Quote:
Originally Posted by Smitty
Griff, glad to hear you've improved with your health, I hope you continue to do so. Be interested to hearing some follow-up regarding some of your upgrades/projects. Reading your post should raise a big flag with others to insulate during their conversion. It's a whole bunch easier and cheaper to do it at the beginning, than trying to go back after the bus is finished...
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Pulled this over here, Smitty, didn't want to completely wreck TygerCub's thread, she's got enough problems. I wish I had a diesel so I'd know what to suggest besides the already mentioned filters/pumps/injectors...
Thank you very much for the well-wishes! Like I said, I know what you (and a few others on this board) are going through and sympathize. I hadn't mentioned my situation as I didn't want to sound like I was rubbing it into anyone's face. It's been a long, arduous road to get some satisfaction, but finally some healing/pain relief is happening (even though I'll never get back to 100%)! Too bad...now that I'm getting some satisfaction Abominationcare is going to relieve me of future satisfaction(s)...
Yeah, I think additional insulation is a good idea, especially before building. Regardless of climate, additional insulation, done in the right places and with the right types, can help save a wad of resources in maintaining consistant inside temperatures, especially if you're trying to minimize grid dependence...and I am...
As far as some follow ups, it's also been a long, hard road - my TWE site is down for reconstruction (along with my other sites). Much has changed since I got TWE and the original plans have been just about totally scrapped. I will be posting updates to my TWE site after reconstruction. There probably won't be step-by-step construction pics, more like "before" & "after" pics. I always end up getting so involved when I'm working on it that I forget to take pics "during", heh!
Anyway, some of what I've got on paper, in prototype and in material gathering stages:
exterior - a fair bit including:
* paint, obviously, but will just be white, maybe with contrasting blue rubrails...am still deciding on whether or not ceramic paint for roof as 90% plus of roof will be covered by deck/solar...
* roof deck on rear half of bus roof...
* manually positionable (2-axis) solar panels on front half...
* deck will conceal powered/manual roll-out hard cover for solar panels for travel/severe weather...
* have rough design for my own awning using sail canvas/semi-trailer tarp/tarp bows, pvc pipe and miscellaneous hardware - may be either manual or powered...
* insulation/small item storage between floor joists and/or fabricated storage beneath...
* possibly adding a 4' back porch/deck and hitch for toad...(or maybe just skip the toad and opt-in on a "Hoveround" while I still can!
)
interior - GOBS of stuff including:
* in addition to existing factory installed incandescents; low-draw led lighting throughout (with a some special wiring plans and materials), a couple 12vdc flourescents and a couple 110vac high-intensity area lights...
* reversable, ducted, air circulation utilizing low-draw computer cooling fans of various sizes/types, pvc fence post & picket materials and pvc rain gutter/spouting materials...
* front seating/dining/storage convertible to additional sleeping...
* utilization of space inside partition walls for small item storage...
* possibly pocket doors with counter balanced inserts that match the roof curve. The inserts will raise to close the gap between the straight top of the door frame and the curve of the roof when the door(s) is/are pulled out, and retract into the top of the door when the door is pushed back into the wall...
* utilization of space beneath overhead cabinets, i.e. having "trays" that cantilever from under the cabinets to store small items like flatware in the kitchen, bathroom toiletries, my small electrical/zircon-encrusted hand tools and parts over my R&D and computer tinkering benches (in my diabolical tin-foil encased lah
BOHRahtohry)
...
* since the "new" "office" is now to be across the back door/wall but I still want to be able to use the door, there will be an overhead cabinet that will have a false front in the middle from which my computer monitor will lower and raise (hopefully utilizing a Dodge Durango power window set up I was given), the "desk top" itself will either be a simple lift out and set-aside, or (more likely) a split-centered, outside drop-hinge that will allow the two halves to just fall away. Either way, the rear door will not be blocked during travel or moments of sleep...
* the aforementioned cabinet over the rear door will also house some of the ducting from the a/c unit that will either be mounted in the door similar to how it is now, or by removing the top "destination" signage/glass and mounting it up there (so I can put my back door glass back in)...
There's much more (like Savonius windmills/turbines made from computer hard drive parts...), but that's plenty for now. Like I said, I'll be trying to get TWE's site back up in the next month or so, depends on what other stuff happens in between, heh, heh!
Like you, I've had a lot of time to think and plan, since I couldn't "do", but am fortunate enough to be able to think and plan in TWE. Sure wish you could find your bus!
If ya have any particular questions in mind, don't hesitate to ask, and I'll answer as best I can.