| Author |
Message |
Buddy Tennison
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 1:12 am: | |
Have an 80 Eagle '05 we converted ourselves to use as a tour bus for our gospel quartet. Know you all have motorhome conversions, but principals should be the same. Have a couple of questions.
1. The driver AC is not working. Apparently, it is a source of freon leak, as it does lose coolant, and all the hoses, etc surrounding the bus air have been checked for leaks and none found. Therefore, we are assuming the lines up to driver AC are the problem. One solution we have come up with is to install a 110 "window unit" in place of all the driver air, etc. Would it be a reasonable alternative to run a 12V line from a hot leg on the electrical panel, with an inverter to run just the AC? We would be using it mostly while driving, as we do have roof tops. Only have a 7KW Onan genset, and by the time we power two roof tops and other items we run, feel like running it off the genset would be too much. Also, if it is feasible, what size inverter would be recommended?
2. We have a situation in keeping our genset battery charged. Before we read all your posts about various setups, we just hooked up a standard battery charger to keep the battery hot. Obviously, this pulls a lot of power from the genset. If we ran a line from the bus batteries (3 in-lines) to our genset battery with maybe an isolator in line, would this keep the battery charged properly. We sometimes sit 8 or more hours without the main engine being cranked (just running off genset). How long would the charge on the genset battery hold up and how much would it drain the bus batteries?
Any suggestions would be appreciated. We don't have a lot of available extra funds above operating expenses to work with. Just trying to do something feasible for the least amount of cash.
Thanks for your help |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 1:41 am: | |
"Would it be a reasonable alternative to run a 12V line from a hot leg on the electrical panel, with an inverter to run just the AC? "
The power used by the AC unit would require a hellluva battery
source and wire gauge to support it. It just hasn't been practical...
A decent genset and an inverter that runs from your alternator
supplied power, is easier. |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 2:05 am: | |
Are u saying that 2 roof airs running off the genset while driving will not keep u cool? If so, a single unit (window type) for the dash ain't going to work either. Even so, where would u locate a window unit for the dash area. Most dash air equipment is capable of about 2-3 ton of A/C, even when using a small automotive compressor. Would take a large window unit to equal it. I think your best bet is to have new lines installed to the dash evaporator if they are the source of your refrigerant leak.
Your genset should keep your starting battery for it charged. Perhaps something is not working or not connected? You could install a solenoid between your engine batteries and the genset battery which would allow you to "jump" power to the genset battery. |
Frank Allen
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 11:21 am: | |
I have a 7 kw onan, had to have the dealer install a high output board to keep the batt up, it stays up good now, id check with the dealer and see what they say
Frank Allen |
John Jewett (Jayjay)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 12:52 am: | |
My guess is that the compressor seals have hardened and are the culprit causing the leak. Hard to diagnose, but if you have had the rest of the system leak checked by a competent specialist with no apparent leaks, then double check the compressor seals. No, I don't know the "how", just the "what". ...JJ |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 12:23 pm: | |
Hello Buddy.
You don't have time, cash or the inclination to be fooling around with a bus that isn't working properly. You have a ministry/business to run!
Either spend the cash and get the coach air working properly, or forget it and run the generator and the roof airs going down the road.
There are no half-way answers when you are putting 25 pounds of refrigerant in everytime it leaks.
Go to a coach or repair company that knows how to fix Eagle coaches and see what they say. You want good work, and you have to pay for it.
The driver's AC is integral to the rest of the system. You would have to get it properly cut off and terminated to get the rest of the coach air working, if it is the source of leaks.
If the coach system is recoverable, I'd be inclined to get the coach air working properly, since redundant systems are very handy in a commercial venture.
If not, see if you can sell the parts, for some cash to go towards the next failure.
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
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