Assorted questions about options

[Greatboatz3]

Originally Posted by Centex

______________
Re: power cord ... I've had a trailer with a permanently attached power cord for 15+ years. Yep, pull-out only as much cord as needed; can count the number of times I've suffered a 'tangle' that interferes with pull-out or stashing on one hand in those 15 years (and always easily resolved with a bit of cord-shaking from outside the trailer).

I've never suffered an insect-invasion problem, a piece of foam kept to jam in the gap at the port has always worked.

Some obviously find the removable cord convenient for whatever reasons. Personally I'm not sure I understand the convenience of always having a 25' cord outside the trailer considering how few times I pull-out even a fraction of 25'. With a removable cord that unused footage has to be set-outside (presumably a roll laid under the trailer on the ground?), exposing it to dirt and wet/mud?
.

Being that we are both Casita owners, Casita's have a locked door approx. 5"x6" that makes it very easy to remove and replace the power cord. The door has a flap that covers the opening when the cord is locked inside to keep the critters out. There is also room to store several adapters, ie. 30amp to 15 amp. Based on that I couldn't think of why anyone would want a removable that has to be coiled and stowed elsewhere. Also the contacts are never exposed to weather.

I unfortunately having never seen an Escape shore power connection am going to have to ask before I make that decision.

Does the Escape 21 have the power cord behind a locked door that has a flap to cover the cord opening when not in use?
Thanks

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Greatboatz3

Being that we are both Casita owners, Casita's have a locked door approx. 5"x6" that makes it very easy to remove and replace the power cord. The door has a flap that covers the opening when the cord is locked inside to keep the critters out. There is also room to store several adapters, ie. 30amp to 15 amp. Based on that I couldn't think of why anyone would want a removable that has to be coiled and stowed elsewhere. Also the contacts are never exposed to weather.

I unfortunately having never seen an Escape shore power connection am going to have to ask before I make that decision.

Does the Escape 21 have the power cord behind a locked door that has a flap to cover the cord opening when not in use?
Thanks

The Escape fixed power cord is threaded through the shell via a round, non-lockable cable hatch like this:
https://www.amazon.com/JR-Products-5...3HTFPF66B&th=1

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Greatboatz3

Being that we are both Casita owners, Casita's have a locked door approx. 5"x6" that makes it very easy to remove and replace the power cord. The door has a flap that covers the opening when the cord is locked inside to keep the critters out. There is also room to store several adapters, ie. 30amp to 15 amp. Based on that I couldn't think of why anyone would want a removable that has to be coiled and stowed elsewhere. Also the contacts are never exposed to weather.

I unfortunately having never seen an Escape shore power connection am going to have to ask before I make that decision.

Does the Escape 21 have the power cord behind a locked door that has a flap to cover the cord opening when not in use?
Thanks

Yes had that on our little motorhome and camper . Disappointed not on the trailer . Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

After seeing what a swarm of ants did to my wife's car in South Carolina that was parked for a couple of days I wouldn't even want to think about if they decided to march up the power cord into a trailer. Her passenger door sill (probably 3" wide by 3.5' long) was completely packed with small ants. Had to be in the tens of thousands. One of the first projects I did upon purchase of used trailer was to convert the fixed cord and cheap plastic opening to a removable cord.

We started out with the attached cord but then had to replace with detached cord system . Why ? No fun crawling under bed in the dark to untangled the hardened cord . Raining too to add to the fun . The casing on the cord was not flexible at all and very tangled and twisted . Bought the Smart Plug system . It came with a long cord . The cut off cord now about 20 ft
Just by adding the attached end to cut cord gives a second cord . That was about 5 years ago . One of the best mods I did . Pat

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Centex

One might wonder how, as novices, you can be so confident of your long-term use habits (assuming you view the trailer investment as long-term)?

But, if indeed you are confident about the rarity of non-hookup camping, then both lithium batteries and solar are expenses you can forego, IMO. Both are. after all. for the specific purpose of supporting off-hookup camping. You can maybe better apply those substantial funds to hookup fees.
______________
Re: power cord ... I've had a trailer with a permanently attached power cord for 15+ years. Yep, pull-out only as much cord as needed; can count the number of times I've suffered a 'tangle' that interferes with pull-out or stashing on one hand in those 15 years (and always easily resolved with a bit of cord-shaking from outside the trailer).

If it's wet / muddy a cord is gonna get wet/muddy whether attached or not; in such conditions you quickly learn to keep a rag for the purpose of 'wiping as stashing' whichever type you have it would seem. I've never suffered an insect-invasion problem, a piece of foam kept to jam in the gap at the port has always worked.

Some obviously find the removable cord convenient for whatever reasons. Personally I'm not sure I understand the convenience of always having a 25' cord outside the trailer considering how few times I pull-out even a fraction of 25'. With a removable cord that unused footage has to be set-outside (presumably a roll laid under the trailer on the ground?), exposing it to dirt and wet/mud?

IMO the 'functional' pros-and-cons of the two cord types are a 'wash' - it gets down to personal preference not a particularly overwhelming functional difference.

