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05-29-2017, 10:52 AM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: Escape 15A
Posts: 106
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D.
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Thanks Donna for that info. I just went and looked and sure enough mine says replace after 60 months from day of purchase.So guess I have a project now.
Back to the OP's problem .
__________________
2007 Toyota Tundra
2011 Escape 15A
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05-29-2017, 11:00 AM
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#42
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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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Additionally, the vent is not located up near the lid. It is located well below the top. The solution is to really tighten down the wing nuts holding the lid on AND, if that doesn't address the issue, purchase conduit sealant in the electrical department at Lowe's or Home Depot. It has the consistency of stiff clay and will adhere to surfaces. Roll it into cords and seal all the way around the lid. It is a PITA to deal with whenever you want to access the batteries but it will prevent hydrogen caused alarms. And when the batteries need to be replaced, pony up the extra money for AGM batteries if you can afford to.
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What a long strange trip it’s been!
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05-29-2017, 11:46 AM
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#43
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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 C&G in FL
And when the batteries need to be replaced, pony up the extra money for AGM batteries if you can afford to.
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I dunno Carl. If they completely seal the box as you described, and the offgassing is no longer entering the trailer, why go AGM at a later date? The wet cell batteries are tried and true, much less expensive, and if properly maintained will give you more amp hours than AGM, and last almost as long, no?
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__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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05-29-2017, 01:05 PM
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#44
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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 rbryan4
I dunno Carl. If they completely seal the box as you described, and the offgassing is no longer entering the trailer, why go AGM at a later date? The wet cell batteries are tried and true, much less expensive, and if properly maintained will give you more amp hours than AGM, and last almost as long, no?
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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Six of one, half dozen of the other, Robert. My Lifeline AGMs are 220 AH, not much of a reduction from the 232 AH Interstates. But the AGMs seem to charge faster.
My real reason for going AGMs was it took me longer to move cushions (and replace them afterward) to get to the battery box, then remove the wing nuts (and put them back afterward) than the 5 minutes it took to check/top off water (electrolyte) levels. And as an aside, with all the "hydrogen" alarms, I figured substantial hydrolysis was occurring when the batteries were charging. While I did solve the "nuisance" alarm problem by sealing the box all along the lid's perimeter, that was an added time consuming PITA to remove and then reseal it. All told, the last time I checked the flooded lead batteries, it took in excess of 30 minutes. I also knew I really didn't want to repeat the process every two months. I like easy, or at least easier. Don't know about the longevity of the AGMs, but they seem to be well so far.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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05-29-2017, 01:18 PM
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#45
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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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That makes sense. The fact you don't have to check the levels with a 'hard to access' battery box might be reason enough to go with the AGMs. I'm used to my 19, where accessing the batteries is a snap.
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__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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05-29-2017, 04:01 PM
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#46
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Trailer: 2016 21' sold, current class C, Now looking
Posts: 150
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During our first year of ownership, the new camper smell was pretty strong.
One night our propane detector kept going off. Checked everything, no leaks, each time we would come to the storage lot and the power was on it would be beeping away.
Ordered a new one, installed it, NO PROBLEMS, since. I think it was due to the off gassing and with storage so far away from us we couldn't open the windows for long periods of time.
Replacing it would not be a bad idea, and it was not very much to order the part.
Don
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05-29-2017, 04:11 PM
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#47
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
That makes sense. The fact you don't have to check the levels with a 'hard to access' battery box might be reason enough to go with the AGMs. I'm used to my 19, where accessing the batteries is a snap.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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2 best items on the 19 , where the batteries are located and the queen bed . PT
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05-29-2017, 04:57 PM
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#48
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodie
Thanks Donna for that info. I just went and looked and sure enough mine says replace after 60 months from day of purchase.So guess I have a project now.
Back to the OP's problem .
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There is a sticker with a date on the back of the device and I asked the RV dealer, who phoned the rep because I didn't want to buy one that was already 6mos. old. The rep said to replace the detector five years from the date of installation ( and the sticker won't have that date ). That makes sense to me because once you connect the electrical wires it will begin to wear. Before that, it wouldn't. See Robert's post on how the device works.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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05-29-2017, 06:00 PM
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#49
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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 Don W.
During our first year of ownership, the new camper smell was pretty strong.
One night our propane detector kept going off. Checked everything, no leaks, each time we would come to the storage lot and the power was on it would be beeping away.
Ordered a new one, installed it, NO PROBLEMS, since. I think it was due to the off gassing and with storage so far away from us we couldn't open the windows for long periods of time.
Replacing it would not be a bad idea, and it was not very much to order the part.
Don
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When mine kept going off for no reason, ETI told me to call the manufacturer. I did and they replaced it under warranty. The new one did the same thing. After I corrected the battery situation, it hasn't gone off again.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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05-29-2017, 08:02 PM
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#50
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 140
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Venting hydrogen
So this seems to me like a problem that ETI should deal with. I mean fix. If the battery box leaks hydrogen gas into the trailer on some models such that the combustible gas alarm goes off, that's not good. Some owners have fixed it on their own. I'm sure I could fix it. But we should not have to stuff sealant around the battery box or buy new batteries. ETI should fix it.
