Looking for design inputs... open to ideas.

[AutumnB]

Looking at crazy Nomad building ideas!!

Any thoughts or ideas? I'm interested in hearing any ideas that someone might have. Stove, furnace and hot water will be propane. Everything else will be powered by deep cycle lithium batteries and solar. Under belly storage and a drop down patio on the back end with steel cables. 200 gallon fresh water, 75 grey and 50 black.

[JDSquared]

Originally Posted by AutumnB

Looking at crazy Nomad building ideas!!



Any thoughts or ideas? I'm interested in hearing any ideas that someone might have. Stove, furnace and hot water will be propane. Everything else will be powered by deep cycle lithium batteries and solar. Under belly storage and a drop down patio on the back end with steel cables. 200 gallon fresh water, 75 grey and 50 black.

Some quick thoughts from me: it's hard to design a bus until your in it. But looking at ideas on graph paper is a great way to start visualizing. My interior came out about 7'6" wide.

Your second bed is drawn 5' x 5'. That's a tiny non standard size. Not sure that layout will work in practice.

200 gallons is a lot of water. You don't show it in your plans where you're storing it. I guess if you have pass through storage underneath it will fit. Many busses don't have that. Same with the 75 gallon grey. If you go anywhere cold enough the water and pipes will freeze on you under the bus.

Designing my bus has been like solving a puzzle. I'm enjoying it. Form follows function. You're likely to have wheel wells in your way no matter what you do. And their location can vary by bus.

[Phatman]

Originally Posted by AutumnB

Looking at crazy Nomad building ideas!!

Any thoughts or ideas? I'm interested in hearing any ideas that someone might have. Stove, furnace and hot water will be propane. Everything else will be powered by deep cycle lithium batteries and solar. Under belly storage and a drop down patio on the back end with steel cables. 200 gallon fresh water, 75 grey and 50 black.

Like JDSquared said, it’s easier to come up with a floor plan when you have the bus. Once you have your sub floor down, then take you some 3/4” masking tape and lay your floor plan down. It can easily be changed as you go. I can’t speak for anyone else here but I like to build some things and then study them to see if my engineering will work. If it looks like there may be a problem, I tear it out and redo my design. It’s definitely like a puzzle. And whatever you do, don’t throw anything away until you are finished!!!

[AutumnB]

Thanks for the input... 200 goes under the bed. Everything stays inside. I live in Saskatchewan where its minus 50 in the winter... lol. I figured 200 because of the shower, sink, toilet, clothes washer and dishwasher. Our current bed measures 60 by 60 so that's why l put it like that. The reason for doing it this way was because at first l was being crazy and thinking we wanted a bendy busy. But honestly that's crazy and high cost. My wife had the idea to start drawing out what we really needed and go from there. Current measurements (rounded up) should be 7ft 7 inches and 24 feet 7 inches as livable inside space. I am planning on putting in heated insulated bays underneath as well. I'm good with welding and fabrication. If there is other storage needs for tools welding or air compressor then l will look at a small pull behind trailer. I kinda wanna do it right the first time instead of regretting it.

I hope to go with a diesel as that's what l am familiar with. Gas jobbies isnt something l want and busses are kinda new to to me. But hey it's all to keep you on your toes,... right?

[JDSquared]

All the 100 gallon water tanks I found were 80x12x24. Or close to those rectangular measurements. They're not going to fit comfortable under your 60x60 bed.

Build your own maybe. 60x60x12 is 187 gallons.

[AutumnB]

Possible fiberglass idea there.

[dan-fox]

Skooliepalooza just happened. Lotsa folk have posted YouTube vids of "tours of my favorite buses at Skooliepalooza". If you're trying to come up with interior design ideas (and to a lesser extent exterior stuff) go spend an evening watching some of those.