Bus to RV conversion

>cheapest and easiest way
Do all the work yourself, I hope you or your friends can fix diesel engines, and have some diy skills. School busses are generally maintained well, but when they're sold at auction, its because they're on their last legs and too costly for the school district to repair.

Remove the seats, install prison cots, put some furniture in it, and wire up a couple 12v/120v converters to power stuff. They already come with a radio, lights, speakers, and heat, but no AC.

File: 2016-10-11 23.25.20.jpg (3MB, 2992x4000px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2992x4000px

Totally doable. I am converting a cargo trailer into a stealth camper now.

Going to tell you right now, take whatever number in your head that you're thinking it will cost, and triple it.

If you want water/shower/toilet which you may need to get it classified as an RV in your state, Wastewater tanks are expensive.

Electrical is a pretty big cost, depending on how you do it. I'm going battery bank, solar, and shore power. May add a gennie too. Cheapest way up front is the gennie. cheapest long term assuming you can get decent panels is solar.

Also, INSULATION. you are going to bake in there if you dont get decent insulation and possibly reflective paint/panels for the roof.

>>1097533
How could I get A/C? Put one of those rooftop units on and run it off the battery?
>>1097535
I'm not trying to do anything extravagant, just want to drive it for the summer and sell it. So maybe a sink and shower hose (for outside), but that's it.
Could I just get a bunch of batteries and charge them when I get to a a/c hookup?
By insulation do you mean foam/fiberglass in the panels? I assume most heat comes from a greenhouse effect, so curtains would help.

>>1097542
Unless there are actual AC kits for the driver area, yeah an RV top-unit will be your best bet, be sure to get some fans to move the refrigerated air around the cabin quicker.

You cannot take a window unit and wire it up through a converter; they draw too much amperage for this application.

For easy and non-permanent plumbing, you can do an external shower with an overhead tank on the roof. Gravity fed can shower water onto you, make a shower curtain surround when you park. You could spend a bunch on a cabinet and sink, or you could pretend you're camping and not have a sink. Just use water to rinse and wash up.

If you're trying to keep this cheap, new car batteries are $150 each, and you'll need a lot plus a power minder to charge it. Used batteries aren't just laying around for free either.

Are you wanting this thing to be a house on wheels, or an enclosed shelter to live in during your road trip? Becaues you could put up some kind of interior and siding, but without mass and insulation, your cabin won't be very well insulated. Also those single pane windows are shit. Get some blackout curtains for those for parked privacy.

>>1097549
Thanks for the input dude. Putting the tank up high is really clever; I was thinking of bolting on a fold-down rail to clip a curtain onto.
I had no idea batteries were expensive. I guess we can do big power banks for electronics, we don't need much else electrical. How much current can the alternator pump out?
Yeah, I'm aiming for a place to sleep and pass the time while driving, not a house on wheels. Definitely doing curtains. Instead of a rod though, I was thinking of a roll-up deal with holders, like on a tent door.

>>1097542
>>1097549
Okay so operating on the sell it at the end of the season mantra, heres what I would do.

Window AC unit, or Freestanding unit from craigslist. I have a freestanding one for my trailer that works as heat, AC and dehumidifer that I picked up for $70 retailed for $500. Drilled a hole in the floor for exhaust, and some straps to keep it stationary. I see a ton of buses with window AC units mounted in the back window. Do that. A large enough Inverter will run the AC, for about 10 minutes. Get a generator, and a couple gas cans. Don't bother with a battery bank, or maybe just get one to run lights on. Keep it separate from your starting battery. Don't want to end up stranded.
they sell a propane heated shower that you can mount to the exterior of the bus. pretty nifty. Freshwater tanks are a little expensive, but make sure you get food grade.

I mean foam in the panels, and yes, you get a lot of heat from greenhouse, as well as having a bare metal roof that the sun is beating down on right above your head. Its like a car in the summer.

Be sure that you have the right driver license for the bus. if you dont get it classified as an RV, you need a CDL+passenger. So, jump through the hoops to get it marked an RV.

>>1097553
a note on batteries, you want the deep cycle ones. And you need to make sure you dont completely discharge them. They are not like your phone, and they will get a drastically shorter lifespan if you discharge them too far.