I respectfully disagree with some of your comments regarding the detachable cord. I have found insects crawling into previous trailers using the cord as a super highway. And I have had fixed cords in previous trailers get hung up and tangled. The problem was so bad in a Scamp I owned that I ultimately built a containment area using a vinyl wastebasket (for its water resistance and it could be removed to clean dirt out of it) so that the cord could only go into the wastebasket and not tangle itself with other structures. As to having 25-feet out on the ground, I simply plug the cord into the trailer and only use as much of the coiled cord as needed to reach the power pedestal and not be a tripping hazard. The rest of the coiled cord is hung in the rear bumper, off the ground (and mud), as the bumper is adjacent to the power inlet. It still gets wiped down with a rag if conditions dictate that it is needed. And the detachable cord keeps residual dirt out of areas inside the trailer that may be inconvenient to access for cleaning.

I fully concur with you comment about novices. I think we have all had preconceived notions about many things that when “reality” strikes, we realize our preconceptions were only partially correct.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Greatboatz3

Being that we are both Casita owners, Casita's have a locked door approx. 5"x6" that makes it very easy to remove and replace the power cord. The door has a flap that covers the opening when the cord is locked inside to keep the critters out. There is also room to store several adapters, ie. 30amp to 15 amp. Based on that I couldn't think of why anyone would want a removable that has to be coiled and stowed elsewhere. Also the contacts are never exposed to weather.

I unfortunately having never seen an Escape shore power connection am going to have to ask before I make that decision.

Does the Escape 21 have the power cord behind a locked door that has a flap to cover the cord opening when not in use?
Thanks

We owned a Casita for 6 years and our experience with the Casita cord is the reason we have the removable cord on our Escape
Wiping down a few extra feet of cord vs having the cord hang up on the WH ignition control module & damaging it or having to disassemble the bed in order to get access & untangle the cord seems the better of the two options .
We store our power cord in a plastic tub in the bed of our truck - Not that big of a problem
But to each their own !!

PS ; I could never imagine why anyone would want / need a power jack until I got one !

[GregandTeresa]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

PS ; I could never imagine why anyone would want / need a power jack until I got one !

Could not concur more with this statement. It only took a couple of times using the manual jack in mid-august tennessee humidity to realize we made a mistake getting the manual one. Especially when you are using the E2 fastway wdh bars and have to do a lot of cranking

[Greatboatz3]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

The Escape fixed power cord is threaded through the shell via a round, non-lockable cable hatch like this:
https://www.amazon.com/JR-Products-5...3HTFPF66B&th=1

Rubicon327 , Thanks for the photo . Detachable power Cord, another option to add to the list.

[tacchino]

Originally Posted by bobwirtz

3) What are the advantages/disadvantages of the SeeLevel II tank monitoring system?

I upgraded from a probe type system to See Level in a previous rig. The See Level took something that was close to useless for grey and black tanks and provided actual reliable data about the state of our tanks. Definitely worth the money IMO and I absolutely wish I was able to get it on our Escape

[Small but Sweet]

We camp like you with mostly hookup campsites. When we do four day trips without hookups, the battery charge from home has always been enough to run lights, controls and fans. We are prewired for solar but have no need for a panel. I asked on the forum once how long one can go on just the battery and some said a week. I guess if we camped longer or traveled from place to place without hookups, that's when we would want the solar panel added.

[Eggscape]

If you are handy or just board, you can see how I ran my attached cord through a larger hatch in this link.
(Note than one of the cords is labeled incorrectly and should read RV 120 v extension not 220)
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post277323

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by bobwirtz

Sorry for the deluge, but we are novices and appreciate guidance from more experienced users.

2) What are the advantages/disadvantages of a removable power cord?

I can not attest to the benefits of either, we have the detachable power cord and have not found to be inconvenient at all. I do keep it off the ground by attaching the excess to the back bumper. I bought the Camco RV Equipment Storeage Bag for both the electric cord and the fresh water. I like them, it is easy to put cord / hose in and they keep everything tidy.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Identif.../dp/B07PFFLWQJ

3) What are the advantages/disadvantages of the SeeLevel II tank monitoring system? We have had our trailer two years, so far tank level monitors are working just fine, although I don't think we have ever had the black tank even 1/2 full

4) Is the investment in a solar panel reasonable when most of our stops will be at sites with electric hookup? There will be occasional nights with no hookups, but those should be rare.[/QUOTE] I debated on the*solar, sure glad we ordered it. No effort and no worries with the roof mounted. We are travelers more than campers and we spend multiple nights (both camping or traveling) without hookups. We have never had to scrimp on electrical usage. We also have the dual batteries and 1500 watt Inverter with all outlets (it even runs the instant pot which with all outlets we can and have plugged in outside).

