A number of questions

[John-in-Texas]

Hello Everyone in the Escape community,

I’m in the process of drafting the Build Sheet for our new E19, and want to maximize the trailer’s energy producing capability on the roof and the energy storing capability with onboard equipment. I want to explore these capabilities both with ETI products and installations and aftermarket products and installations.

1. What is the maximum number of 200W or larger capacity solar panels that can be fitted on the roof of a 2024 E19?

a) in front of the MaxAir fan
b) between the MaxAir fan and the Houghton air conditioner
c) aft of the Houghton air conditioner
d) with the maximum combination of solar panels, what size wire gauge should connect the panels to the solar controller (AWG 12 or AWG 10)?

2. Should I consider larger dimension panels with more output than the 200W panels?

3. Should I consider 12v, 24v or 48v solar panels and/or supporting equipment?

4. My next questions concern how many lithium batteries and how much supporting equipment can fit in each of the storage lockers under the front dinette.

a) In the Standard dinette on a E19,

1. What are the interior dimensions (L x W x H) of the DS and PS dinette lockers?
2. What equipment (voltage control & distribution panel, EMS and surge* protection, battery(ies), solar controller, inverter, shunt, battery monitor, DC-DC protection) does ETI normally install in each of the DS and PS dinette lockers?
3. Would the maximum installation of four lithium batteries all fit in the DS and PS dinette lockers?
4. Photos would be appreciated.

b) In the U-shaped dinette on a E19,

1. What are the interior dimensions (L x W x H) of the DS, PS and center dinette lockers?
2. What equipment (voltage control & distribution, EMS and surge protection, battery, solar controller, inverter, shunt, battery monitor, ) does ETI normally install in each of the DS, PS and center dinette lockers?
3. Would the maximum installation of four lithium batteries all fit in the DS, PS and center dinette lockers?
4. Photos would be appreciated.

5. I would like to think that there might be a system incorporating perhaps 24v or 48v solar panels and an all-in-one solar controller-inverter (and incorporating even more functions that I don’t fully understand – the Renogy 48V 3500W Pure Sine Wave 48v-120v Inverter, MPPT Controller @ $580 comes to mind) and perhaps 24v or 48v lithium battery(ies) can generate and store sufficient power to generate and operate a 120v AC air conditioner and a 12v compressor refrigerator on summer days and nights. By using 24v or 48v equipment, savings could be realized by reducing the wire gauge of connecting cables. By using all-in-one equipment, installation would be more compact, simpler, faster and lighter. I invite any and all input, please.

6. My last questions have to do with preventing mold in a tightly sealed fiberglass trailer like an Escape.

a) I’m wondering if painting all bare exposed wood in the trailer upon delivery with an outdoor grade gloss washable paint would prevent the wood from absorbing any moisture that would contribute to mold growth.
b) Would installing 12v ventilation fans to circulate air through neighboring compartments reduce both humidity and heat from equipment? Any ideas?

With answers to these questions, I’ll be closer to completing the Build Sheet on our E19. Once we take delivery and do a shake-down of our new E19, I’ll be happy to share what we will have finally built and how it’s working out for us. I’m sure we’ll be proud to show off our Escape trailer as Ambassadors. Thanks again for all your support and wishing you all the best.
John-in-Texas
john-in-texas@use.startmail.com

 

[gklott]

Discuss via Phone

Sent you an email. Glad to go over your questions via phone.

73/gus

 

[Ron in BC]

Good luck with your planning.

I suggest that you watch Johnny Heng on youtube. Shows what the maximum solar panel capacity is and what you have to do to achieve it.

Larger panels. I was going to fit a 400W panel, it'd fit but my view is that these larger panels were never designed to be mounted on RV roofs without a frame to support their large span. I installed a 220W panel and it's about as large a single panel as I'd want to install.

Ron

 

[TTMartin]

Hello Everyone in the Escape community,

I’m in the process of drafting the Build Sheet for our new E19, and want to maximize the trailer’s energy producing capability on the roof and the energy storing capability with onboard equipment. I want to explore these capabilities both with ETI products and installations and aftermarket products and installations.

1. What is the maximum number of 200W or larger capacity solar panels that can be fitted on the roof of a 2024 E19?

a) in front of the MaxAir fan
b) between the MaxAir fan and the Houghton air conditioner
c) aft of the Houghton air conditioner
d) with the maximum combination of solar panels, what size wire gauge should connect the panels to the solar controller (AWG 12 or AWG 10)?

2. Should I consider larger dimension panels with more output than the 200W panels?

3. Should I consider 12v, 24v or 48v solar panels and/or supporting equipment?

As already mentioned Johnny Hung (on Facebook) is probably your best source for many of the above questions.

4. My next questions concern how many lithium batteries and how much supporting equipment can fit in each of the storage lockers under the front dinette.

a) In the Standard dinette on a E19,

1. What are the interior dimensions (L x W x H) of the DS and PS dinette lockers?
2. What equipment (voltage control & distribution panel, EMS and surge* protection, battery(ies), solar controller, inverter, shunt, battery monitor, DC-DC protection) does ETI normally install in each of the DS and PS dinette lockers?

