| Author | Message | ||
| Jim (Jim_in_california)
Rating: N/A |
OK guys, got a problem here that's right up your alley. True, my rig is a truck conversion vs. bus. But we've just found a very "bus-like" problem indeed. The rear 1/3rd of this thing is an open-bed car hauler. It is *partially* roofed and walled but open to the rear; we're now turning that into an enclosed garage. Thing is, it turns out the existing walls/roof aren't insulated - the original builder clearly decided it was unnecessary at the time for obvious reasons. The new wall/roof panelling will get insulation panels installed but we want to also insulate the existing walls/roof area. The construction is very "bus-like": 2" mild steel square tube frame with riveted aluminum skin inside and out. Not that different from an MCI or similar, although the steel frame tubes are probably a different shape. This thing is not a "stick'n'staple". (There's also VERY little rust on those frame tubes, a great sign.) Now I understand that you guys often use small holes in the inside skin (or drill them if necessary) and blow foam insulation in between the factory inside and outside skins in some cases? I need a product that can do that but WITHOUT bulging the skins! Any suggestions? (Note that the original living area walls/roof are already very well insulated from the original factory. We've inspected a bit of that and the 1988-era insulation is just fine.) | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
There may be something that will do it but I've never seen it. The problem you run into with expanding foam in enclosed spaces is that even though it doesn't create "much" pressure, it does create some. And when you multiply the x times y of the panel you want to insulate, the amount of square inches times the "not much" pressure easily equals more than enough to warp the heck out of it. I did exactly as you describe in the rear of my Crown bus, but the inside and outside panels were somewhat spherically curved and that withstood the foam pressure nicely. On a flat panel? I doubt you'll find anything that will work except remove it, foam it, replace it... sorry, it's a great dream...  | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Jim- If you really want to insulate it without removing the panels, why not forget the spray foam and use conventional home-type blown-in insulation? They use a number of different products, and I believe foam particals is one. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=home+insulation+blown | ||
| mel 4104 Rating: N/A |
i asked a foam guy that does a lot of foaming including buses and he said that it can be done but you do not get a very good insulation job as there will be spaces thet the foam will not expand in to and unless you drill big holes [1-2"] all over the place for the foam to expand out regardless how carefull the fellow operating the gun is you will still get bulging. as to the blow in type the vibration and bouncing will cause this all to leave a space at the top like the houses that have it. when you take a wall down there is never any insulation at the top half. | ||
| Jim (Jim_in_california)
Rating: N/A |
Hmmm. Well it's only a relatively small portion of the garage that wouldn't be insulated if we can't stuff the existing walls. We should be able to do the whole roof easy enough, and some of the existing sidewalls. Pics of this critter in it's unmodified state can be seen here - this will give you an idea how much wall space we're talking about: http://www.equalccw.com/hansenmods.pdf Also: note the two big "side doors" at the passenger side rear - there's a large custom battery box about a foot deep and the whole width and height being added there which will be plenty of insulation on it's own. That's where the 845amp/hr HUP Solar One battery is going . So that's even less original garage wall space to worry about. | ||
| Lew Poppleton (Lewpopp)
Rating: N/A |
Do I understand that the area needing insulated has the outside skin attached to the square tube type structure? If so, I have seen houses insulated with a proper spray nozzle and after it dried, a machine peeled off all of the excess and then the outer surface was installed. If you have the inner surface already installed, you must remove it or else don't use the foam. |