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Old 01-25-2014, 02:36 PM   #681
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Suggestion for any roof raise (I've been there) --- before you do any cutting, cross brace both the roof and the lower section (above & below the cut line). Tack weld something like square steel tube from side to side at least every six feet. Makes maneuvering inside a little trickier but it prevents either section from torquing out of shape. Remember that the existing structure is under stress and I can virtually guarantee you it will try to reshape itself when cut free and being jacked up. Just a question of how much...some move more than others. You can remove the bracing as soon as you have a few of the ribs tied back together and secured in place.

Trying to realign things after it is cut can be done but is a bona fide bitch. Ask me how I know.
This is a good idea, I got around it because I had my bus parked on a flat level parking lot. My roof torqued about 1/4 ". It was easy to correct.

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Old 02-16-2014, 07:06 AM   #682
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

where have you gone joltin joe?
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Old 02-16-2014, 08:42 PM   #683
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

it will warm up this week and I hope to get back out to it again. I miss working on it.
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Old 02-24-2014, 04:48 PM   #684
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

i need warm weather badly, i want to caulk and paint.. im getting annoyed.
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Old 02-24-2014, 05:48 PM   #685
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePimentals
i need warm weather badly, i want to caulk and paint.. im getting annoyed.
We had nice weather this past weekend, but i got sick. Can't wait for spring.
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Old 02-27-2014, 03:53 AM   #686
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Hey bud, what was the GVW of it when you bought it? I am looking at the exact same model/year to buy.

-Doc
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Old 02-28-2014, 01:41 PM   #687
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by Docsgsxr
Hey bud, what was the GVW of it when you bought it? I am looking at the exact same model/year to buy.

-Doc
33,000 lbs 11,000 on the front axle, 22,000 on the rear.
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Old 03-09-2014, 07:44 PM   #688
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
I need to get a role bender, and start making one piece sheet metal front and rear end caps for you fellow skoolies.
Been thinking myself how to use one to make rain caps for the RV windows I want to install. Gonna have to frame above the top of the stock window openings and as such will lose my drip rail at these places.

Travis
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Old 03-23-2014, 09:44 PM   #689
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

William,
I am really interested to see what you will do for your bathroom. You mentioned, somewhere in here, that you were considering putting it in the rear. The bus we may be purchasing is a Rear Engine with some engine air vents poking in and up through the back of the interior. I'm trying to figure out how to best utilize that space. And I read somewhere that others have done the same before. Also, is that a Nature's Head composting toilet? We are also planning on a composter so we won't need to deal with black water, just grey.
I am really enjoying your conversion thread. I love the style of your roof raise! Keep up the great work! Can't wait to see what you do next!
~Sarah
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Old 03-27-2014, 09:44 AM   #690
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Man, I'm way behind here. I have been in Winter Hibernation mode. I need to get out and back to work on the bus. It may take me a couple weeks just to catch up here on skoolie. I see a lot of new builds.
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Old 03-27-2014, 09:53 AM   #691
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by scgwagner
William,
I am really interested to see what you will do for your bathroom. You mentioned, somewhere in here, that you were considering putting it in the rear. The bus we may be purchasing is a Rear Engine with some engine air vents poking in and up through the back of the interior. I'm trying to figure out how to best utilize that space. And I read somewhere that others have done the same before. Also, is that a Nature's Head composting toilet? We are also planning on a composter so we won't need to deal with black water, just grey.
I am really enjoying your conversion thread. I love the style of your roof raise! Keep up the great work! Can't wait to see what you do next!
~Sarah
Hey Sarah,

I decided in the end to put my bathroom in the middle. With the toilet and sink on one side and shower on the other. I will have the door into the toilet sink side open up to close both the toilet/sink and shower off. I may have a sliding door on the bed room side.

The engine intrusion at the back of the bus made it hard to figure out how the layout for the bathroom would work. It was easier to put my bedroom back there.

