We are camped tonight up a dirt road off of California Highway 20, deep in the Tahoe National Forest.

This is our first real night boondocking in the wilderness in our Oliver (now named "Orion"), and it feels great. Luxurious even.

Before enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal, we strolled up the fire road to enjoy the view from the ridge over the valley below. Other than an occasional distant flash of headlights on the road below, we are totally alone out here in the woods. It feels like we have this entire forest to ourselves.

Now we are using our cell phone booster antenna system to turn a marginal Sprint signal into a very useful shared Internet connection - using it to keep up with world news, connect with friends and plan our upcoming time in the Bay Area.

We have good food. Good drink. Good music. Good connectivity. Indoor plumbing. Good cuddles. And a great view awaiting us in the morning.

Life is good indeed.

*grin*

One of the major new toys in our nomadic toolbox has been the addition of a Honda EU2000i generator. We found one online at Wise Sales for just $850, with free shipping - way less than from any other retailer.

(Honda stupidly prohibits dealers publishing prices online - but I suffer no such limitation...)

The Honda EU2000i is a fabulous 2000 watt generator that is small, quiet, weighs just 46lbs, and it gets great fuel economy. We specifically sized the air conditioner in our Oliver to work with this generator - we specced a power-efficient 9,200 btu Coleman Polar Cub rather than a more typical (and formerly Oliver standard) 13,000 btu model.

Most RV air conditioners require a 2400 watt or even 3000 watt generator to work, so we were really hoping that we could manage with a smaller, lighter, and more economical Honda EU2000 option.

Most of our power needs will be satisfied by our solar setup, but the generator will come in really handy when we need to run the air conditioner away from shore power options. It will also be able to quickly recharge our batteries if the solar power is ever not able to keep up.

The big downside of a generator however is dealing with fuel. Carrying around canisters of gas in an enclosed Jeep or trailer is not ideal, and since the Jeep burns diesel the gasoline wouldn't even double as emergency vehicle fuel.

My goal was to find a propane conversion kit to allow the Honda EU2000i to run off of our Oliver's ample 50lb propane supply. Until a few weeks ago, the only kit I could find to do this required drilling out the generator's carburetor, and replacing the fuel tank so gasoline was not even an option.

But then Cherie found a eBay listing for a "Tri Fuel Kit" from Central Maine Diesel that would allow the Honda EU2000i to run on gasoline, propane, or natural gas. And rather than drilling out my own carb, I could just send Central Maine Diesel the carb from our generator for one that they had already modified rather than me attempting the risky drilling myself.

(The kit is $179, or a pre-converted Honda EU2000i is $1269 + shipping...)

It turns out that I was the very first customer to get the "installs in minutes" kit, so I had to spend several hours figuring out how to swap out the Honda's carburetor and reroute the necessary hoses with only a picture to go on. The carburetor removal instructions I found posted here were invaluable, and in theory my feedback will be helping Central Maine Diesel create better documentation to include with their kit in the future.

With time running out, we only had a brief chance to test the generator running on propane before departing St. Louis last week. But today at Zion National Park in 100 degree heat we got to give the setup a real stress test.

It worked GREAT!

Even at high altitude (near 4000 feet), the generator was able to power the AC on propane, and the air conditioner did a marvelous job of cooling down the Oliver.

Charging the batteries I was able to sustain a 60+ amp charge current, which should allow us to fully charge our battery bank in under two hours.

Of course - you have to pick - you can't charge batteries and run the air conditioner at the same time without overloading the generator. But, this setup sure beats carrying around a 135lb 3000 watt Honda.

For us, this setup is the perfect backup power source. And if we ever do need to resort to gasoline, this kit still gives us the option. The Oliver folks were fabulous, and the factory hooked up a low-pressure propane hose on the tongue for us so all we have to do is open a valve to get gas to our generator.

Based upon the consumption figures published by Central Maine Diesel, I am hoping that we can get 20 to 40 hours of air conditioning use out each 20lb propane cylinder.

Here is what it looks like in use:



I am VERY much looking forward to having a few hours of air conditioning every day at Burning Man. *grin*

In just a few hours we will be hitting the road to drive back down to Tennessee to pick up our Oliver.

On Friday, the factory sent us a few more pictures to show us the latest progress:


The graphics Heather designed for us came out amazing. And yes, we are big enough dorks to have our URL on the spare tire cover...


Check out that sweet solar panel.... *grin*

It is such a thrill to see our Oliver so close to being complete. And in just a few hours, we will be picking her up.

They gave us our VIN and serial number today. We are the 33rd Oliver off the line. I like that. Thirty-three has always been one of my favorite numbers.


Also read: Construction Update #1, Construction Update #2, Construction Update #3, Construction Update #4, Construction Update #5 & Construction Update #6.

You can see all of our construction photos in this Flickr set.

On our way from Florida to St. Louis, we stopped in Hohenwald, TN to tour the Oliver Factory on July 16th.

We ended up spending a full day there - it was a fabulous experience.

Here are a few of the highlights:


Oliver's sales manager Robert Partee spent the entire day with us, showing us every aspect of the Oliver construction process. Here he is showing us how fiberglass (the glass strands) is sprayed onto the molds to create the four shells of an Oliver trailer.


The fresh and gray water tanks of the Oliver nestle low on the frame, between the inner and outer shells. We got to (closely) inspect an Oliver while the plumbing was still exposed, giving us a great look at how it all goes together. The white box in the back left corner is the 6 gallon hot water heater.


This was our first look at our Oliver on the factory floor. It was bustling with activity as the wiring was being finalized, preparing for the outer roof shell to be lowered on.


We arrived at the perfect time - the Oliver folks had misunderstood my instructions as to where I wanted our monitor swing arm mounted (confusion over the "rear" vs "back" window). Since the monitor arm had not arrived yet, I was able to look up the schematics on my iPhone and make the measurements to place the aluminum backing support correctly for our needs.


