My Purchase Chronology starting 09/09/2020

[CLH]

Hello Centex,
We have also just put our deposit down for a 5.0.
Not that long after you and our date is end of October. Karl is right, they are getting in lots of orders.
I am planning on Solar etc. but really don’t know anything about it.
Please continue to post any decisions you think would be wise and your journey. We are new to the trailering world.
I thank you for your knowledge...

[Centex]

Just received this from the incredibly helpful and ever patient Linda Fedoruk in response to my inquiry about what's included in each option line-item. I provided the matrix outline requesting correction and addition of missing data.

Useful for my solar planning and decision making, perhaps of interest to others as well.

As always - anything / everything subject to change!

[edited twice to correct errors in attached table]

[camp4528]

Centex, incredibly useful as always.

Thanks.

My only note is that the dual 6V flooded batteries would normally be connected in series to get to 12V unless there’s a 6v to 12v dc to dc converter in the picture somewhere.

I’ll be on the web tomorrow looking at all those parts.

This list does show me that ETI puts a lots of thought into the systems integration problems and reinforces the notion that upgrading one component, and not necessarily just in the electrical systems, may have repercussions elsewhere.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by camp4528

My only note is that the dual 6V flooded batteries would normally be connected in series to get to 12V unless there’s a 6v to 12v dc to dc converter in the picture somewhere.

You are correct, the black text is mine, I'm certain they are in fact connected in series, I've edited the attachment to fix that.

Thanks, Steve!

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Centex

Just received this from the incredibly helpful and ever patient Linda Fedoruk in response to my inquiry about what's included in each option line-item. I provided the matrix outline requesting correction and addition of missing data.

Useful for my solar planning and decision making, perhaps of interest to others as well.

As always - anything / everything subject to change!

[edited to correct error in attached table]

Great info. I believe the additional 12V lithium batteries are paralleled so it should be 100ah, 200ah, 300ah, 400ah respectively for 1, 2, 3, or 4 batteries. Not sure where you are getting 600 and 800ah.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Centex

Just received this from the incredibly helpful and ever patient Linda Fedoruk in response to my inquiry about what's included in each option line-item. I provided the matrix outline requesting correction and addition of missing data.

Useful for my solar planning and decision making, perhaps of interest to others as well.

As always - anything / everything subject to change!

[edited to correct error in attached table]

Great info. The additional 12V lithium batteries are wired in parallel so it should be 100ah, 200ah, 300ah, 400ah respectively for 1, 2, 3, or 4 batteries. Not sure where you are getting 600 and 800ah.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Great info. I believe the additional 12V lithium batteries are paralleled so it should be 100ah, 200ah, 300ah, 400ah respectively for 1, 2, 3, or 4 batteries. Not sure where you are getting 600 and 800ah.

I'm getting that because I'm a DOOFUS

Table corrected yet again, Thank You, rubicon327!

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Centex

I'm getting that because I'm a DOOFUS

Table corrected yet again, Thank You, rubicon327!

Laugh of the day.............

[Centex]

What the heck, let's float this out for comment and constructive critique

The (plus) refers to notes that may give some insights into the rationale (or is it rationalization ) behind it all

Context .... retired solo traveler, over 60 (ahem, well over), well-equipped woodworking and mechanical workshop and love doing things with my hands.

"Draft" is a key word and time for finalizing is a commodity I've got lots of

[cpaharley2008]

Solar complements the dual 6 volt batteries, reinforcing walls can be eliminated since most grab rails are near the edges where there is reinforcement already. Remember weight is your enemy when towing.....

[camp4528]

Looks like you are going to have a lot of fun with your new toy, and your approach to gradual improvements without totally compromising usability during the renovations makes a lot of sense. It looks like you and Olive's dad (jphil23462) are charting pretty parallel courses.

I only have a few comments since my meagre electrical, plumbing and woodworking skills are not what they once were.

