Marky's Conversion!

[MarkyDee]

Sorry I haven't posted in some time. Life and weather has gotten in the way. I lost an uncle and a cousin this past winter. My uncle was mostly expected; my cousin was not. My cousin died of complications from the flu, she was otherwise healthy. They will both be sorely missed.

I'm glad this winter is almost over.

My son and I put a tarp on the bus a few months ago during one of the Indy's warmups. Its kept the water from getting into the areas that have seen the most rust on the frame. I have the second set of bins ready to come down, but I don't have the cribbing needed to keep it from crashing to the floor once the screws holding it to the ceiling are removed. I'm getting a crew of people scheduled to help me, but life is really starting to speed up again (4H, county fair prep, robotics, scouting groups, etc.).

Once the initial rush is over later this month I'll get back to the bus. I can't wait to get the tarp off and drive it again - its a rush I'm starting to enjoy.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by golfersmurf57

Belts are pretty simple to replace. You need to know that belt slippage also produces heat on the pulley which can be transmitted to the pump. Does the power steering fluid smell burnt? I usually use clear hydraulics oil If I can so if it overheats it will turn dark. Still think you may have a belt tension issue. But don't know if its manual or spring loaded adjustment. My 5.9 has spring tensioners on the idler except for the A/C compressors.

Sent from my LGL64VL using Tapatalk

Thank you, golfersmurf. Your message validated pretty much what I was thinking was going on. I really think that the mechanic was negligent in how they put the new belts on and weren't willing to "come clean". That is what motivated them to "take it up a notch" and suggest removing the hydraulic pump, etc., etc. I'm betting they just wanted to get rid of me since I'm not a fleet owner / "small potatoes". I think I've found another service provider that also has facilities for painting and stuff like that but have yet to engage them to see how they work out. I hope they will be more friendly....

[Miles O Roads]

We used to have company trucks takin there and seen the repair for driveshaft and rearend at 3400 for a s10 I was like Wow. I used to live down that way on co. Line road east of 65. Kinda cool to see how many bus's getting built this close by in Indiana.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by Miles O Roads

We used to have company trucks takin there and seen the repair for driveshaft and rearend at 3400 for a s10 I was like Wow. I used to live down that way on co. Line road east of 65. Kinda cool to see how many bus's getting built this close by in Indiana.

My family used to live over there, but we're in Greenwood off of hwy 37 (soon to be I-69) now.

[MarkyDee]

Looking for some electronics help. The Allen Bradley PLC that runs all of the bus' higher-level functions (like interfacing engine controls with dashboard and locking the service brakes when the main door is open - stuff like that) has some custom boards made by New Flyer with "resettable fuses" (a.k.a. "PTC") on them:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resettable_fuse

I'm trying to find the spec's for the resettable fuses but I'm coming up empty on Google searches as well as trying to contact New Flyer (my bus manufacturer).

On the obverse is "QY3M" and "MEXICO".
On the reverse is "X60" and "X250" (the "X"s aren't actually "X", they look like a "u" above an "n" but all still in the same height as the numbers.)

Furthermore, the fuses (along with a 220 ohm resistor and an LED - probably to show when the associated fuse has been tripped) are in the PLC's relay output circuits and not in any of the PLC input circuits. The circuits are both 12V and 24V.

Any help would be appreciated.

And I know pictures would be more helpful than my descriptions, but its such tight quarters where they are that my various cameras (phone, tablet, etc.) can't focus close enough to get a clear shot.

Thanks!

[MarkyDee]

No suggestions? Hummm....

[dan-fox]

I poked around a little yesterday and came up empty. Today I read the Wiki entry you referenced and got the keyword "polyfuse" out of it; at least got some info there. The "X60" and "X250" is some sort of min/max specification I think. The "U over N" thingie is likely a mfr logo. If you can get a buddy with a Nikon and a macro lens to get in on that a Google image search might turn something up, or try hand-sketching a facsimile.

Or, you can buy an assortment for small money and blindly hack away at it, hoping not to let out too much of the magic smoke.

Sorry I can't be more help; my hardware days are waaay behind me. 74LS02, anyone?

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by dan-fox

I poked around a little yesterday and came up empty. Today I read the Wiki entry you referenced and got the keyword "polyfuse" out of it; at least got some info there. The "X60" and "X250" is some sort of min/max specification I think. The "U over N" thingie is likely a mfr logo. If you can get a buddy with a Nikon and a macro lens to get in on that a Google image search might turn something up, or try hand-sketching a facsimile.

Or, you can buy an assortment for small money and blindly hack away at it, hoping not to let out too much of the magic smoke.