I was also able to get involved with the wiring for my solar setup. The factory had never installed a battery monitor like mine before, so I helped them figuring out the wiring and where to place the remote display and the current shunt. I had used the same components for the solar setup on my Tab.


Some other sights from the factory: the giant shower room where every trailer is tested for leaks, the storeroom where our cushions await, and the mural in the playroom section of the lounge.


Our friend Heather designed some custom graphics for our Oliver, and to make sure that they would print correctly the Oliver plant manager and trailer co-designer Daniel Oliver invited us back to play with the vinyl printer. The curves we printed came out fabulously.


Here we are posing with our new baby. The "tinfoil hat" being installed onto the roof of the Oliver acts as an RF barrier to prevent the internal cellphone booster output antenna broadcast from being picked up by the exterior pickup antenna, causing an oscillation that will shut down the booster. It also prevents extraterrestrial mind control...


This view of the entire worksite shows all our parts coming together. The roof of our Oliver is already hanging from a forklift, soon to be lifted up and installed. I can't wait to see the finished product!!!


All of the people at the Oliver plant were fabulous. We really felt like family there.

I'm looking forward to our return to Hohenwald on Wednesday to visit the factory again, and this time we will get to take our Oliver home with us. *grin*


Also read: Construction Update #1, Construction Update #2, Construction Update #3, Construction Update #4 & Construction Update #5.

You can see all of our construction photos in this Flickr set.

Late on Friday I got this email from my contact at the Oliver factory:

I had to get these to you for the weekend, too “sweet”.

Sweet indeed - we have solar panels!!!

What an exciting thing to see before the weekend. I can't wait to see it all in person next week!


A late friday surprise from the Oliver Factory - our first look at our solar panels!


Two 100W solar panels have been joined together to give us 200W of solar goodness on top of our Oliver. Here you can see the panels tilted towards the right. Normally while in motion they will be secured flat to the roof. In this shot you can also se the cell phone booster antenna mounted on the leading edge of our trailer.


This underside view of the solar panels reveal how the two panels have been joined together, and how the extension arms attach to pivot the panels up at an angle.


The two panels overhang the Oliver's center roof hump by a bit to either side, but the mounts that the Oliver factory came up with are fabulous looking.


Here is another view of our newly attached solar panel. The other metal brackets along the right side are where the trailer awning will be attached. The small extra bump on the back of the roof will keep the air conditioner mounted flat, compensating for the need to push the AC back rearward of the typical Oliver mounting location to make space for the solar.


Can you tell that I am getting excited?? *grin*

Also read: Construction Update #1, Construction Update #2, Construction Update #3, & Construction Update #4.

You can see all of our construction photos in this Flickr set.

My contact at the Oliver factory gave me a call yesterday to let me know he had seen my Construction Update #3, and he wanted to point out a few areas I had gotten my photo descriptions wrong. I had assumed that the photos showed the top inner shell being attached to the bottom two shells, when in fact the inner top and bottom shells are actually joined together first, and the entire inner egg is lowered into the bottom shell at once.

He apologized for causing my confusion over the order that the shells are assembled because he had missed taking a photo of a key construction step while he was out on vacation. He then sent me some more photos to make sure I was able to understand and document the entire construction process.

Have I mentioned just how awesome the folks at the Oliver factory are?



The two inner shells of an Oliver are chemically bonded to each other for strength, producing a strong and rigid inner egg. This whole assembly will be later lowered into the lower outer shell, which will have already been mated to the frame.

This Oliver pictured is not ours, but the factory wanted to illustrate this step that they missed taking a picture of for us.

In the front view, you can see the area under the bathroom sink, with the shower hose dangling down.

This particular Oliver also has the A/V system which we omitted - one of the speakers and the back of the AM/FM/CD/DVD player are visible in the side view shot.




The factory also sent us a few new pictures of our Oliver. Since the last batch of pictures, the inner upper shell windows have been cut. Looking in our freshly cut back window, you can make out the chrome "stripper pole" on the inside that serves as the back support for the small dinette seat.

The tan color of the inner shell indicates the locations that the ceramic insulation has been bonded directly with the fiberglass. The Oliver has two layers of ceramic insulation, and an air gap between the shells. This should prove to be a VERY well insulated trailer.


This is our top outer shell. The cellular booster antenna is to the far left, and the roof vent lid is visible in the middle of this photo.


This view reveals our cellular booster antenna, and the hole cut for the bathroom roof vent. A bit further back, if you look closely you can see the measurement marks on the roof where they are plotting out the mounting location for our solar panels!


Also read: Construction Update #1, Construction Update #2, & Construction Update #3.

You can see all of our construction photos in this Flickr set.

My main contact at the Oliver factory was out last week on vacation, and he has been out sick most of this week.

I finally had a chance to catch up with him today, and he gave me these pictures, fresh from the factory floor:


The inner shells are first chemically bonded to each other, and then they are dropped into the outer bottom shell and mated to the frame. In this series of photos, the excess fiberglass along the outer bottom shell rim is being trimmed off.

The tan color of the inner shell indicates the locations that the ceramic insulation has been bonded directly with the fiberglass. The Oliver has two layers of ceramic insulation, and an air gap between the shells. This should prove to be a VERY well insulated trailer.

If you look closely, you can see that the insulation has not been applied to the window areas, which are soon to be cut out.


This view shows the spare tire mount, and the storage area behind the back bumper. The black hose on the left is used for dumping the tanks.


Now that the inner shells have been attached, this technician is trimming away the excess fiberglass. You also get a good view of the wiring for the lights, AC, solar, etc. The wires will be hidden inside the upper cabinets once the top shell is attached.


This is a great view of the upper trailer wiring in progress. Once the top shell is attached, this wiring will be hidden against the very back wall of the upper cabinets. I'm not sure what the clear plastic hose visible here is for - my best guess is that it is a drain for the air conditioning.

