| Author | Message | ||
| jerry garrido (Uemjg)
Registered Member Username: Uemjg Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2010 Posted From: 70.244.43.48 Rating: N/A |
Hello everyone! My first post: I'm converting a 1975 MCI-8 into a "day coach" and have read alot about proper battery ventilation for wet cells and I was considering using the vented compartment that currently houses the factory a/c condensor (location in front of first baggage compartment behind driver). I won't be using the factory a.c. and initially will not carry a generator. Thoughts? | ||
| Dal Farnworth (Dallas)
Registered Member Username: Dallas Post Number: 286 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 75.91.197.33  Rating: N/A |
Just my thoughts,but.... Dump the factory A/C compressor and house the start batteries there. Use the old hole where the start batteries use to live for the house batteries. This gives you a long run of pre-installed cable to charge the house batteries while going down the road and moves the start batteries close to the starter where there is less voltage drop and lower resistance from the cable length. If you do it right, you can set up an either/or/both switch to be able to start the engine from any of three positions. EITHER the start batteries, OR the house batteries or BOTH. Save the A/C bay for something good, like a 15Kw genset! Or a mother in laws sleeping area while driving through the snow and ice! Or a place to put the kegorator so you always have cold beverages. | ||
| david anderson (Davidanderson)
Registered Member Username: Davidanderson Post Number: 271 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 66.142.67.2 Rating: N/A |
If you install an inverter, it will spec the distance of cable run for the 12v lines. That will weigh heavy in battery placement. Google your favorite inverter and download their owner's manual to see what you will have to do, and welcome to the busnut funny farm. David (Message edited by davidanderson on January 11, 2011) | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1176 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Jerry to the wonderful world of BUSNUTS as you will find some of them are crazy nuts. I heard that the squirrels were gathering extra nuts for the winter and we lost 3-4 busnuts here. Hope that explains everything. All the info given here will be corrected if wrong and added to as the need dictates. Again WELCOME TO THE BUSNUTS!!! Gomer | ||
| tony denny (Papatony)
Registered Member Username: Papatony Post Number: 23 Registered: 10-2010 Posted From: 74.206.82.239 Rating: N/A |
Jerry: I don't know much about your bus but a 4106 has a compartment just behind the driver side rear wheels where the old ac compressor was mounted. If you take the compressor out you are getting rid of at lest 100 lbs. of weight. get some good sheet metal close that area in leaving some vent area. there is enough room to place the buss batterys,closer to the moter and generator ( shorter cables) then that will leave the oregional battery area for the house batterys already vented. this will leave the other compartment for a gen. tony | ||
| Jack Fids (Jack_fids)
Registered Member Username: Jack_fids Post Number: 357 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 69.171.161.55  Rating: N/A |
Most of the time if you pay attention to Dal, you'll only wind up doing it the best way... personally, I like screwing up 3-5 times first before begging him for help. that goes the same for a lot of folks here.. Welcome aboard...we get get milage & sometimes go down the road together a lot further than expected. In a year you'll look back and wonder how you could have been so innocent & inexperienced. OOPS... forgot to warn you about a guy named Les, don't let him sucker you with a story "about all the snow", the Guy lives on a PLANTATION in Costa Rica!!! (or at least that's the current rumor) (Message edited by Jack_fids on January 11, 2011) | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 236 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213  Rating: N/A |
OOOPs my butt Jack! Now we know why the general consensus is to officially change the name from Jack Fids to Jack Fibs...A lot! I am starting to find my sympathy moving over to Foohorse. JACK!!! Quit scaring the tourists! | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 542 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 24.46.196.121  Rating: N/A |
How are you going to set it up as a day coach? You might be keeping the over the road compressor and A/C? Are you thinking of a genset and/or invertor? lots of questions and lots of possibilities. You will have to deciede what will work for you best. Lots of compromises both in $ , time, convenience, maintenance issues ($) etc. Use the archives to search. One way to search is by the year and then the month and i scroll down till i see a topic that catches my eye and i keep a notebook nearby and right down the date and topic for m e to misplace and then start the whole process over. Usually during these winter monthes. Welcome and good luck. | ||
| Gary Stacy (Stacytruck)
Registered Member Username: Stacytruck Post Number: 25 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 69.96.141.88  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Jerry, hope everybody is having fun in Q. looks like we will be coming down a little late this year.... g | ||
| Ralph Peters (Ralph7)
Registered Member Username: Ralph7 Post Number: 166 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 75.223.90.197 Rating: N/A |
