1998 VanHool 45' coach conversion

[prorott01]

I'm a full-timer n a itasca horizon now with 2 slides..have never had an issue in 16+ yrs with them.

[prorott01]

If you or someone else here knows where I might find out info on doing slides myself it would be appreciated. I have googled & info I have found is minimal. Need schematics of T94 chassis structure under the side skins.

[Offgr1d]

I understand - it's all preference. The verticle beams in the side walk supports match the window dividers. Between those there are angled supports and of some other verticals.

When you remove the side luan and carpeted walls above the floor radiators you will see the foam insulation and the way the structure in wall repeats. On outside is just sheeting. I'll try and get a pic, but you will see what I'm referring to when the wall covering is removed. You can get all measurements from the interior.

[Offgr1d]

So I finally got back into the chiller components a little. Finished the two control boxes that house all the start cap / run cap and contractors. Added a volt & amp meter to each compressor. The compressors are industrial and run on 265v ac so there is a boost transformer and the meters help monitor everything is working correctly. The other control box regulates the chiller temps in 4 stages. You can see its powered up for the first time in the pic.

[Offgr1d]

Here is the buck/boost transformer secretly converting the 240v to 265



The water pump next to it is for the continuous circulation of the water through the chiller to the holding tank. Tank will be the last thing I install after the rest of pluming. Everything including the heater has been tested for power at this point. The 4 24v ac control circuits is all that needs to be wired to the indoor control box.

Now it's about time to work on the air/water heat handlers inside the bus. There will be 4 zones controlled with water solenoid valves and multi speed fans..

[Offgr1d]

Here is the inside of one of the compressor control boxes. (The box that has the voltage monitor on the face)

[Underground_Bear]

Wow!

11 pages of awesomeness!

[M1031A1]

Y'all make my build look very timid in comparison.......

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by M1031A1

Y'all make my build look very timid in comparison.......

She's making everyone's builds timid by comparison.

[ironman1952]

I get that your a technical guru, but how did you come by the knowledge of chillers?
Any suggestions or warnings for a newbie

I am just starting to plan and gather technical research a bus conversion

Any thoughts of a school bus versus a commercial bus coach?

Composting toilets compared to a black water system?
I am considering 6 160 watt solar panels, any thoughts here?

Regards, Ironman1952

[Offgr1d]

I came up with idea for chiller because of chatting with casino central plant technicians and researched high end AC systems for yachts. When I started the yacht research I found small air / water handlers and super compact multi ton chillers with seawater coils.

I thought why can't this be done on a bus?? So I did more research as to how they are made / operate. In this process I put an add on Craigslist for a ac technician to go over my plans for the custom chiller. I came across an awesome young fellow that worked at another casino in the central plant (where the casino chiller systems are)
He looked over what I had planes and was absolutely on board to assist with my project. Many of the components are identical to air based systems in terms of refrigeration. Reason they use chillers in casinos is the water systems handle efficiency much better in terms of heat / cool distribution. Many large format air handling systems are chiller based.

As far as a school bus vs coach? That's all preference and prolly cost decisions. Personally I love highway coaches. I always thought the shape and squareness makes for an easier build out not to mention the ample under floor basement for operational gear / systems. They tend to run a little higher in price to purchase than the skoolie. you should also know a highway coach chassis is built for the million mile club. Usually you can pick up a coach in its half life as this is when they are usually sold and fleets renewed. Mine had 600,000 miles. And still drives like a dream.
Like I said all depends on budget and preference.

I personally did not want to deal with a composting toilet for everyday use. I live in my bus full time and have for 1year already with no issues at all with black water. I wanted as much of a normal home type bathroom experience as possible (a flushing toilet).

I have had no black water issues.

Solar panels is a great idea - they will not keep you completely off grid with that amount of wattage, but will sure save money in generator gas and use of it while boondocking.

Keep up your research! im curious to know what direction you go in.

[ironman1952]

Thanks, for the reply. I managed a building with multistack chiller system for cooling and boilers for heating entire building using individual airhandlers and baseboard heaters with zone valves.

