random ideas that need experienced input.

[texasrednek]

Hello all I'm brand new to the board it took awhile figuring out why I couldn't register...but got that all sorted out now (obviously ). First off I have no bus yet. I'm still in the planning and saving stage, and my plans for the future school bus are for me and my family, all 6 of us to be able to go to rabbit shows and various trips comfortably. Ok so here are a few of my ideas, I started looking at different appliances and then looked at the prices of new ones . New appliances are pretty much a last resort, so I started looking for RV salvage yards and ran across a salvage auction website and some mostly complete RV's were going for like 1500-2500. when I say complete I just mean all the pieces are present just not always in the right place . Would it be feasible to get one like that and just use all the plumbing and tanks and bits and pieces to put in a bus? Or are most of those things to old to be re used? also I notice that not many of the school bus conversions incorporate generators. Is this because mounting them on the exterior is difficult? I'm a machinist and a welder so I'm hoping I can figure it out . Well that's not all of my ideas but I don't want to be overwhelming or disorganized in my exuberance to be here with to much info at one time. Thanks in advance!

 

[roach711]

Personally I'd be more comfortable finding an old travel trailer locally that I could have a good look at before buying. Several Skoolie members have salvaged equipment from old RVs so it's certainly a viable option.

Lots of conversions have on board generators. A bus with belly bins is a great choice if you plan to carry one full time.

 

[turf]

i toyed for a long time with the idea of using a camper for a donor. i actually had one and sold it. my reason for building a bus was to get away from the stick and staple finish of campers.

if you are sure you are going to use the all the appliances.... its a good source

or it can be a real expensive smoke detector.... if that's the only piece that ends up in your build.

just depends on what you are making

 

[texasrednek]

Thanks guys I thought so. I was planning to refinish any old appliances so I wouldn't have the sticks and staples feel. And as soon as I typed that about lacking generators I came across "the best home yet" conversion. After I have had some coffee (I work nights) i will be back to ask about the feasibility of my solar plans.

 

[texasrednek]

Ok I can think now. Every time I see a discussion on solar panels it goes way above my head people are saying things like calculate your draw and convert the amps to watts and all of that, since I don't get that like pretty much any of it i prescribe to the go big or go home philosophy. I'm thinking maybe 800-900 amp hrs using 6v golf cart batteries with quite a few pv cells on my roof and maybe installing a second alternator to help charge in route. being that I live in central Texas and will be traveling for the most part 300-400 miles in any direction I think my sunlight each day should be pretty high. Again I know nothing about electrical calculations..... alg.? sure geometry? sure basic trig? yup that's pretty easy wich is why I feel like an idiot for not being able to figure it out its like I'm missing a variable some where and I'm betting as all ways I'm over thinking it. So my question is will it work? I keep reading that most solar controllers can't handle more than 30 amp input if put say 800 watts of pv on the roof I would be at what? 62ish amps? and if I use a secondary alternator do I have to feed it through an invertor to a 3 stage 120v charger , or can I hook it directly to the battery bank without burning them out prematurely. Thank you for your patience with me lol

edited: fixing spell check mistakes! its watts not whats

 

[Locutus]

Tex,

Read this:

http://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/the- ... -puzzle-2/

Once you've studied and understand this and his other postings, you'll KNOW what your setup should be to best serve your unique needs.

 

[texasrednek]

Thanks Locutus, I will try to read it at work tonight as long as I don't get to busy wich were are pretty slow right now so I'm hoping i have time. Working in a corporate machine shop has its advantages!

 

[texasrednek]

I'm in the middle of reading it right now that is thus far the most informative and basic terms thing I have read. I have gotten more out of that write up than any three before. Thank you for that very helpfull

 

[texasrednek]

Next idle thought. How hard would it be to ad 400 gallons of fuel capacity to a bus? I'm toying with the idea of trying WVO and the "big trip" on my bucket list is going to the Red Wood National forest in northern California. I did the math and it would take roughly 400-500 gallons of fuel depending on MPG I'm not going to have room (or patience and time) to collect filter and store en route. I'm thinking collect it and store it on the bus in the weeks preceding the trip...if its viable. Also I have read quite a bit that WVO can be detrimental to seals and what not due to the acids in the animal fats found in it. Any one with long term experience find this to be true?

 

[nat_ster]

Depending on how heavy you build your bus, the extra 4000 pounds of fuel may or may not matter.

The extra 4000 pounds will realy slow you down on the hills. If you have a little 5.9 Cummins, you may be doing 20kmh up the hills, and mountains.

Go read http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

Nat

 

[sdwarf36]

""Also I have read quite a bit that WVO can be detrimental to seals and what not due to the acids in the animal fats found in it. Any one with long term experience find this to be true?""

