What are
/r/skoolies'
favorite Products & Services?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
The most popular Products mentioned in /r/skoolies:
The most popular Services mentioned in /r/skoolies:
Facebook Marketplace
Steemit
WordPress
Unreal Engine
Floorplanner
Roadtrippers
Smallpdf
Reedsy
The most popular reviews in /r/skoolies:
If you're in the US, the atlas to get is the National Geographic Adventure Edition. I carry Delorme atlases for a few states as well.
You could look into being an editor on a service like https://reedsy.com. I found the editor for my book there. Assuming of course you would want to be a copy editor! Lots of those kinds of services would allow you complete remote work from anywhere as long as you’ve got basic computing power and an internet connection.
Sorry, I think that's way too much for that bus. I'd expect to see a price tag more like $2000 for a bus o that age with an 8.2, and from the photos is looks like it has hydraulic brakes. Half their asking price would get you a much more modern bus with a desirable drive train with careful shopping, or hey for the same money this bus is in the same area with basically the best engine and trans combo used in a bus.
We’re in a van, but we have something similar -> gazebo. It’s a lifesaver, especially when we’re places where the van has to stay in a parking lot or the road...
Looks like a Whynter dual zone. I had the smaller single zone fridge and it fit between my driver and passenger seat perfectly. Waaaay better price point than most other brands and they are super efficient. Can run off dc or ac. Highly recommend.
It'll probably be cheaper in the long run to add solar to the roof to help charge.
Alternatively, save yourself the gas and the wear on the motor and buy a small generator. You can get a 700W generator from harbor freight for 100 bucks. A gallon of gas will probably run for 8-12 hours, which is far more efficient than running your big ass engine. http://www.harborfreight.com/900-peak700-running-watts-2-hp-63cc-2-cycle-gas-generator-epacarb-60338.html
Alternatively here's a 1600W 4 stroke that doesn't require mixing oil. Supposedly runs pretty quiet. https://www.amazon.com/WEN-56200i-Starting-Generator-Compliant/dp/B00SMNLF4M/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1484762599&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A4827497011
Check around Amazon and you might find something that will better fit your needs or more easily integrate into a skoolie. My major concern would be in trying to get a larger gas tank for running the generator. If you're staying in one spot for a long time, a half gallon tank that runs for 5 hours ain't going to cut it. Just keep in mind that I linked the cheap stuff. Honda makes a 2000W generator that's $1000. The higher wattage and longer running generators can only go up from there. Personally I'd be inclined with the load you're expecting to get the cheapest, quietest regular unleaded generator you can find and figuring out a way to hook up a larger gas tank to it.
Dtube is a semi-decentralized video streaming service built on the steem blockchain and uses IPFS to host files and client-side encoding.
The benefits of a setup like this are extreme resilience, it could be very difficult to impossible to take down or censor posted material, and nobody is really in charge of the situation so much. There is no company Dtube where you can deliver DMCA takedown notices, it's more of an open protocol that anyone can use. This also gives it the benefit of being very easily integrated into just about any system anyone can design. Another advantage is that the content hosting costs are theoretically a fraction of what YouTube or similar spends. It's essentially the uberification of YouTube. Content providers may also benefit because they can be directly incentivized via micropayments rather than through a centrally controlled advertising system which takes a huge cut(in the case of YouTube it's cut is in the billions.) I don't know the exact setup of this system but I would not be surprised if the uploader is making money via "likes."
There are plenty of downsides as well, one of which is that due to the client-side encoding the video quality and speed is dependent on your devices video rendering capabilities more than just your bandwidth. It also makes the censorship of illegal content such as pirated movies, music, child porn, hate content, politically dissident content (in China for example) etc, very difficult to stop.
It's very neat and I think this type of thing will be the future of the internet, but it's definitely not there yet and i dont think it will be this specific service.
Well, Amazon seems to have the same unit for $1100, so there's that...
I shouldn't say golf cart charger. But specifically I found this on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J5T95T7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_NTA5K7HNTT9WGKMTM0WM
I guess it's supposed to work fine
Alpicool C50 Portable Refrigerator 53 Quart(50 Liter) 12 Volt Car Freezer for Vehicle, Truck, RV, Boat, Mini Fridge Freezer for Travel, Outdoor, Home -12/24V DC and 110-240V AC (Black and Silver) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B073WTNRJ2
It was a black Friday deal.
