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06-10-2013, 09:59 PM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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Of course...it didn't occur to me that the bigger units have more counter space, too.
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Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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06-11-2013, 05:25 AM
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#42
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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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Another item for the new 21", the list is getting longer day by day!! Thanks for the input.
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-26-2013, 07:04 PM
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#43
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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The final modification...
The interior of Egbert was a little too "oaky" for me so I changed out the refer panel. Oddly enough, Dometic does not supply any panels at all, leaving it to the RV manufacturer to install whatever they want. I found a backsplash panel at Lowe's and had my son cut it to size in his shop. Egbert is now perfect for me and my style of camping...no further changes anticipated.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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08-26-2013, 07:06 PM
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#44
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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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very nice, a touch of glamping........
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-26-2013, 07:14 PM
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#45
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2012 Escape 15 A
Posts: 1,505
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That really does look good !
__________________
All things in life are easier to swallow with a good cup of tea .....
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08-26-2013, 08:16 PM
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#46
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 365
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Looks great! I noticed the black furnace cover too. I bet you will think of something else eventually.
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John and Brenda
Cottage Grove, MN
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08-26-2013, 08:42 PM
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#47
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,552
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What, they didn't have hot pink?
Looks great, Karen.
__________________
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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02-28-2014, 04:02 PM
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#48
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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Egbert is home, part deux...
I brought Egbert home for a test of winter camping with temps in the lower 30s to lower 40s (Fahrenheit). I was amazed that after 23 weeks in an enclosed (no power) storage unit, there were 13.2 volts on board. The first day was sunny and the solar panel held up; the next two days were very cloudy and I had to do the dirty deed and fire up the generator. I moved to a powered site the fourth day. Given that experience plus that of last September, I have concluded that the fixed solar panel can handle cloud cover or an oblique-angled sun but not both. No surprise there.
I now wonder about the efficacy of the extra insulation. The first morning there was a bit of condensation inside, but that was easily handled after the first night with some ventilation and the Maxx fan (which, by the way, will suck your socks off if a window is not cracked a little). While it was toasty warm inside with the electric heater on almost constantly to maintain a temp of 66 degrees or so, I noted that the walls behind the cushions and pillows remained very, very cold to the touch. One morning the temp inside an upper cabinet was 53 degrees while the cabin temp was 61 degrees. After heating the trailer, it was disconcerting to see a very clear exterior shadow of condensation where the wardrobe is located while the rest of the outside trailer was clear, indicating considerable heat loss. Not having an uninsulated trailer parked next door to my site, I have nothing with which to compare these observations but might have expected somewhat of a better performance from the extra insulation.
On another note, I had difficulty seeing my dry goods in an upper cabinet during the long, dark evenings so slapped a puck light in there. Problem solved.
All that being said, I am absolutely satisfied with Egbert. I wanted a four-season trailer and I got a four-season trailer. I am a happy camper.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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02-28-2014, 04:50 PM
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#49
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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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A couple of suggestions, air circulation is your best friend in the trailer. Either installing vent holes or leaving the cabinet o/h open will allow air to balance out the interior and eliminate wet walls inside the cabinet. Use of your hood vent and the Maxx is necessary. On the windows I found leaving the window exposed to the heat and moving air help to keep the condensation down, if you close the blinds you block the air and you will have wet frames. Adding the Hypervent around and under your bed allows air and keeps the walls warmer. I had my mattress cut 2" smaller to allow the air and installed the Hypervent. Opening or venting the storage below can help if you have the spray foam underneath. But keep the air moving.
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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02-28-2014, 08:23 PM
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#50
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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Thank you, Jim, but I had absolutely no problem with interior condensation with the Maxx fan on low and a window slightly cracked (and never did have any condensation inside the cabinets); the walls behind the cushions and pillows were very cold but not wet. The "shadow condensation" was on the outside of the trailer and outlined (actually was an image of) the wardrobe footprint. Since the rest of the exterior was free of condensation, that means there is heat loss through the walls. I wish I had taken a picture now as that would have shown what I was talking about.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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05-28-2014, 02:15 PM
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#51
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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One final change...
I found the LED lights over the dinette too harsh in the evenings. (I know, I know, nobody on this forum ever eats in their trailer or watches television in the evenings. I do. I've had my fill of eating cold dinners outside in the rain/wind/dark and some television can help fill a dark February evening.) I took Vermilye's suggestion and bought this light filter, cut it to size, and put it inside the light fixture: Roscolux 08: Pale Gold | Lighting Filters & Gels for Live Performance Lighting, Photography & Video Production | PNTA.
