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Old 12-08-2014, 06:26 PM   #1
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17b options

Hi all,
I'm taking delivery of a 17b in April and have to start considering options. I've got a lot of good information from this forum and have narrowed the list down considerably, also went to see a 2014 17b in Calgary and got good info from those people. Remaining decisions I need to make are:

1. Custom fabric and formica - not sure if worth the hassle to arrange delivery, etc.
2. Stove upgrade - what is wrong with standard stove?
3. Fridge - same, what is wrong with standard fridge?
4. I will get an inverter but not sure what transfer switch does or if necessary
5. Surge protector necessary for what I'm not sure
6. I will get the spray foam insulation under the trailer but not sure if the heat pads are necessary?

Any and all advice and comments appreciated.

Thanks
Hugh
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Old 12-08-2014, 06:35 PM   #2
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custom fabric & laminate: each to their own, we didn't bother.

stove: nothing wrong with the standard. We prefer the look of stainless.

fridge: it's all about size... we happily gave up the microwave to get more fridge space.

inverter transfer switch: you can't feed all your 120v outlets from both your inverter and from shore power simultaneously. The transfer switch manually switches all your outlets from one power source to the other.

surge protector: protects your various electrics/electronics from dirty power. Particularly an issue in over-crowded RV parks with bad wiring. Everybody turns on their air conditioners and you find you're only getting 100v instead of 120v. This can wreck your air conditioner.

heating pads: I don't think they're necessary for our style of camping. And they take enough power that they're only useful if you have shore power.
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Old 12-08-2014, 06:39 PM   #3
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1. Custom fabric and formica - not sure if worth the hassle to arrange delivery, etc.

Custom laminate does not have to be delivered. All you do is tell ETI the number of the Formica brand pattern you want and they order it directly from their supplier.

2. Stove upgrade - what is wrong with standard stove?

There's nothing wrong with the standard stove. White versus stainless: Simply a matter of aesthetics--your choice. Also, two-burner versus three-burner: Again, your choice depending on how you plan to cook.
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Old 12-08-2014, 06:41 PM   #4
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I am SO following this thread!!!
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Old 12-08-2014, 06:48 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hughharden View Post
Hi all,
I'm taking delivery of a 17b in April and have to start considering options. I've got a lot of good information from this forum and have narrowed the list down considerably, also went to see a 2014 17b in Calgary and got good info from those people. Remaining decisions I need to make are:

1. Custom fabric and formica - not sure if worth the hassle to arrange delivery, etc.
2. Stove upgrade - what is wrong with standard stove?
3. Fridge - same, what is wrong with standard fridge?
4. I will get an inverter but not sure what transfer switch does or if necessary
5. Surge protector necessary for what I'm not sure
6. I will get the spray foam insulation under the trailer but not sure if the heat pads are necessary?

Any and all advice and comments appreciated.

Thanks
Hugh
Some of this is based on where and how you use the trailer, but much of this is a matter of taste. I think Doug's comments nailed it.
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Old 12-08-2014, 06:50 PM   #6
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I concur with Doug.
We have standard upholstery and Formica. You can personalize by adding throw blankets, pillows if you wish. At least you can change those easily when your taste changes.
We have standard white enamel stove ( with stove cover ). If we had gone with stainless sink, we would likely also have stainless stove ( and who came up with the misnomer stainless anyway?).
We have 5 cu. ft. fridge and no microwave. I gather your choice of size is 4.3 or 6.7. We are glad we went with the 5 instead of 3.5 which was available at the time. We rarely camp with shore power so microwave would just take up space and we don't use the one at home. My fridge is two-way ( propane or shore power ). Using 12V to run fridge is impractical.
I don't have an ETI installed inverter. I have a couple small 50 watt or 100 watt inverters that I use when charging MacBook, iPad. So, we don't have a transfer switch. Don't have any 120VAC appliances anyway.
I'd like the surge protector, but I'm not willing to pay for it since we generally don't camp with shore power and don't have air conditioner to protect.
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Old 12-08-2014, 09:01 PM   #7
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Would get the custom fabric after having the standard previously. Geobella/Sunbrella will clean up more easily. Also your valences are covered with fabric. We use a throw as well for contrast. Like the standard sink/stove as they are easier to keep clean and we use a Rubbermaid pail in the sink anyway to dump gray water. Would rethink the surge protection after my Bose Soundwave's AC got fried while on shore power. Warranty from Progressive Industries not likely to cover that. Fortunately the DC power still works. Love the inverter/transfer switch. Had the 3.0 fridge and it was fine, but if you're going out for awhile it might seem small. Though you didn't ask, I wouldn't order the quick-connect gas again as we find it more convenient to grab one of the two onboard tanks and put it on the picnic table.
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Old 12-08-2014, 09:30 PM   #8
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I agree, Doug's succinct post "nails it."

I think choosing how far to go with options/personalization depends on at least three/four issues ( in no particular order): 1. Available/discretionary funds 2. Knowledge of travel trailering (subcategory: knowledge of fiberglass trailering). 3. Personality. 4. How we plan to use the trailer. If I sit here long enough I could probably come up with more but those seem decent.

For us 1. My wife (bless her heart got a year's salary buy-out and retired). 2. Knowledge base: Long term one spot vacation trailering for 12 years weekends at a spot we had for six months (Sunnyside, Cultus Lake) in a stick trailer we owned because we didn't have a tow vehicle before see previous point. 3. A bit anal, want things figured out, I'm into risk assessment/management in the criminal Justice system. 4. When I retire we want to travel boondock and full hookup throughout North America.

