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Old 05-04-2018, 09:05 AM   #1
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Undeniably required options on 5.0???

Hello everyone and thank you for the add. I live in central Florida and the wife and I have settled on the 5.0 as our future trailer purchase. We want to travel around the US essentially following the weather. We won't find ourselves in anything colder than fall in Ohio. It's just he wife and myself. We are looking how to equip the 5.0 and wanted to know what options everyone finds "essential". The only parameter I ma working with is that I would be working from the trailer and would need a constant power source for a laptop and internet access and AC for the lady. I prefer to have a unit that doesn't have alot of added dodads as things like that find themselves breaking sooner than later, but the "options" list is pretty long, so there has to be some "best value for the dollar" options going on. In advance, thank you everyone and I cannot wait to own this trailer!!
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Old 05-04-2018, 09:28 AM   #2
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Welcome to our little world,
So, with a/c you will need to be hooked up all the time? Then solar would not be needed? You do not mention your tow vehicle? A little more detail on your camping type can help with some wild guess answers.
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Old 05-04-2018, 09:44 AM   #3
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I currently have a 2017 Nissan Frontier. If necessary, I'll upgrade to a larger tow vehicle. I'm pretty handy with electrical/mechanical systems so I could add the solar afterwards, but it the package Escape has is a good deal, I'll go with it. We'll do all types of camping, but our main goal is to see the natural treasures this country has to offer. Essentially making a loop of the country. I would like the ability to boondock for at least a few days, so maybe a larger battery bank?
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Old 05-04-2018, 10:18 AM   #4
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Good info, there is already a 5.0 owner/member who tows with a Frontier so it can be done. Boondocking means solar and the Escape solar option is a good one with the dual 6 volts batteries. Thermal windows will keep you warm and cooler as will the foam spray underneath. Extra window in bath will help with lumination. Progressive EMS will protect your trailer when hooked up and a/c will keep the missus cooled down if needed. These 7 options is a good start, I'm sure others will add to this list of recommendations.
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Old 05-04-2018, 10:23 AM   #5
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Thank you for the great start!!!
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Old 05-04-2018, 10:42 AM   #6
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Since you're, in essence, going to be traveling with your office, your table configuration will be important to you (e.g., U-shaped or regular). Check out posts to see what works for others in your situation. While we love the U-shaped, if I were to use it as a 'working table', I would probably opt for the regular, full size table. Also location and number of 12v and 120v outlets will be important. And you will probably want the surge protector.
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Old 05-04-2018, 10:44 AM   #7
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Excellent points on the office set up!!! Thank you everyone!!!
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Old 05-04-2018, 12:27 PM   #8
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The only parameter I ma working with is that I would be working from the trailer and would need a constant power source for a laptop and internet access and AC for the lady.
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I'm pretty handy with electrical/mechanical systems so I could add the solar afterwards, but it the package Escape has is a good deal, I'll go with it. We'll do all types of camping, but our main goal is to see the natural treasures this country has to offer. Essentially making a loop of the country. I would like the ability to boondock for at least a few days, so maybe a larger battery bank?
You will probably have a lot of cooler weather where the A/C is not required and then you have much more flexibility of camping locations if you don't always need to be plugged in. Given what you describe I would not be without solar, the inverter and dual six volt batteries. The inverter will give you 120V AC power from your 12V DC battery bank to charge laptops, etc. when off the grid.

Escape uses this solar kit so you can compare for value. It retails for ~$700 US and they offers the option for $850 CAN or ~$660 US installed. Definitely seems worth it to me.
Overlander Solar Kit (170 watts) | Go Power!
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Old 05-04-2018, 12:35 PM   #9
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Thumbs up on the solar. Just wanted to be informed if it was worth it having them install their system. For app. 660, seems like that's a keeper! Thank you!
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Old 05-04-2018, 01:03 PM   #10
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Check your computer's power, most likely it is 12v so a simple plug in 12v charger is all you need, the inverter is a expensive option that converts 12v to 120v and then back to 12v for charging, skip the middle man and keep it simple.
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Old 05-04-2018, 01:07 PM   #11
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Jim charging our laptop from 12 volt directly is difficult/expensive. Our new-to-us trailer doesn't have inverter (does have the panel and dual 6v batteries) and I'm fine with that can use our little 140watt inverter when in trailer or the 400 watt inverter in the truck while traveling.