170k on a VW on wvo.
35k on my bus on wvo.
Most people dissing wvo have come no closer to it than whats left on the bottom of their plate of french fries. IF DONE CORRECTLY, you can get many miles with no problems. I went inside my VW motor with 300k on in (100k on veg) after it was worn out-looked fine inside. Bearing wear was fine-carbon build up was better than average. I was inside my 7.3 after I cracked a piston (too hi EGT's going up a big hill.) 25 k on veg-you couldn't tell any difference.
Theres a bit of a learning curve involved. And if you are going to base your discision on what bus to buy on running it, the 7.3 is the best choice-12 valve Cummins next.
That being said, you got 400 gallons of oil kicking around? You got a place to filter it it? You got a place to store it? You got space on your bus for 8 55 gallon drums-or a tank that size? You ever drive anything with 3200 lbs of movable ballast? If you think that everyone will be glad to give you their old oil, you're 10 years too late to the party. Its now something people PAY for-and BioD companies have aggressively snagged most of it.
I've been doing it for 9 years-and knowing now what I have learned-and the lack of availibility, I wouldn't do it again.

 

[texasrednek]

Theres a bit of a learning curve involved. And if you are going to base your discision on what bus to buy on running it, the 7.3 is the best choice-12 valve Cummins next.
That being said, you got 400 gallons of oil kicking around? You got a place to filter it it? You got a place to store it? You got space on your bus for 8 55 gallon drums-or a tank that size? You ever drive anything with 3200 lbs of movable ballast? If you think that everyone will be glad to give you their old oil, you're 10 years too late to the party. Its now something people PAY for-and BioD companies have aggressively snagged most of it.
I've been doing it for 9 years-and knowing now what I have learned-and the lack of availibility, I wouldn't do it again.

I have 2 acres a 1000 sqft. shop and I only work 4 days a week so I have time and space to process it. I'm hoping being that im in a small rural Texas town I would be the only "damn hippy" trying to use the waste oil. I have done work for the bbq reasturant in town and the owner is my dad's neighbor so I'm hoping he can help me out. Lastly, yes I drove a few fuel tankers in the army (around the motor pool and short trips to check breaks and what not) and towed tons of water buffalo's (500 gal. water tank on a trailer) however what ever tank or tanks I have will have baffles in them, prety substantial ones, if I purchase the tanks I will inspect the tanks and install or modify baffles....if I build the tanks (wich I probably will) they will have baffles.Thankfully I'm one of the guys that thinks the phrase "good enough" has killed modern day manufacturing....it's either good or it isn't.

 

[Redbear]

Back in the 1970's, Car and Driver sponsored a couple of "Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash" events. These real events inspired the looney "Cannonball Run" movie. Each team carried a card punched in on the time clock at the Red Ball garage in Manhattan. On the west coast they punched out on the clock at the front desk of the Portofino Inn somewhere overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The shortest elapsed time won. They cancelled the events as being irresponsible during the mid-1970's gas crisis. Since I had stopped subscribing, I don't know if they ever ran it again.

One of the entries in one of the races was from the "Polish Racing Drivers of America." Their strategy was to drive a van with barrels of gasoline in the back, and save time by not making fuel stops. The result was that they did not calculate the reduced fuel mileage when carrying all the extra weight, and had to stop for fuel anyway.

The really fast exotic sports cars were usually delayed by law enforcement. The best strategy appeared to be to drive a big Buick sedan with the cruise control set about 93 MPH (150 kPH). Another one of the entries was a motorhome, with co-drivers cooking gourmet meals in the back to avoid food stops. They didn't place highly, but they ate well.

The later races proved to be tests for early radar detectors. One of the memorable entries was "The Flying Fathers," where the three drivers donned religious garb and drove a Mercedes sedan at Autobahn speeds. They hoped the costumes would cut them slack with the Highway Patrol. But it backfired. One trooper who pulled them over asked, "You wouldn't want me to lie when my radar said 70, would you?" and gave them a ticket. But the Mercedes had actually been going 120+ when the early radar detector went off and they smoked the brakes. (Edit: Maybe they only slowed to 90, I read it a long, long time ago.)

But I digress. The PRDoA entry burned into my young brain that you have to consider the weight being carried when planning the range on tanks of fuel.

 

[texasrednek]

I hadn't thought of that redbear. That would be a good thing to take into consideration.

 

[sdwarf36]

PRDA-aka: Oscar Kovaleski. AutoWorld parts. He raced everything-including Can Am. They were big in the 70's with hop up parts for your slot cars. I spent much lunch money on my A/FX's with him.

 

[Locutus]

Check these guys out:

http://www.frybrid.net/index.htm

A Frybrid WVO system mitigates some of the inherent problems of using WVO as fuel by starting the engine on straight diesel, then heating the WVO to operating temperature before switching to run on WVO as fuel. You're also supposed to switch back to diesel for a short period of time before shutting down the engine.

 

[Diesel Dan]

I personally don't like the Frybrid system. It is too automated. I prefer to have manual control over my system. It's also pricey. I have a Greasecar system in my old Mercedes, which I augmented and redesigned a bit. For my bus, I bought components from different places and will be designing my own system if I ever get around to it.