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10-14-2019, 06:55 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Ontario
Posts: 34
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Bale of Straw...?
Heya..Im gonna try to brave the Ontario winter. Question: I will be parked til the spring and I was thinking about putting bales of straw/hay around my bus..Good or bad idea? I am somewhat insulated but this will be the big tester. Suggestions greatly appreciated.
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10-14-2019, 07:24 PM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Anything to keep air from moving under the bus is good. Some have mentioned hay being a fire hazard, so consider that.
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10-14-2019, 07:35 PM
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#3
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Almost There
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Loon Lake, NY
Posts: 81
Year: 2002
Engine: Cummins 8.3 ISC 300
Rated Cap: 36,200lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DogHouse
Heya..Im gonna try to brave the Ontario winter. Question: I will be parked til the spring and I was thinking about putting bales of straw/hay around my bus..Good or bad idea? I am somewhat insulated but this will be the big tester. Suggestions greatly appreciated.
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Hay would make a big difference. Blocking the wind is the most important thing. We stack hay along the walls and empty the center first in the barn, it is noticeably warmer with just horse and chicken body heat when there are bails, vs when there aren't. We've always avoided keeping them in direct sunlight, never had a fire, but old timers always say it can happen in ideal scenarios with a combination of decomposition inside the bail generating some heat and hot dry days.
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10-14-2019, 08:09 PM
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#4
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DogHouse
Heya..Im gonna try to brave the Ontario winter. Question: I will be parked til the spring and I was thinking about putting bales of straw/hay around my bus..Good or bad idea? I am somewhat insulated but this will be the big tester. Suggestions greatly appreciated.
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Lots of farm houses still bank straw bales against their foundations for the winter. Definitely don't use hay bales, there is more air in straw and people actually build straw bale houses, never hay. I promise it'll help
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10-14-2019, 08:37 PM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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A straw bale is R-40
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10-14-2019, 08:45 PM
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#6
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Rapid City, SD
Posts: 993
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: CS RE
Engine: ISC 8.3 L 260 hp
Rated Cap: 36
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There are alot of good suggestions in this recent thread.
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/he...-do-28739.html
Ted
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10-14-2019, 09:31 PM
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#7
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Picton,Ont, Can.
Posts: 1,956
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 72
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All straw bales right to the roof or just above, some rafters and sheeting, more straw on top.
Sounds a bit much for Ontario winters but certainly breaks cold winds up and then snow will help insulate the walls as it builds up too. I would purposely blow snow at the straw walls. More warmth and airconditioning in Springtime.
John
__________________
Question everything!
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10-15-2019, 07:41 AM
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#8
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Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central missouri
Posts: 128
Chassis: 2000 Int Amtran
Engine: DT466HT
Rated Cap: 84
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Don't forget the bales will attract mice looking to stay warm also.
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10-15-2019, 08:06 AM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Picton,Ont, Can.
Posts: 1,956
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MacC
Don't forget the bales will attract mice looking to stay warm also.
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True enough unless he waits till it's real old to do this.
Hope his bus is a big CAT!
John
__________________
Question everything!
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10-15-2019, 09:06 AM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc
Anything to keep air from moving under the bus is good. Some have mentioned hay being a fire hazard, so consider that.
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Loose straw will burn fairly easily. Straw bales not so much.
I have worked two big fires since moving here. Have seen fire burn through a wheat field, on a couple of occasions, and leave straw bales a bit singed on the outside but they wouldn't sustain combustion.
Several years ago I tinkered with straw bales building. A gent that was active in the community made a video of himself trying to get straw bales to burn in various conditions.
Loose straw burns pretty easily. Bales are fire resistant enough that I would not hesitate to put them around my bus.
I do have an alternate that I hope to try out this winter. Instead of straw bales I am going to try and stay warm using a compass and 100 gallons of diesel
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10-15-2019, 08:57 PM
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#11
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Ontario
Posts: 34
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Thanx
The plan has been made..bales of hay for under the bus..No hot stuff will touch the hay..Im just using it around the bus to block the wind and snow.
I do have the inside walls, ceiling and floor insulated but Im pretty sure its not air tight lol sooo the extra blockage will help.
