Winterization Mode - Batteries Removed

[KirkB]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I tire of the pressure these off topic discussions create.

If you bring it back on topic you will feel recharged !

[SFDavis50]

If anyone is winterizing their 5.0 TA (or 2017 21')I would like to know the inside height of the area where the battery is stored. I'm trying to figure out what the tallest AGM battery I can put in one is.
(Did this bring it back on topic?)

[gbaglo]

Not sure what you mean by "axle jack", but you aren't supposed to jack on the axle.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by SFDavis50

If anyone is winterizing their 5.0 TA (or 2017 21')I would like to know the inside height of the area where the battery is stored. I'm trying to figure out what the tallest AGM battery I can put in one is.
(Did this bring it back on topic?)

From the floor to the underside of the lid, on a 2014, is 17.5" or 444 mm.

[SFDavis50]

Originally Posted by padlin

From the floor to the underside of the lid, on a 2014, is 17.5" or 444 mm.

Thank You. That is taller than I thought. Hope the 2017 model is the same or close.

[Loren & Cathy]

On the subject of batteries, I have had to add a little distilled water both this spring and this fall. Not much but still they needed a little. I looked at those batteries a year ago and decided that they were going to winter in the trailer. Also don't neglect the lug nuts. In going over them with the torque wrench set at 95#, one moved. A few years ago, I had to dodge a tire that came off a trailer as it made a turn. Loren

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Loren
I'm a big fan of checklists, broken down by each "system" that needs attention and personalized by each owner according to personal preferences, local needs according to conditions expected and generally what gets the job done in a timely fashion. When I came up in the maintenance world things were simpler but no less important. The old boys kept most of this in their head. Today the checklist is the way to go for me and I'm an old boy now.
Notice I left out "good"
Dave

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by padlin

From the floor to the underside of the lid, on a 2014, is 17.5" or 444 mm.

Originally Posted by SFDavis50

Thank You. That is taller than I thought. Hope the 2017 model is the same or close.

It might be as much as three inches taller:

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Although the step up in the floor is new, the step was always there in the frame (of every Escape model) and so the floor under the seats has always been three inches higher than the main floor level. In the 21' and 5.0TA before the new-this-year design, the floor in the dinette footspace (and only that part) was down at the main floor level, by being dropped down between the rear section of the frame rails.

With the step up in the dinette footspace of the new design, are the dinette seats (of the 21' and presumably the coming 5.0TA) taller than before? This would help available height for the battery case.

No one answered this question in the original thread. If a new-style 21' owner could check the height, it would likely provide a good indication of the height in a new-style (2017) 5.0TA as well.

[yologals]

We just became the excited owners of a gently broken 2016 21'. In getting oriented to our "stuff", I found that the battery box was tilted, pulled away from the original location and not secure. I talked to the Escape folks (Tammy) I think after sending pictures Roger wrote me back, telling me to remove the batteries to re-secure the box to the floor. How do I remove the batteries? Are there detailed instructions online that I can access? I have lot's of information the previous owner passed on to us, but nothing about batteries. I'm assuming this is generic basic info most owners know, but as a newbie and someone who has only tent camped, I am totally lost.

[gbaglo]

Take pictures before you remove them so you can refer to the pix when you are trying to put it back together.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, good advice to take pictures of the wiring. the batteries are heavy. Another suggestion is to position the box where you want and use strips of wood to anchor the box. Otherwise remove each battery and anchor the box and reinstall.

[Greg A]

Since the 21 batteries are interior it is important that the battery box hasn't been damaged and is still capable of completely sealing off from the inside air with the vent hose properly hooked up. Without pics of the current situation it is hard to tell if the box has damage or just needs to be reset properly.

[freespirit]

Originally Posted by yologals

We just became the excited owners of a gently broken 2016 21'. In getting oriented to our "stuff", I found that the battery box was tilted, pulled away from the original location and not secure. I talked to the Escape folks (Tammy) I think after sending pictures Roger wrote me back, telling me to remove the batteries to re-secure the box to the floor. How do I remove the batteries? Are there detailed instructions online that I can access? I have lot's of information the previous owner passed on to us, but nothing about batteries. I'm assuming this is generic basic info most owners know, but as a newbie and someone who has only tent camped, I am totally lost.

since the batteries are internal on the 21 you might also consider looking into AGM battery replacements over time..while expensive they do offer advantages, especially for installation inside a trailer with the occupants.

[yologals]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Since the 21 batteries are interior it is important that the battery box hasn't been damaged and is still capable of completely sealing off from the inside air with the vent hose properly hooked up. Without pics of the current situation it is hard to tell if the box has damage or just needs to be reset properly.

Good points. When I remove the batteries to secure the box, I'll make sure to check the box out for damage. The side and top do no appear to be damaged, but haven't seen the bottom yet. I am replacing the vent hose this weekend, because it is not intact.

[float5]

Originally Posted by yologals

We just became the excited owners of a gently broken 2016 21'. In getting oriented to our "stuff", I found that the battery box was tilted, pulled away from the original location and not secure. I talked to the Escape folks (Tammy) I think after sending pictures Roger wrote me back, telling me to remove the batteries to re-secure the box to the floor. How do I remove the batteries? Are there detailed instructions online that I can access? I have lot's of information the previous owner passed on to us, but nothing about batteries. I'm assuming this is generic basic info most owners know, but as a newbie and someone who has only tent camped, I am totally lost.

Welcome to the Escape club.

Did you ask Escape if you have the 2-year warranty? A little late as you needed to ask before you bought but maybe you did. Some people have had it and some not.

Those batteries are each over 60 lbs. They also need the proper venting and since that is a problem, you might have someone else do it.

[cpaharley2008]

AFAIK, the warranty does not transfer from one owner to another, only applies to original owner.

[AKCamper]

Before you try to lift the batteries you might get a battery lifting strap like this:
They hook onto the battery posts and make it much easier to lift.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

Before you try to lift the batteries you might get a battery lifting strap like this:
They hook onto the battery posts and make it much easier to lift.

Those straps are for batteries with automotive-style plain posts, not the threaded studs used on most deep-cycle batteries (including, I believe, the Interstate GC2-XHD in the version used by Escape). I wouldn't want to lift a battery by the threaded studs, and I certainly wouldn't want the teeth of this sort of device digging into them.

I note that the web page selling this strap shows the teeth gripping the plain lead portion of a combined post style of terminal - that might be okay, since it doesn't use the threaded stud.

I'm pretty sure that I've seen warnings from battery manufacturers against lifting them by the posts, although I don't have a reference handy at the moment so I may be mistaken, and it does make sense that the terminals are directly connected to the lead plates... although only a few of those plates.

If the battery has lifting tabs, a lift strap that hooks into the tabs would be better. I have a pair of Interstate GC2-sized 6-volt batteries and they have these tabs (and threaded posts)... but they are the older U2200 UTL model (which I believe Escape used), rather than the current GC2-XHD.

[Donna D.]

Please do not use a battery lift strap that attaches at the terminals. The terminals are not designed for that and the weight from the battery as you lift may damage those terminals. They can actually be twisted or pulled out. Use a tool designed to lift at the case, like this Kastar B500 Heavy Duty Battery Carrier. The more weight the tighter the grip.

[gbaglo]

Or, if replacing, get Trojan.