UPDATE: Yep, the factory confirms it is the AC condensation drain. Many RV's skip having this, and let all this moisture stay up on the roof...


This is a good view of the technicians trimming away the excess fiberglass on the sides of the bottom shell.


A more distant view of our trailer under construction. You can see the water heater has been installed, and the hatch is hanging open on the bottom left. You can also get a good look at the openings cut into the inner upper shell for all the upper cabinets.


Next Wednesday we will be stopping in to visit the Oliver factory on our way up to St. Louis. It will be exciting to get to look at our trailer in person while it is under construction. I can't wait, and I imagine I will be taking 100's of pictures... *grin*

Also read: Construction Update #1 & Construction Update #2.

You can see all of our construction photos in this Flickr set.

I got some more pictures in the mail from the Oliver factory yesterday, just in time to show off at serolynne's house cooling party!

I've created a Flickr set chronicling all the photos I've gotten of our Oliver under construction. Here are the latest highlights:
(Click each photo for a larger version...)


The Oliver's frame is custom made from aluminum, so it will not rust and it is much lighter weight than the typical steel. It features an extensible tongue that can telescope forward to lower the tongue weight on the to tow vehicle. This will also allow for more space for the tongue-mounted generator basket we are having attached, and it will hopefully allow for enough clearance so that we can continue to mount our bike rack on the back of our Jeep. On the right side, the retractable trailer step is built right into the frame. In the back, the rear bumper is hinged and it opens downward to reveal a storage area.

This custom frame meshes perfectly with the Oliver's fiberglass shell, and it will allow the long and flat fresh and grey water tanks to sit low nestled right in the bottom, giving the trailer a low center of gravity.

Our Oliver has the now-standard 4" axel lift, aluminum wheels, and 15" tires - an upgrade from the 14" tires on the earliest Olivers. This extra ground clearance will come in very handy for heading off road.





These two shots show the left and right sides of the outside bottom shell of our Oliver. You can see where they have cut the openings for the battery compartment, refrigerator vent, and water heater. They have also attached the ground lighting, running lights, and tail lights. In the second photo, you can see the fiberglass marked where the front door is about to be cut.

Soon, this shell will be attached to the frame pictured above.



The inside bottom shell will be lowered into the outside shell. The area in between the two shells will provide space for the fresh, grey, and black water tanks under the floor. The space in between the walls will allow for the wires and plumbing to be well hidden, but hatches in the seats will allow these areas to remain accessible.

The dinette seats and the kitchen and bathroom sinks are all molded directly into the fiberglass of this shell.

The large chamber in the front center of this photo (to the left of the front door) is where the refrigerator will go.





The first photo shows off the metal jigs that serve as guides to allow for precise cuts of the windows and doors into the upper outer shell of an Oliver. The second photo is our outer shell, waiting to be cut.


Also read: Construction Update #1

The Oliver Elite comes with an "Entertainment Center" package installed by default, consisting of a Jensen JE1508 15" HDTV, a Jensen AWM960 wallmounted stereo with AM/FM/CD and DVD playback, and four interior speakers.


The Oliver's AV system revolves around the Jensen JE1508 15" HDTV and AWM960 wallmount AM/FM/CD/DVD player. Next to the front door on the Oliver is an overhang that protects an exterior 12V power jack, external speaker jacks, and an external AV output from the AWM960. This setup should allow you to relocate the TV outside, or use external speakers while camped.

The Oliver's Entertainment Center package is certainly nice by RV standards, but it actually does leave a lot to be desired.

For one thing, the Jensen monitor is not wide screen, it is physically no bigger than most laptop screens, and it runs at a much lower resolution (1024x768) than we are used to. The ability to run off of 12V power and decode broadcast HDTV signals is nice - but for our needs DVD playback and usage as a secondary computer monitor is what is really important. (The Jensen JE1907DC 19" widescreen is a worthwhile upgrade to ask for, but still lacking for what we want...)

The DVD player however is the biggest disappointment. The AWM960 can only output lowres interlaced composite video to the TV, not high-resolution component or HDMI signals. So even though the JE1508 screen can handle HDTV resolution input, the quality of your DVD signal will be closer to VHS quality than what you would get from a modern upconverting DVD player. Not acceptable at all.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any other "mobile" AV system that can do any better. Even the upcoming Jensen AWM970 (which adds iPod support) will still only output composite video.

What I've come to realize is that with "mobile" AV electronics, you end up paying much more and getting much less.


What we are doing instead...
Instead of the factory-default setup, we've decide that a 22" computer monitor will make for the ideal display screen inside the Oliver.

Our top choice right now is the highly-rated Dell SP2208WFP, a 1680x1050 resolution 22" monitor with integrated webcam, HDMI inputs, and a super bright display - all for only $299. Other promising alternative 22" screens include the low-power ViewSonic VLED221wm or the HDTV-tuner equipped ViewSonic N2230w.

I also find myself craving the 1920x1200 resolution that I would get from a 24" Dell Ultrasharp 2408WFP - an absolutely stunning monitor.

To provide the DVD playback, speakers, and audio amplification - I've been researching small "home theater in a box" systems. Expect a post documenting this research soon.

The more urgent challenge is finding the ideal mount to attach the monitor to the Oliver. There are literally hundreds of LCD monitor mounts to choose from. We need a mount that will hold the monitor securely in the corner of the Oliver, but which can ideally swing out over the table for better position while being used as a second monitor.

It would also be very cool if the monitor can swing in front of the window, allowing movie viewing from the patio. The Jensen MAF50 looks particularly promising - it can tilt, swivel, pan, and extend out over 16" from the wall.

The Oliver factory reports that they can install either a hanging mount (like used with the current TV), or a wall attached mount. Using a wall attached mount gives many more options - but it must be installed in the factory BEFORE the inner and outer shells of the Oliver are mated.

I will report back here with details of which mount we choose. In the meantime - monitor, mini home theater, and monitor mount recommendations are appreciated.