Bosch Tronic 3000 T 7-Gallon Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148O64JE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NZo3BbWJS52PN I like this one. I could have sworn they made it in an 11 gallon but I can't find it on Amazon. I'll use a 1.5gpm or less shower head which I think you'll want for water conservation anyway. Takes about 20 minutes to heat up. Maybe for a family of 5 there are better options... With your AH I feel like you could put a 30 gallon electric... Could be wrong
Hey, now that you've got it semi drawn up, you should import it into twinmotion and use a VR headset to tour it and get a real feel for the space. Find someone that has one if you don't. Epic Games is giving Twinmotion away for free for another couple of months.
Okay, thanks for filling things in a bit more. Definitely stick with 24v on the battery bank, and since you have the inverter it's a no-brainer.
So, what you can do is get something like this and then you can take a lead off of your 24v bus bar, connect it to this and then connect the 12v leads from this over to a 12v bus bar or a fuse block or whatever you want. In this case the current load will be 20A on the 24v side to create 40amps on the 12v side. So add up the current draw of all of your devices listed above (fans, lights etc) and then size that converter to handle the load of all of the devices + 20%, at least loads that you will run concurrently.
Next, this has nothing to do with your questions but if you intend on living in your bus off-grid I think you'll find that your battery bank is woefully undersized to handle some of the loads you want to throw at it. Even with 1750w of solar, with only 200AH of usable capacity @ 24v you will not be able to run the air conditioning for more than a few hours. Any time it's cloudy outside or you're parked under a tree you might be only a few hours away from being completely out of power. It's not good for your batteries to be run down. If you're plugged in somewhere often enough it might not be too bad.
The cooler is an older model alpicool. My BIL gave me some frozen venison to take home. I was worried that I would have to cook up a lot of meat today but it was still frozen when I got home last night. I was very impressed! The cooler is not very big but it will do for the trips I would like to take.
I do want to go to the Grand Canyon and Death Valley late winter/early spring so I won't get to test it out during desert heat :)
Not unistrut, but you can use rivnuts to give you an anchor in the ribs of the bus or any metal paneling. I use them to mount all my electrical parts.
Rivnuts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D13Q8WN
Install tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XVB3MMG
My info is coming mainly from this book and I can't recommend it more. The author also does YouTube videos on the subject. However, I'm not an expert by any means (still building mine) so correct me, PLEASE, if I have it wrong.
On paper, the panels you have can provide 11,520Wh of power on an average sunny day, and your batteries can store 7200Wh. It seems like you could reduce your panels, or buy more batteries to account for the loss - it seems like this setup is wasting potential power, but if you live somewhere with lots of clouds or trees, I could understand the excess solar set up.
Oh and
42$ x 2 x the long 6guage that stretches between switches= free power forever!!
I used them with 200 amp hour house batteries for a mobile office in an old ambulance. They were the 12v version of these: https://www.amazon.com/Unisolar-Flexible-Solar-Panel-Laminate/dp/B006EP6MCU/
The business failed spectacularly, and the ambo was sold to be a mobile repair truck. The panels worked flawlessly for three years.
If you’re smart and handy, you can do it. And like u/Wetbiscut said: You need to know your rig.
Buy this:
Mobile Solar Power Made Easy!:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546567119?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
These are rivet nuts, as others here have mentioned. I find it kind of incredible that my driver's seat is held down with eight of these, given that I accidentally popped one out with a phillips head screwdriver during seat disassembly. It's probably actually physically impossible to get a rivet nut out of its hole without rocking it from side to side, something that couldn't happen with all eight bolts in place, so I guess I'll keep driving.
You need a tool like this. These kits include the mandrels and nose pieces for the major sizes and also a few samples of each. You need the 5/16 specifically for these seat rivet nuts.
A handy feature of rivet nuts is that you can get closed rivet nuts which, since the hole doesn't go all the way through, are watertight assuming you've sealed the hole the rivet nut is run into. It gives you bolt-in options for mounting things on the exterior of your bus without worrying about leaks around the bolts (although the biggest I've found are 1/4-20s which somewhat limits their strength).
You can get ceramic additives right now that can be put in *any* paint and it doesn't change the color to do effectively the same thing. Now... it isn't 99% so this is really cool, but just as an FYI to the community.
