GoPower Panel Catastrophic Failure

[Rossue]

On second look I see about a 9/64 hole on bottom too. The OP's picture seems to show a seam too, or else a clean break happened there.

[viator36]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

On second glance, it looks like the hole is on the bottom - I have holes in the same location. No sign of stress after 23,000 miles...

On my 2019 170v panel there are also those holes on the bottom, but the center hole diameter is much small about 3mm, the center hole OP showed in post #8 is larger like the rest of the holes. My panel is on the rear of the trailer.

[Eggscape]

Another reason beside fixing your awning to carry a ladder.

[Dcboyd]

That panel looks like a used panel. I have purchased several 100 watt panels and all frames are free of holes.

[Ron in BC]

Interesting. I wonder if the hole is for rack mounting as most solar arrays have a frame to which the panel is attached.

Ron

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by viator36

On my 2019 170v panel there are also those holes on the bottom, but the center hole diameter is much small about 3mm, the center hole OP showed in post #8 is larger like the rest of the holes. My panel is on the rear of the trailer.

The GoPower literature for both the GP-PV-190M and GP-PV-170M panels (same panel dimensions just different efficiency of the cells) shows eight 8.6mm holes in the bottom of the frame. FWIW the OP's holes look larger than that to me.

[Dcboyd]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Escape should cover the cost of repairs whether the trailer is under warranty or not
If the damage was caused by a hurricane or a tornado would be one thing but towing your trailer down the road at the posted speed limit is not consumer negligence.
Again why should the end consumer have to re engineer a brand new trailer ?
Please excuse my frustration with Escape’s guess and hope it doesn’t fail
lack of engineering !!

Kinda of like grey tank problems? You would think there would be some notifications that they are looking into it. Nada zilch. Nothing.

[Bea]

Hi Gus,

Wow! So sorry to hear about this scary incident, but glad to hear ETI's response. I was just thinking how fortunate that you were driving ahead of them and saw the bent solar panel in your rear view mirror and were able to pull off right away...and had the tools to work on it. Bravo! If that had happened us or to others driving alone, it could've been much worse...since we can't see the tops of our own trailers while driving!

Also, nice that you and your daughter's family, both, have Escape trailers now! We have yet to convince our kin to join the Escape club....but I think we may be getting closer. Not an easy way for your daughter's family to begin their Escape journey but with you, Escape's great warranty and the amazing advice from fellow Escapers here, we trust it will get remedied soon. Wishing you both many happy family 'Escape days' in the days and years to come. -Bea

PS. We have found that the more that goes wrong in a trip, the greater the chances it will be brought up with laughter, over and over during a holiday meal! Hang in there!!!

[Dcboyd]

The support brackets sure do look cheesy (flimsy). Prior picts I have looked at show a little more substance. Hope they are not trying to cheapen the product they build. Our 21C is 2 months out And I see the bed supports problem, grey tank leaks and joint problems, Poor frame priming/ painting(pre mature rusting) and now this.

More to fix before I ever use it. Keep telling myself good hull, stick built inside.

[gklott]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I'm a little puzzled by this. Does ETI use a center mounting point? I don't see any sign of it and I don't recall seeing other photos that showed a center mounting bracket. Or was the hole in the panel frame for an unknown reason?Ron

Originally Posted by rubicon327

The GoPower literature for both the GP-PV-190M and GP-PV-170M panels (same panel dimensions just different efficiency of the cells) shows eight 8.6mm holes in the bottom of the frame. FWIW the OP's holes look larger than that to me.

The long frame sides have 4 pre-drilled holes for mounting, which is the image rubicon327 posted.

I was incorrect saying it is the center hole that broke. It is the third hold from the electrical connection box end, as shown on the back profile diagram. It is about 4" off center in the 59" panel. If you look at the initial images, the electrical connection end is near me on the ladder, and the offset is visible.

73/gus

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Dcboyd

Kinda of like grey tank problems? You would think there would be some notifications that they are looking into it. Nada zilch. Nothing.

Since this was first posted this morning I think that you're a little premature in your criticism.

Originally Posted by Dcboyd

The support brackets sure do look cheesy (flimsy). Prior picts I have looked at show a little more substance. Hope they are not trying to cheapen the product they build. Our 21C is 2 months out And I see the bed supports problem, grey tank leaks and joint problems, Poor frame priming/ painting(pre mature rusting) and now this.

More to fix before I ever use it. Keep telling myself good hull, stick built inside.

On the other hand I've put many miles on my two Escapes on roads many wouldn't travel on and haven't suffered any of those issues.