UPDATE: I've discovered that wall-mounted monitor swing arms rarely support height adjustment. This is actually rather important for us - we want to be able to position the screen up in the corner, and then down low over the table.

The most promising option I have found is the Chief FWG110B double swing arm with 13.25" of heigh adjustment and 18.43" of extension. You can also add a third arm extension (the FWB110) to increase the max extension to 26.38". This mount typically costs nearly as much as the monitors we are considering buying, but I found it on sale here for only $131, or the triple arm version here for $166.

I also found a height adjustable Ergotron LX Wall Mount LCD Arm that looks promising, but which seems to almost entirely lack the ability to tilt downward - making it great for desk use but not so great for movie watching in bed.

If the Chief monitor arm proves unworkable - the only other option I can think of is using a fixed location corner mount, and a VESA quick-connect bracket on the monitor to be able to easily remove and relocate it to another stand.

Here's what I know about the core appliances that we will be having built into our Oliver, and how they compare with what we have lived with in Tab...


Ceiling Fan / Staying Ventilated:

Tab comes with a variable speed reversible Northern Breeze ceiling vent that has worked wonderfully over the past two years. When cranking on full blast it really does cool down the trailer nicely, particularly when combined with a cross breeze from the Tab's huge windows, or with the spray from our Misty Mate.

Oliver has been shipping with a three-speed FanTastic Vent Fan Model 6000RBTA that includes a thermostat and a rain sensor to automatically shut the vent if it starts to drizzle while you are out.

According to the spec sheet, the FanTastic Fan on high uses 3 amps to blow 920 cubic feet of air per minute, and 1.86 amps to blow 478 cfm on low.

The Oliver factory has been investigating offering the SHURflo Comfort Air Gold roof vent as an alternative. One reason to switch is that the SHURflo fan can circulate air even while the roof vent is closed. And the second reason is supposedly lower power consumption, perhaps because the SHURflo has a variable speed control that can be dialed way back for gentle circulation. Looking at the spec sheet, I see that the SHURflo fan claims to use 3.6 amps to blow 980 cfm of air while on max, but it has the potential to use just 0.3 amps at the lowest power setting. This could be very useful for a little low-power airflow while off grid.

Both options look like great fans, and they both get great reviews online for quality and customer support.

We have asked for the SHURflo Comfort Air Gold model to be built into our Oliver. It gives up the rain sensor and thermostat, but the variable speed control is nice, and we like the idea of being able to use the ceiling fan for air circulation even while the vent is closed. If we wanted to splurge, we could have gotten those features (and also a remote control) in the Comfort Air Platinum model.

We are also contemplating asking for an upgrade to the FanTastic 6600, which is a relatively new model that offers both advanced features and lower power consumption. According to the spec sheet, it uses half the power on full blast as all the other fans - only 1.9 amps, while the lowest setting draws only 0.2 amps. In addition to lower power consumption, it adds variable speeds and a remote control to the FanTastic 6000's rain sensor and thermostat features.

Air Conditioning / Staying Cool:

Though a Cool Cat Air Conditioner is an option with the Tab, having one means giving up a big chunk of the interior storage space since the Tab can not handle a roof unit. We made do without just fine however, and in the worst heat we used a small Misty Mate to do some evaporative chilling by blowing a fine mist into the exhaust from our roof fan. In the dry environment of the desert, it actually worked amazingly well.

We will probably continue to make use of the Misty Mate when camping off-grid in the Oliver.

The Oliver initially shipped with a 13,500 btu Dometic Duo-Therm roof mount air conditioner, but now the factory is transitioning to the smaller 9,200 btu Coleman Polar Cub.

The big advantage of the Polar Cub is that it is able to run off of the relatively small and affordable Honda EU2000i generator, whereas the larger Dometic required a 3000W generator to keep the compressor cooling.

Our Oliver will feature the Polar Cub, which should prove to be more than enough to keep such a small interior space cool. Sadly though, air conditioning uses way too much power to ever run effectively off of solar power...

Furnace / Staying Warm:

The Polar Cub features 5,600 btu electrical heat strips that are effective for "taking the chill off of a cold morning", but only if you are plugged into shore power.

For more powerful heating no matter how off-grid we roam, the Oliver comes with a Suburban NT-12S 12,000 btu propane-fired furnace. The furnace in Tab is also 12,000 btu - an Atwood 7900. But the Tab's furnace is located so that it vents out deep UNDER the bed, in an area often blocked by our excess cargo.


The Oliver's furnace vent is located effectively, right in the middle of the kitchen cabinet and next to the bed rather than under it.

We may also eventually purchase a small electric ceramic heater for use when staying in campgrounds with full hookups where AC power is more cost effective than propane.

Stove / Staying Hot:

The Oliver Legacy Elite features an "upgraded stovetop" over the base model Oliver - an Italian brand called SMEV. Reportedly, the SMEV cooks faster and uses less propane than a typical RV stove.


The lid over the SMEV stove closes flush to the countertop to create extra flat counter space in the Oliver's kitchen.

Interestingly, our Tab also features a two burner SMEV stovetop, and we have been very happy with it. One difference is that the Tab's stove required a flame to light, but the Oliver provides a built in ignitor.

Refrigerator / Staying Fresh & Icy:

Most RV refrigerators use "gas absorption" technology that involves no mechanical compressor (like in your typical home refrigerator), but instead rely on a heat source (ironically) to cause a coolant to flow through a closed loop. Through this mechanically simple process, a hot propane flame is turned into frozen food and cold drinks. It is totally silent while working too.

The most efficient heat source for this sort of refrigerator is propane, though "3 way" RV refrigerators can also generate the necessary heat via AC power, or even 12V from your battery. Running a gas absorption refrigerator off of 12V power however is a sure way to kill your batteries in just a matter of hours though, so be careful! A compressor style refrigerator is MUCH more power efficient for 12V use.

