The Journey Visvi 1999 Thomas MVP ER

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by allwthrrider

The ribs on my bus are reversed so it looks like the rivets will go into the pipe,I found steel fencepost shaped like the ribs & will fit right over top of the bus ribs, you could use that as filler

The rivets are far enough apart, they would not hit the tubing. I was told by some smarter than I that the tubing is stronger than the u-channel. I bet the fence post is strong also. I used enough on our horse farm.

[ol trunt]

Loath though I am to ever agree with anyone his method is without a doubt the best way to go. Yes, tubing is strong and properly welded will produce a strong support-- but it does leave some un-supported areas where the skin attaches which diminishes the strength of the box formed by the original design. While tubing is strong, in this application its use discounts the sheer strength afforded by the box which includes the skin No roll overs. no "T" bones no problem. Don't ya just hate it? More stuff to think about.

[ol trunt]

Sorry you took nat's and my view as negative comment on your project and while I'll stand on my statement I will say that I enjoy following your progress and admire the fact that you, at least are actually doing something which is way more than a lot of us can say. Anyway without actual crash testing none of us knows for sure what actually works.

[porkchopsandwiches]

It's a bit late to re-think this now, isn't it? It looks plenty sturdy to me. I'd rather roll in wm's bus than in a winnebago!

But for real don't roll it.

[wmkbailey]

Thanks everyone, I just wanted to point out that there are many ways to do things. There is always a better way, but sometimes we have to balance how we do things too.

I don't want people to not try something because they feel it might not be good enough.

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by porkchopsandwiches

It's a bit late to re-think this now, isn't it? It looks plenty sturdy to me. I'd rather roll in wm's bus than in a winnebago!

But for real don't roll it.

I'm glad my bus is a step above a winnebago

[bansil]

Originally Posted by wmkbailey

I'm glad my bus is a step above a winnebago

[JakeC]

Definitely a step above a Winnebago, lol... Yup, always something you could have done different. Your bus has me wishing I had removed all interior sheeting and insulation and either sprayed foam or installed foam like yours, with the reflective coating, but oh well. Lesson learned for my next one Glad you made it back in one piece with no major issues. Sounded like a perfect shake-down run.

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by JakeC

Definitely a step above a Winnebago, lol... Yup, always something you could have done different. Your bus has me wishing I had removed all interior sheeting and insulation and either sprayed foam or installed foam like yours, with the reflective coating, but oh well. Lesson learned for my next one Glad you made it back in one piece with no major issues. Sounded like a perfect shake-down run.

It was a fun shake down run. I have 2" of the foam board, but now leaning back to spray foam the last 1" over, to really seal it up. I was supprised how well the 2" did even not getting the whole bus done.

[JakeC]

And with no thermal mass to store heat! Another inch of spray foam would be awesome, because then you would have a thermal break at the ribs (I'm assuming...).

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by JakeC

And with no thermal mass to store heat! Another inch of spray foam would be awesome, because then you would have a thermal break at the ribs (I'm assuming...).

Yes, When I get everything built inside and have thermal mass, I should be set.

[wmkbailey]

Finally got back out to the bus. I was using the cold weather as an excuse, but I have heat working in the bus. I started the heat up and an hour latter it was 60 inside. I guess I will have to find another excuse. I can't park the bus next to my apartment anymore, because someone has a trailer parked there. I asked them to move over one space so I could back the bus in there, but they refuse to move the trailer. The only other place I can park it is on the other side of the parking area. I have to run 200' of extension cord to reach it. I have just enough cord to reach.

I'm starting to remove the dash and front heater core.



As you can see there isn't much between the interior and the doors for the windshield washers.



I get a lot of cold air through here when driving. I want to seal this up and insulate.

I also want to install my radio below the gauges on the right hand side of my dasboard. There is a second row of empty gauges that I will remove and cut out to fit the radio.



The problem is, behind that area is the relay box for the electronic gear selector we have for our transmission.



When you take it all apart there is enough cable to move it to a new location.



It has about three feet of cable. When the heater core is removed, it will free up a lot of space for storage.

