Escape 19 going to the Last Best Place

[Sean Murry]

Being only 5'7" I would be afraid my feet wouldn't touch the floor going with Ron's option. The raised dinette area does make it far nicer to look out the window. Without it I felt I was in a hole trying to peer out. The raised floor is a non issue for us.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

Being only 5'7" I would be afraid my feet wouldn't touch the floor going with Ron's option. The raised dinette area does make it far nicer to look out the window. Without it I felt I was in a hole trying to peer out. The raised floor is a non issue for us.

For Gen1 21 & 5.0TA owners that had the flat floor in the back the bench height was such that it was uncomfortable for many, including myself at 6/2 and raised it three inches.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

Being only 5'7" I would be afraid my feet wouldn't touch the floor going with Ron's option. The raised dinette area does make it far nicer to look out the window. Without it I felt I was in a hole trying to peer out. The raised floor is a non issue for us.

That's why my "wife's side" was 1/2" less than "my side". I did some experiments with spacer blocks raising the cushions, checking that her feet could still touch the floor and checking sight lines. Amazing what a difference a few inches makes.

Ron

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Rossue

I installed a Propex HS2800 vs. the HS2000 in a van as in June 2021 the 2000 was back ordered and the 2800 was only $100 more. BTU's are 9500 vs. 6500.

The unit is almost identical in size to my Atwood heater in the Escape and if it ever goes south will probably use the Propex. It was a super easy install and the intake & exhaust tubes could easily go through the floor as they did in the van. It can be mounted flat or on it's side.

Nice. Another forum member recently PM’d me about a Propex HS2800 installation he did in a 5.0. Might be the first in an Escape. Trying to get some more details. He did say it is very quiet.

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Nice. Another forum member recently PM’d me about a Propex HS2800 installation he did in a 5.0. Might be the first in an Escape. Trying to get some more details. He did say it is very quiet.

Oooooh, would LOVE some details on this! Was a direct swap for the old furnace possible? Any downsides besides the time & money to do the mod?

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Forgot mention the HS2211 is made to mount externally underneath.

Over the years I’ve seen a number of Propex installs on various campers on the forums. Most were installed underneath, so the only space lost was for the small duct into the camper. A number of them had a small computer fan to help distribute the heat and a couple had diverters to direct the heat with two fans in two directions. If the furnace in our 5.0 crapped out my plans were to install a Propex.

BTW, if you think the furnace in your Escape is loud you should hear the furnace in our Bigfoot!

Enjoy,

Perry

[brroberts]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

BTW, if you think the furnace in your Escape is loud you should hear the furnace in our Bigfoot!

Enjoy,

Perry

They stuffed a 30,000 BTU heater in our Bigfoot 9.6 pickup camper. It ate a bottle of propane a day and killed 2 6 volt golf cart batteries in two, but if you had propane and a way to charge batteries, you could be warm with 50 gallons of water at 40 below.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

BTW, if you think the furnace in your Escape is loud you should hear the furnace in our Bigfoot!

Bigfoot has a ducted furnace so I'm surprised they couldn't make it quieter. What is the brand of the furnace?

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Bigfoot has a ducted furnace so I'm surprised they couldn't make it quieter. What is the brand of the furnace?

It’s just a bigger version ( 12,160 vs 9,120 btu’s output) of the Atwood furnace Escape installed in our 5.0. Looks identical, except wider. I kept one of our spare sail switches to ward off Murphy.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Radar1]

We worried that the Dometic furnace would be loud like our old Suburban in our Scamp, but it is much much quieter so we are happy with it. We did install an electric Broan heater in the wasted space below the furnace, so we can use that when we have hookups.

As for the raised dinette, the windows on the 19 are set higher than normal so that the bunk option has a place to attach the ends (you can't get the bunk option with raised dinette). Getting the raised dinette makes it easier for short to medium sized people to be better situated for looking out the windows. There is no additional insulation, but there is an additional couple of inches of dead air space between the raised floor and standard floor, so that could count as insulation. An additional benefit of the raised dinette is that you have that much extra height in the storage areas below the bemches, which is nice.

[dstreight]

I had considered Truma, Propex and finally decided to install an Espar S2D2L in our 15A and its been a great little unit. It will blast us out even when the outside temp is 20F or below. Smaller form factor than the Propex and can be self-installed unlike the Truma which has to be installed by one of their dealers.

