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Old 03-09-2016, 09:30 AM   #1
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The Bitcoin Bus (formally the Unschool Bus)

Hi there! Last April we were gifted the Unschool Bus! We renamed it the Bitcoin Bus and drove it from NH to TX. We have spent the past year campground hopping in central Texas as we focused on our new bookstore (we took over a 9 year old store 3 days after we arrived home with the bus, so bus remodle has been SLOW GOING). We love it, but there are certian challenges we are experiencing.

1. Both escape hatches are leaking, we want to pull them and replace and would love feedback on what other schoolies have done with their escape hatches.
2. 2 of 3 after market skylight/vents have cracked, 1 is leaking with duct tape, the other is not leaking with duct tape. These were installed over 3 teens' bunk beds (beds have been removed). We are not entirely sure what we are going to do with the back half of the bus, so we are not sure if we want to simply replace them or do something else... ideas?
3. Much of the dashboard is malfunctioning, there is also a water leak there, we have not identified the location of the leak. We obviously need to replace the entire thing... has anyone ever done this?
4. We had to pull out all of their custom remodel due to mold or rot in various stages, the bus sat for 8 months over NH winter unattended, and these leaks were obviously also unattended to. So we have gutted everything but the floor and walls (they never pulled out walls and ceiling panels, they placed wood laminate over the stock black rubbery floor). We are living with pretty normal house furniture, although we currently have a folding table with a built in sink as our kitchen sink, I am buying a new sink this week, just looking for the right one. We had to remove the entire kitchen, bathroom, and all 4 bedrooms - so the place looks funny right now with paint varieties from each area all exposed, etc...
5. There is a major rust issue around the wheel well near their shower they had installed, one panel has rotted through the wall and I can fit my fist in it. Does this need to be resolved before we remodle or can I fix this later? I have some foam packing stuff shoved in there for temperature control and to keep rodents out.
6. Major rust issue on floor panel upon entry, I knocked out a hole so big I can fit both feet through to see the grass below. It is currently covered by wood but I am reading here that might be dumb due to heat when driving.
7. Either I am super sensitive or I can smell gas fumes when in front of bus over passenger side, especially in summer. This is when we are parked, without the engine running. No leaks detected in gas tank. Have others experienced this?
8. The bus gets so full of moisture I had to keep our stand up AC in a large metal bucket sitting in cinder blocks to catch the water that just POURED out of the AC. I obviously need a new AC solution asap before summer. How is yours set up? What can we do to not over heat in 107 degree weather and not have 5 gallons of water to dump out 2x a day?

9. We pulled all house electric wiring and plumbing due to leaking pipes and a small fire after 10 months using their house wires. So thats ANOTHER project

Sounds ghetto, but we have made it cozy and functional for now. Took us a year to get to this point. We just need to figure out our next steps. Sounds like we need to pull the insulation out - if we have obvious leaks I am sure there is mold. Has anyone ever continued LIVING in a bus while at this step or do we need to move out temporarily in your opinion???

I will get some pics from instagram and post here in comments I will also take some of the inside.

Nice to meet you all.

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Old 03-09-2016, 12:41 PM   #2
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Welcome to the site,

As for living in while remodeling...good luck, most folks can't do it in a full size house, let alone a bus
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Old 05-12-2016, 11:29 AM   #3
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I just called these folks, and its $389 to replace the escape hatches!!!!! Insane!

Roof Hatches/Parts - School Bus Parts Company Online
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:02 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by cat.bleish@gmail.com View Post
I just called these folks, and its $389 to replace the escape hatches!!!!! Insane!

Roof Hatches/Parts - School Bus Parts Company Online

anytime you get into anything "safety" related the prices go UP!.. since these guys sell not only to skoolies but also people running for-real school busses they have to sell the gear as passing whatever safety measures DOT requires...

seems you might find some take-offs.. members here yank them off their busses to install camper A/C cover-them over etc..

