AC compressor removal

[Mr P]

I watched sites for months. I found it 4 hours away. Be sure to search for terms other than XPS, like: foam board insulation, pink, blue, ect.

What's wrong with EPS?

 

[Rock-N-Ruth]

Cons of EPS:

• More fragile and prone to damage during installation and handling
• Lower R-value per inch of thickness compared XPS (3.6 – 4.2 for EPS, compared to 5 for XPS)
• More susceptible to water absorption, which can reduce its insulation performance and potentially cause structural damage
• More susceptible to pests and rodents, who can tunnel through the material
• More suseptable to high temperature damage

 

[ewo1]

Pros of EPS:

• Lower cost compared to XPS
• Lighter weight, which can make it easier to install
• Can be recycled into new EPS products

Cons of EPS:

• More fragile and prone to damage during installation and handling
• Lower R-value per inch of thickness compared XPS (3.6 – 4.2 for EPS, compared to 5 for XPS)
• More susceptible to water absorption, which can reduce its insulation performance and potentially cause structural damage
• More susceptible to pests and rodents, who can tunnel through the material

Pros of XPS:

• More durable and resistant to damage during installation and handling
• Higher R-value per inch than EPS
• More resistant to water absorption than EPS, which can make it a better choice for applications where moisture is a concern
• More resistant to pests and rodents
• Higher compressive strength, which can make it suitable for use in certain structural applications

Cons of XPS:

• Higher cost compared to EPS
• Heavier weight, which can make it more difficult to handle and install
• More difficult to recycle, as it is often coated with materials that make it difficult to separate the polystyrene from other materials

source:-> Pros and Cons of EPS and XPS - Green Insulation Group

 

[nikitis]

I concur with above. For me it was mainly the R value. I wanted to achieve 20 R value on the floor as in the summer heat transfer under the bus and through the floors thus heating your bus tremendously. You want the thickest barrier there, more so than the side walls and ceiling IMO. Plus XPS is crush resistant so it's better for walking on.

I didn't even consider the rodent part of it, good catch.

 

[Mr P]

My XPS in storage is a mouse nest haven. And I have yet to find a glue to bond it. EPS bonds with Great Stuff and many others. XPS will not bend very much before breaking, while EPS can bend much more.

Those are some facts from experience. I do agree with the general pros and cons as stated above.

 

[nikitis]

Actually Here is what glue you use to bond it. Proven to work great on XPS:
Loctite PL

You lay it down thick. Put weight on top of the XPS until it dries, and it ain't movin.

I've personally used it, already and it's very strong. I've had zero movement.

See post on my build thread with pics: Straight Bussin

 

[Mr P]

No, Nikitis, I've tried to bond XPS with that product. It does not work to my standards. I cleaned the XPS and tried bonding it to itself, and it pulled apart with minimal effort. I tried butting panels and gluing the joints, and those joints broke under almost no load. (Wrapping a house with it, ends were clamped with wood, glued seams broke under the strain of.....thermal expansion? Wind blowing against it? I dunno. Weak bond for sure.

 

[nikitis]

It works perfectly fine for a floor application. I cannot vouch for wall or ceiling though as I've only used XPS on the floor. There's been zero shifting of my floor. Many people who've done this can attest to it working.

Even major bus builders like chuck cassidy uses it on his builds and he's not had customers complain about it. Maybe you aren't weighting it down during the drying process?

 

[Mr P]

Re read my post. I'm talking about sticking it to itself. Like butt joints, or overlapping. PL Premium is useless for that, and as such, it's a waste of time on the floor. I saw Cassidy do that, and I rolled my eyes. I know better. It's a waste of glue.

 

[nikitis]

It likely wouldn't work for a butt joint. As there's not enough surface space to hold it together, I'd agree. Putting it on top of one another though with loctite PL in between them does work and would disagree with you. It's tried and true so either you're doing something wrong, not applying enough, I dunno which, but it does indeed work for a bus floor application. I'm sure there's been hundreds of people who've done it with no issues or shifting at this point. It simply works. The goal of a floor insulation is to not crush when walking on it or shift under your feet. Neither of which will occur if you use Loctite PL.

Maybe you could RIP them apart by hand but for a walking application in a bus it's not gonna shift. You do you though.

 

[Mr P]

I urge anyone to test glues with XPS. I have tested several types, PL failed. I'm still looking for an adequate bond.

For a bus floor....the floor cannot move once "stuff" is bolted down through it, glue or no glue. If a person thinks PL can glue the XPS to the floor and subflooring to that XPS well enough that "stuff" can be mounted TO the subfloor, they're smoking crack.

 

[ewo1]

For glue sniffers only, no crack heads!

Specially formulated glues to use with your EPS and XPS foam projects. Our glues are custom made and designed to be cut with hot wire tools. Many other glues that are advertised "safe" for foam are NOT safe--they will eventually eat through the foam and ruin the project. Click here for a brief rundown on all of our glues.

source:-> Glue

 

[ewo1]

PL300

Loctite PL 300 Low VOC Foamboard Adhesive is a premium grade formulation specifically designed for bonding foamboard insulation to a variety of surfaces, interior or exterior. Compatible with all other foamboard insulation products, Loctite PL 300 is a latex-based adhesive especially designed for bonding polystyrene foam to a variety of construction materials, including, but not limited to: wood, gypsum board, concrete and brick without compromising the insulation value of the foam. Fast and easy to use, Loctite PL 300's high grab reduces the need for fasteners and sets in 20 minutes and fully cures in 7 days. This unique formula provides a strong, durable bond to multiple surfaces and will bridge minor gaps when bonding irregular surfaces without attacking or burning through foamboard.


source-> Loctite PL 300 Foamboard 10 oz. Latex Construction Adhesive Blue Cartridge 1421941 - The Home Depot

 

[Rock-N-Ruth]

My XPS in storage is a mouse nest haven. And I have yet to find a glue to bond it. EPS bonds with Great Stuff and many others. XPS will not bend very much before breaking, while EPS can bend much more.

Those are some facts from experience. I do agree with the general pros and cons as stated above.

XPS glueing thread.