What did you do for your Escape today.....

[iamunique127]

We were heading south into some pretty hot weather when we left home in July so I thought I'd better get some fans for the fridge. There wasn't time to get them delivered to our home so I ordered a couple Quick Products fans from Home Depot to be picked up at a location along our route.

The fridge vent fan https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quick-Pr...5c9341fa9063cf and the clip-on fridge fan
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quick-Pr...5c9341fa9063cf were both recommended by ppl here on the forum.

I considered the vent fan to be a priority so I installed it one morning at a campsite before it got too hot.



I zipped tied it to the outer grill. (The wire mesh on the grill is mouse-proofing).

It was a bit fiddly getting to the 12V wiring block but other than that, dead easy to instal by following the good, clear instructions that came in the box.



By leaving it set on Auto the fan comes on once the temperature at the sensor gets to 20ºC or 68ºF and the fan speed is automatically adjusted according to the temp. That means that the fan is basically always running at some speed when the fridge is on.

The clip-on fan was installed later. The wires were run down the drain hose and attached with the vent fan to the 12V block. It's a 2-speed fan and we left it on low.

The wife feels the fans made a big difference to how well the fridge operated. Me, I didn't really notice a difference, but then again, my drinks are kept in a cooler of ice.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Viajante

I thought I had a tough problem ahead in changing out the city water inlet check valve, but it turned out to be unnecessary and maybe there is a tip for others.

I was replacing the little filter screen at the city water inlet. So I opened the cold water faucet to bleed off any water pressure in the line. But I could not press the check valve inward to test it. Solid. Then, before I got out the wrenches I opened a hot water faucet and quite a bit more water ran out. Then I could press the check valve and confirm it was still good.

Anyway it was a surprise to me that the hot and cold water lines are independent of each other when it comes to pressure at the city water inlet. I'm not sure why that is but in the future I will be sure to release pressure from both sides if I have to work on the system.

Easily in our 4th decade with campers and still,
"it's not too late for an old dog to learn new tricks!"

Enjoy,

Perry

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Viajante

Anyway it was a surprise to me that the hot and cold water lines are independent of each other when it comes to pressure at the city water inlet. I'm not sure why that is but in the future I will be sure to release pressure from both sides if I have to work on the system.

They aren’t independent but strange things happen.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I drained the water tank, and refilled it, adding a half cup of Clorox because its been years since I sanitized it, and while we only use it for wash water, it was starting to smell a little sulfury, whoops.

sigh, the tank drain valve handle crumbled, I had to use pliers to open and close it. My tank is buried under the sprayon foam... does anyone know what style that valve is likely to be on a 2014 21 Classic? One of these, or something else ?

[Donna D.]

The one on the right is what's on my 2014 5.0TA

[Iowa Dave]

It’s the one with the double Set of threads. You can hacksaw off The smaller threads to get a little bit more complete drainage and a little bigger hole for sediment. I just replaced ours a couple weeks ago. I get three or four years out of the valve. Ours is exposed and takes a little bearing under there. I have a spare new one too in class there’s a problem on the road. It’s plastic to plastic tapered pipe thread so I did not use any Teflon this time and had no leaks.
Iowa Dave

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I drained the water tank, and refilled it, adding a half cup of Clorox because its been years since I sanitized it, and while we only use it for wash water, it was starting to smell a little sulfury, whoops.

sigh, the tank drain valve handle crumbled, I had to use pliers to open and close it. My tank is buried under the sprayon foam... does anyone know what style that valve is likely to be on a 2014 21 Classic? One of these, or something else ?

I replaced mine with a 1/2" ball valve https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post446441

It is much easier to turn the handle and it seems sturdier but I don't think it drains the tank any faster. It still takes 22 minutes to drain a full tank.

[Carmel Clown]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

The one on the right is what's on my 2014 5.0TA

Hmmm. I only see top and bottom, I assume the bottom picture is the “right” one?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Carmel Clown

Hmmm. I only see top and bottom, I assume the bottom picture is the “right” one?

I see this. Didn't notice it was two separate pictures, because I view in a larger size on my laptop as one image Oooops And yes, the bottom one in your view. Or right side in mine

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by iamunique127

I replaced mine with a 1/2" ball valve https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post446441

It is much easier to turn the handle and it seems sturdier but I don't think it drains the tank any faster. It still takes 22 minutes to drain a full tank.

hmm, this?


