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05-06-2015, 08:14 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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Need shades darker
Has anyone come up with a way to make the standard shades block more light? Along the lines of black out shades or at least light blocking. The windows in the loft area of the 5.0TA let in too much for my liking when we get stuck spending a travel night in a parking lot. Won't be many campgrounds open through the midwest when were traveling this November.
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Happy Motoring
Bob
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05-06-2015, 08:20 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
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Techfan has figured out a way to use Velcro for his latest modification to the windows. Couldn't you just use a black-out fabric underneath the standard shades and "Velcroed" to the window frame to block out the light and then pull down the shade over it? Or maybe it would be too tight of a fit?
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Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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05-06-2015, 08:26 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
Has anyone come up with a way to make the standard shades block more light? Along the lines of black out shades or at least light blocking. The windows in the loft area of the 5.0TA let in too much for my liking when we get stuck spending a travel night in a parking lot. Won't be many campgrounds open through the midwest when were traveling this November.
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The pleated pull down shades are available as day/night shades from a number of places, but they are VERY expensive since they are custom made to fit the window size. I would just rig some blackout curtains, as several forum members have done, or use some reflectix inserts.
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"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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05-06-2015, 08:52 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Solvang, California
Trailer: 2016 21' Escape (usetaowna a 19, a Burro and 2 Casitas)
Posts: 842
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I bought a roll of peel and stick tint window film at Home Depot. Lowe's also has it. They have three levels darkness including limo tint. Goes on easy and is removable. Easy on and stays put until you want to remove it.
Greg
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05-06-2015, 09:57 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Trailer: none
Posts: 737
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We have cut panels of Reflectix that we slide between the pleated shades and the window at night or whenever needed. It blacks out the light completely and also serves to insulate from heat and cold.
We also made one for the escape hatch over the bed.
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Fran & Dave Albuquerque, NM
2013 to 2022 had a 2008 Escape 5.0 Classic
2011 Frontier Crew Cab Short Bed Pro4x
Sold both 7/22
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05-06-2015, 11:27 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: palo alto, California
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic #7
Posts: 314
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like others we have done reflectix. one down side is the increase in condensation on windows
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7-7-7 Our Marriage
2013 Escape 21 Classic
2014 Sequoia
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05-07-2015, 12:37 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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I made "black-out" curtains last year. They go over the pull down blinds.
I bought some "suede type" panels----cut them to size and bought some "loopy" trim to go across the top.
I did buy some 3M little clear hooks that I put on the top"metal" part of the pulldown blinds--- so far they have stayed up just fine and they are small and clear and aren't really noticeable..
I can tuck the extra length of the curtains in the blind and they aren't in the way--a very easy put up and take down...
Last years very bright "too early" morning sun at the rally made me realize I really needed a change!
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Anna-Marie
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05-07-2015, 07:47 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amirie
Last years too much wine late at night, which made for a very bright "too early" morning sun at the rally made me realize I really needed a change!
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Corrected for accuracy. I think Reace had a morning like that too.
Fortunately, light does not affect my sleeping, though I am usually up at or before sunrise anyway.
Darkening the windows was something that never occurred to me, as I love waking to the warm glow, as it usually means I got to sleep in.
__________________
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
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05-07-2015, 08:13 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
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I'm with Jim. I see the sun come up every morning 365 days a year. Only see the sun go down in the winter time. For me all the lights inside the trailer drive me more nutz than any light coming through the windows.
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Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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05-07-2015, 08:39 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Olympia wa, Washington
Trailer: 5.0TA 2017
Posts: 2,255
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The refrigerator lights bother me in my 17 I don't mind the window light I sleep so well in the am the light doesn't bother me I close the blind so the dogs won't bark at the neighbors
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05-07-2015, 08:45 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Longview, WA, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15B - 2014 Nissan Frontier SL
Posts: 854
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
The refrigerator lights bother me in my 17 I don't mind the window light I sleep so well in the am the light doesn't bother me I close the blind so the dogs won't bark at the neighbors
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For the fridge lights I bought some static cling window shade material at the local auto store and put it on the inside of the plastic cover. We do , however, have a 3 this has made the fridge lights bearable.
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Tim and Julie
2013 Escape 15B
2014 Nissan Frontier, Previous 2012 Santa Fe
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05-07-2015, 08:51 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Olympia wa, Washington
Trailer: 5.0TA 2017
Posts: 2,255
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I have to try that! Thanks
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05-07-2015, 09:40 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Solvang, California
Trailer: 2016 21' Escape (usetaowna a 19, a Burro and 2 Casitas)
Posts: 842
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
The refrigerator lights bother me
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I think the idea is to sleep with the refrig door shut! That makes the light go off.
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05-07-2015, 09:49 PM
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#14
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
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It's all the lights at the top of the refer and the blinking sensors for everything else that drives me nutz. There's a lot of light pollution inside the trailer that takes time to get used to. Doesn't take long, but those first few nights.... when you are used to a very-simple trailer... in the end.. all is GOOD!
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Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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05-08-2015, 08:56 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Longview, WA, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15B - 2014 Nissan Frontier SL
Posts: 854
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greggo
I think the idea is to sleep with the refrig door shut! That makes the light go off.
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Ha, ha, ha... The 3 has no light on the inside, but there are more than enough lights on the outside to read by in the dark. Hence, the cover to at least dim them.
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Tim and Julie
2013 Escape 15B
2014 Nissan Frontier, Previous 2012 Santa Fe
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05-23-2015, 03:48 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Trailer: 2011 Escape 17B
Posts: 250
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The lights on the radio drove my hubby crazy - he likes to listen to the music when going to sleep. When I made the blackout drapes for the windows, I also made flaps in the same material for the radio and the window in the door. They simply Velcro to the offending units - easy to put on and take off. It's so dark, Vader would be proud!
__________________
2011 17B - 2019 GMC Sierra HD3500 Duramax Diesel
Our "FIRE ESCAPE"
"Put the wet stuff on the red stuff"
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05-07-2017, 07:23 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 17b/ 2012 Chevy Colorado
Posts: 736
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox hunt
The refrigerator lights bother me in my 17 I don't mind the window light I sleep so well in the am the light doesn't bother me I close the blind so the dogs won't bark at the neighbors
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Small strips of "gaffer's tape" over those lights will fix you right up. For those who don't know, this stuff is great as it sticks fairly well but comes off cleanly, unlike duck tape.
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05-07-2017, 10:09 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,960
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Quote:
Originally Posted by techfan
For the fridge lights I bought some static cling window shade material at the local auto store and put it on the inside of the plastic cover. We do , however, have a 3 this has made the fridge lights bearable.
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I use the same stuff. It can be doubled, tripled, etc. up until you get the darkening level you want.
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What a long strange trip it’s been!
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05-07-2017, 10:20 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FMLNM
We have cut panels of Reflectix that we slide between the pleated shades and the window at night or whenever needed. It blacks out the light completely and also serves to insulate from heat and cold.
We also made one for the escape hatch over the bed.
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2X. Worked well on an Alaska trip (Sunset at 11:00PM!)
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05-07-2017, 11:17 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,661
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I think I'll try Reflectix first since I have some (I think).
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