>>1097553
Its not so much the alternator; its the battery. 12v Batteries can handle 10amps for short periods. Some devices are 15-20amps, however AC window units, microwaves, vaccuums, toasters, and high current stuff can pop fuses quickly. And AC/DC converters to allow 120v stuff to operate typically operate under 15amps under full load. With a couple of these, you could easily power some laptops, radio, and a few other devices. I think you should evaluate what you and your friends want to do; do you want every amenity of home with seamless power delivery, or do you want to camp in style. Will you be driving through a very hot and humid place like Southern US where its 90 and humid at night, or will you be comfortable with sleeping with the windows open (kinda like camping).

A small window AC unit will reasonably cool 150 square feet with an 8 foot ceiling. busses are about 6'5" cieling. So if you wanted to cool the cabin with 4 people, you would probably need 2 small units at $160 a piece. Each unit should draw about 5 amps per hour for a total of 10 amps/hour. A $200 deep cycle battery rated at 78aH would get you about 7 hours of continuous use for the AC only, AND assuming 100% electrical efficiency, which is impossible. If you discharge them all the way below a certain voltage, they're paperweights. So you'll need a few of these batteries, and a charging adapter from the alternator.

>>1097527
Dont even bother with air conditioning. Its too expensive and loud and wasteful.

Figure out a way to fit screening or netting into the windows for air flow. If you need more than that some small 12 volt fans for each sleeper is more than enough.

Remember to balance the vehicle load right to left and forward and back.

>>1097570
Also, your power inverter will need to be able to handle that load, so a 3000w-5000w inverter will be another $300.

So, 4 batteries will be at least $800, power inverter is another $300, wiring can be $150, AC units will be $350, more if you want one in the back, one in the front. Add another $50 to make it look clean and brace the AC units. Is overnight AC worth $1650 (or more) for you and 4 buddies?

>>1097527
>Any big mods I should do?

Convert it to run on filtered WVO

OP here. A/C seems like a lot of effort now.
Based off your suggestions, I'm thinking I get an inverter for phones and laptops and a second battery for interior lighting. Can I charge the second battery by hooking it up in series to the main one while the engine is running?

As for A/C when stopped, friends have window and stationary indoor units that we can run off a generator or hookup. Are evaporative coolers feasible?

Not 100% sure where we're going. Again, this is a pretty nascent plan.

Side note: Anything I should look for in drivetrains? Manual or automatic?

>>1097596
Not sure if you're fucking with me, but all that filtering and heating sounds like a bitch. Having both diesel and veg would be really fucking cool, but too much work.

>>1097597
Evap coolers only work is very dry areas like the desert. Any humidity and its just blowing hot wet air.

Yes, kits are specifically made to wire up an inverter with a second battery. I'll lookup my worktruck brand tomorrow.

Every school bus i've ever seen was automatic; remember these things are usually operated by highschool dropouts and government employees.

>>1097606
Thanks man. My concern with the transmission is just making sure it's geared high enough for sustained highway travel.

>>1097608
Yeah they'll go at highway speeds. Don't expect it to be like a car, and I've never seen one with cruise control either.

>>1097527
make sure you get a bus with highway gearing in the rear end. A city school buss will have city gears and run to high rpm at highway speeds. Most rural school districts have buses with highway gears. Ford idi diesels in 84-mid 90s international buses are super reliable and simple to work on. Used, but good condition batteries are readily available at wrecking yards, and u-pull yards. I pay between $40-50 a piece for batteries 1-2 years old. There are entire forums dedicated to this, skoolie.net is a good resource.

>tfw not american
>tfw cant buy a schoolbus for cheap
>tfw cant actually live in a vehicle
>tfw cant just park a vehicle anywhere in beautiful nature and camp/live there

life as a yuropoor sucks sometimes

Honestly you can do it for a lot cheaper than you believe.

Rip out all but 5/6 benches. (so everyone has their own space to stretch out on long journeys)

Throw 6 mattresses behind those. Bolt a couple cabinets in the back to store personal items, clothing, food, etc. Draw a couple of curtains made out of raw fabric/old sheets for a changing room.

Do your cooking on a lpg camping grill. basic waters storage. truck stops, gyms and/or rivers for bathroom breaks and showers.

