Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusader_1977
As we keep going it seems like there is no amount of youtube binging that will fully prepare you to tackle your own personal bus, but it has been so nice to know that we have the bus and now it is just the work that we need to do.
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The fun part is that your personal bus is going to be different than any rig you'll see.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusader_1977
A@kazetsukai: We bought our bus from Manchester, NH! how have the winters been for you?
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This last winter was the first where I actually heated the bus. I installed a wireless thermostat in the bus and watched it from the house as we weren't yet living in it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusader_1977
Do you stay in NH?
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I spent 3 years building this rig and now I'm in the process of selling the house getting ready to go mobile. I built my rig with NH winters in mind, but to be on the safe side, at least this year I'm probably migrating down south.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusader_1977
What heating method do you have?
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Three sources:
- Mini split heat pump (primary heat)
- Dickinson Wood Stove
- Engine / Hydronic heat loop (driving only)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusader_1977
We have been trying to determine with all of our family in new england we know that we need to be able to survive winter weather and I would love to hear how you survive.
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So, my advice here is to be very aggressive with insulation. What we did:
On the steel floor we remediated all rust, painted with rustoleum primer and then white. We put in 1.5" rigid insulation between 2x4s laid flat, covered that with plywood, then a black plastic vapor layer, then luxury vinyl flooring. It is not as warm as I'd have liked, doing it over, I'd have installed heated floors. That being said, we're fine with slippers.
On the walls we stripped down to the outer layer metal, rust remediated then same rustoleum white. We removed the school bus windows, any skoolie that doesn't is a nonstarter for winters without an oversized wood stove. Replaced with sheet metal an 4x RV windows, 2x of the above linked shed windows.
Continuing on walls, first went up Noico soundproofing. In retrospect this would have been good to put on the ceiling and floor- whisper quiet in here, and I think it does well covering exposed metal surfaces. Then we sistered the ribs with 2x2s on the front (as to double the depth) and packed in standard roll-out insulation from the "steel lip" that held the seats in and up. Walls are ship lap.
Ceiling, we sistered the ribs with 2x2, but on the side. This was to give us an anchor point on the roof that avoided thermal bridging. 1.5" rigid insulation went up, then reflectix. In retrospect, I think the reflectix should have been used as the final layer on the walls as well. Ceiling is also ship lap.
The insulation was lots of work, but the results speak for themselves. Set to 70F, the split held that temp throughout the winter.
Using a thermal optic it's pretty clear where the weaknesses of my insulation are, the windows. The last of the metal surfaces were covered up a month or two ago, so I should get better results this year.
I left open the possibility of installing one of the diesel heaters, although I'm not sure I need it at this rate. Depends on where I end up.
Takeaways:
- Cover any and all metal surfaces possible.
- Fix any and all drafts, seal up holes.
- Avoid thermal bridging wherever possible.
- Use the best insulation you can where you can.
- Have multiple heat sources if at all possible.
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