What did you do for your Escape today..... - Page 25 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Me | General Topics > General Escape
Click Here to Login
Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-10-2019, 12:21 PM   #481
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
I find using acetone and rags really removes easy . What I used to get rid of sticky pro flex on the roof . I also use a plastic paint scraper . Removed 9 in square fan to replace with power bath fan and light on side to replace . There was a lot of pro flex on these . Did no damage to fiberglass . The E. Tape just really grabs and what you want for some installations.Pat
Patandlinda is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 03:08 PM   #482
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
I had a bear of a time getting Eternabond off when I had to R&R the bathroom skylight on the Starcraft. I believe the main issue was the roof was rubber, got to be awful careful with the scraper. Working it off of hard fiberglass should be a lot easier. Properly preped, the stuff holds like the dickens.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 03:39 PM   #483
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
I was looking at a 100 watt flexible panel sold by ML Solar (California). Dimensions being 41.7 x 21.3 x 0.12 inches. ($349.00) Thinking I might have a spot on my trailer roof for one. Looks like it will only fit in behind the AC -- it means running it lengthwise on center and the last two inches of the panel will be taped onto the back curve of the roof. HMM.
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 04:54 PM   #484
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
Myron, that's the same size as the one that I just installed. At first I was going to install 2 in that location but I didn't like the idea of one having to be taped down in that area that starts to curve down.

So I put one crossways and it's a perfect fit without having to bend down the edges. I'm using the second one as a portable panel.

I know that there are different levels or qualities of panels and the ones that I purchased are at the low end. But the difference in cost between the amount you quoted for 1-100 watt panel, if that's the cost and it doesn't include other items like a controller and what I paid for 2-100 watt panels, a 20 amp controller and all the cables and connectors, $268 CDN, is pretty large.

As I say, I know my panels are on the low end of the quality spectrum but I have to question if other panels are worth so much more. A friend has had the same panels on his boat for over 2 years and he's happy with them.

Oh no! just read the preview and I realize that the distance, side-to-side between the ridges might be wider on my Gen 2 trailer than your trailer. What others have done in that situation is purchase something like a 60 watt panel so it can lay flat without bending down the edges.

Ron
Attached Thumbnails
PC080014_resize.jpg  
Ron in BC is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 05:04 PM   #485
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Myron's classic E19 is narrower than your 2ndG E21....
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 06:20 PM   #486
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
Agree that price is very steep, and it's just for the flexible panel. I bought my first solar panels (booked two 50 watters) from them several years ago because of the build quality. Here is a quote from their website defense:

"...Infinium® 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Flexible Solar Panel
Uses Monocrystalline solar cells that have been laminated into a flexible plastic sheet. The result is a solar panel that is far more durable than traditional glass and aluminum models, with twice the efficiency (approx. 20%) of flexible thin film solar panels. With these advanced solar cells, you will get greater power efficiency even though the panel is no larger than a traditional model.

Infinium® 100 Watt 12 Volt Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel only weights 4lbs, making it easier to transport, hang, and remove...."


Here's a snip from their site.
Attached Thumbnails
Solarflexbl.jpg  
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 07:14 PM   #487
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
Don't know about the claims. Hope one of the whiz guys who know lots about panels will comment on their claims. I'm not sure if some of their claims are an apple and oranges sort of situation.

I thought that one major difference was the top layer material but they don't even mention that unless it's somewhere else in their write-up.

As far as the durability claim, being more durable than glass and aluminum panels I'm skeptical. My first Siemens panel is almost 30 years old and it's been exposed to a lot of handling and different situations and it still works. From some of the things that I've read I'm not sure that a claim that they'll outlive a glass and aluminum panel is valid.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 08:41 PM   #488
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
I was able to install 3 60 watt panels on our 19 . All panels lay flat no bending down roof . One front , one rear , and one middle behind ac . Pat
Patandlinda is offline  
Old 12-10-2019, 09:23 PM   #489
Senior Member
 
tdf-texas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Agree that price is very steep, and it's just for the flexible panel. I bought my first solar panels (booked two 50 watters) from them several years ago because of the build quality. Here is a quote from their website defense:

"...Infinium® 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Flexible Solar Panel
Uses Monocrystalline solar cells that have been laminated into a flexible plastic sheet. The result is a solar panel that is far more durable than traditional glass and aluminum models, with twice the efficiency (approx. 20%) of flexible thin film solar panels. With these advanced solar cells, you will get greater power efficiency even though the panel is no larger than a traditional model.