[/QUOTE]

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by tacchino

I upgraded from a probe type system to See Level in a previous rig. The See Level took something that was close to useless for grey and black tanks and provided actual reliable data about the state of our tanks. Definitely worth the money IMO and I absolutely wish I was able to get it on our Escape

Wondering if the SeeLevel system would be an easy retrofit on older trailers. It looks like the system only requires a signal and ground wire to each tank. Could existing sensor conductors from each tank be reused? So only new connections at the display panel location and the tanks?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Wondering if the SeeLevel system would be an easy retrofit on older trailers. It looks like the system only requires a signal and ground wire to each tank. Could existing sensor conductors from each tank be reused? So only new connections at the display panel location and the tanks?

Access to the tanks can be difficult (due to foam on the fresh and grey waste; due to the location inside cabinetry for the black tank), but the existing wires can be used if you're not keeping the original monitor.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Access to the tanks can be difficult (due to foam on the fresh and grey waste; due to the location inside cabinetry for the black tank), but the existing wires can be used if you're not keeping the original monitor.

Thanks Brian. No foam so access to fresh and gray is no problem. Sensors are visible. I read that I may need to find and remove a diode in the wiring close to the tank since the existing system works with a momentary switch. Black tank is another story. I would have to find out from Escape where the sensors are located. This is a 2010 19 with the smaller black tank and the portion in the bath is inaccessible and the portion under the dinette seat is covered in plywood with no access holes like Eggscape just happened to show for his newer 19 in another thread. If they are under the drivers side dinette where the tank extends into then I could possible access them with some strategic surgery.

[cityofdestiny]

The solar panel has proven to be one of our favorite options. We do a lot of state park camping and they don't always have hookups (or if we are going at last minute, oftentimes the sites with hookups are gone). The solar (and dual batteries) eliminate the need for a generator in most scenarios.

With respect to the plug, we have a detachable and like it. It is really a matter of personal preference.

I'm agonizing over a lithium upgrade right now--we're in the Northwest, on the wet side of the mountains and have few extremes in terms of temperature, which makes lithium very viable. The added capacity, reduced weight, and low self discharge are the selling points--again, we do a fair bit of dry camping. The price has been the main inhibitor (and the fact that I recently installed a single point watering system for the flooded batteries, which eliminated my main complaint about them). Had it been available at the time we bought, I'd have gone for it.

The standard tank monitoring is kind of a joke as others have mentioned already. I have no experience with SeeLevel, but would have preferred better visibility on what's going on in the tanks.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I read that I may need to find and remove a diode in the wiring close to the tank since the existing system works with a momentary switch.

Maybe, but I don't know why there would be a diode. The momentary contact button is there so that power is only applied to the probes (through a resistor network) when the user wants to see the level.

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Black tank is another story. I would have to find out from Escape where the sensors are located. This is a 2010 19 with the smaller black tank and the portion in the bath is inaccessible and the portion under the dinette seat is covered in plywood with no access holes like Eggscape just happened to show for his newer 19 in another thread. If they are under the drivers side dinette where the tank extends into then I could possible access them with some strategic surgery.

Ah, the black tank access... that was Hugh's (currinh) challenge in his installation, but I don't even recall what model he has.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by tacchino

I upgraded from a probe type system to See Level in a previous rig. The See Level took something that was close to useless for grey and black tanks and provided actual reliable data about the state of our tanks. Definitely worth the money IMO and I absolutely wish I was able to get it on our Escape

Had added it to our motorhome . It was easy access though to get to the tanks . Wish I had on trailer Pat

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Ah, the black tank access... that was Hugh's (currinh) challenge in his installation, but I don't even recall what model he has.

I found his thread. Thanks. He had a 2011 19 and ended up putting in a sensor on the front side of the black tank with new wiring because Reace had indicated the stock sensors are behind the bath wall.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...itor-4153.html

[Doug2000]

Originally Posted by bobwirtz

Sorry for the deluge, but we are novices and appreciate guidance from more experienced users.

1) I am tempted to upgrade to lithium batteries because of their reduced weight and greater discharge capacity. They are, however, pretty expensive. Have others found these to be a good investment?

2) What are the advantages/disadvantages of a removable power cord?

3) What are the advantages/disadvantages of the SeeLevel II tank monitoring system?

4) Is the investment in a solar panel reasonable when most of our stops will be at sites with electric hookup? There will be occasional nights with no hookups, but those should be rare.

Thanks to all who comment.

1) People will argue, but I consider lithium very dangerous. There have been many RV fires caused by lithium. Not worth the risk in my opinion. Disclosure, I work for a company that mounts their Lithium batteries in a heavy steal box.

2) I forgot the removable power cord. They are less likely to leak water in the driving rain and keep the bugs out.

3)Tanks levels, mine works fine, I got what was standard.

4) I plug in most of the time because we like AC. We didn't get the solar option. If I do get a lake front site in Algonquin Park, I have 4 x 40 watt portable panels I bring with a cheap charge controller, connects right to the battery. I use my battery power sparingly.

My suggestion, get the outdoor shower. We use it for pre rinsing dishes, washing dishes outside, washing shoes and feet, and sometimes the trailer. We've never actually used it to shower.