1. I would consider getting the outdoor water attachment on the passenger side. This would allow you to take time off to camp during your kitchen renovations since most people seem to use that position as a washing-up station rather than a shower.

2. Given your modest electrical needs for phase 1, I'm wondering why you're going to 2x6V 220 aH rather than the base 1x12V battery. Is it to run the spit A/C before you do the Lithium/solar work?

3. What's your Phase 1 battery charging solution? Bring along a generator? Shore power?

4. The levelling bubbles seem pretty inobtrusive to me based on pictures (I've never seen a 5.0). I know you have a project to install a levelling system down the road, but in the meantime, that data might be useful, and also help to double check as you fine tune the Level Mate.

5. Good to be explicit, but I think ETI has officially dropped the TA from the name of the trailer, so it is back to Escape 5.0 and I assume the graphics would reflect that by default.

6. [Just kidding] I'm surprised you're going to spend big bucks on automatic stabilizers when you'll have to tug and pull and possibly hurt your back deploying and stowing the manual awning. ha ha

7. In Olive's project thread, you were involved in the discussion of 24V batteries and solar which was used to avoid having to upgrade the ETI base wiring to carry the additional current. I guess with no solar wiring in place, this discussion becomes academic and deferred to your solar project.

8. Have you explored the implications of poking holes in the shell for solar, access hatches, shower stations, etc? I assume you have and have done your usual thorough research on how to do that without compromising the waterproof envelope.

Again, thank you for doing this and publishing it. Lots of fun to see what others are considering.

PS: Do you have drafting software for the truck/trailer diagram? I need to do that for the GMC Canyon I'm planning and have been struggling finding a good tool - not that I've spent a lot of time on that, and grid paper will likely end up being my friend there.

[camp4528]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Solar complements the dual 6 volt batteries, reinforcing walls can be eliminated since most grab rails are near the edges where there is reinforcement already. Remember weight is your enemy when towing.....

Thanks for the insight on the reinforcing/grab rails. I was planning reinforcements around the shower to allow for grab rails, but if they're not needed that saves the weight and the $$$. I'll be looking more carefully though as my current build process starts in a year. [Sigh...]

[Centex]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Solar complements the dual 6 volt batteries

Originally Posted by camp4528

2. Given your modest electrical needs for phase 1, I'm wondering why you're going to 2x6V 220 aH rather than the base 1x12V battery. Is it to run the spit A/C before you do the Lithium/solar work?
3. What's your Phase 1 battery charging solution? Bring along a generator? Shore power?
7. In Olive's project thread, you were involved in the discussion of 24V batteries and solar which was used to avoid having to upgrade the ETI base wiring to carry the additional current. I guess with no solar wiring in place, this discussion becomes academic and deferred to your solar project.
---It looks like you and Olive's dad (jphil23462) are charting pretty parallel courses.

The 'thinking' behind 2x6v is that they might provide a few more days of disconnected /generator-free camping as I explore and learn about my use-habits. Am I missing something about the Ah capacity benefit those offer compared to the base single battery, whether recharged by solar or firing-up the generator / finding shore power for a recharge?

Yes, I already own 2xHonda EU2000's and most of my historic Casita use has been in situations where generator use or shore-power has been OK / available (not really 'camping' but as a home in motorcycle racing paddocks). Now I want to venture more to true ‘camping' in scenic settings but I've a lot to learn about what I'll enjoy in that respect in terms of power availability and acceptability of generator use. I'm very sensitive to generator etiquette and the compromises they involve - I've no interest whatsoever in becoming one of "Those People" when it comes to generators and will assiduously avoid foisting that on anyone, recognizing that they are only appropriate in very limited situations.

Part of what I've yet to learn is whether or not I'll enjoy no-AC camping for extended periods at hot locations, but I'm looking forward to finding out. Obviously lots of folks manage quite well and greatly enjoy what that allows in terms of camping locations.

