Escape Overwhelmment!

[LarryB.]

I have a heat strip in my air conditioner and find it quite useful when the weather might be chilly. The alternative would be to use a small ceramic heater but that usually means that you would have to stand it in the aisle.

I also have the two way water heater. Since most campgrounds offer electric service, that allows me to conserve propane.

My trailer came with an installed microwave. If I had to do it over, I would defer that feature for a separate unit. I suspect that a small 700 watt would probably suffice for warming up left overs, pizza, and/or cups of water for tea.

 

[bopperca]

I’m also new to this forum and I would love to see your Build sheet as I will be orderIng a 19 of Fall of 22 just before I retire. I’ve been struggling with what to have installed as the price climbs fast. I’m moving up from a bare bones Boler.

 

[Yakanaka]

We too travel with 2 kids in our 21. Nobody yet has chimed in about the Springfield pedestal so I'll do it.
With 4 people in the trailer, the dinette table goes up and down almost every day. The stock table legs are cumbersome to raise and lower. Getting the Springfield pedestal base makes this an easy 1 person (or even 1 kid) job. I'm glad we got it every time the table is moved (which happens to be quite frequently).

 

[Yakanaka]

The other thing is the foot flush toilet. You may be doing someone else's flushing for them for a few years. The foot flush keeps you from having to bend down to flush. This will keep your head further from the bowl. I'd spend the minimal extra on this and forego the toilet shut off valve (which you should never need...knock on wood)

 

[felix2]

The other thing is the foot flush toilet. You may be doing someone else's flushing for them for a few years. The foot flush keeps you from having to bend down to flush. This will keep your head further from the bowl. I'd spend the minimal extra on this and forego the toilet shut off valve (which you should never need...knock on wood)

The toilet shutoff valve is indeed not needed...until it is. Very cheap insurance in my book. Things like the upgraded wheels are what's not needed.

 

[Yakanaka]

Lindsay,
I totally feel your pain with the food issues. My first trip from Ontario to BC I packed freeze dried food for the whole trip so I knew what was in each meal since I prepared it. But also knew since it was freeze dried it wouldn't go bad. This was pre escape when we were tent camping.

I'm not sure if it's on your build sheet already but a second outdoor 120v plug is amazing to have if you plan on cooking outside. They 2 plugs are on different circuits so you can run a toaster and electric frying pan at the same time with blowing the circuit. If you are doing a lot of cooking multistep meals you might want this option. We also have the outdoor shower on the passenger side to do the dishes and get water for cooking so we don't have to keep going inside.

 

[arniesea]

This is good to hear because I had this idea of alligator clipping the portable solar to the battery as a back up plan, in addition to the 1 panel on top. Nice to hear someone is doing it! Its also good to know about the varying size options of inverters added aftermarket.

ETI will install a ZAMP port (that you provide) on the exterior shell of the trailer to plug in a portable solar panel. One thing to be aware of with portable solar: does the portable unit have its own solar controller built in or not? If not, then the ZAMP port is wired through the on-board solar controller. If it does have its own controller, then the ZAMP port is wired directly to the batteries.

 

[tractors1]

I always like having at least one swing-up window (like the frameless) that can stay open even in heavy rain, and also a maxx air vent cover overtop the regular vent (or else the all-in-one maxx fan that does the same), so it can stay open 24/7. With the vent fan exhausting on low it draws air in the window really great, and besides that they can be left open while the trailer is sitting unused so it doesn't get stuffy or build up moisture inside.

All Escapes have an emergency exit window that tilts out (legal requirement) so if it's raining heavy we just open that - it's at the far end of our trailer from the ceiling fan on a 21.

 

[emers382]

The other thing is the foot flush toilet. You may be doing someone else's flushing for them for a few years. The foot flush keeps you from having to bend down to flush. This will keep your head further from the bowl. I'd spend the minimal extra on this and forego the toilet shut off valve (which you should never need...knock on wood)

Get the shut off valve. We didn't have it on our 5.0 single and had a problem with toilet while traveling, thought it would be easier to get new toilet. Ordered on amazon, it came and was the wrong toilet then went to RV dealer to get replacement parts. Meanwhile we could not use water at all in the trailer.

 

[tractors1]

Agree on toilet isolation valve. Only takes one flood from a leaky toilet to overflow your gray tank......................

 

[cpaharley2008]

As far as head being near the toilet for hand flushing, we just shut the lid........I'm aware of one foot flushing repair but not any hand flush issues. My sense of balance is not as good as it once was!

 

[Higgy]

The Escape 19 is number one on my list and this thread has been most helpful, thanks. I am 6’ 2-3/4” tall and the 19 is listed as 6’3” interior, I understand the AC hangs lower, how do you feel I will fit ? My second question is, does the 3” lift raise the drain pipes or what ever hangs the lowest and actually help, we live in Maine and roads can be a challenge for sure.

 

[TTMartin]

The Escape 19 is number one on my list and this thread has been most helpful, thanks. I am 6’ 2-3/4” tall and the 19 is listed as 6’3” interior, I understand the AC hangs lower, how do you feel I will fit ? My second question is, does the 3” lift raise the drain pipes or what ever hangs the lowest and actually help, we live in Maine and roads can be a challenge for sure.

Karl the President of Escape is 6'3", you can see how he fits in an Escape 19 in this livestream showcase of the Escape 19.

Yes, the high lift option raises the entire trailer frame and everything attached to it 2 5/8 inches. The lift fits between the axle mount and the frame, so it does not raise the axle. On the Escape 19 without the high lift option the water tank hangs below the axle, with the high lift option, the axle is the lowest part of the trailer.

edit: if you have a pickup truck for towing the Escape 5.0TA has the most headroom of any of the Escape trailers.

 

[Higgy]

Thanks TT Martin, the video with 6’3” Karl is exactly what I needed to see in a 19. This entire thread is something I will go over in greater detail, it has really answered almost all my questions, if not all about a 19 and what options to order on a budget. Thanks to all.

 

[TTMartin]

Thanks TT Martin, the video with 6’3” Karl is exactly what I needed to see in a 19. This entire thread is something I will go over in greater detail, it has really answered almost all my questions, if not all about a 19 and what options to order on a budget. Thanks to all.

Here's the thread that I started for my Escape 19 purchase decision.

2020 Escape 19 build discussion