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Old 04-01-2016, 03:27 PM   #21
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
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R14 when a quarter your surface area is single pane window is an unreasonable number.

i think r4 was wishful thinking in my situation.

good luck

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Old 04-01-2016, 04:46 PM   #22
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: South Dakota
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Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner HDX
Engine: CAT 3126B250
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Use this for a quick reference and you'll see that volume is much much more than twice as much square footage:

BTU Calculator

For my bus, a 40 foot bus, that will have 6 double paned windows, the windshield of course, everything else sheeted over, 2 inches of closed cell spray foam in the ceiling and walls, 3/4" foam board on the floor, an not accounting for dead spaces like cabinets and barriers like the bathroom and bedroom walls, it comes out to the following:

Width: 7.5 feet
Length: 35 feet
Height: 6.1 feet
Insulation condition: normal - you are still in a metal box, which can be a cooker or a freezer
Temperature change: 80 degrees F - assuming at -20F outside worst case, and 60F inside

24,992 BTU/hour

I'm looking at getting a Webasto diesel fired heater that will do a little over 20kBTU on its max setting and am still concerned that it may be too cold to endure. Since it says you're in Chicago, I imagine it gets cold there in the winter. If you stay in an apartment, with other apartments above, below and on each side all running their heaters, it's absolutely nothing like being in the bus surrounded by the raw air. Just like metal conducts electricity, it conducts heat - from where it's hot to where it's not. You'll freeze in the winter unless you camp directly in front of that 600w heater.

Like you said though, real life will show the way. Pack lots of blankets and a fire extinguisher.
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Old 04-01-2016, 08:25 PM   #23
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Rhombus, remember that is a start up from -20 to 60. Once the cabin is heated and your cabinets and furnishings come up to temp the heater will not need to work as hard, providing there are no air leaks. While single pane windows do lose a lot of energy, a simple sheet of .05 mil tint will help it out a lot plus say a small curtain to help hold heat or cold in, whichever you are using.


Look at it this way, on an electric stove, the element is hottest when you are warming up the water to boil, once it is boiling, it doesn't need maximum energy from the element to maintain it. Adding a lid to the pot helps it heat faster and maintain its temp.
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Old 04-01-2016, 08:53 PM   #24
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: chicago, il
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf View Post
R14 when a quarter your surface area is single pane window is an unreasonable number.

i think r4 was wishful thinking in my situation.

good luck
yeah, i think double pane will be a requirement or as they said the tinting.
Either way i will have to adjust a bit in my budget and planning. Score one for over thinking lol
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