The two major manufacturers of RV gas absorption refrigerators are NorCold and Dometic, and Oliver so far has been using both, shipping the Dometic Americana DM 2454 and the NorCold N412.3.

Both of these refrigerators offer three way (AC, DC, and Propane) operation, and they measure in at 36 9/16" x 23 11/6" x 24" (despite what the Dometic website incorrectly claims). They also both offer automatic mode selection, and electronic propane ignition.

The major practical difference between these two models is that the NorCold offers 4.5 cubic feet of storage and a slightly larger freezer area. The Dometic provides slightly less usable space, with 4.0 cubic feet of refrigeration. Some users online have also complained that the controls on the front of the Dometic protrude too far, and are easy to inadvertently bump and change.


The Norcold N412.3 refrigerator fits in the same sized space as the Dometic, but it offers up .5 cubic feet more storage space.

Though Tab offers a small 1.8 cubic foot refrigerator as an option, my Clamshell did not come with one. Instead we rotated through two coolers, and frequent ice purchases. This worked surprisingly well for us.

Being able to actually make ice cubes in our own freezer while on the road though - now that will be luxury!!!

Note: While parked, gas absorption refrigerators should only be run with the RV flat and level. The internal mechanism can actually be damaged by running too long while tilted. The propane burners in gas absorption refrigerators also sometimes have problems working correctly at high altitudes (over 6000 feet). If these sort of situations are going to be common, a compressor fridge or backup cooling system might prove useful.

Microwave & Convection Oven / Saving Space:

The Oliver currently comes with a Sylvanian SC11000 combination microwave and convection oven. This would at first seem to be a very useful cooking tool on board, but after talking with several Oliver and Casita owners with a built in microwave, most of them rarely use it and they all wished for the extra storage.



We have opted to have this area turned into a large cabinet, with an AC outlet located inside. This should give us space for storing a small toaster oven, a blender, and all of our bar supplies. And when the weather is nice, we can relocate the toaster oven outdoors for some cooking on the patio.

Washer, Dryer, and Dishwasher:

I wish!!!

The Tab has a 5 gallon freshwater tank and an electric pump to provide water to the small sink. Gray water is handled by draining the sink into a bucket we would place under the trailer. Tab lacks a hot water heater, and we used a solar shower bag to heat water from the sun for occasional outdoor showers.

It is essentially the simplest possible plumbing system you could possibly have on an RV.

The Oliver on the other hand has a plethora of plumbing, with hot and cold running water, a shower, two sinks, and an outdoor rinse station.

To start with - the Oliver comes with a 32.5 gallon fresh water tank, a 35.5 gallon grey water tank, and an 18.5 gallon black water tank.

The Oliver Legacy Elite model is now also coming with an upgraded power-flush system for the black water tank. This system uses freshwater and a rotating internal spray system to thoroughly clean the black tank at dump time.

For comparison purposes - the Casita has a 16 or 25 gallon freshwater tank, and a 15 gallon basic black tank. The Casita also lacks the tank monitoring system of the Oliver, so the only way to know for sure your grey water tank is full is when it starts to back up into the shower. *yuck*


The Oliver comes with a SeeLeveL II tank monitoring system to keep an eye on the usage of the black, grey, freshwater, and propane tanks. It also gives you a quick readout of your battery voltage, but it is not really useful as a battery capacity gauge.

To provide for hot showers, the Oliver has a six gallon Suburban Hot Water Heater that can heat 10.2 gallons an hour with a 12,000 btu propane heating element, or 6 gallons per hour with a 1,440 watt electrical heating element.

There are actually three locations within the Oliver that can make use of all this ample hot and cold water. There is a kitchen sink, a bathroom sink / shower, and an outdoor shower.


To first photo is a view of the Suburban 6 gallon hot water heater, located behind an exterior panel on the rear right side of the Oliver. The other two photos show off the Oliver's city water hookup and freshwater fill hookup, and the outside shower which is hidden behind a panel on the back left of the trailer. The hose pulls out far enough for outdoor rinsing, and for washing up outside after emptying the dump tanks.


The kitchen sink in the Oliver is shown in the first photo. The other two pictures show off the bathroom fixtures. The sink faucet in the Oliver's bathroom has a long hose that pulls out, allowing it to mount on the wall and double as a shower. The showerhead features a quick on/off toggle, making water conservation easier.

All this plumbing is a huge step up in complexity from what we are used to in Tab. It is going to feel absolutely luxurious to have hot water for showering and washing dishes!

I heard from the Oliver factory last week that they had completed the fabrication of our fiberglass shell. Today, they sent me some pictures!

Unlike the Casita, which is made from just two fiberglass molds, the Oliver is constructed from four. This creates a double-hulled shell which provides for much better insulation. It also allows for the cabinets and seats and other fixtures to be molded right into the fiberglass, creating a seamless and more durable interior than you would get from fiberglass fixtures bonded onto the external shell, or attached via rivets. This double hull also allows for all the tanks, wiring, plumbing, and other mechanical guts to be protected and hidden in the space between the shells.

Having all the tanks on the inside will make them much less susceptible to freezing as well.

It is a brilliant design, and it is a treat to get to watch all the pieces coming together.


This is the view looking into the external bottom shell of our Oliver. You can clearly see the wheel wells. The bottom half of the door will be cut into the shell on the bottom right. The fresh and grey water tanks will lay flat along the length of the bottom.

You can really get a sense for Oliver's attention to detail by looking closely at the bottom edge here. Rather than just cutting holes into smooth fiberglass for thing like the heater vents, every future cut into the shell is recessed in the fiberglass mold itself - making for a cleaner and more professional look when finished.


This is the inside bottom shell of our Oliver, resting upside down. The area to the bottom right is where the toilet will sit, over the black water tank. The recessed area in the middle is foot well for the small dinette.


This is a photo of the interior top shell of our Oliver. The top half of the front door is clearly visible. To the left of the door is the space that will become the inside of the kitchen cabinets. The large flat U-shaped area will become the wraparound interior storage cabinets.