Here is a link to one such brand:
https://www.amazon.com/ThermaCels-Insulating-Additive-Gallon-Package/dp/B01AC5WGQI
It was $718 says my order history. I got the slightly beefier model because I hadn't done any ceiling insulation at that point. I have now, and probably would get this model:
https://smile.amazon.com/Della-Conditioner-Pre-Charged-Condenser-Installation/dp/B08WCWM15B <-- it's not a Pioneer, which is (I think) ok. Granted the next size up is only 20 bucks more... but look carefully at the power requirements.
Really, the sizing is the important thing.
Like the batteries, also pure Chinesium. But, for most people it seems to work out pretty solid.
You can look at something like this:: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-6-ft-13-Amp-3-Prong-Grey-Appliance-Replacement-Cord-HD-588-547/100672804
That is a pretty heafty load on that inverter. That water heater draws about 1500 watts and it will take about an hour to heat up.
With losses that is about 1800 watt hours on your battery per tank. If you have a 12v battery you will need 150 amp hours . If you are running lead chemistry and want not to shorten the life of them you will need at least 300 amp hours. That would be 3 of these just for water.
Here's the stuff form amazon https://www.amazon.com/ThermaCels-Insulating-Additive-Gallon-Package/dp/B01AC5KRJ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526927153&sr=8-1&keywords=ceramic%2Badditive%2Bfor%2Bpaint&th=1
And remember, oil and silicone like to turn into thick sludge. If silicone works for ya, stay with it. Heck, you may try oil after cleaning everything and decide you hate it, and that I am an awful person for suggesting it... but if you DO use it... a little goes a long way.
Anyway, thanks for the discussion and the content.
I got this one from Amazon, it's wired because I read that the wireless have a hard time getting through the metal in the bus, depending on how long your bus is. Mine is 34', so I didn't want to chance it. However, since I bought it, I've seen some longer buses on YouTube put in a wireless system, and it works just fine.
Something like these (no affiliate link, should be straight link to amazon). You don't want to torque these all the way down, that'd make the grommet worthless. But you can do it without the rubber, and yes, torque them down, then enamel paint a few coats on top.
For crimpers, I mean something like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-Ratcheting-Crimper-10-22/dp/B07WMB61J5/
It crimps in 2 places on the connector - and ratchets down to the exact right amount of pressure for the connector/wire size.
I wouldn't trust any crimp tool that crimps a single point or relies on my judgement for how far to crimp. ie. Nothing like this: https://smile.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Stripping-Cutter-8-Inch-2078309/dp/B000JNNWQ2
Crimping lugs onto battery cables (4 gauge and larger) I think that a single crimp point is fine, but that's an entirely different class of crimping tool/technique.
DIY kit from Amazon, they fit into the track that appears when the window is down(so I have to remove them to put the windows up)
Licenced HVAC tech here. I dont know much about roof units except they are huge energy hogs. But I do know mini splits. The only problem you have to overcome is the flex in the copper line set that connects the inside and outside units. That comes with the vibration of being on the road. This can be solved by keeping your line set short and well anchored. This is what I plan on putting in mine. It will perform well with dirty electric and is highly energy efficient. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01992L3NM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_ksjFCbW82R0ZE
We had issues with the first 3 heaters we got, we finally got a better made diesel heater but still a cheaper Chinese one. That’s the risk you take with cheap stuff is that it may not work properly or well or for very long. Higher end ones can be upwards of $600 to a few thousand dollars. Lavener makes the $600-$800 ones. But we got this one on amazon and have had it in for over a month now and its been great - Diesel Heater (amazon link)
Another option/trick is check out these tank heaters they are designed for rv water tanks but they will keep your battery above freezing as well. It is an extra load but I do know people that use them with batteries outside the bus.
Thank you very much for your advice! I'm definitely gonna go for those batteries when I have a bit more money to spend, I'm thinking of going with a super cheap 200ah for now just to hold me over till I can afford better. https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-200Ah-Sealed-Battery-Solar/dp/B07J5SQ3GN/ref=sr_1_2?gclid=CjwKCAiAheacBhB8EiwAItVO27H1N4a4rpChBWGieWcFMk1y6DmICKByKY9MydOQD4M_oqhX4nWZ0RoC-ScQAvD_BwE&hvadid=616862894778&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9003775&h...