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05-29-2017, 08:07 PM
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#51
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starbrightsteve
So this seems to me like a problem that ETI should deal with. I mean fix. If the battery box leaks hydrogen gas into the trailer on some models such that the combustible gas alarm goes off, that's not good. Some owners have fixed it on their own. I'm sure I could fix it. But we should not have to stuff sealant around the battery box or buy new batteries. ETI should fix it.
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But, but... it's not a consistent problem. I have a 2014 5.0TA with a U-shape dinette and dual 6-volt batteries. The propane detector has never gone off in my trailer (knock on wood). I'm also a single traveler, no pets and don't eat carbs (no farting ). How/why would/should ETI fix a problem that's not consistent across all owners if it's a problem only for some people and has nothing to do with the build?
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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05-29-2017, 08:09 PM
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#52
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ,, Oklahoma
Trailer: 17
Posts: 840
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Donna is right. Dogs laying down there near it will set it off. PS_ Donna would you ever let silicone caulk touch your trailer?
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05-31-2017, 07:51 AM
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#53
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Amherst, Ohio
Trailer: 2013 Escape 5.0
Posts: 12
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Carl, thanks for your good advice. My husband has attempted your fix ideas. I am confused about the battery container. Our black box does not have screws of any type (wing nuts, etc) to keep the lid on, it is only held down by two straps. My husband caulked the inside of the lid, so we will see. Could not get a toggle switch to work, so we plan to separate the wires if we have any issues with a false alarm. We did not have one bit of trouble with the detector during the 10 - 14 day trip from Texas to Ohio in early December. My thinking is because the camper was shut up tight sitting in our driveway over the winter, the detector had a great deal to react to ( scented candle, batteries) when the batteries were finally fully charged.
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05-31-2017, 08:18 AM
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#54
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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 vfarsch
Carl, thanks for your good advice. My husband has attempted your fix ideas. I am confused about the battery container. Our black box does not have screws of any type (wing nuts, etc) to keep the lid on, it is only held down by two straps. My husband caulked the inside of the lid, so we will see. Could not get a toggle switch to work, so we plan to separate the wires if we have any issues with a false alarm. We did not have one bit of trouble with the detector during the 10 - 14 day trip from Texas to Ohio in early December. My thinking is because the camper was shut up tight sitting in our driveway over the winter, the detector had a great deal to react to ( scented candle, batteries) when the batteries were finally fully charged.
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Valerie, ETI is now using a white, translucent box to contain batteries. Apparently they were using the type of battery box commonly seen on the tongues of many trailers when your 5.0 was manufactured. I'm not sure scented candles would set it off, but they might. The new battery boxes' lids are held in by a board with holes on either end that slip down over threaded rods and secured with wing nuts. There are strips of foam weatherstripping around the inside perimeter of the lid which presumably "seal" the lid along the top edges of box. I don't think they do a great job but that is what led to my recommendation to tighten the wing nuts as much as possible (to compress the foam).
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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06-02-2017, 06:24 PM
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#55
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wacissa, Florida
Trailer: Escape 5.0 TA #58
Posts: 15
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I have the same problem with intermittent LP detector operation in my 2015 5.0 TA. While I'd like to get the bottom of the root problem I've found that cracking the window over the battery box and putting the vent fan on low exhaust setting stops the incessant beeping. I have covered parking for the unit so rain isn't an issue. Also vacuuming the unit after I come home also helps. I think you have to admit that putting the unit so close to the battery box is a bit of a design flaw. (Over all I'm very please with my purchase)
I thought I remembered reading a while back that so many Escape owners had this problem that there was talk of a general recall or some other action on the part of the manufacturer or ETI?
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06-04-2017, 04:30 PM
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#56
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Porterville, California
Trailer: 2020 Bigfoot 25RQ
Posts: 199
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I keep a fan blowing on mine. If I shut off the fan the beeping begins again.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
Sandy
2020 Bigfoot 25RQ
2016 Ford F-150 3.5 v6 Eco boost
Porterville, CA
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06-04-2017, 05:17 PM
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#57
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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 Sandyb12
I keep a fan blowing on mine. If I shut off the fan the beeping begins again.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That's just a Bandaid, not a cure. Seal the battery box and be done with it.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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07-08-2017, 04:02 PM
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#58
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 5.0 TA (sold) '13 Tundra DC 4.6 tow
Posts: 104
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I'll add a data point - we're currently camping and shut most of the windows and left the vent fan on low in preparation for leaving for a few hours this morning. Our alarm went off. I have worked around odorized propane a lot so I was fairly certain that a propane leak was not the issue. Coincidentally, since we are dry camping, I looked at the charger and we were in bulk/absorption mode at 14.5 volts. I opened the sealed battery box and noticed the front most battery was pushed towards the street side of the box, covering the vent hole. I moved the battery as far to the opposite side as possible, leaving about 1/4 inch of clearance. I sealed the box back up carefully, closed the trailer up and waited for 15 minutes , no alarm.
I may accelerate the purchase of AGM batteries to avoid this inconvenience.
Chuck
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07-08-2017, 04:31 PM
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#59
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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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An AGM option (especially for trailers with an indoor battery box like the 21) might be a good thing for Escape to add.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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07-08-2017, 04:47 PM
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#60
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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 rbryan4
An AGM option (especially for trailers with an indoor battery box like the 21) might be a good thing for Escape to add.
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Very good point. I strongly agree.
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