Dory transit a new start.

[joeblack5]

hello All, the first section of the conversion and purpose can be found under "Dory not a skoolie" in the skoolie conversion projects section.


Dory never was a skoolie to begin with so the second part of the conversion will be in Coach conversion projects. (moderator willing )


Our goal is to get Dory outfitted with more solar, wind mill, lithium, AC, winch, hot and cold running water, additional freezer, swivel chair, awning , and some more interior refinements.



Ordered some 2"x4"x16' aluminum L profile for solar racking on the rear of the bus. Should come in next week Tuesday. Then We did an experiment with a DC motor to drive the original bus AC compressor.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/members/8382-albums1239-picture19634t.jpg

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/members/8382-albums1239-picture19633t.jpg


This a 36 volt permanent magnet motor from a tenant floor polisher.
Running it at 36 volt, 24v from the bus and 12 from the extra battery spins the compressor and causing some cooling.
I have to rewire the condensor fans and evaporator fans to see how much cooling I can get out of it.
As for now as you can see this is an experiment.



Later J

 

[joeblack5]

Some more data 36 Volt and 16 Amp. The condensors are huge and laying flat on top of the bus. They get barely warm without the cooling fans running . I will close three of the four fans and flip the last one from pull to push since that is in the direction of natural convection.


The two evaporators are big and each side has three double squirrel cage fans that suck the air thru the evaporators and heating coils and blow it in the duct on each side along the bus.


I am going to reverse the flow on this as well so that the cool air come out in the center of the bus , much like a rooftop AC. Will experiment further tomorrow.


Later Johan

 

[joeblack5]

Well, Did not do further experiments, Our oldest birthday.
Did work further on the interior enhancements.
We changed our dinette layout, removed a bench and installed a swivel chair.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture

 

[plfking]

Wow....Dory sure looks different from the last time I rode to work in her.

 

[joeblack5]

Haha, hope so, How do you like the new buses they have ?


Next to couch we have added a book case.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Have to make a small lip to see how the books handle braking and bumps. .


Mounted a 22" LED monitor so that it is visible from all locations in the " living" Sorry about the flash of he camera.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Since there is not much storage in Dory, we added shelves in front of the kitchen window.
From the old ambulance camper I am going to remove the tracks for the lexan sliding doors of the medicin cabinets and mount that in front of the kitchen shelves.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


On the backside of the shelves will be another sheet of lexan so that the supplies can not slide against the cellurar blind.


I hope Tuesday my aluminum L profile arrives so that we can install more solar.


later Johan

 

[plfking]

Haha, hope so, How do you like the new buses they have ?

I've only ridden them a couple of times. I switched jobs about 3 years ago, and now it's only a 5 minute drive or a 10 minute bicycle ride, so I usually bike it if it isn't raining in the mornings. Even though I live right on the bus route, they go past my apartment, then to the terminal, then past the plant.....so it's about a 22 minute ride/transfer. That's 12 more minutes I can be sleeping.

You must absolutely love that high ceiling. And I like how you've kept most of your grab bars in place.

 

[joeblack5]

Thanks Don, We do love the high ceilings, the large windows and the grab bars. The grab bars are probably not entirely structural but more then strong enough to build of.


The above and low floor and easy step in/out makes it feel like a mobile room instead of a bus.


later J

 

[joeblack5]

Today I removed the front flashers. The front drivers side turn signal is working in four way but not with the left turn signal. Found that the two signals are mixed together with the help of two diodes. One was replaced with a low current diode and had burned out open. Last year I had tricked the inspection station by turning my 4 ways on but for the coming inspection I figured to do it right... ahem...


Tore some of the recently installed wood out and sanded that to be painted.
Hope to re-install in the weekend and add some more insulation and wood to it.


Later Johan

 

[joeblack5]

Today it was my lucky day... went to the surplus store and bought a like new sundanzer 165 refrigerator 12/24 volt for $35 + tax. Got to love these universities. 168 watthour a day at outside temp of 32celsius

Then when came back to pickup the sundanzer and looked around a bit further I "found 6 old 55 Watt panels. I offered $ 5 for one but they replied no you got to take them all, that is all six for $5 .... so I did.


Later J

 

[joeblack5]

When we put Dory together we were under a lot of stress to get going with Mom as quick as possible and so we took some shortcuts.
One of them was the kitchen insulation. So we took it out again added 1/2" to the first 1-1/2" of foam and sealed it in with great stuff.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture
Then I had space for another layer of 1/2" . So added that and cut the vent hole.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Had to modify the original foam sheets I used to enhance the fridges insulation. This is a 12/24 volt fridge.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture
We put it all put back together. Feels good


The we made a channel for the insulation blind to slide in. It reduces the draft around the blind.It needed a spacer.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture
We finished three window posts like that.

We enjoyed our improvements at a test camping night.


later J

 

[JDOnTheGo]

Looking good Johan, again!!

Speaking of shortcuts - that is the single largest "regret" that I have. Like you, mine were usually due to time constraints. It would be so much 'better' to plan the whole project and then work on it in the 'correct' order. As we know, that is not always possible. I guess the up-side is that we do things better the second time around!!

