As a aside, cutting the opening larger gave me a sample of the wall layup. I measured the gel coat thickness at 21 mils, which is pretty much bang on. In light of some previous issues with spider cracks etc. I was curious about the thickness ETI was using. There are a lot of variables but this is partly an indication that the correct gel coat thickness is being sprayed.
Ron
Thanks! I have always wondered what the insulation looks like if you don't order the Extra Insulation Option.
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Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
Good to know that we can use the SAM-1 kit with the Endura vent. We find the tabs are easy to use. This morning at Porcupine Campground at Hope, Alaska.
I have always wondered what the insulation looks like if you don't order the Extra Insulation Option.
Keep in mind that Ron has the 2014 version of Escape's construction. I hope Ron will correct me if I missing something, but from top (outside) to bottom (inside) the sandwich is
gelcoat (thin white line; sprayed first into mould)
fiberglass (yellowish solid about 1/4 of thickness; chopper gun strands and resin sprayed into mould after gelcoat)
Reflectix or equivalent "aluminized bubble wrap" insulation (about 1/4 of thickness; glued to inside of shell)
dark grey foam backing and fabric-supported vinyl face of headliner (foam is almost half of total thickness; glued to insulation)
I believe that the Reflectix has been replaced by closed-cell poly foam sheet in current Escapes.
This is great. I just ordered the sam-1 upgrade kit. We just picked our 5.0 up in Feb and the stove light is burned out already, not that I could tell for a while though, it's very dim. Also I found I had to turn on the max fan when cooking to prevent the dinner bell, er I mean the fire alarm from going off. The stock fan doesn't work that great and is pretty loud. So killing 2 birds with one stone hopefully.
I see basically 4 screws holding the old hood in, is it pretty simple to replace? Any advice? Thanks!
This is great. I just ordered the sam-1 upgrade kit. We just picked our 5.0 up in Feb and the stove light is burned out already, not that I could tell for a while though, it's very dim. Also I found I had to turn on the max fan when cooking to prevent the dinner bell, er I mean the fire alarm from going off. The stock fan doesn't work that great and is pretty loud. So killing 2 birds with one stone hopefully.
I see basically 4 screws holding the old hood in, is it pretty simple to replace? Any advice? Thanks!
The hood drops down with 4 bolts. Many good pics at site below. Escape uses the Heng’s hood that needs the spot welds drilled out to remove the fan housing. I also posted a wiring diagram to help others. It’s in Files but I’ll try to provide a link.
I too used the SAM-1 kit, but chose to install it new in a Ventline hood. I like the look of the hood better than the Heng Escape uses, and the install in it is easier. Doing my own install allowed me to cut a much smaller hole in the shell. I had considered trying to find/use a smaller exterior vent as the one supplied was designed to replace the much larger one on a previous install. I could not find a solution and was in a hurry to get it done to go camping, so installed the supplied one and used a tough waterproofing tape to seal between the duct and the shell so no water could penetrate where it shouldn't.
Can't say enough about this fan after using it for a year. The fan is exceptionally quiet, especially compared to any of the cheaper RV designed ones. Even though the higher speeds are not needed, as they were designed to do what the MaxxFan does, they too are quiet. Having the vent open and close from the inside is MUCH nicer than having to go out to open or close the wee cheap tabs. We have starter to use the nightlight feature most of the time, as it is a great dim light for middle of the night trips, and in the 5.0TA it does not affect us sleeping in the loft. Plus, Larry was great to deal with their, very helpful, and offered me a great price break as shipping to Canada was so high, that I basically paid the same as for one shipped to the US.
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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
The fan is exceptionally quiet, especially compared to any of the cheaper RV designed ones. Even though the higher speeds are not needed, as they were designed to do what the MaxxFan does, they too are quiet.
The fan is great, but although advertised as such, it is in no way approaching the air volume of a MaxxFan. Larry was still working on getting certified numbers so considering I had an airflow hood at my disposal I took my own measurements. It was sealed very well but there was likely still a small amount of leakage so take these numbers as an unofficial solid ballpark. Voltage was 13.65V at my battery meter. Note that these numbers are much lower than Larry at FOP predicted, but it doesn't much matter. We all use the stock MaxxFan for moving large volumes of air. The SAM-1 is quiet and moves more than adequate volume for cooking tasks.