-Christopher
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:48 PM   #5
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Why not frame in an exhaust fan of say 14" size? I see them on ebay all the time. If your hatch opening is much larger, why not have a 16g metal "cap" made to house an exhaust fan? Or just a plain old acrylic skylight could go in it's place.

Or you can do what tons of other people have done, put a roof top A/C on them.

If the bus had so many problems before you got it, I would believe they were in a hurry or didn't care to build it "right" the first time.

-Doc
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:57 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Docsgsxr View Post
Why not frame in an exhaust fan of say 14" size? I see them on ebay all the time. If your hatch opening is much larger, why not have a 16g metal "cap" made to house an exhaust fan? Or just a plain old acrylic skylight could go in it's place.

Or you can do what tons of other people have done, put a roof top A/C on them.

If the bus had so many problems before you got it, I would believe they were in a hurry or didn't care to build it "right" the first time.

-Doc
I bought vents with fans and will be paneling over the roof hatches and putting the vents where the hatches were.
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Old 05-12-2016, 01:16 PM   #7
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I bought vents with fans and will be paneling over the roof hatches and putting the vents where the hatches were.
I like those vents with fans, seems for a private bus much better use of the hole in the roof.. at least get along alot longer without the A/C turned on..

something I should look at for mine since I plan to have only engine driven A/C, on my Nap-stops I could away with just running the fans until it got really summery outside.. still keep the windows closed if it was raining or security is a concern.
-Christopher
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Old 05-12-2016, 01:19 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
I like those vents with fans, seems for a private bus much better use of the hole in the roof.. at least get along alot longer without the A/C turned on..

something I should look at for mine since I plan to have only engine driven A/C, on my Nap-stops I could away with just running the fans until it got really summery outside.. still keep the windows closed if it was raining or security is a concern.
-Christopher
Yeah, they help IMMENSELY. there are a couple on my parents Class A RV and the temp difference inside without them on is huge.
When I put some panels up temporarily just to keep the rain out (mostly) my interior temps went WAY up.
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Old 05-12-2016, 03:18 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
I like those vents with fans, seems for a private bus much better use of the hole in the roof.. at least get along alot longer without the A/C turned on..

something I should look at for mine since I plan to have only engine driven A/C, on my Nap-stops I could away with just running the fans until it got really summery outside.. still keep the windows closed if it was raining or security is a concern.
-Christopher
Be careful while idling and napping. EPA won't allow anymore. Lots of truck drivers have gotten tickets for it. Dunno if it would affect skoolies or not.
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Old 05-12-2016, 04:05 PM   #10
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Be careful while idling and napping. EPA won't allow anymore. Lots of truck drivers have gotten tickets for it. Dunno if it would affect skoolies or not.

depends n the state.. each state and muncipality has its own anti-idle laws to follow.. the states i travel in mostly have things well-posted and where you can and cannot idle.. have to read the EPA and DOT site for each state.. I know from ohio to florida and ohio to texas (where I travel most) I sure find tons of truckers and cars idling.. I did notice i think jersey and possibly california when ive been there had signs stating no idling in their rest areas..

would be interesting to see if it contains RV;s.. so many things stated for commercial vehicles dont apply to RV;'s..
-Christopher
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Old 05-12-2016, 08:32 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Docsgsxr View Post
Why not frame in an exhaust fan of say 14" size? I see them on ebay all the time. If your hatch opening is much larger, why not have a 16g metal "cap" made to house an exhaust fan? Or just a plain old acrylic skylight could go in it's place.

Or you can do what tons of other people have done, put a roof top A/C on them.

If the bus had so many problems before you got it, I would believe they were in a hurry or didn't care to build it "right" the first time.