To answer the first post:
1. I've seen a trailer fabric with animals including moose and love it. But we choose fabric we liked but no animals or flamboyant colours (see point 3 above). We can spice it up with throw pillows etc. 2. The standard stove seems fine but we went with stainless (see 1 above). 3. Fridge size matters to us. 4. Inverter issue was something we went back and forth on. We decided to go "minimalistic" and plan to Boondock quite often. Going fiberglass for us means we don't like huge Camp grounds and huge trailers. (Number 1$ wasn't a bottomless pit and the inverter seemed to be to much for what we planned). We did go for the AC though for when we get to hot country in the US and hook up. 5. Surge protector was a no-brainer given my personality 6. Heat pads. We probably won't do winter camping. If we lived in Alberta we would probably have out in heat pads. We did put in the complete foam package.

Best of luck in with you in all choices. It's fun exciting and stressful all at the same time

Larry
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Old 12-08-2014, 09:46 PM   #9
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Hi Hugh, welcome to the EscapeForum, we're glad you're here!

Everything is an opinion and you'll get plenty. This is mine.

I'm spending BUCKS, I wanted my trailer to be uniquely my own... not like others. Yes, the standard ETI build is great and I mean that sincerely, but I had an opportunity to build a trailer that was ME, not everyone else. The Formica and upholstery were my decisions and I'm happy as a clam. SWEET. I went with stainless appliances, because I like them! Nothing wrong with white, but didn't match my other decisions.. and I'm visual.

Only you can decide what's important to you. I'm happy with my choices and budgeted for those decisions. YMMV
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Old 12-08-2014, 10:01 PM   #10
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Custom upholstery and Formica are personal issues and not all that critical to the camping experience.
But, the other questions asked are entirely relevant and dependent on camping style - boon docking on Racehorse Creek or "camping" at a full service "resort" RV park, with pools and hot tubs.
Do you detect my bias?
Maybe Hugh, you could provide more information on how you intend to use your trailer, and then we could provide informed information that's more useful to you.
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Old 12-08-2014, 10:10 PM   #11
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Maybe Hugh, you could provide more information on how you intend to use your trailer, and then we could provide informed information that's more useful to you.
But then we'd have to be focussed.

And speaking of opinions
I love my quick connect. Worth every penny of my wife's hard earned money. No messing with tanks. And enough length to move the barby (or should I say (grill) for my southern US posters) so smoke doesn't bug us. And don't even get me going on how much I love the front storage box. The digital thermostat is kind of cool too
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Old 12-08-2014, 10:46 PM   #12
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Hi Hugh and welcome to one great forum.

You’re getting a bunch of “opinions” and I’m now giving mine. For upholstery and Formica I opted for the standard affair, after all I’m color blind and my dog couldn’t care less. The sink, stove and fridge are the standard “cookie cutter” ones ETI offers and I stuck with them. Beyond that I think I added dang near every option ETI offers, not all but most, but then I had only 10 days from the time I made the down payment to when the build sheet was due.

The surge protector, in my opinion, is a must even if you boondock 99% of the time. The one time you don’t you could fry some expensive stuff. Another suggestion; even if you opt out on A/C, TV and Stereo have your trailer pre-wired for them. Who knows, sometime down the road you may want them.
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:01 PM   #13
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I gather the greatest risk that a surge protector deals with is brownout conditions that would affect air conditioning ( if you have it ).
Is it also an issue with the fridge? What else?
And, would this AC receptacle go some ways toward remedying that situation?
Wouldn't help with a lightening strike, but just to ensure proper wiring in the campsite?
I have one, but I haven't gotten into the habit of using it. Cost about $12.
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:15 PM   #14
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And, would this AC receptacle go some ways toward remedying that situation?
Wouldn't help with a lightening strike, but just to ensure proper wiring in the campsite?
I have one, but I haven't gotten into the habit of using it. Cost about $12.
The device just alerts you to incorrect polarity and/or incorrect or non-existant ground. The red button is for testing GFCI receptacles.

It does not have anything to with voltage, high/low/brown/etc.

The surge protector is something I added to protect all of the line voltage (120V AC) stuff in my Escape from the irregularities of shore power. If you're ever going to plug in to shore power, I would say that it needs to be on your list.
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:20 PM   #15
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If you don't want the built in surge protector, you can get after market ones at cramping world or other places. I had an $89.00 surge protector I got from Little House Customs. The only problem is that either I or d.w. forgot in some campground. So my two escapes have had the built-in ones. Much more convenient, if they are more expensive.
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:28 PM   #16
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The only problem is that either I or d.w. forgot in some campground.
More likely, somebody walked off with it and plugged your shore power back in so you didn't notice.
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:43 PM   #17
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The device just alerts you to incorrect polarity and/or incorrect or non-existant ground. The red button is for testing GFCI receptacles.

It does not have anything to with voltage, high/low/brown/etc.

The surge protector is something I added to protect all of the line voltage (120V AC) stuff in my Escape from the irregularities of shore power. If you're ever going to plug in to shore power, I would say that it needs to be on your list.
Weird thing is we hardly ever use shore power, yet this last trip to AZ had us using it as it included in most state campgrounds so they don't have to mediate generator disputes. Hooked up mainly to save propane for the refer. After noticing the damage to our Bose despite the surge protector am a little hesitant to use AC again and just use DC w/solar. Why do campgrounds have the power fluctuations that seem to be so prevalent?
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:49 PM   #18
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How do you know that the damage was caused by a surge?
Is the problem the campground, the surge protector or Bose?
And then there is me. I fried a short wave radio and can only blame myself.
Just curious what the evidence is that leads you to your conclusion.
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Old 12-09-2014, 12:02 AM   #19
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No proof, just coincidence. What do we say about coincidences? Takes a lot of planning. Seriously, who knows? Could've just decided to go to the other side(DC) exclusively.
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Old 12-09-2014, 12:07 AM   #20
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Well, that's all I have to offer, since I don't know my AC from my DC.
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