available for more street-side light if needed.  Finally, the film can be removed if you feel it's too dark.  

I did try film on only half of the light next to the door (see photo), thinking this would leave more light around the door but diminish the distance brightness.  However, the light still seemed to bright at a distance, so I removed the film and replaced it with a full-coverage piece.

I found the best way to apply the film was to place a piece of masking tape over the light, carefully trim  with a precision hobby knife the portion of the masking tape covering the chrome housing.  The remaining portion of masking tape covering the lens can then be removed and used as a template for cutting the film.

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, MAX Burner said:

It would be interesting to find a supplier for "dimmable" LEDs and adding rheostats for the master switch panel patio and courtesy lights.

I have a dimmer on my Ollie lights - like THIS one.

Bill

 

[Fritz]

Thanks.  Do you know if this dimmer is compatible with the LED lights used on more recent trailers?  I recall (hopefully incorrectly) that LEDs used in 2021 trailers are not dimmable.  It would be great to be able to dim some of the interior touch lights and exterior lights.

[MAX Burner]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

I have a dimmer on my Ollie lights

@topgun2:  Will this unit control more than one LED circuit?

[topgun2]

49 minutes ago, MAX Burner said:

Will this unit control more than one LED circuit?

The good news and the bad news - When I dim the lights, ALL lights (interior and exterior) dim.  There are times when I would prefer to only dim either the interior or the exterior.  However, this has never bothered me enough to rewire it.

2 hours ago, Fritz said:

 Do you know if this dimmer is compatible with the LED lights used on more recent trailers?

No - I do not know the answer to this.  If I had to guess, I'd think that the touch lights are the "problem", but, the guys that would probably know are located in Oliver Service.

Bill

[BBL]

27 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

The good news and the bad news - When I dim the lights, ALL lights (interior and exterior) dim.  There are times when I would prefer to only dim either the interior or the exterior.  However, this has never bothered me enough to rewire it.

The reason this happens is that Oliver has one 12v hot lead going to all the lights on that panel. If you install a dimmer you will dim all the lights. I need to get in there to determine if there is a better way or even if it is possible to dim individual circuits.

Brian

[MAX Burner]

12 minutes ago, Brian and Brandelyne said:

I need to get in there to determine if there is a better way or even if it is possible to dim individual circuits.

That would be way COOL.  Get on it, brother! HA!

[BBL]

I'm ON it brother!  Just don't hold your breath, many things in front of that task.

Cheers and 73,

BL

[MAX Burner]

31 minutes ago, Brian and Brandelyne said:

many things in front of that task.

Of course there are! HA!

[SeaDawg]

Maybe do a search for dimmable touch lights puck. I came up with this. I'm sure there are more.

We have certain essential lights on our boat, both dimmable and color changing (red doesn't interfere as much with night vision when sailing).  Replace a few, turn the rest off, is what I'd do.

 

 

[Fritz]

3 hours ago, topgun2 said:

The good news and the bad news - When I dim the lights, ALL lights (interior and exterior) dim.  There are times when I would prefer to only dim either the interior or the exterior.  However, this has never bothered me enough to rewire it.

No - I do not know the answer to this.  If I had to guess, I'd think that the touch lights are the "problem", but, the guys that would probably know are located in Oliver Service.

Bill

Hannah in Oliver service says the touch lights are not dimmable.  

Amazon has some similar lights that appear to be dimmable (https://www.amazon.com/Interior-Surface-Ceiling-Overhead-Lighting/dp/B09W2DMQSS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2JZT85UWBYI75&keywords=12v%2Btouch%2Blight&qid=1685739764&sprefix=12v%2Btouch%2Blight%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRkdSRklLUFZON1A4JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDQ2NTI1MVpQQlkxOUhJR1JTSiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTc1MzQ2WDFKWkY1MkVYS0g1JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1).  However, one review mentions a buzzing noise when dimmed.

[Geronimo John]

On 2/16/2023 at 7:33 AM, Steph and Dud B said:

Why isn't there an indoor switch for the 120v water heater element?

I suspect that OTT felt that the the "pain and suffering" of having such a switch inside far outweighed the inconvenience of going outside and flipping the switch on the hot water heater.

Specifically:  Activating this high current element is mostly concerned with your setup location.  Do you have a 30 amp connection to power up Ollie's systems, or just 20, or just solar, or just a generator (Etc.).  The power available generally determines if I'll even be using the hot water electrically driven.  However, having a switch inside would allow a whole lot of others to just flip it on.  The impact could instantly trip the breaker.  That could have a lot worse impacts.  Benefit/Cost Analysis Summary:  Fail.

GJ

[Steph and Dud B]

That's assuming the power being supplied is stable. On the other hand, in a full hookup campground with marginal power, you can turn the AC element off during the heat of the day - when others' air conditioner use has driven the campground voltage down - and run your water heater on gas only. Then, in the morning when the voltage is nominal again and your wife wants a shower after you, you can flip the AC element back on for a faster reheat and shut it back down after her shower. Been there, done that many times. Well worth the inside switch.

[Geronimo John]

7 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Well worth the inside switch.

 

7 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

That's assuming the power being supplied is stable. On the other hand, in a full hookup campground with marginal power, you can turn the AC element off during the heat of the day - when others' air conditioner use has driven the campground voltage down - and run your water heater on gas only. Then, in the morning when the voltage is nominal again and your wife wants a shower after you, you can flip the AC element back on for a faster reheat and shut it back down after her shower. Been there, done that many times. Well worth the inside switch.

I totally agree, and for our OE2 it would be the same.  But OTT has to take a higher road and consider that not all owners are as swift in the power management regime, and don't have silly folks or kiddo's switching on stuff that don't fully understand what we have learned in more than six (or more) decades.  So the safer path is to put the switch  outside where only a few of us know how to play the power management game.  That said, if you really want the ability, it is easy to add a switch under the curb side bed rail.  You doing so fully absolves OT of the negligence should "an event" occur.  In today's world, i think their decision was pretty obvious.

[SeaDawg]

On 2/16/2023 at 12:33 PM, Steph and Dud B said:

Why isn't there an indoor switch for the 120v water heater element? Sometimes the campground voltage goes low and I want to switch to gas hot water instead.

Both of these are pretty common in other brands, so I wonder why OTT opted against them.

Quite true. All the rvs we've delivered to Alaska had indoor switches, gas and electric,  by the door .

We have an indoor switch in our 2008, for the 12v dc igniter, only, inconveniently located under the bed. I tape over it, so we don't accidentally hit the switch with one of the storage bins we keep under the bed.

The resoning may be that folks will hit the switch on a dry water heater, and burn it out . I don't know. 

If we camped regularly with hookups  , I'd want that switch 

We don't,  so never thought about it til now. 

Thanks.

[Cameron]

FWIW, I remember during our orientation with Hannah, she cautioned me against using the switch on the hot water heater. She said that if I switched it to electricity, and ran the tank dry, and didn't remember the tank was on electricity, it would burn it out. So, yes, I'm thinking that OTT wants to minimize the chance of operator error resulting in a call to service or complaints. 

[ScubaRx]

We’ve had an indoor switch for the electric side of the water heater in our Oliver since day one, over 10 years ago.