Jerry, how far from Livingston are you? In my MC-8 the start batt's sit on a platform where the AC comp. sat. If you put a hanger platform between the comp. rails 2 group 31's will sit down inside the rails, I have 2 group 30. NO these batteries will not roll the engine to start if no fuel, must use electric fuel pump. My old battery compartment now has 2 30 lb.and 1 20 lb propane tanks. | ||
| Cory hart (Chart1)
Registered Member Username: Chart1 Post Number: 40 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 166.137.142.19  Rating: N/A |
On my 8 they are inside the first compartment inside where the blower fan used to sit. That area works good. | ||
| jerry garrido (Uemjg)
Registered Member Username: Uemjg Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2010 Posted From: 70.244.43.48 Rating: N/A |
My intentions for this bus are in phases. 1st is a day coach to do baseball tournament tailgating. I plan to use roof mount a.c.'s so the factory air is no longer important to me (too much $ to fix/convert). I have (2) 2k inverters/chargers that will each use (2) 8d batteries for a total of 4 house batteries. For the immediate future I can recharge these via the inverters by plugging them in at home. In phase 1 I will only be powering tv's, DVD players and video game consoles...some 120v lighting. phase 2 will begin fitting a generator into the mix with the roof top ac's. phase 3 will deal with the restroom/shower/plumbing. So, my first concern is making sure that my idea for placing the house batteries in the compartment which houses the condensor has enough ventelation...the door has the grate which currently has a "radiator" attached to it. | ||
| Dal Farnworth (Dallas)
Registered Member Username: Dallas Post Number: 290 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 75.91.197.33 Rating: N/A |
The problem with that plan, and it may not be a problem for your plans, is that behind the plywood wall in the back of your condenser bay is the evaporator, which is about 4' long and as wide as the bay. behind that is your battery box. by removing the plywood walls, you have plenty of room to put a large genset, and still have room for your batteries since the shelf above the battery box isn't structural, you can build a roll out shelf to house all 4 batteries, or more as needed. leave it open to the evap screen and you already have your ventilation. That's just how I would do it, but, then I don't like re-doing stuff if I don't have to. Not that I don't perform a whole bunch of re-do's as it is. | ||
| Tony LEE (T_lee)
Registered Member Username: T_lee Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 121.44.155.74 Rating: N/A |
Putting the start batteries where the AC compressor used to be is OK provided you shield the batteries from the engine to keep them a bit cooler - only because they will last longer. | ||
| Nellie Wilson (Vivianellie)
Registered Member Username: Vivianellie Post Number: 501 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 66.87.7.156  Rating: N/A |
All this 'ventilation' talk is making me nervous. My house batts are in the bay. A very experienced BusNut ran the wiring, so never doubted this was an okay location. Maybe not the best spot (I still have the original A/C) but never worried about it being a hazard. Plus, I've seen a number of other buses set up the same way (not that that makes it right, just that a bunch of us might be wrong  ). BTW, my house batts only get charged when I'm at a power pole, so there shouldn't be any danger of hydrogen gas collecting on the road. Or is there? [My bays aren't exactly air tight - I've even had animals happily living in there ] What are your thoughts? Reassurances welcome. Nellie (Message edited by vivianellie on January 31, 2011) | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1353 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.73.109.187 Rating: N/A |
Nellie, you probably won't notice anything wrong with that location until the batteries get hot. If they do that, they may try to overcharge from thermal runaway. If that happens, you won't have enough ventilation in that bay; they will become geysers of gas and fumes. Also, even if they don't overheat, there will be more corrosion in that bay because a small amount of acid will escape from your batteries during heay charges. Good luck. Tom Caffrey | ||
| Nellie Wilson (Vivianellie)
Registered Member Username: Vivianellie Post Number: 506 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 66.87.0.143 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Tom - Looks like overheating won't be a problem for awhile but I'll try to figure a better location. As for corrosion, I rinse everything down after I charge. Not ideal but it's gotta help? Nellie | ||
| clint hunter (Truthhunter)
Registered Member Username: Truthhunter Post Number: 646 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 24.129.237.174  Rating: N/A |
...the good news is manufactures have finnaly been adding vent pipes on batters ~the feater is to attach a hose and vent it to the outside =this was needed as many vehicle now seal the batter in the trunk, this is a natural problem solver for corrosion and explosion; so who shall patent the fist set of gas venting water grabbing reclaiming battery replacement caps for our deep cycle retro-fit =just name them after Ian or BNO or something & it is yours to license, manufacture or outsource and market with a small royalty paid to BNO for upkeep & preservation of bus data for all posterity; + you read it hear first fellow bus nuts, now get dreaming ! |