Sorry I can't be more help; my hardware days are waaay behind me. 74LS02, anyone?

Found someone who could help me. Its a RayChem PTC with max ratings of 60V and 250mA. I'm very excited now to have the specs so I can start devising a PLC replacement. I worked with PLCs back in the early '90s and that PLC is 18-19 years old now. Those things are pretty bullet-proof, but I'm concerned with ANY computer equipment that old. Plus spare parts are $$$!!!

[MarkyDee]

Well, I finally got the last of the bins down and out. The inside of the bus is much more open now. I have a big bundle of wires in the back that I got to figure out how to hide, but I am sure that will come in time.

[MarkyDee]

Cleaned up a bit ...

... before making another mess! Ceiling coming down!

[MarkyDee]

Ok, need some help from some old-timers. I'm pulling down the "pegboard" ceiling, revealing the original foam insulation. It's packed pretty nice 'n neat....



Question - keep or ditch the foam insulation?


Context picture:

Various closeups:

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Ok, need some help from some old-timers. I'm pulling down the "pegboard" ceiling, revealing the original foam insulation. It's packed pretty nice 'n neat....



Question - keep or ditch the foam insulation?


Context picture:

Various closeups:

Since it's not the cheap batt insulation normally found, and it's in good shape I would leave it alone.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Since it's not the cheap batt insulation normally found, and it's in good shape I would leave it alone.

That's the way my wife and I are leaning, but there is a definite smell to it. Its not a bad smell, mind you, but it is a tad annoying.


What about sealing everything up with some 1-3 mil plastic before creating the thermal break with a wood ceiling (or such)?

[JDOnTheGo]

I am definitely old so I can answer this one!!

Keep it!

Mine was similar (but yellow). I could find no reason to remove it and lots of reasons to keep it. No regrets.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

That's the way my wife and I are leaning, but there is a definite smell to it. Its not a bad smell, mind you, but it is a tad annoying.


What about sealing everything up with some 1-3 mil plastic before creating the thermal break with a wood ceiling (or such)?

I'd be curious to find out what the material actually is, and its thickness.

I'd advise against adding yet another vapor barrier. Adding a second barrier will encourage any water vapor in the air that gets into the space, to condense out and have nowhere to go.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by JDOnTheGo

I am definitely old so I can answer this one!!

Keep it!

Mine was similar (but yellow). I could find no reason to remove it and lots of reasons to keep it. No regrets.

Hahahaha! Its nice to be back working on the bus with you guys "riding shotgun"!

Originally Posted by Twigg

I'd be curious to find out what the material actually is, and its thickness.

I'm not exactly sure what the material is, but I'll see if I can find out. However, I do know that the material is about an inch thick - along with the steel tubing that make up the skeleton. Its glued to the underside of the fiberglass roof. Poor roof needs a bit of repair as it cooked in the Houston sun for over a decade.

Originally Posted by Twigg

I'd advise against adding yet another vapor barrier. Adding a second barrier will encourage any water vapor in the air that gets into the space, to condense out and have nowhere to go.

That's probably why the ceiling was some sort of "pegboard" with a felt underlay (well, overlay if you are going with gravity...). The "pegboard" and felt were riveted into place.


I'm thinking that the mildly annoying smell is coming from the foam. I was hoping to seal off the smell so it doesn't permeate my build. Maybe it just needs a good airing out? I do know that the roof has leaked in one or two places. Also, the roof topside does have some deep cracks.



Any ideas?

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Any ideas?

Ok, maybe I need to narrow down the question a bit:

Any ideas on how to fumigate the foam and make it smell better?

[Thomas1985]

A few inches of insulation is more ideal. I would seal it in some way like you're talking about and then add a couple more inches of XPS. Having several inches in the roof will make a big difference in keeping your temperatures how you want them. Although that will only do any good if you're deleting some of these windows of course

[o1marc]

Spray it down with Fabreze.

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

A few inches of insulation is more ideal. I would seal it in some way like you're talking about and then add a couple more inches of XPS. Having several inches in the roof will make a big difference in keeping your temperatures how you want them. Although that will only do any good if you're deleting some of these windows of course

Yea, but I can't drop the ceiling too much more. I can't do a roof raise (huge roof-mounted HVAC), and my ceiling is only 6'6" from the floor.


And I am deleting windows. Of the 16 I will be deleting 6 of them for sure. However, I'm trying to get rid of more.

Originally Posted by o1marc

Spray it down with Fabreze.

Yea, that's what my wife said after I posted the question. Its worth a try!