If you’re just running a heater some lights and charging a phone you could get away with 100 amp hour battery and 400w of solar as long as you aren’t in a really cloudy are like the PNW. I recommend these batteries as a really good affordable option. They have 200 and 300ah options also. I use 2, 300 ah batteries and do everything in electrical. Including cooking. I’m very happy with the chins battery. Will Prowse even does a tear down on YouTube as says it’s a solid unit for the price. 1200 ah is enormous and I can’t imagine you’ll need that much power. I’ve got 600 ah and can co about 6 days with no input power running a tv and cooking and a heater.
I have no idea how I didn't see that it was 2v instead of 12v. Thank you very much for your response! I really appreciate the extra detail of mentioning how people string them together. I think I'm gonna end up going with this one. https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-200Ah-Sealed-Battery-Solar/dp/B07J5SQ3GN/ref=sr_1_2?gclid=CjwKCAiAheacBhB8EiwAItVO27H1N4a4rpChBWGieWcFMk1y6DmICKByKY9MydOQD4M_oqhX4nWZ0RoC-ScQAvD_BwE&hvadid=616862894778&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9003775&h...
No, most of the diesel heater kits come with a dedicated fuel tank.
Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Happybuy-Digital-Thermostat-Motorhome-Silencers/dp/B07L88ZJMS
"A Bus Life Story" on Youtube has a full video on installing one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKuPWpeH4Ls
faucet - Amazon link you’re lucky actually because now they have a bunch of style options of it, when we bought it they only had the black. But yeah it’s nice because it’s a commercial style faucet so water doesn’t just run.
Cutting fluid is also a good thing to use. Tap Magic is great stuff, with the only negative being that little fucking red cap that I'm constantly losing.
I would recommend an RC distribution panel instead of separate ac and dc panels. Less expensive than the 2 and simplifies things a bit.
Thanks for all the replies, here is the listing: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1292732017589859/
Looks nice enough, I did some more reading on skoolie.net and it was pointed out that a coach will be better on highways, but will struggle on back roads. Also that it’s more “luxury” and components like the suspension will be more expensive. So y’all are right, it comes down to price!
Hullo! I don't know if you're still doing answers on this thread, but it be spent weeks looking at buses and may have finally found a good one, and would welcome opinions!
Mostly want to be sure the engine and transmission combo are good ones, all I know is it's not an AT545.
Got another one for you all. I'm unsure if a newer bus is preferable (I'm leaning towards not really given things I've read on here), but I'm curious if folks think this is a good find, or crud.
Hey gang, does anyone have thoughts on this bus?
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/770597717027382
Its got a T444 5.9L L6 Engine and an Allison MT643 transmission.
Thanks!
Hello skoolie folks! My wife and I are looking into getting a bus to convert and she found this post on Facebook marketplace. It’s described as a partial skoolie conversion and I was wondering if the community had any thoughts.
I just purchased this 1990 GMC s6000 for the asking price ($3000). Engine runs mint, tranny feels strong, chassis is in excellent condition for a New England vehicle of its age, really no heavy rust at all. Just thoughts on the price point. I'm aware it's an older vehicle, but I've worked as a diesel mechanic and fabricator / welder for 4 years and am very familiar with older Mack's/ freightliners/ kenworths, and have worked on Detroit's plenty of times and prefer earlier model diesels anyway( much easier to deal with haha). Also would like some input on the 4speed automatic Allison transmission. Ive only ever dealt with manuals. 1990 GMC bluebird
Found this bus on facebook, wondering if it looks alright engine wise. Also what is and if I could replace the heater hose on my own or how hard it would be to do that. Thanks in advance!
I have a chevy E3500 and had 4, 4 inch speakers that sounded terrible. Replaced with 2, 6x9's in the front and 2, 6 inch inch in the rear and couldn't be happier. I had to enlarge the holes of course and going thru a couple different methods (jigsaw, dremel) I found that the drill powered nibblers found on amazon to be the easiest and quickest way to get the holes cut.
Example: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TK6VJRX/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You've put me on the right track. Im going to look into using something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074DXWCMX/ref=sspa\_dk\_detail\_0?pd\_rd\_i=B074DXWCMX&pd\_rd\_w=2twIS&content-id=amzn1.sym.bff6e147-54ad-4be3-b4ea-ec19ea6167f7&pf\_rd\_p=bff6e147-54ad-4be3-b4ea-ec19ea6167f7&pf\_rd\_r=FZCNYA5B0ZVRH1GW4F...
or getting a fabricator to build something similar (but with a more secure hook) and adding a bike chain backup to keep them secure to anchors on the back in case the initial mounts fail, or someone thinks of stealing them.