[JDecker]

wmkbailey,

Have you considered moving the heater core or otherwise modifying it to accomplish the same purpose? I see the huge bulk you're saving; is the extra functionality also that much better than stock? I ask because $450 seems like a lot of money for a smaller version of something you already have. The energy savings seem negligible considering it will only be operating when you're already burning enough diesel to get the engine hot anyways.

Otherwise, could some other heater core from a junkyard or OEM be employed for considerably cheaper?

Just wanting to follow your thought process. I'm budgeting for a skoolie of my own; and that's a half of another thousand dollars right there that I hadn't considered at all.

Jdecker

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by JDecker

wmkbailey,

Have you considered moving the heater core or otherwise modifying it to accomplish the same purpose? I see the huge bulk you're saving; is the extra functionality also that much better than stock? I ask because $450 seems like a lot of money for a smaller version of something you already have. The energy savings seem negligible considering it will only be operating when you're already burning enough diesel to get the engine hot anyways.

Otherwise, could some other heater core from a junkyard or OEM be employed for considerably cheaper?

Just wanting to follow your thought process. I'm budgeting for a skoolie of my own; and that's a half of another thousand dollars right there that I hadn't considered at all.

Jdecker

1) This is my whole heating system. Not just when the engine is running.

2) I will be living in it full time.

3) Budget is not as much of an issue building the bus. There are some things I will pay more for so they will last.

4) What I have is very loud, to many btu's for the area and not ducted.

I will have just a heater core in each room so I can zone my heat. The other cores are cheaper, this is a dule core. I know porkchop plans to do what you suggest to save money.

[wmkbailey]

If I had unlimited time I woud look into building my own heaters, but I also plan to install radiant in floor heat. That will take a lot of my time to figure out. If this is not Cadilac building, I don't know what is

[wmkbailey]

The other thing that will take up my time will be the air conditioning side of the bus. A lot of people here have convinced me to use window units over the roof RV units. They cool better and use less power. They are cheaper to fix or replace. I'm not sure yet how I plan to install them, I would like to have two ducted, one front one back. That way I can use the back unit during the day and the front unit at night. Both if I need the additional cooling.

[gusbus]

I'm still trying to decide whether to trash my rear heater or not. I don't really plan on driving the bus much, if at all, in winter. It does take up valuable space in the living compartment. However, traveling home with the bus over the holidays so I could work on the bus in the weeks I was home, that heater did prove to be a valuable asset up here in the hinterlands. I was traveling in sub zero temps in my shirt sleeves.

So I'm torn!!

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by gusbus

I'm still trying to decide whether to trash my rear heater or not. I don't really plan on driving the bus much, if at all, in winter. It does take up valuable space in the living compartment. However, traveling home with the bus over the holidays so I could work on the bus in the weeks I was home, that heater did prove to be a valuable asset up here in the hinterlands. I was traveling in sub zero temps in my shirt sleeves.

So I'm torn!!

For me I'm not giving up anything, just replacing. They will be used during driving and while parked. That makes my thought process different than most. I want to get rid of the larger and replace with smaller more efficient.

[Better Tomorrows]

Hi all, I am John and my wife is Shelby, she is a quadriplegic, we bought a handy cap bus 32 feet total length, we have been at home for the last 4 years now and it is time to get out of the house and see the country. I will have many of the same issues as the rest, but with the added equipment for her power chair and Hoyer lift med supplies and the like. One of the many things to consider is cooling and heat. I had gained a lot of insightful ideas from reading the skoolie site.
John

[Stu & Filo. T]

Originally Posted by wmkbailey

The other thing that will take up my time will be the air conditioning side of the bus. A lot of people here have convinced me to use window units over the roof RV units. They cool better and use less power. They are cheaper to fix or replace. I'm not sure yet how I plan to install them, I would like to have two ducted, one front one back. That way I can use the back unit during the day and the front unit at night. Both if I need the additional cooling.

My question is can you use window units while traveling? I know you would need to run a generator but point I'm getting at is haven't come across a system for Crown, could a window unit be mounted & ducted some way to use while driving to cool the driver area only?