For serious table work, the overhead LED is more than adequate.
BTW, after spending forty nights in Egbert over this past year, I can truly say I don't regret any options I chose, nor (just as important) do I regret any options I didn't choose.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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05-28-2014, 03:14 PM
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#52
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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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Karen, do you happen to have and captain lights, I found the warm light bulb exchange in that fixture to make the illumination more subtle.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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05-28-2014, 04:09 PM
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#53
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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Yes, I have one captain's light over the front dinette (corner) which is my "permanent" bed. It is really bright but since I use it only for reading in bed at night, I don't find it too harsh.
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Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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05-29-2014, 09:07 PM
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#54
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Clovis, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 328
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Very enlightening and informative thread.
Karen, Egbert is beautiful. Your family and ETI has done a great job and you all can be very proud of this labor of love.
I'll be heading up to BC to pick mine up next month. More pics tomorrow.
__________________
Don't make excuses for failure, seek ways to succeed.
Mark
Blizzy and Dakota (Da Boyz)
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05-29-2014, 10:16 PM
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#55
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Forks, Washington
Trailer: Working on my build list
Posts: 93
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How's the solar now you've had a chance to camp with it a little? I've been wondering if I should get two panels to help with the low winter sun you mentioned here in the PNW. I'd like to avoid the expense and hassle of a generator if possible.
I admire what you've done with Egbert. You're giving me great inspiration.
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05-29-2014, 10:27 PM
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#56
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Phoenix Metro Area, Arizona
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 767
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WestEnder
How's the solar now you've had a chance to camp with it a little? I've been wondering if I should get two panels to help with the low winter sun you mentioned here in the PNW. I'd like to avoid the expense and hassle of a generator if possible.
I admire what you've done with Egbert. You're giving me great inspiration.
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If you are going with the ETI installed panel 1 should do it - now 160 watts. I have 2 - but they are only 95 watts each.
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05-29-2014, 10:32 PM
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#57
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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The solar panel (95 watts) is great and has kept up with all my needs for the most part--even in canopied (and mostly cloudy) Fort Ebey in the summer. I camped in the open in February and got a little nervous by the third cloudy day. I probably would have been able to make it through but just didn't want to chance not having enough juice to fire up the furnace first thing in the morning so I moved to a powered site. Keep in mind, I don't use a lot of power: furnace, LED lights, music (all day even if I'm not there), television (winter evenings), and charging my tablet. And it's my understanding that the factory-installed panel is now 160 watts? The only inverter I use is a 375-watt unit to charge my tablet ( Amazon.com: Tripp Lite PV375 Portable Auto Inverter 375W 12V DC to AC 120V 5-15R 2 Outlet: Electronics).
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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05-29-2014, 10:39 PM
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#58
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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One more comment: I have identical quadruplet granddaughters and they always remark how small Egbert is (compared with their trailer) when they come inside, but they all hunker down and enjoy sitting at the dinette drawing and yakking away. They love Egbert!
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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05-29-2014, 11:05 PM
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#59
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Park City/Scottsdale AZ, Utah
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenH
Thank you! The laminate is Formica Mineral Olivine Radiance Finish (3447-RD) and the vinyl is Congoleum Ultima Sandstone (Jalapeno). Keep in mind that there is quite an upcharge for custom vinyl as Escape is only paying about $6 per square meter for their product...you pick up the difference in price between their product and your pick and it can be hefty.
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Hefty is an understatement. We wanted a solid color vinyl floor and there are not many choices, be careful, if you fall in love with one of Armstrong"s commercial grade products like we did, it cost more than the custom fabric we ordered from Sailrite.
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05-29-2014, 11:42 PM
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#60
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,055
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bcdonaher
Hefty is an understatement.
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The upcharge was a surprise to me and had I known beforehand, I probably wouldn't have gone for it. But in retrospect, I'm glad it happened the way it did. I had six months between down payment and pick-up (my choice) and needed all that time to make decisions. I was determined that this would be my first and last trailer, and I truly wanted to do it right and not have any regrets. Someone said a few days ago that he spent a couple of hours a day on the forum just reading. I also did that and it was worth every minute as there is so much information to be gleaned.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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