Unlike jphil23462 I don't envision ever powering AC off batteries and all the massive storage, solar etc. that entails. A big part of holding-off on solar decisions is that I've yet to know what I'll really benefit from, what my use-habits and power-demands will be. For example, when exploring disconnected camping, will I be willing to sacrifice 'shady cover' (which I'm intuitively attracted to) in favor of solar exposure? Lots to learn in so many respects as I enter this new venture, and the learning should be a big part of the fun!

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

reinforcing walls can be eliminated since most grab rails are near the edges where there is reinforcement already

Yeah, I've managed to find build-pics showing framing locations for most all of the 5.0 walls. Reinforced wall #4 is necessitated by the planned shower mods (shower valve etc in the 'field' of the wall in common between bath and galley-cabinet). Reinforced wall #5 (outside bath wall) might be dropped from the spec, we'll see.

Originally Posted by camp4528

1. I would consider getting the outdoor water attachment on the passenger side. This would allow you to take time off to camp during your kitchen renovations since most people seem to use that position as a washing-up station rather than a shower.

I added an outside wash-station to my Casita then never ended-up actually using it after the 'new' wore off; there would be no travel when any phase of the kitchen mod is incomplete. The outside 'shower / wash-station' is an unlikely mod for me but at least I know it can be done if I learn I want one.

Originally Posted by camp4528

4. The levelling bubbles seem pretty inobtrusive to me based on pictures (I've never seen a 5.0). I know you have a project to install a levelling system down the road, but in the meantime, that data might be useful, and also help to double check as you fine tune the Level Mate.
6. [Just kidding] I’m surprised you're going to spend big bucks on automatic stabilizers when you'll have to tug and pull and possibly hurt your back deploying and stowing the manual awning. ha ha

Kidding welcomed, no worries!

The Level Mate is most likely a very early mod, in fact it may travel with me to Sumas for the pick-up trip along with the 3' carpenter's level that's carried in my Casita. Methinks that gizmo was made for me as a solo traveler with this sort of rig.

That exploration of the power rear stabilizers is quite likely to never be realized - I've got my trusty cordless drill w/appropriate socket at the ready!

And yes, the hot-button / passion-filled topics of awning and window options are 99.99% settled for me after considering past personal experience and endless reading on this forum. I've had ample opportunity to observe and assist with virtually every conceivable awning type over my 15 years of 'camping' in the RV-rich motorcycle racing paddock, not to mention years with my parent's manual-awning equipped Airstreams.

Originally Posted by camp4528

8. Have you explored the implications of poking holes in the shell for solar, access hatches, shower stations, etc? I assume you have and have done your usual thorough research on how to do that without compromising the waterproof envelope.

BTDT hands-on and I've yet to find anything of that sort I can't execute as well as an OE manufacturer using the same materials and techniques they use. I'm not 'production-shop fast' but I'm very a meticulous OCD craftsman; fabricating router jigs and "measure-thrice, cut-once" are ingrained practices. My father was an industrial-arts teacher, my brother and I had the wonderful good fortune of being raised in a workshop environment from birth (my brother, now retired a few miles from me along with his incredible workshop, apprenticed as a traditional wooden boat builder in Maine and Norway and was the Master at the Philadelphia Maritime Museum's 'Workshop on the Water' for many years). PEX plumbing and 12volt electrical systems are nothing new to me or my toolkit.

Originally Posted by camp4528

Do you have drafting software for the truck/trailer diagram? I need to do that for the GMC Canyon I'm planning and have been struggling finding a good tool - not that I've spent a lot of time on that, and grid paper will likely end up being my friend there.

That diagram was constructed using good-old MS paint with copy>paste and careful pixel-scaling. The base profile and dimension data for the '05 F150 came from a set of Ford body-data PDFs I had in my collection, the 5.0TA part was liberated from the ETI 5.0 towing guide document.

My career in engineering project management never pulled me into hands-on CAD work (always had a skilled staff of AutoCAD techs) but I've since dabbled with the free open-source Libre CAD software on occasion. I use old-school paper and a drafting table with parallel bar for all of my serious design / project planning work.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Remember weight is your enemy when towing.....