Why don't you get and use your trailer and see what the real world holds before speculating about problems you may never have.

Ron

[Dcboyd]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Since this was first posted this morning I think that you're a little premature in your criticism.



On the other hand I've put many miles on my two Escapes on roads many wouldn't travel on and haven't suffered any of those issues.

Why don't you get and use your trailer and see what the real world holds before speculating about problems you may never have.

Ron

The grey tank problem has been going on for a while. I contacted them twice and they never reply. Going on 2-3 weeks now. I was not referring to the solar panel.

I pulled a 31’ Airstream for 40 years. I believe I am quite aware of real world problems.

I like many others on this forum will sidestep problems before they occur. I guess being in construction and engineering for 40 years I have learned that taking care of “potential problems (not speculations) before they occur is prudent.

[Dcboyd]

Am just a little disappointed. I was expecting little more service. I ask last week if I could get the microwave cabinet width eased about 1/4” to accommodate a larger unit.
I said I would be willing to pay what it would cost.

This is my sales lady at ETI’s statement.

“Hi David,

I have looked into this before and due to the high demand on production at this time, they are unable to undertake this request. One of my other customers is just going make the opening wider herself once she takes delivery of the trailer.“

Wow. Looks like mass production is the main factor.

[Dcboyd]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

You obviously will not be happy with your Escape. I suggest you buy something else.

I will be happy with project trailer. I have all of a south Texas winter to make it right.

I feel like one of the others Texas owners whose sig line : “If it’s not perfect, it’s not finished”.

What I have found in the building industry is that 99% of end users have no idea of what quality is, and only looks at the finished project.

It’s the bad quality that haunts us, the good takes care of itself. Search out the bad and get rid of it.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Dcboyd

Wow. Looks like mass production is the main factor.

Is that a surprise? They are a factory producing a product, not a small one man operation producing custom individual products. They still offer opportunity for customization where possible.

Ron

[Oldtimer]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Is that a surprise? They are a factory producing a product, not a small one man operation producing custom individual products. They still offer opportunity for customization where possible.

Ron

True Ron, but they are not as willing to work with the customer. Dont get me wrong, I’ll buy another Escape in a heartbeat if something happened to ours. Just gonna miss the little special things they did in the past. They’re still the best bang for my buck.

[Dcboyd]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Is that a surprise? They are a factory producing a product, not a small one man operation producing custom individual products. They still offer opportunity for customization where possible.

Ron

Not a surprise. I accept it. It’s all about quality control.
“ If you can’t do it right the first time, when are you going to find the time to do it over”

[steve dunham]

I have only 2 questions regarding this issue

1) What was the actual / root cause of the failure ?
2) What if any ,action needs to be taken to prevent future failures ?

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Is that a surprise? They are a factory producing a product, not a small one man operation producing custom individual products. They still offer opportunity for customization where possible.

Ron

Well, yes, that is a bit of a surprise / disappointment if the situation is as stated.

IF "Customer Request Modifications" (things not on the published options lists) which in the past have been deemed 'do-able' from a fabrication, safety, and structural integrity standpoint are now 'not considered' due to production-time impact, that's a meaningful change in ETI's "Built-For-You" policy. Heretofore it's been well-established that Escape trailers are 'bespoke within limits', and those limits are not defined by published options lists or 'production time constraints'.

In my discussions with ETI about "Customer Request Modifications" to date, some have been greeted with "we can do that" and some with "we can't do that", but never has the latter been couched in terms of 'because of production time impacts' (there's always been some reasonably understandable physical / structural constraint, materials supply issue, liability risk, or similar).

IF, come my build-sheet deadline date, some of the previous "we can do that" items turn into "we can't do that now because of production-time impact" .... yes, I'll be verily surprised and disappointed.

Will that mean cancellation of the whole deal .... no, not at all likely. Will that leave a bit of bitterness on the palate about the process and experience? Yes.

I'll continue in good-faith hoping that there's some misunderstanding / miscommunication in the mentioned situation.

YMMV.

[Dcboyd]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I have only 2 questions regarding this issue

1) What was the actual / root cause of the failure ?
2) What if any ,action needs to be taken to prevent future failures ?

Excessive wind load. Either by oncoming truck or driving 70 into a 30 mph headwind will do it.

Brace leading edge with aluminum angle transferring load to forward roof connection.
Hopefully that will carry load.

I drove to glacier national park in my suburban with a roof rack and luggage was secured with a heavy octopus bungee. I was running about 70 and a 18wheeler going opposite direction doing 80 stripped entire Roof of luggage.