Yes, I'm using a Nature's Head composting toilet and love it. No smell, it even impressed my dad when he used it, warning me he might clear out the bus after. Guess what, no smell. For me as a single person I may not have to change it out for almost two months. I used it full time on my trip to Indiana over Christmas and did not have to dump a tank. Last year's trip was in a 30' camper and I had to dump the 40 gal tank twice. You still have to dump the urine bottle, I just dumped it in the woods behine my moms house. When I get my grey water tank installed, I could just dump it down the bathroom sink. A lot less messier and smellier than a black water tank.
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Old 03-29-2014, 11:33 AM   #692
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

I am thrilled to read about your positive experience with the Nature's Head toilet. I don't think I've read anything negative about one yet! I think I have decided the same on layout for bedroom and bathroom placement. Also eager to continue with our project! I think I've found our bus!
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Old 03-31-2014, 05:32 PM   #693
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

I just went thru your old stuff. I can't wait until the sun shines again. I've done so much work below freezing and in clouds. I'm dying for warmth and light.
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Old 03-31-2014, 05:43 PM   #694
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePimentals
I just went thru your old stuff. I can't wait until the sun shines again. I've done so much work below freezing and in clouds. I'm dying for warmth and light.
Here, here. We had a lot of rain and snow this past weekend. Right now I have to run 200' of extention cord to work on my bus, i did not feel safe doing it in all that water. This weekend it will be in the 60's. I plan to get my dash back together so I can start the bus, then I can drive it over near my apartment and only need a short cord. I will be more likly to work on it then.
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Old 04-01-2014, 02:06 PM   #695
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by wmkbailey
Man, I'm way behind here. I have been in Winter Hibernation mode. I need to get out and back to work on the bus. It may take me a couple weeks just to catch up here on skoolie. I see a lot of new builds.
I'm with you there... it must have been 6 months ago that I got swamped in other things and occasionally thought "sure wish I had a few minutes (hah!) to catch up on skoolie...."

So I'm late to the party, but I'm excited to read about your experience using the Webasto for space heating. What's the heat output of your Webasto?

My bus came equipped with an Eberspacher (aka Espar) D12W, meaning 12 kW output, heater.... unfortunately it isn't simply expensive to maintain/service. It's impossible. I search high and low for a couple gaskets it needs, but apparently they're not available anywhere, and I'm going to have to replace the whole unit. Yeah, it's 14 years old, but still I hoped for better parts availability.

Regarding the amount of heat needed, I did a little experiment during the winter. I laid two 2250 W electric baseboard heaters on the floor, wired it through an electric utility meter, and let it run overnight (no thermostat -- just 100% duty cycle ran all night). Outdoor air temperature got down to about 16 F and temperature in the bus stayed about 58 F. The electric meter confirmed that the heaters pulled 5kW continuous all night. As far as insulation goes my bus is totally stock: it has some kind of globbed-in-place foam under the floor and whatever the factory put inside the walls. Based on this test I'm hoping that after I remove some windows and add insulation and thermal breaks, 5kW of heat from somewhere, hopefully Webasto, will get the job done for me. I won't be camping in near/sub-zero temperatures like you did!
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Old 04-01-2014, 02:13 PM   #696
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

The Wabasto is about the same, 45,000 btu ~ 13 kW. I got lucky and my Webasto was fully replaced March of 2012.

The only time I need to be in cold like this is when I go home over the holidays. When I get finished and start traveling, I may make them come to me, where it will be warmer.
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Old 04-03-2014, 11:48 AM   #697
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

I came home yesterday and someone stold my 3000 watt propane generator. I only have 15 amp outlets at my appartment so now I can't run my welder or any big poer tools

I guess the only option is to buy the generator I want to use for the bus and install it. Now the shopping starts.
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Old 04-03-2014, 12:57 PM   #698
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

That is absolutely sh*tty! This world would be so much better had it no a-holes like that. Sorry to hear man, but look at it this way, now you can find a 7k and run it off the diesel!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 04-03-2014, 01:27 PM   #699
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

Quote:
Originally Posted by wmkbailey
I came home yesterday and someone stold my 3000 watt propane generator. I only have 15 amp outlets at my appartment so now I can't run my welder or any big poer tools

I guess the only option is to buy the generator I want to use for the bus and install it. Now the shopping starts.
I'm sorry to hear that. But.. does your apartment have an electric range, maybe...? You could build yourself a cable that plugs into the range socket, runs through a 20A inline circuit breaker or fuse, and then to a 20A socket for your tools. Some in-line GFCI dogbone cords also feature a circuit breaker; you could make the range-to-20A adapter direct and then use it only with a GFCI+breaker cord plugged into it.

Could shop for a generator, but of course the one you really want won't be priced in the "petty cash" range, and this might not be the most convenient time to switch over to building the generator box on the bus. So anyway, there's an alternate workaround to the 15A-outlets-only problem.
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Old 04-03-2014, 02:09 PM   #700
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Re: The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

I just got more good news. The appartment manager said the owners have asked for me to move my bus. I can move it back over to the tattoo place I worked on it last year, but without the generator I wont have power.

It just keeps getting better and better.
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