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06-23-2015, 11:20 PM
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#1
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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rooftop ac replacement reccomendations
one has stopped working and its getting hotter.
im no expert......any advice, brands, features, im all ears.
whats cool in A/C?
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06-24-2015, 06:11 AM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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I think they're all about the same.
Dometic and Coleman are two popular choices.
I personally don't buy Atwood or Norcold products...
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06-24-2015, 06:57 AM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 352
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: 466DT
Rated Cap: 65
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I bought a 15,000 btu Dometic when I first started my bus build 5yrs ago. I haven't had any problems with it. I bought it new. Last fall I decided to add a second one. Started watching craigslist. A 13,500 Dometic, 4 years old showed up for $350. I bought it and works great. It's a year newer then my first one. Really have to be careful on Craigslist though. I bought another one first from a guy who said it worked great. As soon as I got home a hooked it up and the motor was froze up. I was back at his door within the hour and demanded my money back. He gave it back.
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06-24-2015, 09:36 AM
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#4
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Birmingham Al
Posts: 602
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Blue Bird
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I thought I could get by with vent fan, and pull air thru. I live in Alabama. That strategy does not work. Gonna try a window unit today sometime. If I like it might get 2.
If that does not work, I am gonna start a bakery...... cookies, bread, molten steel, etc.....
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06-24-2015, 10:35 AM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Where ya planning on putting that window unit?
I'm going to stick a tiny 5k unit in one of the back window spots by the back door.
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06-24-2015, 11:42 AM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hvbuzz
Really have to be careful on Craigslist though. I bought another one first from a guy who said it worked great. As soon as I got home a hooked it up and the motor was froze up. I was back at his door within the hour and demanded my money back. He gave it back.
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you got lucky!
most people would have said you damaged it upon install
__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
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06-24-2015, 12:04 PM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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If you have the underbelly space, it is not that difficult to create a "basement" A/C system using a fairly large & efficient window unit similar to what they put into the high-dollar coaches these days. And it doesn't take much in the way of ducting to get the air where you want it. Just wish I had the space under my shorty to go that route.
Personally, I have a loathing of all the "RV roof-top units".
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06-24-2015, 12:27 PM
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#8
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Personally, I have a loathing of all the "RV roof-top units".
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Agreed. Most I ride have 5 on the roof. You need a substation to run them!
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06-24-2015, 01:15 PM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,356
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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fortunately....
i do have a built in substation..... ima packing my 12.5kw genny
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06-24-2015, 01:30 PM
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#10
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Gee...I still use a 4kw/115v
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06-24-2015, 07:27 PM
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#11
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 352
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: 466DT
Rated Cap: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by milkmania
you got lucky!
most people would have said you damaged it upon install
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Nice thing about Iowa. It's easy to find people, and most still have morals. Plus, I picked it up where he lived, I don't take no for an answer. He apologized, saying he replaced the unit with a exhaust fan, taking the other guys word that it worked. Do I believe that, no. I had bad feeling from beginning and should have followed my gut.
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06-25-2015, 12:44 PM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
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Personally I really loathe the look of a window AC unit. It just looks plain ugly. I'd just take the time to install a rooftop unit even if it means spending weeks on Craigslist or Ebay finding the right one.
For people that have installed rooftop ACs, do you repurpose the emergency hatches or cut your own holes?
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06-25-2015, 12:46 PM
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#13
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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If I end up running one, I'd use the hole from a roof escape. Of course, they're different sizes, but at least its not adding a new hole.
That said, I'm installing three pop up roof vents, so cutting new holes isn't really a problem to me...
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06-25-2015, 12:51 PM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
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Most of the buses at my company have two emergency hatches. I'd probably use them both for AC units and then cut a new hole for a roof vent, probably in the bathroom somewhere. I've noticed a lot of stickbuilt RVs usually have a roof vent right above the shower.
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06-25-2015, 12:55 PM
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#15
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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YEah I have 3 "Fantastic" vents. One is three speeds reversible fan, one is a 3 speed exhaust only fan, and one is just a static, non fan vent. Will probably put the exhaust only fan in the restroom. I got them new in box for about 50 apiece.
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06-25-2015, 12:57 PM
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#16
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WIbluebird
Personally I really loathe the look of a window AC unit. It just looks plain ugly. I'd just take the time to install a rooftop unit even if it means spending weeks on Craigslist or Ebay finding the right one.
For people that have installed rooftop ACs, do you repurpose the emergency hatches or cut your own holes?
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I really dislike the window AC too. I plan on installing a rooftop unit. I have a vent fan toward the rear of my bus. I don't have an escape hatch. I'm thinking I'll cut the hole where that vent fan is and install it there. I might try to relocate the vent fan in order to repurpose it as a fart filter in the bathroom.
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06-25-2015, 09:47 PM
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#17
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 352
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: 466DT
Rated Cap: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WIbluebird
Personally I really loathe the look of a window AC unit. It just looks plain ugly. I'd just take the time to install a rooftop unit even if it means spending weeks on Craigslist or Ebay finding the right one.
For people that have installed rooftop ACs, do you repurpose the emergency hatches or cut your own holes?
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One of the best things I've done to date is get rid of those water leaking escape hatches! I had two also. Made one cover for a powered vent, the other for a AC unit. The nice thing is that they are both 14" holes. So you can just add a vent for now, then later on swap it for rooftop AC.
Here is the removed rear escape hatch
20150417_165717 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr
The front AC was also an escape hatch
20150417_165735 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr
6" of rain last night, the bus is completely dry inside. Before, very little rain would find its way in through those hatches.
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06-25-2015, 10:01 PM
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#18
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
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__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
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06-25-2015, 10:11 PM
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#19
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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Or...you can roof mount a window unit...in an armored can...
My 8K btu window unit fits inside there and (eventually) a roof deck will sit flush with it.
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06-25-2015, 10:14 PM
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#20
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Or...you can roof mount a window unit...in an armored can...
My 8K btu window unit fits inside there and (eventually) a roof deck will sit flush with it.
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That looks really cool in a Mad Max sort of way.
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