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Old 01-31-2018, 05:36 PM   #1
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21 build sheet ?'s

Too many choices: where to put one additional 12V/ USB outlet, and two captains reading lights in dinette area?

For the 12V/ USB outlet, my choices are: outlet installed in the face of either the driver side or passenger side dinette bench? If so, do you want it near the rear of the trailer or closer to the fridge or cooktop end of the bench? OR do you want the outlet installed in the face of the overhead cabinet on either the driver side or passenger side of the trailer and then again near the rear or closer to the fridge or cooktop?

I'm thinking maybe passenger side dinette bench, closer to the cooktop end of the bench?

For the two additional captains reading lights, my choices are: ETI suggested I have them installed in the corners at the back of the trailer. however, I can have them installed in the corners next to the bulkheads near the kitchen and refrigerator.

I was thinking maybe towards the front of the dinette near the bulkhead would be better.

Whatever they do will probably be OK with me, just looking for some comments for why people like/ don't like where an additional 12V/ USB outlet or captains reading lights are located in their trailers.
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Old 01-31-2018, 05:50 PM   #2
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Do not forget there are already standard, 3 lights in the dinette area, around the perimeter under the cabinets as well as a 4th light centered o/h, so the captain lights would be more of a focused beam if installed. I found that they were not needed in my 21 and I had 4 extra's installed.
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Old 01-31-2018, 06:24 PM   #3
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placing 12v outlets

I very much like my 4 captains " reading lights" installed in the back corners of the dinette area and the front corners over the bed. The light they give off is not as harsh as standard fixed overhead lights.

Remember where you add 12v outlets for charging the devises can take up that counter space. We installed one on the refer wall above the added folding shelf and one opposite on the stove wall below the added shelf ( can only be installed below) The outlet above the shelf is more convenient and used most. With laptops, smart phones, camera etc not clogging up work space.
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Old 01-31-2018, 06:41 PM   #4
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Agree with you on all points Craig and we have same locations for captains lights. Our dresser drawer stack counter too is a little dark and some had a light placed there, however after illuminating my upper cabinets am glad I didn't have a captains light placed there and will instead mount a square LED under the upper cabinet and it won't be seen. The 12V location next to fridge we missed, however if (when) fridge comes out will put one in then.
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Old 01-31-2018, 06:58 PM   #5
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The captains lights are one of our favorite options. We bounce the light off the vinyl and it is a very nice soft light sufficient for reading, etc. have two over the head of the bed and two in the dinette corners. Rarely use the stock lights at night, just the captains.
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Old 01-31-2018, 07:07 PM   #6
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To each their own, but I'll tell you what we did and what else I wish we had done on our 21'. We made it so that both dinette benches had their own 120V AC outlet and 12V DC/USB outlet (sort of a his-and-hers thing). We also added a 12V DC drop in the front cabinet over the head of the bed just in case we wanted 12V DC power there for something in the future without having to splice into the captain's light wiring over the bed. We got the television-ready option, which included a 120V AC outlet beside the cable outlet, and I wish I had had ETI add a 12V DC outlet there also to plug our 12V DC television into without needing the AC-to-DC transformer (that's what I'm currently using that 12V drop in the front cabinet for). And I wish I would have had ETI add a 120V AC outlet on the angled corner at the foot of the bed to plug in an electric blanket or mattress warming pad so we didn't have a power cord stretching across from another cabinet to trip over in the middle of the night. Other folks have mentioned an exterior 12V DC outlet near the tires on each side to make it more handy to air up their tires, and while that sounds intriguing, I guess I'm still happy not having the extra holes through the shell. As for extra captain's lights, we had ETI put one in all four corners of the dinette. I know that's overkill for some, but we like lots of bright light when doing projects and working on puzzles, and that way we can bring extra light in from most any direction. Otherwise, when dining, resting and relaxing, the built-in under-cabinet LED lights are just fine.
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Old 01-31-2018, 07:55 PM   #7
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I had the tv ready in my 21 in 2 locations, both with 12v(did not want 120v) over nightstand and rear dinette, 120v on the corner of bed so that I could tap into it for the built in heater mounted by bath door, heat went into bath for those cold mornings. I think I had 4 extra 12v and 3 extra 120v outlets in all.
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Old 01-31-2018, 09:43 PM   #8
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very helpful replies, thanks so much!
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Old 02-01-2018, 08:14 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A View Post
The captains lights are one of our favorite options. We bounce the light off the vinyl and it is a very nice soft light sufficient for reading, etc. have two over the head of the bed and two in the dinette corners. Rarely use the stock lights at night, just the captains.
This is our experience also. The ability to focus or direct these lights,means we rarely use the stock lights in the dinette area.
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Old 02-01-2018, 10:05 AM   #10
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It is nice that Escape now uses the warm bulbs in their lights, originally I had to change the bulbs to the warmer color. I must have 2 dozen blue light led bulbs in my basement.....eeek.
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Old 02-01-2018, 12:50 PM   #11
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i like the captain lights i have two in my dinning area and two at the head of the bed. i like them for reading
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Old 02-01-2018, 01:20 PM   #12
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The couple that let us tour their 21 told us they wouldn't have ordered the extra captain's lights, since the stock lights in the dinette area work just fine.

So, we haven't ordered the extras. We just finalized our build sheet last week !

Yay !
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