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Old 05-04-2018, 01:11 PM   #12
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I searched and found several USB adapters for Apple products, you maybe successful with your brand also, I just plug into a 12v outlet and I'm good.
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Old 05-04-2018, 01:21 PM   #13
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I searched and found several USB adapters for Apple products, you maybe successful with your brand also, I just plug into a 12v outlet and I'm good.
Mine's an Apple too but figured it would be expensive. Just had to replace my power cord for $111 with tax. It did last over seven years though.

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Old 05-04-2018, 01:44 PM   #14
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Check your computer's power, most likely it is 12v...
Unlikely. While there are tablets with 12V or USB power supplies, laptops are more typically about 20 volts, so they require a power supply. The power supply (brick and cord) to run from 120 V AC comes with the laptop, but you have to buy a power supply to plug straight into 12 V DC.

To run a laptop from 120 V AC the nice and built-in optional inverter is not needed; a much smaller portable inverter plugged into a 12V socket can work... but if the laptop is the only thing to be run this way, it would be simpler to buy a 12 V DC input power supply specifically for the laptop.
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Old 05-04-2018, 01:52 PM   #15
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I searched and found several USB adapters for Apple products, you maybe successful with your brand also, I just plug into a 12v outlet and I'm good.
To be clear, what Apple product? Mobile stuff (iOS devices, or "iThings" such as an iPhone, iPod, or iPad), or a Mac laptop? For a while many years ago there were Mac PowerBooks which were supposed to run from 12 V DC (I bought the adapter), but it never worked properly and later models dropped this "feature". I looked through the entire Power & Cables section of the Apple.com site and found zero 12 V input power supplies for a Mac. Of course mobile devices are powered from USB ports, and there is a wide array of 12 V input USB power adapters.
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Old 05-04-2018, 02:10 PM   #16
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I have a charger for my MacBook Air that plugs into a 12V socket. It cost a bunch of $$$. Before that I just used a cheap, low wattage inverter, plugged ins to 12V socket and the AC power supply that came with the computer.
The advantage of the 12V charger is that I have fewer cables and such cluttering the trailer.
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Old 05-04-2018, 02:11 PM   #17
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...but if the laptop is the only thing to be run this way, it would be simpler to buy a 12 V DC input power supply specifically for the laptop.
Yes, and FAR more energy efficient. No loss from having to invert the power. The laptop runs on DC power anyway.
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Old 05-04-2018, 02:53 PM   #18
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On the original question. I'd be fine with just the A/C that you're already getting and the 2 6v batteries. On the solar option, I'd not be without but it is not a necessity. I did my own install using what to me was better equipment then what ETI was installing in 2014. It cost me about the same to get what I wanted over the ETI equipment.

I also added my own inverter, cost me pretty much the same as what ETI would have charged. Again I got what I wanted as far as equipment is concerned at the cost of a few days labor.
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Old 05-04-2018, 03:40 PM   #19
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I knew I'd get a ton of helpful information from you guys!!! Thank you so much. It's really appreciated!!
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Old 05-04-2018, 04:02 PM   #20
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... but if the laptop is the only thing to be run this way, it would be simpler to buy a 12 V DC input power supply specifically for the laptop.
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Yes, and FAR more energy efficient. No loss from having to invert the power. The laptop runs on DC power anyway.
One conversion is better than two, but we're likely only talking about a few percent of less than 100 watts, or literally a few watts. Is that a big deal?
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