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Lightweight-Corrosion-Free-Construction-Installation/dp/B00BR3KFKE
These are the brackets I used. 2 years on it's very secure. If you're nervous you can buy threaded rod, cut to the length you need and washer stack it on the inside. It won't make much difference, the adhesive gives the same/very similar structural integrity as a washer.
I have a combination fill on the outside of the short bus, a few inches above the top level of the tank, that is connected for both gravity fill and city water.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0735PZW4H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Normally I just run a hose from a spigot to the gravity fill and keep an eye on my tanks as it goes. I have two 30-gal freshwater tanks connected by an equalizer hose, but I doubt I take on much more than 50 just due to practical considerations in the tanks' levelness and the connection inlet locations.
The system is plumbed so shore water is manually turned off for the most part, but if I connect to it, I can turn off the pipe to the pump and tanks. The pressure is then contained to the outlets.
Each tank has an air vent running up to the level of that exterior fixture. Due to practical considerations, I ran the quarter-inch ID air line right through the side of the bus. Two gotchas to heed based on my misadventures:
1) Carpenter bees (and likely other insects) will find you tiny little air outlet holes! When my starboard tank would not fill, it took an hour of troubleshooting to find out there were three bees stuck inside the air tube in a line. Happened on both sides and I had to fire up the compressor to blow them out! Definitely put screens on the outside of the holes. I superglued little pieces on and then trimmed them with trauma sheers.
2) Tanks will not fill without a vent, as with the above air lines. I tried to retask an air line once as a return for clean discard water from the drinking water reverse osmosis filters and that was not very wise. Vent your tanks from their top ends!
For cutting, drilling, grinding... I'd wear one of these and I've worked with steel most of my adult life. I'm not a safety-geek but I wear this and a pair of safety glasses. Probably the only reason I still have both eyes.
face shield
Second this. On the 4th pic you can see a discoloration on the middle of the square bar; there used to be something clamped there. It probably was a sort of finger that stuck down far enough to get hooked by that banged-up loop thing attached to the keyed lock. You probably used to turn the key and the loop swung downward and away from the finger letting the square bar turn. Turn the key the other way and the loop circled the finger and kept the square bar from turning.
If the key lock still works, a cheap and cheerful option would be to clamp a u-bolt on the square bar with a longer steel piece in place of the normal strap on the u-bolt. Size the longer steel piece so it sticks downward into the key loop and you might have pretty close to the original setup.
A u-bolt like this, maybe.
I think the safest thing would be an RV propane selector
Then you could hook up a splitter to that if you really want
Instead I'd just upgrade to 40lb tanks. A cheap option is an old forklift tank
you're gonna regret that fan in the shower. I had one and it only worked correctly for maybe 10 total hours of runtime. It's a piece of shit.
The blade is loud, the motor died quickly (so I replaced both) and then the fucking hinge/handle thing completely broke so I said fuck it and bought this. It works 100x better.
Not sure of the size but def something like this
I have not tried it on this, but on many other things it has worked great, Goo Gone spray,slightly thick so it can sit and soak in....
Do you have a screen on your front door? If the light was on at night, a few mosquitoes and bugs would get in when the door opens for a few seconds to go outside.
Mosquitoes see carbon dioxide. That means if you're bus is a big dark box, the air leaks will be bright targets. They will fly through those air leaks to eat you.
A great but semi expensive option is a propane bug fogger https://www.amazon.com/Black-Flag-190095-Repelling-Mosquitoes/dp/B0001AUFAO/
You can also seal up all the gaps and add screens in front of any doors.
If you have fans pulling outside air in, that will make your bus a mosquito magnet
I glued these mounting feet to the roof then secured the panels with screws to the mounts. Has worked well for 5+ years.
Also, you can do a long strip of panels and only use the corners on only the front and back panels. That will save you some space on the roof.
It depends on the kind of bus you have. Usually, they use an H-chanel window gasket with a locking strip. Look for videos on how to replace windshields on cars from the 50s. It should be a similar process. If you still have the old gasket, and it is still soft and flexible, you can reuse it.
If you have a Thomas Safe-T-liner, the windows are glued in with urethane.
My idea for a dining table is a rolling IKEA table with a built in spot for stowing when not in use.