Escape normally installs the everything but the inverter under the driver's side dinette. Under there is the main power center and converter, the EMS, the transfer switch, solar controller as well as the DC to DC charger if the trailer is equipped with lithium batteries.

In my 2020 Escape 19 which originally came dual 6V flooded lead acid batteries, no inverter or transfer switch, I was able to get two Group 27 Lithium Batteries, the transfer switch under the driver's side dinette seat. Note the Black tank extends under the driver's side dinette seat and takes about 1/2 of the available space.

I added the same 1500 watt GoPower inverter Escape uses under the passenger side dinette seat.

3. Would the maximum installation of four lithium batteries all fit in the DS and PS dinette lockers?
4. Photos would be appreciated.

Yes I estimate you could fit an additional 5 or 6 Group 27 batteries under the passenger side dinette seat.

The passenger dinette seat dimensions are approximately 24" X 41" X 14" with one corner curved due to the shape of the trailer.

I have 500 ah of LiFePO4 batteries in my Escape 19. The two previously mentioned 100ah Group 27 batteries under the driver's side dinette seat, and a single 300ah Chins Smart Battery with internal heater in the factory storage box, where the original dual 6V flooded lead acid batteries were.

If you plan on a compressor refrigerator and plan on running the air conditioning off of batteries. you will probably have to have 800 to 1000ah (at 12 volts) battery capacity. Solar is great, but, I have been to many locations where I have had almost zero charging from my solar panel. I do only have one though, as I'm not convince solar is the end all be all.

Jonny Hung is doing all that you are talking about doing, but, he has I believe 800ah of lithium batteries in a 21 with more roof real estate and is using a mini-split rather than a standard RV air conditioner. Even with the 21 he has dual layer solar panels and the lower ones slide out and extend beyond the edges of his trailer and he has two additional solar panel on the rear of his pickup truck.

b) In the U-shaped dinette on a E19,

1. What are the interior dimensions (L x W x H) of the DS, PS and center dinette lockers?
2. What equipment (voltage control & distribution, EMS and surge protection, battery, solar controller, inverter, shunt, battery monitor, ) does ETI normally install in each of the DS, PS and center dinette lockers?
3. Would the maximum installation of four lithium batteries all fit in the DS, PS and center dinette lockers?
4. Photos would be appreciated.

If you want a U-shaped dinette I would highly recommend going with the 21NE. And if you do that get the F2 floor plan and use the front dinette make the front dinette non-u-shaped for maximum storage area and use the front dinette as your permanent bed and make the rear dinette u-shaped and use the rear dinette area as your dinette. The rear is superior area for a dinette as the rear of the trailer is typically where the views are. If I had known about the dual dinette possibility and the whole dinette view thing prior to getting my Escape 19, I probably would have gone with the 21NE.

5. I would like to think that there might be a system incorporating perhaps 24v or 48v solar panels and an all-in-one solar controller-inverter (and incorporating even more functions that I don’t fully understand – the Renogy 48V 3500W Pure Sine Wave 48v-120v Inverter, MPPT Controller @ $580 comes to mind) and perhaps 24v or 48v lithium battery(ies) can generate and store sufficient power to generate and operate a 120v AC air conditioner and a 12v compressor refrigerator on summer days and nights. By using 24v or 48v equipment, savings could be realized by reducing the wire gauge of connecting cables. By using all-in-one equipment, installation would be more compact, simpler, faster and lighter. I invite any and all input, please.

6. My last questions have to do with preventing mold in a tightly sealed fiberglass trailer like an Escape.

a) I’m wondering if painting all bare exposed wood in the trailer upon delivery with an outdoor grade gloss washable paint would prevent the wood from absorbing any moisture that would contribute to mold growth.
b) Would installing 12v ventilation fans to circulate air through neighboring compartments reduce both humidity and heat from equipment? Any ideas?

I haven't had any issues with mold in my 2020 Escape 19, we typically spend 4 months of the year on the road with it. My MaxxFan usually runs 24/7 either open, but, often in ceiling fan mode (closed but on). The bathroom vent is always open except when driving or it is below freezing outside. We use the bathroom fan only when showering. We always use the range hood fan whenever using the propane cooktop.

With answers to these questions, I’ll be closer to completing the Build Sheet on our E19. Once we take delivery and do a shake-down of our new E19, I’ll be happy to share what we will have finally built and how it’s working out for us. I’m sure we’ll be proud to show off our Escape trailer as Ambassadors. Thanks again for all your support and wishing you all the best.
John-in-Texas
john-in-texas@use.startmail.com

 

[TTMartin]

Picture of my driver's side dinette with the two 100ah Group 27 LiFePO4 batteries. The left side (right as the photo is upside down) with the plywood is the black water tank. There is room there for the EMS (Escape installed), Transfer Switch (I installed) and the extra breaker box used because of the transfer switch on top of it. No seen attached to the top of the compartment (under the seat plywood} is a 20 amp DC to DC charger set to 10 amps for charging while towing.