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Old 11-17-2021, 02:21 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack! View Post
You gotta do you, so just a suggestion for further thought. You may be in this trailer for the long run, as we are. May want to factor that into being Li ready/solar ready. Solar is still in its infancy with lots of advances introduced each month/year. Might make it easy/cheaper being "ready" should things change for you in the future.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I have to sign off on my build sheet next month and wanted to post it for others to critique and give suggestions. Thanking in advance:
Build Sheet-2022 E19

1. Maple interior/Havana Tobacco floor/Kelso Champagne fabric
2. Butter Rum counter tops w dark brown trim
3. 3 & 4 plus 7 & 8 captain lights(2 bed and dinette each)
4. flip up tables-standard and #1 options
5. coaxial #2 wall 12v only
6. #6 wall reinforced
7. 190w solar option with dual 6 volt batteries
In the original post Jim stated, "190w solar option with dual 6 volt batteries".

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 11-17-2021, 02:22 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by lostskier View Post
Its my understanding that the current captain lights also have a USB charging port? I so wish that had been true with mine. It seems you can't have too many of them, lol.
Why not just change them out? There seems to be quite a few choices out there with integral USB's.
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Old 11-17-2021, 10:30 PM   #23
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We just had our 2021 delivered this fall. I got a single 100AH lithium battery. I'd go for two if I had to do it again. Camping spots are tougher to come by and the ability to not need campsite electrical opens up a lot of sites that might otherwise be passed over. Wife still wants her A/C, but you can't always get what you want. We went with the manual awning also instead of the automatic.
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Old 11-18-2021, 07:39 AM   #24
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Location: Blairsville, Georgia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I have to sign off on my build sheet next month and wanted to post it for others to critique and give suggestions. Thanking in advance:
Build Sheet-2022 E19

1. Maple interior/Havana Tobacco floor/Kelso Champagne fabric
2. Butter Rum counter tops w dark brown trim
3. 3 & 4 plus 7 & 8 captain lights(2 bed and dinette each)
4. flip up tables-standard and #1 options
5. coaxial #2 wall 12v only
6. #6 wall reinforced
7. 190w solar option with dual 6 volt batteries
8. removable power cord and EMS w/surge
9. 11 BTU a/c w/digital thermostat
10. SS kitchen backsplash
11. toilet shut off valve
12. Exterior shower passenger side/below belly band
13. aluminum rim package
14. power awning with LED light strip
15. spray foam under trailer/no heat pads
16. front storage box
17. 2 wardrobe shelves and cabinet door at end of dinette bench
18. tv ready with 12v only power
19. frameless windows with optional bath and kitchen windows
20. split rear frameless window
21. filled propane tanks and water hose with regulator
22. X chocks, leveling blocks, additional sewer tube kit
23. sand pads
24. exterior lights w/amber lens on front and both sides (all below belly band)
25. MaxxFan deluxe with smoke lens
26. enclose front overhead shelf into cabinet
27. install 12v runs in front and rear center oh cabinets
Jim. I am a little surprised you did not order the power tongue jack.
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Old 11-18-2021, 07:45 AM   #25
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I was never a fan of the power tongue jack, besides I need to get some exercise while relaxing.....
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Old 11-30-2021, 01:55 PM   #26
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Jim, Thank you for sharing. Since we are looking to complete build sheet #1 for a 21C in December, I would appreciate any insight into a few of your choices.
- Reinforced wall #6 vs. other walls
- Amber Lens for exterior lights?
- Wardrobe shelves vs user customization?
- 12V runs in front and rear center oh Cabinets

The areas we have been struggling and would like feedback:
- Windows: My wife wants framed window for airflow, however I really like the look and rain functionality in frameless.
- Front Window: My wife wants the shelf at the head of the bed, however I am leaning toward window with rockguard for more light.
- Engineer in me wants manual awning for simplicity, however I really like the quick deployment and look of power awning.
- Looking to see utilize a Dickinson cooktop vs new ENO option.
- Thinking of not adding any exterior hatches and accessing storage from inside.
- On the fence for a Driver Side exterior water.