The is another angle on the interior top shell. It really gives you a good sense of how much upper cabinet storage space there will be.


This is a view looking into the exterior top shell. The front of the trailer is to the left. You can see the front door on the bottom left, and also the space where the side window will soon be carved out.


These two photos show the smaller fiberglass pieces that will eventually become the walls dividing the bathroom and closet from the main living space.


This week they will be fabricating our frame. I will post here as soon as I get more pictures!

The Oliver has limited exterior storage space - one of the unavoidable limitations of such a small RV.


The Oliver's tongue box is mostly devoted to the two propane tanks, though there is some extra space for hoses to be coiled up on top.


The hatch on the back left side of the Oliver opens up to reveal the battery box, and an outside shower. The Oliver's battery tray not only slides out for easy access, but it also has room for TWO batteries. Both of these features are rare even in much larger trailers. I've never seen another small trailer that offers so much stock battery capacity. The space alongside the batteries provides just enough room to store some wood to put underneath the stabilizer jacks.


The rear bumper of the Oliver opens up to reveal a sizable storage area. On the left you can also see the city water hookup and freshwater tank fill hookup, as well as the cover over the Cable TV jack. On the left of the bumper storage area is the dump valve where the grey and black tanks are emptied. The dump hose is stored in this bumper area. We will also probably store our 30 amp AC hookup cord here. The standard Oliver design includes an electrical winder to coil up the power cord for storage inside the trailer (under the front dinette seat), but we'd rather save that interior space for storage and keep the often wet and grimy power cord stored externally. On the right of the bumper storage area you can see the optional auxiliary propane jack. You would use this with an outdoor BBQ or heater. We did not request this option on our Oliver.


Future Underbelly Storage:
The factory is investigating a full-width under carriage storage chamber that will take advantage of the extra height from the now-standard 4" raised axel. By building this chamber in front of the axel, it will not reduce the Oliver's ground clearance, and it will provide a great place to store long flattish things like camp furniture.

This outside storage area is still in the design phase, but the factory is hoping that they will be able to retrofit it onto existing trailers once they finalize the design. I hope they work this out - that extra storage would be really useful.

The Oliver has a nice amount of interior storage space. There is a front hanging closet, three drawers in the kitchen, storage wells underneath every seat, and the upper walls feature cabinets arranged in a U-shape around the entire interior.


The Front Closet:
The Oliver Legacy Elite now comes with a choice of two closet layouts.

Choice #1: 10" deep chamber beneath a false floor, 36" hanging area with rod, and one top shelf.

Choice #2: 36" hanging area with rod, and two top shelves.

The basic non-Elite Oliver model I believe just comes with a single rod and no shelves. All the Oliver models feature a light inside the closet, a very nice touch.


The first picture shows the dual shelf arrangement. The other two show the single shelf layout with the false floor for extra hidden storage.

I initially told the factory that we wanted the two shelf variant, but now I am torn and on the verge of changing my mind. I think having the area beneath the floorboard could come in very handy for storing bulky items such as shoes. The Oliver has plenty of shelf-like storage in the U-shaped cabinets that ring the trailer, and I think the extra shelf space in the front closet may prove unneeded.

Thoughts?


Kitchen Drawers:
The kitchen in the Oliver has three drawers.



The top drawer is surprisingly deep, and is a great place for all sorts of kitchen gear.
The lower drawer is below the furnace, and the depth is limited by the wheel well.

The big drawer along the side has an unusual L shape to it, and the top area has space for a second hidden drawer taking advantage of the space over the wheel well. You can read how one Oliver owner took advantage of this space by building a slide out knife rack here.

The factory has told me that they are considering building in another drawer to make use of this space. I need to check and see if they have started doing this yet.


Upper (and Microwave) Cabinets:
The Oliver is ringed with cabinets in a U-shape. The ones along the sides are around 6" deep, but they run the entire length of the interior. The cabinets over the kitchen area are deeper (around 10" deep), and should prove ample for food storage. We are also leaving out the built in microwave, and are replacing it with a cabinet area where we will store a small toaster oven, a blender, and our mobile bar.

The cabinet area in the far upper back of the Oliver is truly spacious - nearly two feet deep and extremely wide.


The first photo shows the mirrored closet door (on the right, the bathroom is on the left), and the first of the kitchen area cabinets. The last photo mostly cuts them off, but you can see the bottom of the ring of upper cabinets that form a U-shape around the Oliver interior.


Under-Seat Bins:
There are storage bins under ever seat of the Oliver. The storage here is a bit limited by the odd shapes and shallow depth of most of these bins, but there is still a reasonable amount of storage to be found. To see what one Oliver owner has been able to pack into each of these areas, flip through the photos posted here.


The under seat bins in the Oliver tend to be oddly shaped. They have been molded to provide maximal storage while protecting the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inner workings of the trailer. The last photo shows one of the dinette seat bins lifted out to allow access to these critical guts for maintenance.

When I said I was going to document every step in the process of getting our new trailer, I did mean everything... *grin*

Over the past month, Oliver has upgraded the Legacy Elite model to now include a porcelain toilet as standard equipment.

To me - this just seems like a lot of extra weight for no good benefit.


Here is a view of the formerly standard plastic toilet, followed by two views of the new porcelain throne.

Other than gratuitous luxury, is there any good reason to choose porcelain over plastic? I can't think of any.

We've asked the factory to use the older plastic toilet in our trailer.

I think minimizing weight is a more valuable goal than a shinier bowl....


UPDATE: We got plenty of feedback here and in the Oliver forums that the china bowl really is worth it for durability and ease of cleaning. So I decided to investigate further to determine the real weight difference.

Based upon the pictures, I was able to figure out that the current plastic toilet in the Oliver is the Thetford Aqua-Magic V, and the new porcelain throne is the Dometic Traveler Lite. The plastic toilet weighs in at 7lbs, and the Dometic model is 33lbs.