-Doc
It sat for 8 moths, over winter in NH, I think that was the root of most issues.
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Old 05-12-2016, 10:04 PM   #12
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Interesting name, why the homage to bitcoin?
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Old 05-13-2016, 05:31 PM   #13
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Interesting name, why the homage to bitcoin?
We travel the world on bitcoin My husband has a bitcoin podcast, and I would link to it, but the forum managers seem to hate that. Google "SovereignBTC uncoinventional trip" to find the play lists of our bitcoin-only road trips. One of which was in the bitcoin bus The next will be as well.
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Old 05-13-2016, 05:48 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by cat.bleish@gmail.com View Post
We travel the world on bitcoin My husband has a bitcoin podcast, and I would link to it, but the forum managers seem to hate that. Google "SovereignBTC uncoinventional trip" to find the play lists of our bitcoin-only road trips. One of which was in the bitcoin bus The next will be as well.
I've never had a bitcoin, could you send me some to try out?
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Old 01-26-2022, 06:34 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cat.bleish@gmail.com View Post
Hi there! Last April we were gifted the Unschool Bus! We renamed it the Bitcoin Bus and drove it from NH to TX. We have spent the past year campground hopping in central Texas as we focused on our new bookstore (we took over a 9 year old store 3 days after we arrived home with the bus, so bus remodle has been SLOW GOING). We love it, but there are certian challenges we are experiencing.

1. Both escape hatches are leaking, we want to pull them and replace and would love feedback on what other schoolies have done with their escape hatches.
2. 2 of 3 after market skylight/vents have cracked, 1 is leaking with duct tape, the other is not leaking with duct tape. These were installed over 3 teens' bunk beds (beds have been removed). We are not entirely sure what we are going to do with the back half of the bus, so we are not sure if we want to simply replace them or do something else... ideas?
3. Much of the dashboard is malfunctioning, there is also a water leak there, we have not identified the location of the leak......
[Edited for Length]
.........Sounds like we need to pull the insulation out - if we have obvious leaks I am sure there is mold. Has anyone ever continued LIVING in a bus while at this step or do we need to move out temporarily in your opinion???

I will get some pics from instagram and post here in comments I will also take some of the inside.

Nice to meet you all.
-----------------

Bitcoin Bus. I'm into it.

From the beginning of our project, we focused primary on both water and air leaks, as well as convection and crawling critter access from ANY penatrations. We live in Florida, FL = bugs & humidity. We bought a case of Fire Rated, larger 20oz calk sausages. (writing large calk sausage works better than saying it aloud) you may consider purchacing a case of whatever sealant you choose. Bulk is cheaper in the long run & you won't skimp when applying. Firestop usually stops vapors, too. Read the product uses.

As for the hatches. One of mine leaked. The warning lights over the winshield (dash) did, too. Same with the passive vent and the strobe light. My rear evaporator was bolted right through the roof and ceiling skins. Of course it leaked, like a sive.


We sealed all of the aformentioned penatrations. We also removed all of the windows (did you count my windows?) and replaced the cheap black with hi quality grey butyl. We also added sixty feet of inch and a half diameter (closed cell) backer rod above the aluminum window frames

Check out my tutorial:
"Convert Hatch to AC & Roof Patch"
A 14" (& 3/16") square hole is standard for a whole host of rv rooftop products.
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f10/c...tch-37445.html


I take alot of steps and maybe more than necessary. But the steps we took were enough to make a tight seal and stay leak-free through the hurricane season. There is no redoing of any sheet metal work.

For windows, you'll need to be detailed and stay persistent. Be willing to remove & repeat (and improve) each seal again and again until it doesn't leak.

By the time you get to the last window, you'll know why the first one (or two) must be re-done. As you'll be a pro, judging a newbie's work.
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Old 01-26-2022, 08:00 PM   #16
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I've never had a bitcoin, could you send me some to try out?
10,000 comedians out of work and this guy is auditioning

LOL
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Old 01-27-2022, 02:30 PM   #17
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Note that this thread is from 2016, resurrected by a now-banned spammer. Gonna close the thread now as it’ll doubtless attract more crypto spam.
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