 

[joeblack5]

you are right JD. The nice part if you take some shortcuts besides saving time at a critical moment is that it allows you to experience what is really important to you. some things get no finished and some thing are getting torn out. So I finally attempted to clean some more wires out.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/members/8382-albums1239-picture19885t.jpg


Tracing wires is just a gigantic puzzle. kind of fun. Things get more organized and at the same time you get more understanding how things are working. I am really happy that this part of the demolition got done.





later johan

 

[joeblack5]

Last Friday I had to go for the annual PA safety inspection. Passed the first time. $28 so not bad.



After cleaning all the excess wiring I worked some on the main distribution / breaker box. Found a couple of breaker for unused live 12 and 24 Volt circuits. Allocated those to the monitor 24-19 Volt converter , water pump 24 Volt and video computer 12 Volt , living room lights 12 Volt and computer power 24-19 volt converter.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture




There is another breaker box in the rear of the bus mainly for the engine. I tapped in there for the bedroom lights and 24 volt / 12 Volt converter for the Webasto TSL17 diesel heater.


I was lucky to find a couple of discarded embedded computers with wifi in some companies trash. Wiped them and installed ubuntu OS. They run directly on 9-24 Volt.All videos are installed on a USB stick.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/members/8382-albums1239-picture19887t.jpg


Now just add a wireless keyboard and it is getting more high tech then I normally would go for.



Later Johan

 

[o1marc]

test post for Johan.

 

[2martins]

When we put Dory together we were under a lot of stress to get going with Mom as quick as possible and so we took some shortcuts.
One of them was the kitchen insulation. So we took it out again added 1/2" to the first 1-1/2" of foam and sealed it in with great stuff.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture
Then I had space for another layer of 1/2" . So added that and cut the vent hole.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Had to modify the original foam sheets I used to enhance the fridges insulation. This is a 12/24 volt fridge.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture
We put it all put back together. Feels good


The we made a channel for the insulation blind to slide in. It reduces the draft around the blind.It needed a spacer.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture
We finished three window posts like that.

We enjoyed our improvements at a test camping night.


later J

I don't understand what you mean by a channel for the insulation blind, but it sounds like something I would want. Do you have more pics or description?

 

[joeblack5]

2martins, sorry about that. These are two cell insulating blinds. We used the same style in our house and they do an amazing good job. We noticed that because the big temp difference a draft forms between the blind and the cold window. The cooled air escapes on the bottom of the blind and a little on the sides. So we made this lip ( channel ) that prevents the blind from standing of the wall. It reduces the space between the blind and the wall and now the draft has to make two corners to get around to the inside of the house or bus. So in the picture you can see the aluminum foil ( tape) on the foam spacer that is about as thick as the blind is. Then there is a 3/8 piece of plywood that prevents the blind from swinging inside the bus. When the blind is lowered it lays flat on the window sill. All this helps reducing the draft created by the temperature difference.


Hope my explanation made some sense for you.


Johan

 

[joeblack5]

Sony unilink enabler

We wanted to play the video sound over the busses speakers / wiring system. We also like cassettes. So I found and older Sony radio cassette player with CD input. After some reading up it turned out that it is a sony-unilink. I dislike proprietary stuff but found on fleabay an enabler. So will see if that works out.


Later Johan

 

[joeblack5]

My last update was about the audio system with the sony unilink. The aux CD enabler came in and ... it worked...So the stereo cinch input on the back of the radio is selectable now with a push button. Did not take a photo of it.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Removed more old wiring and slowly the chaos clears up. Some old wiring in the walls that was used for " disabled stop " and normal "stop" was rewired to 12 or 24 volt depending on the future application.

Added a plank to the top of the fridge for pots and pans. To keep Mom "involved" we made it out of the her old ramp into the house.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


We cut a nice section out and left the blue and red paint so that it is visible as to remind us on the origin of Dory.


I will reinstall one section of the duct covers and re-insulate the damaged foam. Then use tongue and groove planks against the aluminum braces/ brackets. That will eliminate some dead space, gain some storage and still leave a small duct that goes all the way to the driver seat.


Now with the redone wiring and remains of a trashed lamp we made some more creature lighting in Dory.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Where Mom's wheel chair used to be we put a stirling cycle 12 volt freezer and an old oak baby commode that was supposedly used with yours truly.


Later Johan

 

[joeblack5]

In the sleeping compartment we thought to give it a little more boat appeal.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


A little more privacy..cupboard bed.. Kids love it, although it is actually for us :biggrin:

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


To separate the bed compartment from the living quarters

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture


Later johan

 

[HappyInTN]

Last Friday I had to go for the annual PA safety inspection. Passed the first time. $28 so not bad.



After cleaning all the excess wiring I worked some on the main distribution / breaker box. Found a couple of breaker for unused live 12 and 24 Volt circuits. Allocated those to the monitor 24-19 Volt converter , water pump 24 Volt and video computer 12 Volt , living room lights 12 Volt and computer power 24-19 volt converter.

School Bus Conversion Resources - joeblack5's Album: not a skoolie - Picture




There is another breaker box in the rear of the bus mainly for the engine. I tapped in there for the bedroom lights and 24 volt / 12 Volt converter for the Webasto TSL17 diesel heater.


I was lucky to find a couple of discarded embedded computers with wifi in some companies trash. Wiped them and installed ubuntu OS. They run directly on 9-24 Volt.All videos are installed on a USB stick.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/members/8382-albums1239-picture19887t.jpg


Now just add a wireless keyboard and it is getting more high tech then I normally would go for.



Later Johan

Nice wiring! Wanna come tidy mine up? lol