I'd be worried about that sticking down so far, you could clip something and snap it off. I found one from an American company that has only the larger thread size but is otherwise the same low profile right angle plastic thing as the original. lets see how that works.

[iamunique127]

It’s just the camera angle making it look like it’s hanging down. It is a much more robust tap.

[SageRpod]

I was thinking of going the opposite route and using a plastic, threaded hex head plug like our Rpod used. Very low profile, not much can go wrong with it and finger tight kept it from leaking.

[Viajante]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

I was thinking of going the opposite route and using a plastic, threaded hex head plug like our Rpod used. Very low profile, not much can go wrong with it and finger tight kept it from leaking.

Good idea. Either an o-ring to seal the plug or a basic garden hose washer. I did this when I got tired of fighting with the valve.

[Mike G]

Hmm, good knowledge. My valve handle takes a lot of effort to turn it, which is a bit worrisome considering it's plastic.

I debated briefly whether some type of spray lube might help it, but not knowing any lubes that are plastic-safe (or whether any would help) I sort of forgot about it until today.

[Iowa Dave]

I have sprayed ours with a silicone spray. Makes it work more smoothly for a while. Yea there is edible Silicone. I just use the CRC product and don’t worry about it we don’t drink water out of the fresh water tank. We drink bottled water while camping. Sometimes I’m camped where it’s acceptable to turn the lever and dump the fresh water tank on the ground. I do this if it’s my last day in camp and I am going straight home otherwise I dump the fresh water in my yard.
Iowa Dave

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Dave Walter

Kind of an interesting story. I have been an endurance runner for about 10 years and last year (June 2022) I ran a marathon that qualified me to run in the 2023 Boston Marathon. However, I had a bit of bad luck and in October 2022, I suffered a widowmaker heart attack and cardiac arrest while running in a trail race in the mountains near Banff, Alberta. I was given CPR by other runners on the course and after the medics arrived, I needed 5 or 6 shocks with a defibrillator to get a stable heart rate. I was transported to hospital in Calgary where they installed stents in a couple of blocked arteries and I spent several days on a ventilator due to a punctured/collapsed lung from broken ribs (due to the CPR). I was released from hospital about 8 days after the incident, began walking for exercise after 2 weeks, and began running again after 6 weeks. Three months after the 'event' I ran the Hypothermic Half-Marathon (21.1km) in Edmonton during Feb 2023. Then six months after nearly dying from a heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest, I ran the Boston Marathon in April 2023. The picture on my avatar was taken on the day of the marathon.

Dave I just read this and I am so relieved and happy you are still here ! I never will forget our emails back and forth with our installation of mine and your solar install ! Mine is still working like a champ ! Dave think about your patience and kindness every time I check the solar ! Pat

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Viajante

Good idea. Either an o-ring to seal the plug or a basic garden hose washer. I did this when I got tired of fighting with the valve.

You shouldn't need either, well at least we didn't with the Rpod fresh tank. This is what we had except it was black.

https://www.amazon.com/Atwood-91857-...648167257&th=1

[Viajante]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

You shouldn't need either, well at least we didn't with the Rpod fresh tank. This is what we had except it was black.

https://www.amazon.com/Atwood-91857-...648167257&th=1

Maybe an o-ring or washer isn't needed. The original valve from ETI had an o-ring so I just duplicated that. Its possible I wasted $1. On the other hand it hasn't leaked...

[Carmel Clown]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

You shouldn't need either, well at least we didn't with the Rpod fresh tank. This is what we had except it was black.

https://www.amazon.com/Atwood-91857-...648167257&th=1

I can just barely reach the valve, so I definitely need a lever or knob.

[splitting_lanes]

I installed an auxiliary umbilical cord that attaches to the truck above the 7 pin connector.

It’s a positive and negative 8 guage cable in a nylon sheath with a 50a power pole connector.

The dc/dc converter now runs on its own cord, and the rest of the trailer is on the 7 pin.

The brakes on the trailer would fail to maintain a connection due to the dc/dc converter drawing so much current over the shared ground in the 7 pin. That problem is now resolved.