Episode 8 - Removing a ceiling
panel and progress on the
generator cage
My plans for the skoolie include removing all the sheet metal
wall and ceiling panels so insulation can be sprayed in. One of
the selling points of the bus when I was checking it out in
Georgia, was that the ceiling
panels are screwed in place,
not riveted. Rivets are
common in school bus
ceilings, and other skoolie
owners report what a hassle it
is to drill or grind off hundreds
of them. Screws are so much
easier to remove, but there are still obstacles. In this episode I
tackle them.
The second part of the episode is about sources of electricity on
a skoolie. I’ve already bought six solar panels to mount on the
roof when the weather allows. But it they are aimed wrong,
under an inch of snow or the bus is sitting under a tree, they
don’t generate much electricity.
Early on I decided I want an
onboard gas generator to
charge the batteries as
needed, and to run an air
conditioner in the absence
of shore power. I understand
that Honda generators are
the top brand for reliability
and low noise, but they have
a price to match. I settled on
the Predator 3500 Watt
Super Quiet Inverter Generator from Harbor Freight tools. It’s
well reviewed and pretty quiet. It’s a true sine wave inverter, that
won’t fry delicate electronics. Harbor Freight must sell a ton of
them, because you can buy a third party kit to convert it to
propane, and a third party kit to add a remote starter.
Designing and building a
means to mount it on the
back of the bus has been
a really challenging
project. Of course it has to
be securely mounted.
Because of G-forces
resulting from the bus
going over bumps, I think
everything on the bus
should be designed to
carry twice the weight of
the payload. The generator housing also has to have enough
airflow for air intake and exhaust, and to prevent overheating.
But the generator should not just be exposed to the elements.
That’s some balancing act.
The housing has to deter theft, but make it easy to slide the unit
out for maintenance and fuelling. And the electricity has to be
securely conveyed from the exterior of the bus to the interior. In
this episode I show how I am beginning to address these
challenges.
Click the image below to see episode 8 on my YouTube channel.
And while you’re there, click the Subscribe button so you don’t
miss subsequent episodes.
Copyright 2023 TheSkoolieLife.com