| Author | Message | ||
| Douglas Tappan (Dougthebonifiedbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Dougthebonifiedbusnut Post Number: 70 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 75.69.223.64  Rating: N/A |
Hey All, As you all know, I have a Crown x schoolie so relatively speaking there is much less area inside than most conversions. I am trying to figure out what I need for ac units.I want to cool the main area while driving and cool just the bedroom while sleeping.The bedroom is only about 8'x8'x8' while the rest of the area is maybe32'x8'x8' should I get one big ac for the main area and a real small one for the bedroom or will I have cycling issues with the little one?RJ you have probably allready been through this | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 761 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.67 Rating: N/A |
Doug, Direct sun is your biggest problem since the roof area and windshield are so large. Your schoolie probably has even less ceiling insulation than highway buses. Make sure the top is painted white. If your bus AC is not working you want one ceiling unit as close to the front as possible. I cannot stress strongly enough that you need all you can get in front. Unless you have partitions you won't really need a separate unit for a rear bedroom. The bedroom is usually only used at night and once the sun is down that area is easy to cool. If you do much long term parking in hot weather where there is no shade you will probably need two units, but again I wouldn't put one in the bedroom. They are too noisy and you don't want cold air blowing directly on the bed. I run my rear unit at night just so it gets some use but I could easily cool the bedroom with the front unit alone. Both mine are too far aft. The rear one is too close to the BR and the front is too far from the driver. I really need both closer to the front. I didn't get enough cooling in front so I cut a hole in the bottom of the ceiling cover so the air blows straight down to the floor. That one thing made 100% difference in the cooling. | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 369 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 70.210.245.185 Rating: N/A |
Doug...we have a Coleman basement unit; in the mid bay, Pax side. I don't have it hooked into the inverter, but if so would probably do a good job when driving. Used the chase over the windows on the pax side for vents (in the original side light openings) with the main opening just fore of the rear wheel wells. We are considering a front unit for driving; placed where the two front heaters are. The big "problem" with our Crowns is the midships engine which gives off much heat thru the floor. I used 1/16th Cork sheeting front to back, but would go to 1/4 inch if I were to do it again. FWIW  ....HTH RCB | ||
| James Robinson (Jjrbus)
Registered Member Username: Jjrbus Post Number: 166 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 99.206.76.229 Rating: N/A |
I have a well insulated 35 foot bus with 2 roof AC's. The front is arranged so as much air as possible is directed to the driver area. The second is in the bathroom and ducted into the bedroom. What has evolved is that when we are in front area of bus, we use the rear air and when in bedroom we use the front A/C with a ceiling fan in the bedroom. If redoing, I would figure some type of fan to circulate the front air through the bedroom | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 218 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 74.244.14.221  Rating: N/A |
FWIW I didn't design ours but we have a total of three in our 35' coach. On up front, one midway to cover bathroom and galley and one in the aft cabin. We have a bifold door that separates the galley and bathroom area. We also have a basement furnace so I think if I ever redo things I will just use a combination basement AC and furnace (Message edited by timb on November 04, 2008) | ||
| Bill Penland (Billy6941)
Registered Member Username: Billy6941 Post Number: 12 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 24.237.249.96 Rating: N/A |
Hey, Doug, You conld consider moving to Alaska and then you wouldn't have to worry about air conditioning....Bill | ||
| Douglas Tappan (Dougthebonifiedbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Dougthebonifiedbusnut Post Number: 71 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 75.69.223.64 Rating: N/A |
Hey RC, Too many r,somethins on this board. When are you going to put a pic of your gorgeous Crown in your whatever you call it by your name? | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 370 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.209.230.228 Rating: N/A |
...Thanx, Doug; long way to go because the exterior paint will be, most probably, the last thing done.....after an enclosure for it (gotta protect the investment, right?) 7 years and counting. Got to finish it up about the time I have to stop driving....  . BTW, you have done a great job on yours so far as I can see. Your headlights are over/under....mine are side by side. Really like your windows. Since we utilize all the heat exchangers that existed when we bought the coach, we don't need a basement Heater as someone mentioned, but I kinda like the idea.....however, not room for both in our mid bay, I'm afraid. Can't seem to get the right KB's on pics to send so have just not done it. Maybe I'll spend some time on it later. RCB | ||
| Tom Christman (Tchristman)
Registered Member Username: Tchristman Post Number: 33 Registered: 1-2006 Posted From: 66.218.33.156 Rating: N/A |
Douglas- I have an AMGeneral 102 wide 40ft'r with large windows like yours, and with 2.25" of blown in insulation. No dash air, with 3-13,500btu Coleman roof airs. While I don't like the look, with a transit, there just wasn't the room underneath for the basement airs. My bus is so well insulated, that going down the road in 107 degree weather (the hotist experienced) only the two front units are needed. For night time use, I use the middle A/C since the Colemans are a bit noisy for quiet night time use, and then close the mid bath door. I have a 6 inch gap at the top that allows the air to flow back, but also to block most of the noisiness. Dometic-at their truck A/C site-makes a nice floor mounted A/C that you just cut two holes in the floor for the cold and hot for the condenser then duct the cold up to a remote mounted vent. They are quiet running and rugged since they are made for big rig trucks-but expensive at about $1800 apiece. Two 14,000btu up front and a 7,000btu for the bedroom would be my choice for your bus. Good Luck, TomC | ||
| Nick Badame Refrigeration Co. (Dnick85)
Registered Member Username: Dnick85 Post Number: 254 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 70.208.141.251  Rating: N/A |
Hi Doug, You could also install a Red Dot dash air system for driving and add maybe a roof air or even a basement system for sleeping. The red dot systems will be strong enough to battle the heat load from a hot sun. Good Luck Nick- | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 262 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.183.219.140  Rating: N/A |
Dont forget after a long days run the heat from the engine will work its way up into the bedroom unless you really insulate well. An a/c aft in our rig is appreciated at night if there are no cross breezes. We have a canvas partition that can fit right behind the driver seat or further aft about 1/3 just before the galley to help keep the front cool or warm. its two roof tops on ours. | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1383 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.66.17.110  Rating: N/A |
Neat trick I learned from others... On arrival at the evening's accommodations, get all your engine room doors and panels opened up to let out the heat. Every bit of heat that finds its way out through the doors won't have to continue the heat soak of the floor and back wall. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 373 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 70.212.247.222 Rating: N/A |
Yep ...great suggestion, BW, especially if one's engine is located UNDER the floor, amidships. ...however in the winter clime, best not to do that. RCB | ||
| Frank Allen (Frank66)
Registered Member Username: Frank66 Post Number: 96 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 205.188.117.73 Rating: N/A |
i have two 13500 roof units when i put them in i put the front one a bit closer to the front, the rear one was pos over the door to rear bedromm so one vent would blow into bed room and the other out into the bathroom, this has worked well, i also have a small 12 volt fan in the driver area which helped a lot. i now have a enegine driven system which works so well i dont use the roof airs on the road anymore . but thats another story Frank Allen 4106 |