Always a good reminder, and all the 'little things' add-up, I need to be attentive to that, Thank You!

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by camp4528

Thanks for the insight on the reinforcing/grab rails. I was planning reinforcements around the shower to allow for grab rails, but if they're not needed that saves the weight and the $$$. I'll be looking more carefully though as my current build process starts in a year. [Sigh...]

We really like having a secure handrail going down the stairs in the middle of the night - having that bath wall reinforced makes it possible to locate a handrail anywhere in the middle of that wall.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

We really like having a secure handrail going down the stairs in the middle of the night - having that bath wall reinforced makes it possible to locate a handrail anywhere in the middle of that wall.

Remembering that from my tour of your trailer (Thanks Again!) is what prompted my thinking about wall #5. Yeah, towing weight adds-up but that ~25# and the flexibility it provides re: grab rail locating may well be a worthwhile trade off against my old 175# on the floor

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Centex

The 'thinking' behind 2x6v is that they might provide a few more days of disconnected /generator-free camping as I explore and learn about my use-habits. Am I missing something about the Ah capacity benefit those offer compared to the base single battery, whether recharged by solar or firing-up the generator / finding shore power for a recharge?

Just quickly revisiting this .... ordering the 'standard' single 12V battery in anticipation of an upgrade to a different / higher-capacity single 12v AGM might bear further consideration ILO the 2x6v option. That might be a bit better in terms of installed weight and economics, further study required.

I'll visit with ETI but it's my understanding that they won't deliver with No Battery Installed, which makes some sense in consideration of breakaway-brakes, noxious gas detectors, etc and associated liability if those aren't functional 'as delivered'.

Maybe, just maybe, by the time mine's ready for pickup we'll be able to enter Canada for orientation and install of a BYOBattery at Chilliwack before leaving to take delivery of the trailer in Sumas. I can only hope, I'd dearly love the opportunity to meet the ETI folks in person, personally thank the ever-patient and helpful Linda Fedoruk, even if masked and distanced!

[camp4528]

Originally Posted by Centex

BTDT hands-on and I've yet to find anything of that sort I can't execute as well as an OE manufacturer using the same materials and techniques they use. I'm not 'production-shop fast' but I'm very a meticulous OCD craftsman; fabricating router jigs and "measure-thrice, cut-once" are ingrained practices. My father was an industrial-arts teacher, my brother and I had the wonderful good fortune of being raised in a workshop environment from birth (my brother, now retired a few miles from me along with his incredible workshop, apprenticed as a traditional wooden boat builder in Maine and Norway and was the Master at the Philadelphia Maritime Museum's 'Workshop on the Water' for many years). PEX plumbing and 12volt electrical systems are nothing new to me or my toolkit.

I love hearing these stories from forum members. Thanks for sharing.

And thanks also for describing your drafting technology. I will try LibreCAD, but will likely revert to pencil and paper (and large eraser).

[camp4528]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

We really like having a secure handrail going down the stairs in the middle of the night - having that bath wall reinforced makes it possible to locate a handrail anywhere in the middle of that wall.

That handrail would probably be important for me as well. I'm seeing an Escape 5.0 in person tomorrow!!! (#Excited), and will look at that layout.

[Ron in BC]

The handrail in post #54 could likely be installed without reinforcing the wall. That wall likely has vertical framing on both sides and if the handrail attachment points are in that area no reinforcing would be needed.

Ron

[kavm]

Originally Posted by camp4528

That handrail would probably be important for me as well. I'm seeing an Escape 5.0 in person tomorrow!!! (#Excited), and will look at that layout.

All the best! It might be worth asking if handrail / grab bar in that area could be optioned from ETI itself as a customization. We’d go for it.

We are at the other end of the DIY capability than Centex. So, any ETI option in this area would help. Otherwise, we too have wall reinforcements on our list, don’t remember the position.