Do you have pics of your finished bus?

[Offgr1d]

My coach is far from complete - but I will continue to post photos.
Yes I live in it, bed, enough of a kitchen and operational bathroom exist. Prolly because I live in it, I'm expecting it to be a two year project. I'm a year in now - so I'm starting on more finishing work and furniture etc... Most "systems" are complete or planned and tested for more install.

[Offgr1d]

I'm on my long week off, so I took another trip to CA. Snapped a pic while in Baker on the drive. Don't remember if I had a full shot of the Hoolie...

[Rebel]

Hello, TALENTED girl. Very impressive build and creative mind. I will be starting mine this spring, and if you feel like coming to glorious Alberta for a few months you could help me lol.

I was just wondering why you wouldn't have the bedroom at the back of the coach instead of the cargo bay. my cargo bays will full of gear such as black & grey tanks, water tanks, generator, propane tank, bbq, cast iron pans & dutch ovens etc. Oh and of course fishing gear. Just my thoughts

As I said before very nice coach and a great do it yourselfer!!

[Offgr1d]

I'm not eliminating the back bedroom, I have one as well that will double as and office / music studio with a desk under the bed that can raise. The cargo bays in my rig house all the usual: (generator, black, fresh, grey, propane, inverters - etc.) the cargo sleep bay to me is in addition to the back bed and was the first I could also get up and usable while "construction" goes on upstairs. It's the one place at the moment that doesn't get cluttered with tools!! Lol...

[Buzzard]

I think the downstairs bedroom is brilliant. Small as it must be, it has to make the whole bus seem much bigger to have that retreat that is not part of the one cavern.

Back when I was considering an old Scenicruiser, which has a split-level interior and taller/wider storage bays than any other bus, I was planning something similar. Access was to be through a "companionway" hatch to the left of the central steps. It would resemble and function like the entrance to the cabin of a large sailboat from the cockpit. The Scenicruiser is the only model suitable for that kind of entrance. Ultimately I decided against because the Scenicruiser (I'm about to get in trouble here) is so unpleasant to look at, as if a bus monster ate a bus and puked out the parts.

Such was my enthusiasm for that design element that I still eyeball the cargo doors of every bus I encounter with the dimensions of a lower bedroom in mind. Now that I have settled on a skoolie I've put the idea aside, but I will try to work some other vertical elements into the design.

Congratulations on your wonderful project. You have certainly set a new standard and will inspire many of us.

[Offgr1d]

Thank you! The basement cubby is the one of my favorite modifications to the bus. Making a access hatch to get in the sleeper is amazing to crawl down there just like a boat cabin like you said... Mine is very similar yet my couch will slide over with linear actuators to reveal the opening to the sleeper bay. My other favorite modification is the drop down shower pan in the floor. It make the bathroom and shower feel "normal" and not cramped by any means...

I'll post pics soon, but I actually finished all my drawers in the kitchen cabinets and the induction cooktop drawer units. They work great!!! Just as planned. I still need to do the electrical for the electromagnetic locks to hold the drawers closed and the cooktops open by push of a button. Got sanding and paint work to do tomorrow. Hopefully by tomorrow night I should have them finished with the acrylic coating.

[Buzzard]

The way you describe it, with the sliding couch revealing the hidden entrance, has almost a 007 technical wizardry to it. Or, in a nerdier vein, the setup evokes the hidden cargo holds in the Millennium Falcon. You'll always know where to go if you get caught in an imperial tractor beam.

[Offgr1d]

Yes!!! My bus is fun of beard gizmos - Ha ha - it's my "panic room" too if you wanted to hide for some reason.
I have the linear actuators in now, they are strong!! 225lb force. I still gotta get the 8 250lb ball bearing drawer slides to mount the two custom couches on. Can't wait!!!

Been working on the electromagnets for the kitchen drawers - geez Home Depot no longer sells 4-40 machine screws!!! Bogus...