For real cheap you can rough it. Comfort is what costs the real money.

>>1097694
Come here on a tourist visa and just dont leave. If youre looking to live in a bus you dont exactly need papers. And you can go home anytime.

>>1097597
A solenoid will connect and disconnect your reserve batteries from the main battery. Very easy to rig up on a bus. Instructions available multiple places online.

>>1097597
I would rig up the second battery through the accessories line so it is connected to the main battery/ alternator ONLY when the bus is running. That way if you forget to turn off your electronics when you get drunk and pass out, you can still start the bus in the morning.

>>1097788
>>1097786
This.

>>1097527
before you put ANY time / money in this, tey to find insurance for it. a lot of companies wont touch bus conversions. ive built three and i ended up having to make them believe its just a personal box truck. you might have some grief with yhe VIN as well. i had to buy a chevy van and swap VINs to insure one of my busses.

>>1097811
I hope you mean SOMEONE WHO ISNT ME swapped the vins lol

Are you really committed to the bus?
They are usually ready for retirement by the time you can get them cheap at a surplus sale, so you might be looking at something that needs a new engine, or Will need a new engine when you try to scream down the highway at 75 to keep up with traffic like you are used to.

>>1097722
has the right idea for what you seem to want. Pick a cool time of year/region?


Consider:
buying some dead grannie's motor home and retrofitting/scrapping out anything you dont want.
Scour craigslist and the like to find someone else's tinyhome bus project that they started to scrap out but broke up with their lifemate before finishing.

Have a backup plan for this thing failing mechanically and burning down on the side of the interstate.

>>1097533
>but when they're sold at auction, its because they're on their last legs and too costly for the school district to repair.
Where I live they can't be older then 10 years.

Converting a trailer and towing it with a crew cab would be much less hassle.

>>1097535
Has the right idea and you actually get something useful out of the result. School buses are the shipping containers of the RV world. Good for many things, but do a cost spreadsheet before committing.

If your bus dies, your towing bill will break you and you'll likely have to abandon it. If your truck dies, you can rent another to retrieve your trailer and towing bill would be much less.

A school bus requires a medium duty tow truck or an experienced operator with no fear. A trailer or crewcab pickup can be towed comfily by a light duty wrecker.

Concept is retarded. Do you know buses get like 8 miles to the gallon? You could rent an SUV and stay in Hiltons for a 30 day road trip for less than a bus will run you.

>>1099104
Not entirely true. 30 days x (100/ night Hilton + 40/day rental) = 4200. With a bargain bus (short bus) and minor modifications, as well as selling the seats to hipsters, he would come out even or ahead with the bus. I am building my trailer because I spend 2/3 of the year on the road for work. I've sunk 4600 on new trailer, and about 2500 on things to go in it. My main expensive items were batteries, solar, and inverter.

>>1099382
>my anecdotal pricing proves everyone else can find similarly priced equipment

>>1099382

You could have bought a used RV for that and it would be significantly nicer. Not to mention, probably have a proper place to take a shit and shower.

This thread is on par with burying a shipping container.

Maybe we could start a thread on converting a shipping container into a bus?

>>1099644
Correct, however I would not have cabinets that fold away when not in use and allow me to transport cargo/ATVs/small cars in the same trailer.

>>1099392
Literally bought everything but the trailer and wood to frame cabinets on Amazon. So yes, they could. Trailer I bought brand new, so buying used they could save even more.

>>1099392
>>my anecdotal pricing proves everyone else can find similarly priced equipment

In America they can match or beat that price easily. A used trailer in good shape can be had for less money but would need wheel bearing inspection and repack, brake inspection, etc, etc. Easy to do if you are handy.

Stealth and trailer reuse may be a consideration vs looking like a RV trailer. Fuck RVs, they have the same issues as other bulky vehicles when they shit the bed and because they are RVs they deteriorate from sitting.

I'd have looked for a horse trailer with living quarters for max versatility but whatever works.

>>1097732
and how to pay bills

>>1097608
Don't expect more than 50 - 55 MPH with your foot to the floor

File: bankdelta.png (13KB, 1696x868px) Image search: [Google]

13KB, 1696x868px

my 2017 resolution is to save up to buy a sprinter.