Thank you and looking forward to any input from you or others who have travel tested these questions.
Richard
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Old 11-30-2021, 02:07 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rpoppke View Post
Jim, Thank you for sharing. Since we are looking to complete build sheet #1 for a 21C in December, I would appreciate any insight into a few of your choices.
- Reinforced wall #6 vs. other walls
- Amber Lens for exterior lights?
- Wardrobe shelves vs user customization?
- 12V runs in front and rear center oh Cabinets

The areas we have been struggling and would like feedback:
- Windows: My wife wants framed window for airflow, however I really like the look and rain functionality in frameless.
- Front Window: My wife wants the shelf at the head of the bed, however I am leaning toward window with rockguard for more light.
- Engineer in me wants manual awning for simplicity, however I really like the quick deployment and look of power awning.
- Looking to see utilize a Dickinson cooktop vs new ENO option.
- Thinking of not adding any exterior hatches and accessing storage from inside.
- On the fence for a Driver Side exterior water.

Thank you and looking forward to any input from you or others who have travel tested these questions.
Richard
Wall#6 will probably be the tv wall thus the need for reinforcement. I think the amber lenses attract less bugs at night? Wardrobe shelves at the factory so that we can use the unit on the way home. The 12v runs are for future modifications and ease to obtain power. We like the frameless look and have not noticed any decrease in air inside. The more windows, more light! Power awning is addictive. No input on stoves choices. Accessing the trailer hatch from outside saves opening and closing the door in winter and summer with heat and a/c operating. Driver side water is standard, passenger is optional.
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Old 11-30-2021, 02:37 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rpoppke View Post
Jim, Thank you for sharing. Since we are looking to complete build sheet #1 for a 21C in December, I would appreciate any insight into a few of your choices.
Howdy, from another happy Minnesota Escape owner!
Quote:
Reinforced wall #6 vs. other walls
Don't have a 21 so no comment, but at first we were buying a 21 and were going to reinforce the bathroom wall for shelving above the bed, so in agreement.
Quote:
Amber Lens for exterior lights?
Yes, it's more muted and attracts a few less flies and mosquitoes. However we rarely camp in mosquito season, instead keep our camper in a seasonal site for the summer. Because we're in the Karst region of Minnesota there are virtually no mosquitoes.
Quote:
Wardrobe shelves vs user customization?
We customized our shelves following a shopping trip to The Container Store
Quote:
12V runs in front and rear center oh Cabinets
Wish we had extended the runs.

Quote:
The areas we have been struggling and would like feedback:

Windows: My wife wants framed window for airflow, however I really like the look and rain functionality in frameless.
We've had 15 previous campers and awnings are just as breezy as framed. We've forgotten to close our framed windows and gotten back with a wet mattress a couple of times, something that's never happened yet with our frameless windows.
Quote:
Front Window: My wife wants the shelf at the head of the bed, however I am leaning toward window with rockguard for more light.
Don't have a 21, but in cold weather there can be a wash of cold air onto your head with the overhead window. I would make sure I got the window by the drawer stack though. You can't have too much light.
Quote:
Engineer in me wants manual awning for simplicity, however I really like the quick deployment and look of power awning.
This is a hot topic. Search this forum for the many power awning failures. We've had two electric awnings in the past, but the ETI supplied awning is the best we've ever had. I can easily deploy or retract the manual awning in well under 2 minutes.

Living in Minnesota we've camped in heavy rain numerous times and still have complete use of our awning. A pole in the middle would just get in our way.