That isn't too huge of a difference in the grand scheme of things, and all of the lobbying to go for porcelain has convinced us that it is more than just gratuitous luxury.

One other advantage - the Traveler Lite accepts standard toilet seats and lids, giving us future funky decorating possibilities that could be fun indeed...

I've just asked the factory to upgrade us to porcelain. I guess we do need a better throne after all.


UPDATE #2: This afternoon, the Oliver factory called to give me some bad news...

It seems as if they have been having a hard time getting a good seal with the first porcelain-equipped Oliver they have tried to build, so they are canceling the upgraded throne as a new feature.

Doh!

They think that they may need to do some reengineering of the base before they will be able to try offering this upgrade again. They are also going to investigate some other bowl models and manufacturers as well.

Until then, it looks like porcelain is off the menu. *drat*

The Oliver trailer comes with either two 20lb propane tanks, or you can upgrade to two 30lb tanks for some extra capacity.

The nice thing about choosing 20lb propane tanks is that they are easy to swap out almost anywhere - even at many grocery or hardware stores. Because they are so commonly used for BBQ'ing, cylinder exchange stations are easy to find, and usually pretty cheap.

The 30lb propane tank option however gives you a lot of extra capacity, and this can be particularly useful for running a generator converted to use propane fuel. (We are leaning towards a Honda EU2000i converted to use propane, or maybe the Yamaha 2400...)

The downside of 30lb propane tanks though is that you can not swap tanks at a tank exchange station, and refueling stations for propane are often tough to find.

So -- the idea struck me - why not have one of each, and get the best of both worlds?

I talked with the Oliver factory, and they thought this was a great idea and they are going to engineer a custom bracket to allow for the mismatched tank sizes.

With this setup, the primary tank will be the smaller 20lb propane tank, and when it runs dry the regulator will automatically switch to the larger 30lb tank which will serve as the reserve. The small tank will be easy to swap out when necessary, and whenever we run across a propane filling station we will be able to take advantage of the opportunity and keep the larger reserve topped off.

With this hybrid tank strategy, I will have all the convenience of the 20lb tank option, and nearly as much capacity as with the 30lb tank option.

I am also hoping that the extra space above the 20lb tank will provide convenient storage for our freshwater hose too.

One of the great things about ordering an Oliver Trailer is how much control they give you over customizing the styling.

When I asked about my options for the Oliver's cushions, instead of being given they typical three or four fabric choices, I was told that they did not even keep any default fabric on hand - and we could have anything we wanted. Wow!

Cherie and I spent some time today down at the fabric store and at Lowe's picking out the look for our new trailer. Here is what we came up with:


Cherie and I were both immediately drawn to these rich red colors. We are using two very similar fabrics, both micro-fiber suede with a great texture. The one with stitched patterns will be used for the seat backs.


We had three final contenders for our tile choice at Lowe's. You can see here the combination we finally settled on. Our luxury mobile abode will have shale stone tile, and red micro-suede seat cushions!

These are the customization details we sent to Oliver today:

Fabric: Red Microfiber. Use textured fabric for seat backs, plain for seat bottoms.
Floor Tile: Crystal International Shale Stone. (Second choice is Crystal Sage)
Cabinet / Refrigerator Paneling: Dark tinted black panels.
Table Top Color: tbd - what are our options here?
Outside Horizon Awning Color: Periwinkle
Exterior Color Scheme: tbd - what are our options here?
Front Mural: tbd

We still need to talk with them about the exterior graphics - what color stripes, etc. We also need to decide if we want to have them do a mural print onto the front of the trailer. They can work from any photograph we send them, and some of the custom murals I have seen have been beautiful indeed.

When I posted about RV electric wiring issues, I discussed the potential problems that might arise while trying to charge a trailer battery while towing, particularly when running a trailer refrigerator off of DC.

If you would like to test to see how well your tow vehicle cabling does in this situation, here is how you should do it. Just run the following four tests:

Test #1 -- Fully Charged Trailer Battery / Fridge Off
Test #2 -- Fully Charged Trailer Battery / Fridge On 12V DC
Test #3 -- 50% Discharged Trailer Battery / Fridge Off
Test #4 -- 50% Discharged Trailer Battery / Fridge On 12V DC

For each of these test cases, you should measure the voltage at the trailer battery with the engine off, with the engine idling, and with the engine revving at a fast idle. Be sure to allow a few minutes to make sure that you get a stable reading. For comparison - you should also measure the voltage at the tow vehicle battery to see what the alternator is putting out. The difference will show you the voltage drop over the charge wire.

To tell that the battery is at a 50% drained point - look for a resting voltage reading of 12.1 to 12.2 V.

If there is too much voltage drop, that means that your charging wires are undersized for the amount of current they are being asked to carry - and your trailer battery will not charge quickly, or at all.


Understanding the Results:
If the measured voltage on the trailer battery while connected to your tow vehicle is 14 V or up, the battery will be charging normally. If the voltage of the battery is at least 13 V, the trailer battery will be taking a trickle charge.

If the battery voltage is below 12.73 V and it stays there without rising, your battery is actually discharging and draining somewhat. This is what you really want to avoid - even if it means not running your refrigerator on 12V power while in transit.

Since experimentation always wins out over theory, I have asked the Oliver factory to run these tests to determine how effective charging an Oliver while under tow will be.

We will be able to get even more accurate measurements once our Oliver is constructed with an advanced battery meter that will be able to measure the amp-hours flowing in and out of the battery precisely.

If we are unable to get a good charge while under tow, we may need to upgrade the charge wires in both our Oliver and our Jeep. To really make charging while underway quick and easy, an upgrade to a smarter and more powerful Jeep alternator may actually be called for.

With our Oliver on the way and Cherie's house on the fast-track to sell, it is time to find a new home for my beloved Tab.



