| Author |
Message |
Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 8:04 pm: | |
My bus research continues. Bus in question has 2 roof airs running on a generac. He thinks it might need a 3rd AC. Gets a bit warm in the front while driving in SOCAL he says. What besides a roof air are there that might augment the AC system. I am thinking way ahead here. |
Ian Giffin (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 8:08 pm: | |
A pair of shorts?
Ian
www.busnut.com |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 8:18 pm: | |
Engine driven dash AC. Genset driven drivers area basement AC located in the "tool" or spare tire compartment (front of coach). Probably too late, but insulation and dual pane windows are good for improved cooling and heating. For sure the windows could be changed out if not already dual pane. Light paint on upper areas of coach will make interior cooler. May move the front AC to the area just behind the driver area. Are the ACs 15K btu units? 15 is better than 13Ks. Going to a third AC may require another generator...depending on the size of your genset. A comfy gensize for 3 rooftop units would be in the 15K range...no less than 12K if you run all of them at once. And even this may not add significantly to the driver compartment temps if the coach is poorly insulated. Take the coach and try it...may not seem so bad to you as to others.
Good luck, JR |
Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 8:26 pm: | |
It also has dual alternators and a whiz bang trace inverter and battery bank. I was thinking more of an engine driven setup for the front underway. This is a Crown HIPO by the way. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 8:57 pm: | |
Sounds like all it needs is a good spray insulation coating on the inside of the roof. I've got a Crown and 2AC's are PLENTY, although prior to insulating they were on the edge of "not enough". As I sprayed the insulation on, the interior lowered almost 30 degrees in temperature!! Now two AC's will make the place feel like the arctic!
I added an engine driven AC for the front while driving around, and it was a great thing to have done. Driving with the genset running has always made me feel weird. BTW Generac generators are horrible... if you have any future plans you might consider changing it out for an Onan or almost anything else. Nobody on this board (well, maybe a few) like Generac, and for good reason. They are the underdogs of the generator business...
BTW, what is a HIPO ? |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 9:15 pm: | |
"A pair of shorts? "
Ahhhhh HAR de HAR HAR!
(dem canucks.... ain't they sumptin?) |
david anderson (Davidanderson)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 9:16 pm: | |
I have three ducted Coleman low profile 13K units in my Eagle 10 and glad of it. Driving through Nevada last July down U.S. 50 it was 108. It was very nice and cool in the coach. I'd rather be too cold and turn up the t-stat than wishing I could make it cooler.
The front unit runs off the inverter and has automotive ducts above the driver's area with a 3 speed Danhard blower. It keeps me cool.
I chose this method over an engine driven system. Most of the time I'm running the genny on the road anyway so I'm not using the alternator to power the house bank. This gives a bit more power for my 6v92 to push the wheels instead of turning an alternator or if I had it, and engine driven AC unit.
good luck
David |
Jack Gregg (Jackinkc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 10:03 pm: | |
A squirrel cage fan over the driver helps. |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 10:14 pm: | |
In my 40 footer, two 15 btu roof jobs were overkill for me when sitting, coach insulated well, insulating microsphere paint on top, I only ran both of them for a few minutes after being gone all day, then back to one. I too feel weird running the genset driving down the road, and as indicated above, without something blowing close and directly on you, the heat from the sun thru the windshields is a sweat producer. If I build another, I would go for an engine driven ac compressor running some units in the area over the windshield, blowing down on the driver and passenger. I have experienced this system in an Eagle, and you feel no need to run the rooftops (if you and a front passenger are the entire people load) |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 10:39 pm: | |
Something to think about comes up as I read Don's post above... when driving on a hot day, you can turn a roof air up all the way and still sweat your brains out, even if the overall cabin is cool. Mostly because even though the room is cool, the windshield is hot and it radiates on to you as driver. I did this for a few years before I added the engine driven AC, and I never was comfortable.
The engine driven AC doesn't have to be nearly as hefty, because more important than what the whole cabin temperature is, is the fact that cool air is blowing *on* you as you sit there in one place and drive. It's difficult if not impossible to get a roof air to aim the right way to be comfortable when driving, I know from fact.