Plus, wintering in Arizona the manual can be tilted lower for better shade, something that can't be done with the electric.
Quote:
Looking to see utilize a Dickinson cooktop vs new ENO option.
We wanted a flush stove for more usable space and love our Dickinson cooktop. If you want to see an installed Dickinson come down to Lanesboro and look at ours. We leave south on January 15 though.
Quote:
Thinking of not adding any exterior hatches and accessing storage from inside.
We added one exterior hatch and use it all the time, because it's convenient. No way would we go with no exterior hatch.
Quote:
On the fence for a Driver Side exterior water.
We could go either way, but on the passenger side. We've used our passenger side water a number of times, but it would have been worthless on the drivers side.
Quote:
Thank you and looking forward to any input from you or others who have travel tested these questions.
Richard
Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 11-30-2021, 04:00 PM   #29
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I tried an amber lens for the "porch" light. Insects could see it, but I couldn't see the step. Went back to a clear lens.
My buddy uses the hatch on his 19' ( driver side, front ) for levelling planks and chocks. Very handy.

I have a hatch on the passenger side, front of trailer, of my 17'. Quite useless. I have to remove the vinyl rock guard to open it. Whatever I need is always at the back so I have to remove other stuff to get at it. In my case, it's easier to lift the bench seat.
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Old 11-30-2021, 04:21 PM   #30
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Jim, Congrats on your new build sheet, it looks very well thought out and surprisingly close to what we got on our 2019. One comment based on my own experience; I wish I would have asked for all of the reinforcements they offered on the walls, every time I look at hanging something, I have to figure out a novel way to do it because I did not option for any reinforcements.
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Old 11-30-2021, 08:52 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rpoppke View Post
J
- Engineer in me wants manual awning for simplicity, however I really like the quick deployment and look of power awning.
I see the power awning as mostly a sunshade, it will retract in most bad weather. The manual awning (along with some ropes) is a true all-weather rain deflector. It depends on where you camp.

Quote:
- Thinking of not adding any exterior hatches and accessing storage from inside.
Aside from inclement weather, we camp outside and use the trailer for storage and sleeping. When the weather is nice (which is, hopefully, a lot of the time) we cook and eat outside.

So I need lots of hatches so that I can easily get my stuff when I'm outside the trailer. It gets really old really fast to have to go inside and then dig around in inconvenient locations for stuff.

We actually mostly set our cooking gear in the front dinette so that it can be accessed from outside primarily. I have a smaller, less used set of cooking stuff that is located where it is convenient for cooking inside the trailer. My external stove and dutch oven are far more used than my inside stove and oven.
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Old 12-01-2021, 10:02 AM   #32
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Jim
You helped me with build sheets for 2 Escapes, and I am grateful!
Looks like a fine new Escape!! Happy for you!!
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Old 12-01-2021, 12:18 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrea View Post
Jim
You helped me with build sheets for 2 Escapes, and I am grateful!
Looks like a fine new Escape!! Happy for you!!
I really enjoy helping others purchase and design their new Escapes......
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Old 12-04-2021, 09:48 AM   #34
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One regret we have is not choosing wrap dinette seating. That area along the window is a nice place to stretch out, and I get a bit tired of the regular bench. I agree with everyone's comments on LiFePO4 batteries, provided you can afford them. We have ended up boondocking a whole lot more than we originally thought, and some of that is due to very crowded campgrounds with hook-ups. Also add a Zamp port so you can add an external solar panel - handy if you have to camp off-grid with a lot of trees. I also never thought we would be camping much in the cold, but we would do that more if I had opted for the tank heaters. We had the outdoor shower put on the passenger side by the door, but I think it would be better on the other side so you don't get water by the entry. Finally, my wife and I both use CPAP machines to sleep, so we had ETI drill holes in the cabinets above the bed so we can drop the air hose through. They look nice and were professionally done and have a plastic cap. We also had a 120V outlet put on the outside of the overhead cabinets above the bed (ETI said they were not allowed to put the outlet inside the cabinet).
Also, if you don't mind the extra height on the step, add the lift kit to give you a bit more clearance on dirt roads. We have been on a few where this would have been handy.
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