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10-04-2014, 12:38 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Prince George, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 17B
Posts: 20
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Beginner Questions
Hi Folks,
We are just ordering the last details on our Escape B17, we'd be interested in your experiences on some items:
We live in northern BC. We will put the under floor spray insulation in, are the heat pads on the tanks worth it.
Is the optional box at the front useful - we see lots of pictures with and without
Is there any advantage in going for the removable power cable as opposed to the standard fixed one?
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10-04-2014, 12:50 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Maple Ridge, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 17B;2012 Nissan Frontier SV 4
Posts: 702
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I can't speak to heating pads but we chose all the insulation
Front box is great for all towing / ect "outside" items. Well worth it unless overall build sheet cost is getting too high
We went with removable cord and I'm happy. No feeding in a long cord into who knows what inside the trailer. The cord goes into the front box . Of course u need to ensure the cord always stays with the trailer.
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10-04-2014, 12:58 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,054
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Had the fixed power cord in my pop-up and chose the removable for the Escape; hands down, well worth it and a good decision for me just to avoid the fight of pulling it out and putting it away.
Also, I'm glad I ordered the storage box for the outside items like door mat, cord, etc., but it depends on your storage needs. It is great for me but not a must-have for many.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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10-04-2014, 01:04 PM
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#4
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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 TheLonePine
Hi Folks,
We are just ordering the last details on our Escape B17, we'd be interested in your experiences on some items:
We live in northern BC. We will put the under floor spray insulation in, are the heat pads on the tanks worth it.
Is the optional box at the front useful - we see lots of pictures with and without
Is there any advantage in going for the removable power cable as opposed to the standard fixed one?
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My two cents:
1- You live in NORTHERN BC. Insulation and heat pads are worth it.
2- The box was the easiest decision we made.
3- The removable power cord is easier to handle, and doesn't get tangled up.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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10-04-2014, 01:16 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
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.... Heat pads take a bit of juice to run, so you need to consider electrical supply issues. They are also best done at build time and not modded in afterwards. Especially with full insulation. Winter camping and not using the tanks would reduce need.
.... Someone (Alf?) mentioned ants etc love the ease of getting inside via regular cord. I would get removeable for that alone.
All based on reading threads here.
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10-04-2014, 01:35 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Antelope, California
Trailer: 2009 17B "Suite Escape" pulled by a 2020 Toyota Sienna
Posts: 1,565
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FWIW, I would have liked the front box had it been an option. Instead, I had two front hatches placed on either side for storage for "outside stuff". I also would have availed myself of the detachable cord. However, I always wipe the cord as It goes inside, so it remains clean. So far so good and no ants or critters (that I know of. )
__________________
Peace and Sunshine
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10-04-2014, 01:37 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,050
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I didn't get the detachable cord either, it was something I may forget when leaving a campsite!
Besides, I like only needing to pull out the length of cord that's needed to hookup. The cord doesn't lay in the dirt or mud. And, I've never had it get tangled up inside. YMMV
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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10-04-2014, 02:06 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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The 12v pads are really not needed when you have the foam package and besides you have to be hooked up to use them as they eat a lot of battery power. The front box is indispensable, the removable power cord is practical, particularly in cold weather where it becomes really hard to coil up or reinsert inside the tiny hole, just throw the whole cord inside until it warms up and becomes pliable again.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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10-04-2014, 02:17 PM
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#9
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 - "Felicity"
Posts: 2,945
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BCnomad
.... Someone (Alf?) mentioned ants etc love the ease of getting inside via regular cord. I would get removeable for that alone.
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Ants aren't NEARLY the problem inside compared to the mice once they get in. DEFINITELY go for the separate cord!
__________________
Charlie Y
Need custom storage to your design? Don't drill holes!
www.RVWidgetWorks.com
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10-04-2014, 02:25 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
The 12v pads are really not needed when you have the foam package and besides you have to be hooked up to use them as they eat a lot of battery power.
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I assume that 12V power is used for tank heating pads so that they can be run while driving, not to run them from battery power.