My uber-upgraded Tab is fairly unique in that it is actually able to run on solar for extended periods of time without resorting to a generator or shore power. The large 110W panel and 260 amp hour battery bank allow for comfortable off grid living in a trailer small and light enough (just 1500lbs) that most vehicles can tow it.

I've never seen any other trailer that is simultaneously so small and so autonomous.

The cute retro clamshell design is also a fabulous attention grabber and ice breaker.

The Tab is perfect for weekend getaways, festivals, cross country road-trips, and even extended living. It has been my home for much of the past two years, and Cherie and I were very comfortable living primarily out of Tab for seven months of cross country exploration last year. In all that time, we only had to plug in to charge the batteries a handful of times, despite our heavy laptop and internet usage. The electrical system and massive battery capacity worked wonderfully for our needs.

New Tab Clamshells seem to be selling for as much as $17k - $19k now, without any of my extensive upgrades. Mine is a 2006 model, and it is just over two years old. The only major options missing are the air conditioning (which takes up a lot of the interior storage) and the electric refrigerator (which uses too much power to run off of solar).

These are the technology and other upgrades that I have installed in Tab:

• Siemens 110w solar panel with panel tilting hardware


• Blue Sky Energy Solar Boost 2512iX MPPT solar charge controller


• IPN Pro Remote - solar control panel & battery monitor (w 500A shunt)


• 2x Trojan T-145 6V Batteries (260 AH Capacity)


• Xantrex Pro 1000W Inverter w 30 amp auto-transfer switch. The Inverter is wired to provide AC power to all internal and external power outlets.


• Interior Red LED Mood Lighting

The solar system revolves around a BlueSky MPPT current boosting charge controller, a 110W Siemens solar panel, and the fabulous IPN-Pro Remote which tracks amp hours and the precise amount of battery capacity remaining. The power is stored in two Trojan T-145 6V "golf cart" batteries, and turned into AC power by way of a Xantrex Pro 1000W inverter with an integrated 30 amp transfer switch.


The Tab is seemingly larger on the inside than out. The kitchen is of course largest of any RV in the world. The pantry area of the kitchen (the top cabinets) can be accessed from both the inside and outside of the trailer - perfect for late night snacks and breakfast food.


This view shows off the aluminum tongue box that I installed on the front of the trailer for extra storage. The tongue box was once dented, and there is still some visible damage where it was hammered out. The latch on the tongue box sometimes sticks a bit, but it is overall still fully workable.


The front area of the Tab is a bench seat with a sizable amount of storage hidden underneath. The toilet is hidden here, and it can be used in place by sliding the front window shelf back, or it can be pulled out and relocated. In two years, I think it was only used two or three times. The shelf above was an incredibly useful upgrade. It dismantles in seconds for transit, but while camped it provides valuable counter space and it also serves as a great monitor stand for movie watching. The back portion of the interior is a bed that converts into a table that can comfortably seat four for dinner.

Some other features:

• Tongue Box Storage w 20lb Propane Tank (slightly dented)


• Outside kitchen with two burner stove and sink


• 5 gallon fresh water tank & electric pump


• Thetford Porta-Potty (hidden in front cabinet)


• Propane Furnace


• 4 person dinette that converts to a bed


• Large double pane windows with screens and day / night blackout shades


• Custom front shelf - makes for great movie watching from bed...


• Large wardrobe closet and an amazing amount of storage space for a trailer so small


• Smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detectors


• AM/FM/CD with inside and outside speakers... (Upgraded to allow for iPod or aux audio hookup)


• Filled with loving energy and good memories...

Trailer Condition: Our Tab has been well used, but well cared for and maintained.

The tires were replaced in the Summer of 2007, and they are in great condition.

The plastic wheel wells on the Tab had been installed incorrectly by the factory, and they eventually cracked and split open. I fixed the issue that caused the cracking, and have patched the wheel wells. Acknowledging the issue, the Tab factory sent me two brand new wheel wells that will go to the new owner for use in the future if you ever want to replace the currently patched parts.

I will be happy to discuss the full mechanical history of the trailer with any prospective buyers.


I am looking to sell her for $12,500. $10,500 (PRICE REDUCED)
The value of the electrical system upgrades alone is around $2000, not counting labor to install them. Based upon my research into other used Tab's selling online, this is a very fair price.

We have lots of photos to share, and are happy to answer any questions in depth about this trailer over the phone (408-667-9022).

The Tab is currently located in St. Louis, MO.



I've put a lot of my heart and soul into this sweet little trailer, and I really want her to go someplace where she will be loved and appreciated.

If you are interested or know anyone who might be, please spread the word and let me know ASAP.

UPDATE: The new owner picked up the Tab on September 24th!

One thing that has always concerned me with living in a such an easily mobile home is the fear that someday I'll find our house literally hauled away and stolen. Even with a hitch lock, as long as the trailer wheels can roll, this is an all too real possibility.

With my Tab I've taken to often locking our bikes to the tongue with a U-Lock to make unauthorized rolling rather complicated, and sometimes I also route a chain through the wheels. And when parked in a storage lot, I always padlock the Tab's handbrake open so that the wheels will not move without smoking the brakes.

I had an idea today for a small change to our upcoming Oliver that would make it even more difficult for a thief to make off with it while parked, even if they had a flatbed truck.

This technique takes advantage of the Oliver's electric leveling jacks.

Imagine if the Oliver had a kill switch hidden inside to cut power to the leveler jacks.

This simple addition would make it impossible for anyone outside the trailer to raise the jacks for towing. The back jacks do not even have any sort of easily accessible manual override crank to force the leveler jacks up.

With the jacks down, there is no way to make the Oliver roll without causing catastrophic damage, which ruins much of the potential gain for a trailer thief.

I think this would prove to be a wonderful security addition.

I've asked the factory for their thoughts on this. If they think it is a good idea, we will be incorporating this sort of kill switch into the Technomadia Oliver.

Maybe they will add it as a standard feature for all future Oliver trailers too.