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Old 05-06-2017, 11:21 AM   #1
SCS
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Sumwarein, Tennessee
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19
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Initial Impressions

We picked our 19 up on April 19 and spent two weeks on the road coming home. We spent time in the Cascades (near Leavenworth), the Sawtooths (near Lowman) and the Uintas (Flaming Gorge). So we saw some cold temperatures and snow and drove over Galena Pass north of Ketchum, ID. That was pretty sketchy as there was still some snow on the road. My initial impressions of the towing and trailer are:

Towing

The trailer pulls rock solid. We saw some pretty good winds in Wyoming and Nebraska and it tracked well and never caused any concerns. That may be partially a function of being well below the payload and towing capacity of my F150. It actually tows better than my Trailmanor did even with the higher profile. Mileage took about a 3-4 mpg hit but that includes the aforementioned wind and a lot of mountain climbing. I had to make one fairly violent evasive maneuver at about 60 mph due to a crazy driver coming over on me. The trailer wagged once and then fell right back into line.

Trailer

The trailer seems to be well built with good fit and finish. Don't even consider using the standard sewer hose for any length if time. I had upgraded the hose on the options sheet so it was nor a problem for me but the standard hose is a cheesy piece. I threw it away. The systems worked well with a couple of exceptions which I will cover later. We stayed comfortable even in mid 20s temps and condensation was minor; occurring mostly at the front window as you might expect. Given that it was cold and wet and we were keeping the interior at 55-60 at night I consider the condensation a nonissue. The fridge ran mostly on propane and kept cool although I did have to fiddle with the setting a couple of times a day. Since we never saw temps over the mid 60s this wasn't really much of a test. I really like the power awning since I am more likely to use it and am also more likely to retract it when I should. I did not rely on the automatic retracting feature. The frame-less thermal windows are great; no condensation, easy operation and they just look so cool. We drove through 2 days of near constant wind and rain on the way home and did not see any leaks anywhere although I consider the factory fix on the fridge vent to be iffy.

Issues

The light on the range hood died. Probably just a bulb but i haven't messed with it yet. We have the detachable power cable and the threads on the collar are way too fine for this application. Mine seem to have been slightly buggered at some point and it is impossible to get it started without crossthreadind. The cable fits tightly so I didn't worry about it and just did without. Near the end of the trip, the heater got wonky. With the thermostat in the off position it started continuously running the fan and trying to light. It was obviously not getting propane (which is a good thing in this circumstance) since it didn't light but it would not stop even after fiddling with the thermostat. I ended up pulling the fuse and finished the trip without heat. Fortunately this was near the end and I didn't really need it anyway. I haven't messed with it since getting home but would appreciate any insights before I do. As a side note, the water pump and range vent are apparently on the same circuit so be forewarned. We were using hookups the last couple of days of the trip so it didn't matter.

Overall

We really like the trailer and are pleased with the purchase. It is unbelievable how much attention it gets and how many folks approach at campgrounds and gas stations. The only other vehicle I have owned which got this much attention was a 1962 Corvette.

Steve
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Old 05-06-2017, 11:53 AM   #2
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Hi: SCS... Sounds like you bought the ideal travel trailer for Sumwearin Tenn. Too bad there are no campgrounds near there!!! LoL Alf
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Old 05-06-2017, 11:54 AM   #3
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Power cable threads had to break in on Mine. Mine were tight too, Took a number of times and now they fiinally meshed up fine. On the black part I had to push it over into the first round of threads first a few times, the black part expanded enough to snap on. I could not spin them enough to get them started. Dont give up on them, I thought mine were cross threadded too. It Must be the Mold flashing on the threads needs to wear down a bit first.

Donna found this thread for me on the range hood Bulb a while back
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post106277
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Old 05-06-2017, 11:58 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by gocamp View Post
Power cable threads had to break in on Mine. Mine were tight too, Took a number of times and now they fiinally meshed up fine. On the black part I had to push it over into the first round of threads first a few times, the black part expanded enough to snap on. I could not spin them enough to get them started. Dont give up on them, I thought mine were cross threadded too. It Must be the Mold flashing on the threads needs to wear down a bit first.