We travel off-the-beaten paths...and diesel is more widely available and easier to fill than propane for us. And it is rated to perform to 9,999'. We have camped at 10,500' without any issue; cranks out the heat.

Propex has the tailpipe advantage though...propane exhaust is less smelly. If your TV is diesel you probably won't notice it It hasn't been an issue for us but a good FYI/FWIW.

[homebrewer]

I visited ETI to see real stuff and talk to experts - I changed several option selections - one is to delete the hood vent fan, which opens up a better location to mount the Dickenson Furnace; either on the outside wall, or on the divider wall, right above the stovetop. I agreed with brroberts that the location above the bed was not good for several reasons. The kitchen area is more centrally located for better heat flow, and since a big aspect of the Dickenson Furnace is the "fireplace look", it's more visible. I'm going to keep the vent on the side and use a small computer fan (venting to outside) in place of the hood vent fan. I'll add another computer fan next to the Dickenson to circulate air to the bed area or the dinette area (reversible fan). I used computer fans in a Casita - very quiet, variable speed, and reversible, cheap and easy to mount with extremely low power use.
ETI has agreed to delete the Dometic furnace and give me a rebate, and they will delete the outside hatch/vent. With the compressor refrigerator, which deletes those vents, the D/S of trailer will be a lot cleaner. My plan is coming together!

[Ron in BC]

I installed the Dickinson in my last boat. It worked fine and we did enjoy the flickering flame. Not as much flicker as our previous diesel heater but still gave a similar effect.

You may find that after you have both the trailer and the P9000 that mounting it on the exterior wall above the stove isn't all that attractive. The depth of the unit and the height it has to be mounted may be problematic. You'll find out when you have a chance to hold it up in various locations.

Also, personally, I'm not in favor of eliminating the range hood fan. Since we do all our cooking inside it's usage dependent.

Good luck with it.

Ron

[Chasing Trials]

I raised my floor & seats, I have no problem with the step up, have kinda climb in behind table anyways. 1) To see out better, 2) At the same time & I changed out the double legs, for one way in the back(for a dog crate(puppy) lets the dogs lay at my feet later(a dog thing),3)for storage(Dogfood Bins & shoes & things under it). Large project.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

I raised my floor & seats, I have no problem with the step up, have kinda climb in behind table anyways. 1) To see out better, 2) At the same time & I changed out the double legs, for one way in the back(for a dog crate(puppy) lets the dogs lay at my feet later(a dog thing),3)for storage(Dogfood Bins & shoes & things under it). Large project.

Tell me more about that table mount.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

lets the dogs lay at my feet later(a dog thing),

3)for storage(Dogfood Bins & shoes & things under it). Large project.

Maybe your size dog, my chihuahua turns into a Mexican jumping bean until she's ensconced on one our laps.

Good project and pull out drawers are so much easier to access than reach in under the seat cushion access.

Ron

[Harvie]

I would definitely go with raised floor or raised seats as suggested. I will be raising the seats in my 19 this year

[Cozy Rosie]

My husband raised our dinette seats and then built me a raised (movable) foot stool for my short legs. There was no option for a raised floor back when we bought our 19. We love the new arrangement--and seeing out the window. We use our new raised benches for additional storage.

[Chasing Trials]

AH well, it's jury rigged. The back post is a square black metal Deck post(with a collar), found at Restore. It is attached to the BASE floor, as far back as I could) cut a square hole in the raised floor plywood, the little collar sits on TOP of that floor, so supported/anchored higher up too. I used what I had on hand. 2 of the double holed metal shelving wall bracts(strong to cantilever out to the front of table). Notched in, to sit flush with top of the cut down post. Then used 3 of these heavyduty shelving bracts, one big one out towards the front. & 2 small ones on the sides.https://www.lowes.com/pd/Style-Selec...racket/3034237

[homebrewer]

Got our 2023 19' two months ago and we've been out camping 3 times so far. After evaluating everyone's suggestion for a heater, I've decided the Dickenson should work for us - now on order. The only install location that makes sense for me is shown by the cardboard mockup in the picture. Ascetics and heat distribution drove this location. I've already made use of the cabinet where the furnace was supposed to go - three additional drawers for the kitchen - very handy. The mounting of the heater to the fiberglass will be like Slim Potatohead did it in his video. Propane and 12 dc power is simple but the exhaust up thru the cabinet and putting a hole in the fiberglass will have to be done very carefully. I'll have to move this story to an appropriate category on this forum - I'm new to the process. Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.