I am a bit concerned about the hay getting wet
Maybe wrapping plastic around the bus..??
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10-15-2019, 10:45 PM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DogHouse
The plan has been made..bales of hay for under the bus..No hot stuff will touch the hay..Im just using it around the bus to block the wind and snow.
I do have the inside walls, ceiling and floor insulated but Im pretty sure its not air tight lol sooo the extra blockage will help.
I am a bit concerned about the hay getting wet
Maybe wrapping plastic around the bus..??
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we carry straw bales with us when we go to the sleddog races so we can change bedding for the dogs - because they travel on top of the truck or trailer exposed to the weather we use two large black plastic garbage bags to put the bales in - one on either end keeps the bales dry no matter the rain or snow we run into - if I were to make use of a straw shed around my bus I'd wrap the bales rather than the bus
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10-16-2019, 06:28 AM
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#13
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DogHouse
The plan has been made..bales of hay for under the bus..No hot stuff will touch the hay..Im just using it around the bus to block the wind and snow.
I do have the inside walls, ceiling and floor insulated but Im pretty sure its not air tight lol sooo the extra blockage will help.
I am a bit concerned about the hay getting wet
Maybe wrapping plastic around the bus..??
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Good morning, I definitely recommend straw over hay. Hay bales are denser and not as much air therefore less insulation. Hay is also a food and has a ton of sugar and will rot and smell to high heaven. Use straw bales, pack them tightly cover with tarps
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10-18-2019, 10:52 PM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Moved to Zealand!
Posts: 1,517
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 7.2L Cat 3126 turbo diesel
Rated Cap: 71 passenger 30,000 gvwr
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I lived in my 14' Fireball trailer through one of the colder winters in CO back in '97...
A couple rows of stacked straw around the trailer made a huge difference in keeping the wind out from under the camper. Our cat kept the mice away...
The straw was free to us as long as we returned the bales in the spring...
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10-27-2019, 09:00 PM
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#15
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 58
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 8 seats, 5 wheelchairs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Firepuncher
Good morning, I definitely recommend straw over hay. Hay bales are denser and not as much air therefore less insulation. Hay is also a food and has a ton of sugar and will rot and smell to high heaven. Use straw bales, pack them tightly cover with tarps
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A lot of folks don't realize there's a difference. You're right, straw would be a much better choice than hay.
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10-28-2019, 11:25 AM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Firepuncher
Good morning, I definitely recommend straw over hay. Hay bales are denser and not as much air therefore less insulation. Hay is also a food and has a ton of sugar and will rot and smell to high heaven. Use straw bales, pack them tightly cover with tarps
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I HAVE seen alfalfa bales set a barn on fire. Hay, if bailed too wet or allowed to get soaked outside then put up, will mold and begin to compost in the middle of the bale. That can generate enough heat to support combustion.
Straw is definitely preferable.
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10-28-2019, 11:27 AM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Stolen from another site:
"When thermophilic bacteria are present, they multiply and produce heat, which can raise interior bale temperature to over 170°F. At these temperatures, spontaneous combustion can occur"
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10-31-2019, 05:08 PM
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#18
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Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: A bus
Posts: 104
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Cummins 5.9 + Allison 3060
Rated Cap: Full size
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Get one of those handheld laser thermometers and take the bus up to high altitude where it is colder. Then you can find where the worst leaks are now and fix them before it gets cold where you will be staying.
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11-01-2019, 10:07 AM
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#19
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Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central missouri
Posts: 128
Chassis: 2000 Int Amtran
Engine: DT466HT
Rated Cap: 84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW_Steve
Stolen from another site:
"When thermophilic bacteria are present, they multiply and produce heat, which can raise interior bale temperature to over 170°F. At these temperatures, spontaneous combustion can occur"
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Don't let it get wet
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11-03-2019, 11:39 PM
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#20
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Skoolie
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Mud Lake, Idaho
Posts: 136
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How would it work to take a 2 or 3 foot wide sheet of the foil bubble wrap stuff and go around the bus leaving 6 inches of the wrap on the ground for the straw bale to sit on and push it up against the body to hold it up? Seems like that would really stop the air from going under the bus.
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