Donna found this thread for me on the range hood Bulb a while back
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post106277
I have the same issue getting the threads aligned. It just gives me something to do for 3-5 minutes.
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Old 05-06-2017, 01:44 PM   #5
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We sprayed a light spray of dry silicone lube on the threads to the detachable power cord and it seemed to make it easier to start. If yours is like ours make sure you file the tops of the screws for the outlet smooth so you do not take skin off your knuckles.
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Old 05-06-2017, 02:45 PM   #6
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You can also get the EZ Lock ring and replace the threaded ring. It is a simple twist on locking ring and works on this port. The threaded rings are rarely used when putting a detachable cord set on.
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Old 05-06-2017, 03:07 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCS View Post
The light on the range hood died. Probably just a bulb but i haven't messed with it yet.
Replace it with an LED wedge bulb. they're brighter and last much longer. Ours went out during our first trip too - a common problem. The only two incandescent bulbs in the entire trailer are the range hood light and the license plate light.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SCS View Post
We have the detachable power cable and the threads on the collar are way too fine for this application. Mine seem to have been slightly buggered at some point and it is impossible to get it started without crossthreading. The cable fits tightly so I didn't worry about it and just did without.
The threads do break in the more you use them, but also, try a bit of grease or Vaseline on the threads on the receptacle side.
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Old 05-06-2017, 05:32 PM   #8
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All good suggestions on the light and the power cord. I'll give them a try tomorrow. Anyone have any thoughts on the heater?

Steve
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Old 05-06-2017, 05:49 PM   #9
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All good suggestions on the light and the power cord. I'll give them a try tomorrow. Anyone have any thoughts on the heater?

Steve
Living in Tennessee, I would suspect you have A/C and the digital thermostat. If this is true, go to the fan setting and make sure it is set to Auto.
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Old 05-06-2017, 06:29 PM   #10
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I do have AC and the digital thermostat. My issue is that the thermostat was set to off and the heater was trying to fire. Pretty odd.

Steve
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Old 05-06-2017, 07:15 PM   #11
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I do have AC and the digital thermostat. My issue is that the thermostat was set to off and the heater was trying to fire. Pretty odd.

Steve
Then that would rule out the fan setting. If you are absolutely sure the thermostat was off, I think a call to ETI would be in order.
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Old 05-06-2017, 11:18 PM   #12
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My last trip the power cord was slightly easier to screw in. I found that it helped to stand right in front of it, so maybe the angle was better. Or I just lucked out. Most likely the second reason, knowing me.

Charlie of RV Widgets has one of these installed in his range hood. Holy Cow, is this thing bright! He said it was easy to install.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm looking forward to more light under there as the light on the range hood is totally worthless. I don't even bother using it most of the time.
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Old 05-07-2017, 12:49 AM   #13
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So, given that the range hood light is incandescent, does anyone know of it draws more power than one of the LED lights in the trailer? sometimes I like to have a dim light on, but maybe it uses more power?? (Not too worried with solar and dual 6's)
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Old 05-07-2017, 06:14 AM   #14
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Don't know specifically about the range hood light, but a single incandescent ceiling light bulb in my last trailer was up over 1 amp, I believe it was 1.5. The a standard LED ceiling light in my 2014 is .26 amp
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Old 05-07-2017, 02:40 PM   #15
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So, given that the range hood light is incandescent, does anyone know of it draws more power than one of the LED lights in the trailer? sometimes I like to have a dim light on, but maybe it uses more power??
The lowest-power incandescent bulbs used for lighting (not just indicators) in both cars and homes are about 5 watts - that would be a license plate or market light on a car, or a low-power nightlight in a house (a regular nightlight was 7 watts); the range light should be brighter.

Very few LED units for interior lighting use as much as 5 watts; most replacements for single bulbs are under 2 watts; Bob's 0.26 amp lamp would be 3 watts.
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Old 05-07-2017, 03:12 PM   #16
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Glad to her your trip went good. I would call ETI on the heater and see what Reace has to say. Look forward to camping with you guys soon!

I have ordered a quick lock ring for the cord because I don't like the threaded one either. Hopefully it will work on the new style cord.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
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Old 05-07-2017, 04:53 PM   #17
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It was the bulb on the range light. I swapped in a spare bulb I had laying around and it worked. On the heater, I plugged the fuse back in and it started the same song and dance. I pulled the fuse, reinitialized the thermostat, cut of all power at the battery switch, reinstalled the fuse, re-powered and it seems to be cured. I have no idea whether it will last but for now all is well. I also have zero idea as to how my actions would have had any impact. Sometimes you just have to take it on faith.

Steve

BTW Tom, did you get your check?
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Old 05-07-2017, 05:15 PM   #18
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BTW Tom, did you get your check?
LOL, no not yet.

Good to hear you got everything working!
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