Having a couple vents with a lot less air than a roof AC makes, that I can aim at myself and the wife where we want it, is a LOT more effective than the roof air ever was.
Two different systems for two different uses, neither seems to do the other's job nearly as well... |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 11:16 pm: | |
Kevin -
I haven't added any extra insulation to mine, but one 13k btu
overhead seemed to keep the unfinished shell cool...... after it
was initially cooled by the bus auxiliary Welch system.
The Welch system is a lot less expensive way to go, and from
what I've heard, it can be piped to supply the driver's AC unit. |
Larry Baird (Airhog)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 3:07 am: | |
I don’t know where you guys live but 2 would not be enough for a 40 ft. bus if you ran around nude. Have a look at mine and the lic. Plate is AIRHOG. http://www.ljbphotography.com/bus.htm |
Cliff (Floridacracker)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 7:57 am: | |
Kevin,
I have two roof airs in my 4905. They are the ducted carrier model.
The key as so many have stated is air flow to the driver
I drove from Florida to Texas in July, I had not installed the ducting yet and they basically acted like a standard roof air(blowing straight down), every one was comfortable except me. I put a small fan on the floor directed at me and I was fine.
My forward air will have four 3" ducts that dump straight down over the windshield when completed.
The second thing that should not be understated is insulation. I put in R-14(2 layers of R-7) in the walls and R-21 in the ceiling.
Insulation is one of those deals where you buy it once or buy the A/C units to make up for the lack of it and the generator, the fuel, the maintenace forever.
Also check up front under your dash area along the whole front. There was not even a piece of original insulation on mine and I found a zillion places for forced air ingress at highway speeds.
Cliff
1975 4905A-1160 |
David (Davidinwilmnc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 8:38 am: | |
I still wonder about using one of those mini split units up front. If the roof is raised, there should be room above the windshield for a 12,000 BTU unit. The cold air would blow down and back toward the driver and passenger. Another idea would be to use the condensor unit from a mini split and connect the refrigerant lines to an in-dash evaporator. My bus isn't usable yet, so this really hasn't been a problem; plus, my factory A/C works really well, so far. When it goes, I'll be replacing it with something just for the driver and passenger while on the road. |
Frank Allen (Frank66)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 9:27 am: | |
i solved the problem by installing two 22500 btu street rod type a/c units in mine, one in the front and one midway back, they run off a single sanyo compresser driven from the engine, a condenser is over the radiator, we dont run roof airs on the road , no need. i also dont run the gen set on the road either.
Frank allen
4106 |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 1:23 pm: | |
Hey that sounds "cool" Frank, I like that idea. As Cliff noted, my 4905 had NO insulation on the front, just the aluminum front of the bus nearly against your feet, and the R value of the windshields is about nothing too. Even with the air holes sealed, and some foam insulation blown against the front, still plenty of heat gain from that area. |
R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 11:39 pm: | |
Frank....can (would? ) you elaborate....send an email if you prefer.
Thanx,
RCB |
Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 12:59 am: | |
Sounds to me like the street rod setup might be the way to go. I think it is set up to run at least one off the inverter (2 alternator system) when the bus is going so the generator may not always be in use. Generac wouldn't be my first choice either, it is a twin cylinder model so hopefully it isn't quite as noisy. I like what Honda and Yamaha are doing these days with noise levels and size. You can get a 6500 watt range in the 50-60db range. The problem seems to be primarily while on the road. Current owner lived full time in it for several years without issue but says it seems to get rather warm up front. Insulation and some sort of front system whether it be a engine driven (my preference) or other type. This bus doesn't have huge bays like a typical highway bus but there is space to put things if you are creative.
Kevin |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 1:25 am: | |
Stopping every 40 or so miles and at some 7/11 to fill your
shorts with a few bags of ice cubes at ain't a bad way to go..... |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 3:40 pm: | |
You could mount three (3) roof AC units, but normally run only two (2). This would give you the ability/potential of putting the cold air exactly where you want it. Carry on. |