Infinium® 100 Watt 12 Volt Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel only weights 4lbs, making it easier to transport, hang, and remove...."


Here's a snip from their site.
Renogy started using the plastic backing as well (https://www.renogy.com/100-watt-12-v...e-solar-panel/) and reports are coming in of high failure rates due the cells delaminating from the plastic backing.

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Extrem...ustomerReviews

I hope your panel doesn't have these issues.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
tdf-texas is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:44 AM   #490
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
Cheap is cheap like the saying says you get what you pay for . Pat
Patandlinda is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 09:10 AM   #491
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
Just found this on eBay. A 150 watt 18v mono-crystalline flexible panel that's 37" x 27", $118.98. Very tempting. Now, where can I buy that Eternabond tape again?
Attached Thumbnails
ebay150Watt3.jpg  
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 09:26 AM   #492
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Just found this on eBay. A 150 watt 18v mono-crystalline flexible panel that's 37" x 27", $118.98. Very tempting. Now, where can I buy that Eternabond tape again?
Those panels will not hold up like the EFTE Lensun panels will, Myron.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 11:00 AM   #493
Senior Member
 
Greg A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
Myron, personally wouldn’t want to eternabond panels to the roof unless they were high quality like what Jim’s recommending. That stuff is a booger if you have to remove it.
Greg A is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 11:54 AM   #494
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
You could be right Greg. There's so much conflicting information about durability etc. only time will tell.

Personally I'm not too worried. If the panel failed I'd try a technique that I've used before on a very aggressive adhesive. I use a hypodermic needle and put a tiny bead of acetone across the width and start using an upwards pull all the while putting a tiny stream of acetone at the interface. Works amazing well.

However, if the panel failed there's a good chance that I wouldn't bother removing it. If it did fail it'd get replaced with a solid panel that would bridge right across the top of it.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:13 PM   #495
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
Makes sense to me. Just looked at the Lensun LS-100FX flexible panels on eBay, $239.00. 37" x 26"
Attached Thumbnails
roof1.jpg  
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:38 PM   #496
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
From I read, that Eternabond tape is not double sided. So that means to attach a flexible panel to my roof I got to run it around the panel perimeter? Not liking that so much.

"...EternaBond Black Mobile Home RV Rubber Roof Repair 6" x 10' - 10 Foot, 10 Feet by EternaBond $23.99
ETERNABOND is the only MicroSealant in a tape form available that will stop virtually any leak or water proof any surface in minutes.

Perfect for re-seaming all roofs, regardless of the material. RoofSeal makes a permanent water-tight seal.
Eternabond Color: Black..."
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:41 PM   #497
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Why do you want black vs white Eternabond?
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:44 PM   #498
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
Blame that on Amazon. Did not see it offered in other than black. OH.. just found it in white on eBay, 4" x 20 ft roll. Better.
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 01:07 PM   #499
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
From I read, that Eternabond tape is not double sided. So that means to attach a flexible panel to my roof I got to run it around the panel perimeter? Not liking that so much.
After 3 years my Eternabond is still looking good. I used 2"white. You could use a VHB tape too, but I chose not to.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline  
Old 12-11-2019, 01:20 PM   #500
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Blame that on Amazon. Did not see it offered in other than black. OH.. just found it in white on eBay, 4" x 20 ft roll. Better.
That's a lot of tape Myron. Like Jim I, and all the installations I've seen, use 2" wide tape. That's plenty wide. It only goes on the panel side just over 1/2".

For my panel the best amount that I could find were the 2"x10'. Two did the panel with lot's left over.

As usual with the reviews there were some negative ones that claimed that it didn't stick worth a darn. After using it I wonder if they realized that you had to peel off the plastic on the adhesive. I don't think anyone who'd used it properly would say that it doesn't stick.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.