This along with folding stowing chairs frees up floor space options.
Awesome, thanks for the info! That actually looks like a really good idea, how do you like the end result vs. the time invested towards it?
Also, for head room (I'm almost touching in the center aisle), I plan to keep the wood at the same level as the ribs, but cover the exposed rib with thin foam that can compress down when we screw in the ceiling panels. I believe (If my research is correct) that this is an effective thermal bridge without sacrificing headroom.
I installed this one on my 2000 bluebird conventional and have towed my 2dr wrangler for a year now with no issues
CURT 15903 Class 5 Weld-On Hitch,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0033WDF6S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Only so much cooling can be done without airflow. The vornado fans specifically funnel air from one end of the room to the other at like 15-30 feet.
https://www.amazon.com/Vornado-Mid-Size-Whole-Room-Circulator/dp/B000E5WAUO
Buy one, put it under your mini split, point it down the middle of your bus, and the whole thing will be a lot cooler.
If you live sanding as much as I do give this stuff a try works great and it's really fast working stuff. Best value their is because it lasts so long.
There are pumps like this that I’m considering using: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Oceans-Shower-System-FO-3611/dp/B00KCX13V0/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=3Z90WF74ZGC8&keywords=marine+shower+pump&qid=1654543374&sprefix=marine+shower+pum%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkU...
24v is plenty for 2000w of solar. 4 gauge wire could run all 2000 watts of solar. 48v would be 8 gauge, not a huge cost savings.
You can connect multiple solar charge controllers to the same battery pack and they will all work together. Keep what you have and add something like this with a ton of panels https://www.amazon.com/EPEVER-Charge-Controller-Flooded-Tracer10415AN/dp/B07JVQY8QB
Not directly, but you can use them to power a 48v battery charger from the 12v source. It does have a 6% conversion loss.
For your build
https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Regulator-Adapter-Vehicle-DC9-20V/dp/B01EFUHGMU
Plus this
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Wanderer-Amp-12V-24V/dp/B07NPDWZJ7/
Would be a working alternator charge setup
It's a booster and converter of wattage and voltage. Eg some will raise 12v to 48v.
Here's a tiny guy,
https://www.amazon.com/Boost-Converter-Voltage-Regulator-Supply/dp/B00M2SB476
Here's a huge guy
https://www.amazon.com/Daygreen-960W-Step-Converter-Non-Isolated/dp/B07KQSSWSR
Shiney hubs!!!
If you want to lose the rear view mirror, I got this rear-view camera system from Bezos and while the quality on the monitor isn't HD or anything, for $67 it was a lifesaver. They also had a little review card that sent me an extra free camera when I gave them a review on - so I put one camera on the rear-top of the bus, looking down at our cargo, and the second camera mounted under the hitch mounted bike rack looking back like a regular backup camera. Golden. I could back up within inches of anything behind us.
While they may buy reviews on Amazon, I can give you my real life 2-thumbs up approval :)
Complete vehicle theft is becoming a bigger issue so you also have to worry about someone running off with your vehicle and your valuables.
I bought this GPS tracker off of Amazon based on an r/VanLife post.
Really useful to know where the bus is in the event of theft. It does get a little wonky (~300 ft difference between projected route and actual) if it's completely surrounded by metal though.
I had to move mine to a fiberglass portion of my bus and now it's typically accurate within 6 feet.
I would recommend a hidden fuel pump killswitch as well.
Oh no I had to get a usb link as well.. something like this. It cost me at the time $500. I couldnt find the exact one I got but it wasnt this high but it was higher than I thought it would be. Mine came with the adapters. With that, a pc, a usb cable, and the software you can plug into the diagnostic port and talk to the engine. The software will tell you all kinds of useful information from the engine. I still highly recommend it.
But I remember it was about the price a mechanic quoted me (sight unseen) of what it would probably run for him to do it (clear the codes and maybe remove the governor) just that one time so it was easier for me to make the call.
Others have already stated just paint but there is another reason:
Tropicool will eventually just peel off your roof because it isn't oil based. You have to do a ridiculous amount of prep to get it to stick.
