Furnace change on Escape 21 a shocker - Page 3 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Community > Escape News
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 02-12-2015, 12:15 AM   #41
Commercial Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: All Escape(s)
Posts: 833
Hello all,

As usual, we are always listening. The first mock up of the drawer cabinet is obviously not being well received. Tonite I did a quick rebuild of the cabinet with everything tightened up and by raising the counter three inches, I was able to get two drawers in above the furnace. Tomorrow I will order new drawers and a new, slightly wider trim ring for the furnace grill to match the drawer width.

To address the concerns of placement, the wheel well is below the furnace so it can't be lowered and the rear seats would need to be raised 4" for it to fit there. The new design has definitely been a challenge to make work and we, along with many other manufacturers have expressed our disappointment with Atwood on the new grill design. The new furnace itself is really a giant leap forward as it has been completely redesigned. The 8012 was introduced in 1980...it was definitely ready for an overhaul. To bad they didn't spend any time on the grill. The stock grill that comes with it has a second larger black trim ring that made it look even worse. We swapped it out with a door trim ring to help with aesthetics. I may look to see if I can find a paint that will work on the grill.

Hopefully in the next day or so I will have the new doors and can show the new mock up.

Reace
reace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 12:21 AM   #42
Senior Member
 
float5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
Many would gladly take the seats being raised 4". Don't know if that means the floor would need to be raised. Any other solution would be better than ruining those drawers. They are beautiful! Hope you can do something else. Thank you for working on this. Also, the under-the-sink idea sounds smart, facing bath.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
float5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 12:43 AM   #43
Senior Member
 
currinh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Box Elder, South Dakota
Trailer: Bigfoot 25' 2018
Posts: 347
Suburban also makes similar sized direct discharge furnaces. There are a ton of trade offs and mounting considerations with either, but it might be an option.

Thanks.
__________________
Hugh Currin
2018 Bigfoot 25'
2018 RAM 2500 Diesel
currinh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 12:49 AM   #44
Senior Member
 
Bobbito's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21
Posts: 699
Once again I am so impressed with Reace and Tammy's devotion to their customers. Getting back one more drawer by raising the counter a bit is certainly more acceptable to us. I look forward to Reace's new design effort. THANK YOU REACE!

Unlike some people, for us it is mainly function over form. The NASH 21' had much more storage and would have been perfect for us if it didn't repeatedly incur major water damage. Hence the search for a better trailer and discovery of the ESCAPE!

Bob K
Bobbito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 12:54 AM   #45
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
You'll probably be happier with the new furnace too Bob. By all accounts it uses less energy, puts out great heat -- and is quieter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by reace View Post
The 8012 was introduced in 1980...it was definitely ready for an overhaul.
True Reace, but on the other hand, according to Atwood, "This furnace [Atwood 8012] was carried by the American Medical Research Expedition to Mt. Everest and used in the record setting Pacific Crossing of the Double Eagle Balloon." Gotta admit, that's pretty cool.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 01:46 AM   #46
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
Dometic strikes again. Another fine mess brought to you by the makers of the RML8555.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 02:02 AM   #47
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Dometic strikes again. Another fine mess brought to you by the makers of the RML8555.
If stuff didn't change, we'd be sitting around a fire in a cave.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 07:09 AM   #48
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Everyone talks about the new heater being better and efficient, but I can not seem find any stats on it's performance, anywhere? I had a Atwood 2 speed/stage in my Lance and it was nice but used a lot more volts while operating.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 07:41 AM   #49
Senior Member
 
abby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Northern, Maryland
Trailer: 2014 E21
Posts: 273
If storage remains an issue, you could add drawers or a cabinet above the existing drawers/furnace.
__________________
Vella, Glenn, and Abigail
Escape 21
abby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:02 AM   #50
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
If the loss of the two drawers is your main concern, you could just add the storage box and still have a ton of storage space. Another thought I have always had for under the dinette is to do a roll out drawer/bin to easier access the space under a dinette seat. In reality you are not really giving up any storage space, it is just shifting around.

I do understand it does not look as great in the cabinet as you enter the door, but I bet you would get used to it pretty quick. I certainly would like the furnace centered more for better heat distribution. What is folks experience with the heater right at there feet at the dinette, I really think that would be uncomfortable.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:13 AM   #51
Senior Member
 
abby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Northern, Maryland
Trailer: 2014 E21
Posts: 273
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
What is folks experience with the heater right at there feet at the dinette, I really think that would be uncomfortable.
It is . . . on bare legs.
__________________
Vella, Glenn, and Abigail
Escape 21
abby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:15 AM   #52
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
If stuff didn't change, we'd be sitting around a fire in a cave.
You see this reaction whenever there is change. It is a pretty common human trait to at first resist change, as we have seen many times before. Once people realize it is for the better they move on.

One of the ones that gets me, is that when Facebook makes some big changes, there are tons of people up in arms about it, wanting them to take it back to where it used to be, and threatening to leave if they keep making these changes. I suggest they just ask for their money back..... oh wait, they get it for free.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:18 AM   #53
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Oh, and you most definitely would not want the furnace on the galley side. The exhaust gasses under the awning would be awful. We spend a lot of time sitting at the table under the awning, and this would be a definite deal breaker for us.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:22 AM   #54
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
I'm wondering too if moving the furnace further away from the refrigerator will help with THAT issue. No, we're not going to start talking about refrigerators in this thread I was just merely thinking out loud.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:38 AM   #55
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
The heater is it's present position is far enough from the bed that it's operation is almost silent vs next to the bed in the 19' model. As far as the exhaust and siting outside, they are mutually exclusive, it is that cold to have the furnace on, you are probably not sitting out under the awning for shade, perhaps further away at a campfire.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 08:59 AM   #56
Commercial Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: All Escape(s)
Posts: 833
Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Dometic strikes again. Another fine mess brought to you by the makers of the RML8555.
The furnace is by Atwood, not Dometic.

The problem with raising the seat is the back rests are already an inch away from the bottom of the window.

The furnace can't be mounted in the kitchen cabinet facing the bathroom as the exhaust needs to be ducted straight out the rear of the unit.

I looked at the Suburban furnace and it is (in my opinion) junk. I think I would have more of you upset with that move.

I missed mentioning in my earlier post that the furnace location has not changed in the other size trailers.

Reace
reace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 09:19 AM   #57
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
As far as the exhaust and siting outside, they are mutually exclusive, it is that cold to have the furnace on, you are probably not sitting out under the awning for shade, perhaps further away at a campfire.
Not at all. Most people I know set up their table under the awning, where they cook, eat and clean dishes. Plus whenever it is raining, we gather under the awning, sipping our coffee or cocktails. It is true though, that we usually turn the furnace off, or down, when outside, but often Momma is doing stuff inside, and likes to be cozy then. Unless it is quite cold, and people need the warmth, a fire is a rare thing for us until at least supper time.

I have never seen a furnace in any trailer vented out the front. Not sure if there is a code thing, or not, or just common sense on the manufacturers part.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 09:25 AM   #58
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Reace's post above shows that he's already on top of it. I'd wait it out until you see the photos with two drawers above the unit.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 09:26 AM   #59
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Western, Colorado
Trailer: 17b
Posts: 148
Once again, I'm very impressed by how Reece and Tammy listen to their customers. Bravo!
Escape While You Can is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 09:29 AM   #60
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
Reace's post above shows that he's already on top of it. I'd wait it out until you see the photos with two drawers above the unit.
Makes good sense Robert, but what are the odds on that actually happening?
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:46 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.