Hello...and first question on light

[City of New Orleans]

Well what was I thinking? First, I buy a bus, and now I've joined a forum about bus life and conversions. Since I turn 50 next month I guess I've officially gone off the deep end. LOL Anyway, hi to all and I look forward to picking some brains as I am truly a newbie to bus ownership. So thank you in advance for any ideas or thoughts you offer moving forward.

My quick story. No FB, no Twitter. etc. I own a larger houseboat but have never owned an RV, bus, or travel trailer.

I bought a semi converted 1983 IH DT466 equipped automatic bus that basically has 5 couches, 4 Capt. chairs, bath with sink and toilet, and a counter area with sink and AC/DC smaller style fridge. No LP, no HW tank and bus has a Onan 5500 Marquis Gold gen with 600 hours. 2 roof air units that blow great cold air and the bus is wired with a 50 amp 4 prong 120v split so not 240v. Will be adding a 1000w 2000w peak surge inverter next week to allow house bank to run simple AC stuff. Bus will be used as it currently is as a girls 10u softball travel team bus to have to relax in between games and do things as a team. Like go for ice cream in the retro bus. She's not pretty but she's not crazy ugly so they can relax with their cleats on while drinking Gatorade without me freaking out.

Bus runs great with only 64,000 original miles. Gen runs great.

About the only issue that is getting me right now is the 4 7" round red running lights at the top of the bus at both ends. KD 245 is the lens. Once I get these operational the exterior lighting is good to go. Any suggestions on where to look? I checked fuse etc and the halogen bulbs were pulled and checked with simple wire to a 12v battery and work fine. So it's in the wiring. Any idea what circuit those might be on? I assumed they would be with the marker lights but they all work fine.

Once the travel team uses it for a few years I can envision a full tear out with a full conversion to more of a personal family bus to enjoy bus RVing. So between now and then anything I do will be more to work on the outside and bottom while keeping the inside no stress usable for the kids.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by City of New Orleans

Well what was I thinking? First, I buy a bus, and now I've joined a forum about bus life and conversions. Since I turn 50 next month I guess I've officially gone off the deep end. LOL

Mid-life crisis doesn't have to be a Corvette or Porsche.

Did the marker lights ever work? Is there a separate switch, or operated off the headlight switch.

You better get used to becoming very intimate with your big, new friend. Start tracing wires, looking in fuseboxes and all the rest. If you did the houseboat thing, you know it's much cheaper and usually better to repair yourself.

Fill-in your profile so we know what model/where for better help.

[Johnny Mullet]

The four large 7" lights on the top of a bus are not running lights. Those are the flasher lights for bus stops and will only come on if activated.

[City of New Orleans]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Mid-life crisis doesn't have to be a Corvette or Porsche.

Did the marker lights ever work? Is there a separate switch, or operated off the headlight switch.

You better get used to becoming very intimate with your big, new friend. Start tracing wires, looking in fuseboxes and all the rest. If you did the houseboat thing, you know it's much cheaper and usually better to repair yourself.

Fill-in your profile so we know what model/where for better help.

Thanks Rusty. I will go in and do the profile.

Marker lights work fine and turn on with the headlight pull switch. I would have thought they were on the same circuit. Basically just another set of full time lights on running lights. I have checked for separate fuse and did check bulbs. voltage at wires of one of the fixtures was below 1v so nothing more than ground voltage. Might be something that has to be lived with oil I do an interior tear out down the road in a few years.

[City of New Orleans]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

The four large 7" lights on the top of a bus are not running lights. Those are the flasher lights for bus stops and will only come on if activated.

Thats what I would have originally thought but the previous owner stated at one time they'd come on as nothing more than running lights. I assume that change was done when it went from being a school bus to warn of impending stops to a conversion and they decided to make them running lights. But that's a good idea to look in that direction. Not sure how you would activate them now since there is no 'I'm about to stop' sequence beyond the brake pedal.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by City of New Orleans

Thats what I would have originally thought but the previous owner stated at one time they'd come on as nothing more than running lights. I assume that change was done when it went from being a school bus to warn of impending stops to a conversion and they decided to make them running lights. But that's a good idea to look in that direction. Not sure how you would activate them now since there is no 'I'm about to stop' sequence beyond the brake pedal.

Haha- I skimmed your post originally. Those big flashers came-on when the stop sign handle was pulled. They must have put a switch in there somewhere.

[City of New Orleans]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Haha- I skimmed your post originally. Those big flashers came-on when the stop sign handle was pulled. They must have put a switch in there somewhere.

I bet they were just attached to the marker lights or something and that lead has since detached. Being such an important set of lights in its' school years I'd say any bus depot might be able to identify and locate since they fed off of the stop sign handle.

[City of New Orleans]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

The four large 7" lights on the top of a bus are not running lights. Those are the flasher lights for bus stops and will only come on if activated.

Johnny,

Any idea where to try and find that wire? Does it run down in front of the flat front area of the bus or down the sidewall to the rocker switch area?

[Johnny Mullet]

The only way to find it is access the lights from the inside or remove one from the outside and follow the wires.