The *only* heat deflective additive I have heard that works the way it says is a ceramic such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/ThermaCels-Insulating-Additive-Gallon-Package/dp/B01AC5KRJ6/
Doirteal 28 inch Black Kitchen Sink Gunmetal Black Drop in Farmhouse Sink Workstation Topmount 18 Gauge Stainless Steel Sinks with Ledge and Accessories Kit,Pre-drilled 2 Holes for Bar Remodel,BL18 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KRK5VRJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CK2J9PD8MKT2PVC8A6VJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks for that perspective. I'm running a Sigineer all-in-one off a Tesla P100 battery.
I installed a 10-inch LED light bar (Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XHXLMYT?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_8NVJ612S1AJHT6M10GC9) up high on each of my short bus's four sides, hooked it to one switch in the coach area. Then I Unhooked that annoying backup alarm but left it in place and wired it to a manual switch in the front of the bus. My first line of defense for rummaging intruders whether human or bear is to cut both of these on, flooding the outside area with light and sound.
I have other options following that, including recording video and hopefully going online to at least share my final moments with the world, but I am hoping the sudden blaze of the sensory onslaught will give at least some intruders second thoughts.
Here’s the amp: BLAUPUNKT AMP1804BT Car Audio 4-Channel Class D Amplifier 1600W with Bluetooth Full Range Amp. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H7DR56W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gl_i_HW0VPAE55MC3XB39YWFY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Here are the speakers: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_917SMF65CW/Fusion-SM-F65CW-White-Cloth-Grilles.html
Install was super easy
Buy bolt on hitch that you bolt on the bumper ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081RZJDW5/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o00\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). Then you can use a solid bike rack. Works up to 2 bikes. After that you will need to use straps to tie up to a roof rack because the bumper will flex a bit when potholes and the bike rack will bounce up and down too much. Do not use that hitch to tow anything ! The bumper is not bolted strong enough to the frame rails. If you want to tow anything then have a proper hitch installed attached directly to frame rails. I have been using the set up bolted on the bumper for 2 years on my IC CE 300. I even put up to 6 bikes, but I had to use the straps to tie up to roof rack.
- All the Chinese diesel heaters are the same regardless of "Brand"
- Get yourself an extra glow plug the one they ship with is crap. YMMV but I wouldn't expect it to last long. I actually spliced in a different version (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NSNWH9Z/ and it has proven to be much more reliable)
- These are harder to install than you think. I thought it would take an hour, it took a day with two people.
other than that they are great and consider getting an afterburner for it.
Niviy Frosted Window Film Non-Adhesive Shower Window Covering for Bathroom Office Living Room(11.8" x 118") https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098QGB4JJ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_CEA74MQGJ87N6HG1H2N8
That's what's going up on mine like tomorrow. Not exactly what you're asking for but it's another option.
Thanks for the continued assistance.
Yeah, I noticed the 50w continuous draw of the AIO, pinched my nose, and bit. I've got 30 days to return it, so will look into the Growatt as an alternative. Also, I've updated the diagram/schematic so that the monitor comes off the busbar. Good to know about your experience with a 120v fridge, as I've considered that but am holding out for price drop on a Recpro RP-2153-L. The PowMr/Temark 3000W Solar Inverter Pure Sine Wave AOI is fairly low right now ($529, $429 used), and it claims 99.9% efficiency (though that's disputed by those who have bought it) ... thoughts about that one?
Also, I've updated the diagram/schematic so that the monitor comes off the busbar. Good to know about your experience with a 120v fridge, as I've considered that but am holding out for price drop on a Recpro RP-2153-L.
Don't touchem.
Or if your really set on removing them, invest in a remote signal tracer https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Generator-Tracer-Tracker-Network/dp/B07ZH8SLBL/
You should find the important lines (interlock system, rear lights, interior lights?) And do not cut those, or plan to rerun them after cutting them
You use the tracer to find the start and end of the wire. Eg plug the tester into the light, and probe around in the fuse panel until you find the matching wires. If you cut the wires before mapping them out you'll be in for a bad time, especially since finding a labeled fuse box is pretty rare
hey boss.. you could check my insta… these are so so expensive… but ive had these on my hatch as a flip top hatch cover for 2 yrs now, and theyre great… (sorry its amazon mx: bacuase im in mexico)
(thebrav3littletoaster) is my insta: the bus build shit is the first 40 or so posts!!