The hood drops down with 4 bolts. Many good pics at site below. Escape uses the Heng’s hood that needs the spot welds drilled out to remove the fan housing. I also posted a wiring diagram to help others. It’s in Files but I’ll try to provide a link.
On edit: The link was bad. Should be good now. Also added a link to the wiring schematic I made.
Thanks!
Question, on the diagram, the tops of the existing light and fan switch are going to +12v, but how do the existing switches give control over 2 levels of lights and 3 levels of fan? Are there additional controls on the fan assembly for this?
Thanks!
Question, on the diagram, the tops of the existing light and fan switch are going to +12v, but how do the existing switches give control over 2 levels of lights and 3 levels of fan? Are there additional controls on the fan assembly for this?
Yes, there are levers on the left and right sides near the front. Just have to reach under to toggle. Best seen here: Fabulous Operating Products | Home
On this topic the switches as positioned for the Heng’s hood are on the opposite side as the SAM-1 levers for the given function. If I was doing it again I would look to see if the Heng’s switch positions could be swapped. Makes it more intuitive when reaching under to the levers on the SAM-1 box. “Lighting on the right, fan on the left.” Only problem is the labeling on the hood somehow needs to be changed and that isn’t easy. I didn’t look to see if the levers on the SAM-1 unit itself could be flipped.
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 -- The Skylark. Towed by a 2014 Highlander
Posts: 1,159
Ron,
I know you sold your 2014 trailer, but I wonder how you ended up liking your Endura Range Vent Installation. My Ventline has two broken tabs and the little strut that supports the outer "awning" is cracked/broken. So I got an Endura Range Vent from Amazon. I thought it would be an easy modification. The first problem was getting the old vent off. Lots and lots of butyl caulk, which took some elbow grease and the use of Lindy's hairdryer to get soften. I also found a little scraper that holds plastic "razor blades" at the hardware store which was very useful in scraping excess caulk.
But Like you, I found that the hole for the ventline is smaller than standard. So if I am going to install the new Endura vent, I will have to do a bit of cutting of the shell and the insulation. And I will be re-doing the folded over virgin Naugahyde that served as insulation and spacer between the old vent and the edge of the range hood.
Another alternative would be to use the vent cover that came with Sam-1 range hood upgrade. but that doesn't have a cover for the vent, and I think it would collect dust in the little grid over time. So the Endura looks like a better way to go if it hold up over time.
Thanks for any info.
LEon
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Camping: Where you spend a small fortune to live like a homeless person.
I ended up liking my installation but not the vent cover.
Maybe I'm just all thumbs but I consider it blind luck that I didn't snap off the locking tab.
Ron
Doing the SAM-1 install and want to verify that the outside locking flap on the JR Products Endura can be removed as the SAM-1 has a damper that can be closed from inside.
And I note that Jon Vermylie glued his stock outside vent cover onto the SAM-1 included exterior vent. Question there is whether his OEM exterior vent is an Endura.
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"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
Doing the SAM-1 install and want to verify that the outside locking flap on the JR Products Endura can be removed as the SAM-1 has a damper that can be closed from inside.
And I note that Jon Vermylie glued his stock outside vent cover onto the SAM-1 included exterior vent. Question there is whether his OEM exterior vent is an Endura.
Yes, the Endura vent is actually three pieces and the entire flap (including tabs) can be easily removed before the install. I think it will probably allow more airflow with the flap restriction removed. The SAM does have that internal damper which I will be using. I plan to install my vent without the flap.
Doing the SAM-1 install and want to verify that the outside locking flap on the JR Products Endura can be removed as the SAM-1 has a damper that can be closed from inside.
And I note that Jon Vermylie glued his stock outside vent cover onto the SAM-1 included exterior vent. Question there is whether his OEM exterior vent is an Endura.
When you remove the outside cover of the JR vent cover, the flap is easily removed by flexing it enough to pull the hinge pins out of the sides. I made a wire mesh screen and added it to the opening before reinstalling the hood cover once I removed the flap.
Jeesum, no more work space in the 5.0 than in our 17B!
Yes, the 3 burner stove/oven combo takes up more countertop as does the larger custom sink. But that is what makes these trailers so nice, personalizing.
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
I was thinking the same thing, Jim. I don’t think I’ve ever turned the vent fan on in 4 years to even know that it wasn’t very good.
Hard to know who to visit in the morning for coffee n breakfast if you can’t see them outside making it.
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