What lurks below those seats and beds?

[Mike G]

I'd like to know what objects/accessories ETI installs underneath the dinette seats and the beds. In other words, for each model of Escape, what do they put in, and exactly where? Looking at pictures of the interiors, one cannot use x-ray vision to tell how much space is taken up, how the accessory/device/thing is accessed, and so on.



Having all of this in one thread also would be useful for shoppers, I think, as they ponder which unit to get.


Just to give an example of my thought processes, if someone wanted to have their bed up front in a 17 or 19, and if there's some gadget (or even open storage space) underneath that, maybe it becomes more beneficial to ask for a side door on the seat cabinet or an exterior hatch... but it's hard to know ahead of time.


Thanks, all!

[rbryan4]

I can't speak to any model except the 19, but the driver side dinette contains the EMS if you choose that option. It also contains the Inverter if you choose the option. The front dinette bench contains the WFCO Converter/Charger/Fuse Panel, mounted right of the centerline as you face it. Under the bed on the drivers side near the fridge is the water heater. The rest of the under bench or under bed storage is clear, at least on mine.

The only additional door/opening I added for bench access was on the end of the dinette on the passenger side as you enter the trailer. Handy little door it is too.

[Brian B-P]

It isn't quite x-ray vision, but if you compare the exterior views from the Escape website with the floorplans, you can see where the water heater and furnace are located in each model, and where the shore power cord must be stuffed (based on the inlet hatch, if you don't get the detachable cord). Interior views also show the furnace, plus the power centre. Also, the black tank is under the toilet in each model, and extending on top of the floor into the adjacent cabinet in each model (and there's only one way it can go in each case, as you can see in the floorplan).

The battery or batteries are outside in the case of the 17' and 19' models, so only the 21' and 5.0TA have them in the interior (in the back in both cases). The choice of conventional or U-shaped dinette changes the electrical component (battery and power centre) placement in at least the 21' and 5.0TA models.

The fresh water tank is always behind the axle(s), so the water pump is always under a rear seat or bed. I believe it's always on the street/driver's side, to go with the city water inlet.

Another hint is the presence of exterior hatches, suggesting available storage space, but in some cases there's still stuff in that cabinet.

Essentially everything is accessed for service from the inside, by opening cabinet doors or lifting seat or bed bases, except:

• while replacement is done from the inside, refrigerator service is generally through the lower vent panel on the exterior,
• water heaters are accessed through the (nearly square) exterior door, and
• starting recently, the furnace is accessed via an exterior door similar to the water heater, but rectangular.

With that you have enough to build a nearly complete list (or marked-up floorplans), and forum members could fill in the rest of the detail... including correcting anything that I might have wrong in the above notes.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I'd like to know what objects/accessories ETI installs underneath the dinette seats and the beds. In other words, for each model of Escape, what do they put in, and exactly where? Looking at pictures of the interiors, one cannot use x-ray vision to tell how much space is taken up, how the accessory/device/thing is accessed, and so on.



Having all of this in one thread also would be useful for shoppers, I think, as they ponder which unit to get.


Just to give an example of my thought processes, if someone wanted to have their bed up front in a 17 or 19, and if there's some gadget (or even open storage space) underneath that, maybe it becomes more beneficial to ask for a side door on the seat cabinet or an exterior hatch... but it's hard to know ahead of time.


Thanks, all!

Hi: Mike G... Here's some pics of 5.0TA under "U" shaped dinette seat/step spaces.
1- drivers side bench
2- pass. side bench
3- under loft step
4- ext. pass. side hatch
5- under bottom step. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

The front dinette bench contains the WFCO Converter/Charger/Fuse Panel, mounted right of the centerline as you face it.

That sounds like the passenger/curb side, but the current interior photo on the Escape website appears to show the big dark face of the WFCO Power Center on the street/driver's side. Did I just misunderstand the description or photo, or has it changed sides?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

That sounds like the passenger/curb side, but the current interior photo on the Escape website appears to show the big dark face of the WFCO Power Center on the street/driver's side. Did I just misunderstand the description or photo, or has it changed sides?

My bad. Forgot to mention that we have the U-Shaped dinette, which places the WFCO along the back bench. If you don't get the U-Shaped dinette option, then yes, the WFCO is on the drivers side bench. I suppose they moved it to the back bench because it's easier to fit everything if you have the EMS and Inverter, which we do.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

My bad. Forgot to mention that we have the U-Shaped dinette, which places the WFCO along the back bench. If you don't get the U-Shaped dinette option, then yes, the WFCO is on the drivers side bench. I suppose they moved it to the back bench because it's easier to fit everything if you have the EMS and Inverter, which we do.

Not a problem at all - just more detail.

I assume that the "back bench" is the furthest in end of the dinette, meaning the front wall of the trailer. That makes "right of the centerline" make sense - I misunderstood what that meant when trying to fit it to the standard dinette layout instead of the U-shaped.

So the 19' sees somewhat similar component layout effects of choosing the U-shaped dinette (at the front of the trailer) as the 21' and 5.0TA do (at the back of the trailer).

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: Mike G... Here's some pics of 5.0TA under "U" shaped dinette seat/step spaces.
1- drivers side bench
2- pass. side bench
3- under loft step
4- ext. pass. side hatch
5- under bottom step. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Escape Artist, what's under the rear bench seat in the dinette?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Escape Artist, what's under the rear bench seat in the dinette?

Hi: Hilola... Sorry I can't find the pic but from left to rt. battery box/power center/ and storage beside the water pump. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: Hilola... Sorry I can't find the pic but from left to rt. battery box/power center/ and storage beside the water pump. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Thanks! So two of the three bench storage areas (in the U dinette) are somewhat filled up with factory installed items, leaving the passenger bench totally free for storage, correct?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Thanks! So two of the three bench storage areas (in the U dinette) are somewhat filled up with factory installed items, leaving the passenger bench totally free for storage, correct?

Correct

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Thanks! So two of the three bench storage areas (in the U dinette) are somewhat filled up with factory installed items, leaving the passenger bench totally free for storage, correct?

Hi: Hilola... That's about the size of it. We've had 2 5.0's with the "U" shaped dinette. IMHO it allows more storage, and a smaller table to contend with for converting to a bed. Our grands like to sit in the back window area as evidenced by the mini finger prints on the window. Our first 5.0 didn't have the outside hatch so everything had to be hauled through the trailer. We did overcome that omission on the second 5.0TA although it was a more expensive option by then!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

...the driver side dinette contains the EMS if you choose that option. It also contains the Inverter if you choose the option.

In a standard (non-u) layout on a 19, the EMS is under driver side dinette, but the inverter is curb side. WFCO is driver side, as discussed above.

[Steve Clark]

In a 21 with the U-Shaped Dinette, here is the area under the left rear bench:

[Steve Clark]

Center rear bench:

[Steve Clark]

Right rear bench and street side bench:

[Steve Clark]

Curb side bench:

[Steve Clark]

Under bed, street side, foot, water heater:

[Mike G]

Thanks for the great info so far, everyone. Steve, what's it like to access that valve under the bed? Easy or hard?

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Mike G

Thanks for the great info so far, everyone. Steve, what's it like to access that valve under the bed? Easy or hard?

It’s very easy to isolate the water heater by turning the valves top and bottom one quarter turn. They are right in the front on our 21
Classic Last week I was sanitizing my water system and did not want bleach in the water heater. I opened the door by the water heater and reached in and turned both valves without looking at them directly. I just felt for the valves and turned them. When I was done I turned them back so the heater would fill with fresh water then next time I use the camper. I also had the anode out as that’s how I drained the tank last week.
Iowa Dave