I have one of these lightly used I’d sell you for dirt cheap SUBURBAN MFG Co Suburban Co 5286A Iw60 with H On Demand 60K Btu https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZ692JX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_A5ATJVPRD6CX6WTZXMKS
i gotcha buddy!! i made mine similar to this guys… but instead of gluing the actual poly down…. i made a little wood frame instead (exact same way he did) and then i got a domed off of amazon…. and drilled little holes on the “frontside” lip of the poly…. and i used (like ive used for TONS of things): Door Hinges!!! (theyre the best!!) you can check out my instagram if youd like (dont worry: im not mining for followers - because i dont give a fuck hahaha) but my whole beginning series of vids: is bus construction tutorial stuff (before i just stopped caring :) its @thebrav3littletoaster
A few of these, hung over a line or two will provide instant shade and help your AC keep up. (link)
I looked again at the link. For the price, I would think they were actual tile but I suspect they are not. This is what I used: https://www.amazon.com/Vamos-Tile-Adhesive-Premium-Backsplash/dp/B082TS7ZBK They are really nice stickers, plastic and flexible.
I used a Bully Bar.
There's currently a warehouse deal set for ~$35.
One on the driver side, one on the back.
Two 1989 NaviStar International 3700 buses. Apparently good drive train, haven’t taken a look in person yet but might be interested. Asking price is $1000 each, no other info or good pics on the ad.
Thoughts?
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/578729333061526/
Thoughts? Wondering if this would be a good stepping stone. Eventually I’d like to get a provost and do a pretty major build out, but would something like this be good for a habitat for humanity recycled materials type build? I’d like to be able to live in this for a year or 2 while traveling for work about 3,000 miles per month.
Good morning Skoolie reddit friends! We have found our girl. Are supposed to buy her Wednesday. Can we pretty please have some of your expert advice before we close the deal? Bertie is that you?
I have been shopping to do a van conversion and came across this partially converted schoolie on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/567607680787504/ it is a 1990 Blue Bird with 6.2 L engine prices at $5000.
Upon further conversations with the seller, I have learned that it has just over 350k miles. it is also registered as a 3500 GMC cutaway van. should i try to talk him down into the $3000s or should i walk way
They are, but I haven't tried it out yet. My mirrors are pretty small and I initially was thinking of adding some more/upgrading them. Now im thinking of install something like this on the side of the bus so I can see the blind spots.
Cobalt steel drill bits only. I went through 3 of these.
Drill lube, and lots and lots of it. Like your bit should be soaked in lube. It shouldn't be hot. If you see any smoke, you need more oil.
Rivets suck to drill out. They are on the wall, so the oil drains off super quick. But if you go slow enough and use enough lube you can drill through them.
Thankfully most of the rivets in my bus were alumium, which was easier to drill out. The few steel rivets I hit just decimated my drill bits. I wasn't using oil and was drilling way to fast. I ended up angle grinding them off. If your careful you can grind 90% of the rivet head off and that last 10% can be done very gently so the grind marks arn't very deep.
Can certainly be done. You would want a battery isolator and a step down transformer and you're all set. Wire the transformer to 24v batteries, isolator to the transformer, 12v batteries to the isolator. Here are examples: (You want to check the amperage is enough)
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Battery-Smart-Isolator-DEWINNER/dp/B08JYQHTRZ/
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Converter-Regulator-Transformer-Waterproof/dp/B01LYK6G2Y/
1) Yes you can substitute other types of fuses for ANL fuses. No problem.
2) Your starter batteries are already grounded to frame, so you should only need to ground "through" the batteries at both ends (house/starter). Unless the manual of your DC-DC charger specifies that it must be grounded (but chances are that's just to stop the metal box it's in from being electrified)
3) "chassis ground" means to the frame, normally. Not the body. You want to sink the current to the largest, heaviest piece of metal you can so that there's as little impedance to ground as possible. Personally I do not chassis ground my house system.
4) Charging Li-ON in the cold - yes get a heating pad, something like this. Heating pads will work well to keep the batteries warm but they'll suck the power constantly if it's cold so you have to be careful. Chances are the BMS in the batteries wont try to charge the cells when they're cold but this will depend on the batteries.
Master Lock M736XKAD Magnum Heavy Duty Solid Steel Hidden Shackle Padlock with Key, High Security Hasp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DY7DRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_K6KHQT5ZRWS0WZ6AQSE4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Youre a lifesaver. Just canceled my POR15 order lol.
Is this what youre talking about? Amazon isnt showing much...
Newspaper litter pellets + a highish wall litterbox with cat pads is the way to go IMO.