OBI Dweller Review and Discussion

[TonyJ]

I changed my wheel bearings out last year. I keep 1 extra set in the trailer, just in case.

 

[TonyJ]

Nope, but take plenty of pics if you do.

I did, & here's a couple pics

 

[landy66]

Lithium doesn't off gas like regular batteries do.

I wouldn't bother charge them, just install them and let the Renogy charger do it's thing, what I did.

just check they are all within 0.5v of each other before connecting.... they come partially charged ...

 

[landy66]

Got my 3 New LiTime 165ah LifePO4 lithium batteries today. Reading the instructions and manual before install I have a few questions. I knew the batteries would come in around 50% and needed to be fully charged prior to install. I bought a cheap charger off Amazon that will do the Lithium. It will do 8amps on medium & 16 on high. Manual says charge from 14.2 to 14.6. Should I use this on 8 or 16? LiTime had a 20amp for sale so Im confused. Next question is the manual states batteries should be mounted in an adequate ventilated area. Since these are inside the closed up cabinets do I need to drill some holes for ventilation in bottom of cabinet? Only ventilation will be the large hole that wires go thru the walls between Batt 1- Batt 2&3- and under the bed.
Finally, manual states twice that a trained and certified technician should do the install and maintenance. I am not that guy but can perform DIY stuff with guidance and research. I know a lot of Warnings etc are for Lawyers.
Thanks, Alan

you'll want a charger that is able to charge lithium batteries that have been fully drained to 0v .. (a lot of chargers won't charge at all at such low detected volts) ... the litime charger seems to work well in this situation....

 

[fireangel1313]

I did, & here's a couple picsView attachment 892185

How was the trail? Any washed out areas the dweller had problems with?
I’ve been up a few CO passes in my LR4 that were pretty rough but probably do-able with a trailer. I would like to take the dweller over some passes, like the one you did, but I also don’t want to get jammed up. Did you take any additional recovery equipment with you?


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[TonyJ]

How was the trail? Any washed out areas the dweller had problems with?
I’ve been up a few CO passes in my LR4 that were pretty rough but probably do-able with a trailer. I would like to take the dweller over some passes, like the one you did, but I also don’t want to get jammed up. Did you take any additional recovery equipment with you?


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I always have recovery gear with us. Ophir Pass was pretty easy (a little slippage on loose rocks on an uphill section, just before a tight left turn, but no biggee). Cinnamon Pass was a little more difficult. Heading from Animas Forks to Lake City, after the actual "Pass", about a mile into your descent, you come to a series of very tight switchbacks. While at the top of the pass (where the pic was taken), I had 5 or 6 people warn me not to go that way, to turn around and go back the way I came. One really nice guy on an adventure bike, offered me his bike to ride ahead and check it out for myself. I declined but thanked him a bunch for his offer. My wife and I have been four-wheeling since 1975, and have been in lots of tight spots before. That series of switchbacks are impossible to make with a full-size truck, and a Dweller 13', if you have only want to go forward. The only safe, & easy way to do it, was to go forward to the 1st tight turn, but instead of trying to do a multi-point turn, there's a "pull-out" at each turn you'll need to use. Get to the 1st switchback: pull forward into the pull-out. Then back the 1/4 mile or so to the next switchback, & back into the pull-out, then drive forward to the next switchback pull-out, then back down the next section. Sounds crazy, but if you're pretty good at backing a trailer, it's not that hard. (Full disclosure: I used to drive a semi for a living)
PS - don't even think about doing Corkscrew with a trailer! We left our trailers at AF & went to Ouray that way and everyone agreed: No way, no how, even with their turtlebacks.

 

[longbowelk]

instruction's all day never to start system with out the batterie. Now I may have had everything plugged in and the trailer in the sun when I did my install and no I didn’t burn anything down… but.. I did get a high voltage alarm 😫 that’s when I read the instruction.

so I would turn the inverter off, disconnect the batteries, keep your rig undercover so you don’t get any charge from the panels, install the batteries hook everything back up. Then turn the system on and program.

The only thing the program is gonna do is change the max volt charge to whatever you sent it to or the default 14.6?

I forget what it’s called. You need to read the charger instructions. There’s also a point where it starts charging the lithium default is incredibly low like 12.2 or something? That didn’t make any sense to me as if my trailer was parked. I brought it home to charge everything up. I could very well leave the house and have basically a dead battery at 12.3 or 12.4 V. So I increased that default start charge as well for when I’m plugged in.

In the day or two, it takes you to figure out all the settings you’re not gonna hurt anything.

Remember, you have to reprogram the solar charger also. It was like six weeks before I realized why my battery wasn’t charging past 13.4 I think. That’s where the solar charger cut off for AMG batteries. So I reprogrammed it and now I get fabulous charging up to 14.4 what I set mine too I think? Whatever the battery manufacturer set for the max.

Finally got the 3 165ah Lithims installed. All I did was turned inverter off, unplugged shore power, 1st battery as soon as I tried to connect 2nd wire big spark. Watched a youtube guy showed how to use a resistor to basically remove the spark. I got one off Amazon and followed his instructions. Howèver, it still had that spark but not as bad. Weird thing is the inverter powered up even though it was off. Following 2 batteries no spark. I reprogrammed inverter to Li battery and the controller same. Once power turned on the charging on battery 1 started. Got to 99% and stopped. 2 and 3 are setting at 53 & 51%. Not really sure what to do as I fig system would automatically jump to 2 then 3. I have the Litime bluetooth app.