I am going to insulate it with a 1x2 frame, with an inch of space off the walls for platinum foil insulation with MLI blankets and 6-10mm of Aerogel (more later?). I'm also using thinsulate and thermal substates for the floors with cork flooring/wallpanels for mold/mildew resistance.

The reason I'm insulating it so well is because I want to use a battery bank for hvac. I'm using 3.2v 20a LiFePo4 flatcells for an 8kWh battery bank.

I'm using 600w of flexible solar on the roof with an axis for positioning.

I'm also using:
>Solenoid on alternator line for dc charging. >1.5kW Server PSU for 110/220v charging (power cables can be international).

Other things I've considered are EV chargers and Generators. I have decided to save those for the more distant future.

On board electronics will be heater, air conditioner, ventilation fan, refrigerated cooler for fresh groceries, led strips, and exterior cameras for security.

Mostly just want a bed and a desk, with clothing storage. Bathe at gym. Pull over to toilet plus emergency fold-out toilet for backwoods camping.

I'm having a hard time working with simultaneous power sources. I've mostly taken to ORing the circuit, but I'd like to use multiple at once.

Pic related, the battery bank.

>>1100867
They make 120v cutover switches that will cutover automatically. That's what I have in my trailer. It was around $50. If you're talking multiple 12v sources, some diodes to make sure current doesn't flow the wrong way are cheap.

>>1100867
Also, what's your cost on that bank? I looked at cells but couldn't find anything decently priced, or decent quality.

>>1101195
about 35 a cell not counting the wholesale rate of 100 (128s total).

Then 8 16s battery management systems at 50 a controller.

http://energystore.online/Office-Electronics/63169-16pcs-Original-A123lifepo4-3-2v-20ah-lifepo4-cell-battery-100A-discharge-APP72161227-lifepo4-battery-pack-48v-20ah-diy-e-bike-EV.html

so about 600 a bank. doing 8 banks however I may begin with a single bank just to run a fan, phone/laptop, and lights. theyre going under the floor panels in a grounded chasis.

>>1101194
Id need really strong diodes because the solar can put out around 10 amps, and about 4 times that out of an alternator, 8 times that out of an EV charger.

I wouldnt really want to risk failure on any/all equipment so I'd probably restrict it to one charge source and have a second source take over the active load.

>>1098998
They are pretty cheap first off but fuel will be a killer too. Agree with you post totally.

>>1101408
They make diodes that strong. You could also use battery isolators. I've got a few 30 amp ones in the trailer electrical. Thanks for the info on the batteries.

File: 92e72cbd-fd20-4d20-8d7d-c130189ccc13..png (471KB, 1080x1920px) Image search: [Google]

471KB, 1080x1920px

>>1101525
Also I'm using these BMS and fusing individual cells. Keep in mind these batteries use tabs. To prevent shorts I'm placing 8x11 Kapton Sheets inbetween cells.
ebay.com/itm/251550329645

30a per controller at 48v so 240A total.

My inputs are looking like
>Solar
600w (48v 12.5a from the MPPT) although I may settle for 480w for more roof space.
>Alternator
~2kW (12v 200a, not sure what actual max output is)
>AC
1.5kW at 220v, 900w at 110v (48v output with 12/5v rails)

I'm keeping most of my outputs DC running on buck/boost converters.
DC LED strips, DC fans/vents, and a cooler with DC compressor.
USB from phone is also DC and I am running my laptop off DC rather than using its AC adapter.

I will have a pure sine wave inverter for around 2kW of AC output.

My heating/air-conditioning may have to run off AC. I've spent the better part of this decade researching DC compressors to prevent inverter loss. For 2000-5000 BTUs I havent found any DC products that really fit the bill. Heaters are much more flexible. There are some DC air conditioners in the range I'm looking for but theyre generally $2k+ and share similar power consumption with AC powered units. For the price difference I think insulation would be a better investment.

Down the line I could see myself tinkering with custom DC powered vapor-compression systems, but for now I'm not confident my HVAC ability would end up with a viable solution. I live in Colorado so a fan will suffice to start.

I'm designing my wall panels to be modular so I can easily add layers of aerogel as I can afford more, with easy access to cabling.