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10-04-2014, 02:48 PM
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#11
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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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I too am curious about Brian's question. If you run the pads, does the tow vehicle also charge the battery? What about if you are running the pads, and the fridge on 12v?
On point to the thread, I am regretting our decision to get the heating pads. I suspect the insulation under the bottom, thus including the tanks in the heated space will be more than enough to keep the tanks from freezing so long as the trailer space itself is heated.
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10-04-2014, 04:03 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21--FOR SALE
Posts: 411
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Yes to the separate power cord (shudder to think of the damage mice could do to a pristine Escape trailer).
And yes to the front storage box (I have no idea where else all the stuff in the box could be stored).
And yes to the sprayfoam under the floor and tanks (it went down to -3C in Manning Park our first two nights camping, yet the floor stayed warm enough to walk on barefoot).
__________________
Brent and Cheryl.
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10-04-2014, 05:25 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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The fresh tank is not in the heated space. I would get the pads with the spray foam underneath for when electric is available.
We use a soft rope caulk at the electrical cord entrance. We mould it around the cord so it is completely covering the space.
To put the cord away, we hold it in one hand and have an old towel on it with the other hand, wipe clean with towel while putting in, done in one minute.
I would like to not have the box but don't know where we would put all of that stuff.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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10-04-2014, 05:29 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Saw the posts . Can tell you what we have done . We do not have the detachable cord . We wipe the cord when we put it back and we bought what are called hatch door bug shields . They are made by AP products . We bought the round one for our 19 . It is slit and goes on cord and we push it into hatch and then close the hatch . We store it in our little side door . We do have screens on everything else . The # for the round one is 55-5283 .
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10-04-2014, 08:05 PM
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#15
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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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I've had both kinds of cords. In 8 years never had critters of any sort go up the cord and into the trailer, not that I ever knew about anyways. I went with the detachable on the new trailer as I was always worried about the plug falling inside the trailer on the fixed cord, never did, but I still thought about it every time I pushed it into the opening. the one I had had a small door that closed over the pulled out cord, when properly closed up nothing bigger then ants could have gotten past, don't know if the Escapes use this style. It also uses up some valuable real estate in the trailer. That said, the detachable has to be pulled out from it's storage bin and put away each time it's used, in this regard the attached was simpler. I prefer the detachable.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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10-04-2014, 08:13 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2024 Bigfoot 21RB
Posts: 254
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We have heating pads and have used them, whether they help prevent the gray water and fresh water tanks from freezing even with foam insulation under the trailer and extra insulation in the trailer/windows while keeping the trailer warm with furnace and space heater at temps down to minus 3-5 deg C is not known to me. i think if you plan to camp and at night it could get below minus 5 deg C and you want to carry water get the heat pads. We used to live in PG and I would get the heat pads as we would camp in the shoulder season. I gives you piece of mind at low temps.
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10-04-2014, 08:59 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
I assume that 12V power is used for tank heating pads so that they can be run while driving, not to run them from battery power.
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Either way they are operating off battery 12v, it is just when hooked to 120v at the pedestal you have unlimited 12v available.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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10-04-2014, 09:00 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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You could get to cord at least in our 19 right under the double doors -bed area .we added a 1/4 Piece of plywood on both sides to close up sides still leaving front of that area to be able to air . Also very easy to get in there just remove couple of screws . The hatch cover is just 1/2 in piece of rubber for a barrier just in case when camping .
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10-05-2014, 12:32 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Either way they are operating off battery 12v, it is just when hooked to 120v at the pedestal you have unlimited 12v available.
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I agree... but running out of battery power is not a concern when there is a charging source, whether AC or tow vehicle. So yes, you need to be "hooked up" - to either source.
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10-05-2014, 11:04 AM
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#20
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Prince George, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 17B
Posts: 20
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Thanks everyone for your helpful and speedy replies. So in case you are interested here is what we have decided to do (so far!). Add the storage box, go for the removable cord, and add in the spray insulation, but not the pads. We decided not to add the pads as we rarely use hookups and we thought we would be safer draining the system by October and managing without fresh water in the tank. We have done this with our current trailer up until now.
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