The selfbuild rebuild

[lee52]

Hi LEE PM me for details of lightweight ply @ £25 a 8 x 4 sheet- light oak both sides or about 10 maple - not putting details on here (yet) as I have just bought 20 sheets and pick them up later this week ---I need to know plenty left because I may well get some more
terry

will pm you later this week hoping to finalise everthing plan and layout wise so will know what I need

 

[lee52]

Not a great deal happened on bus last week work keeps in the way ( you would think they would know I have better things to do lol)

I have decided to remove the old caravan door and build a full width and higher door (using the old bus frame) means I will have better access and get to use the full width of the internal steps, and I think it will look better apposed to "I see you have put a old caravan door on) done lots or measurements and drawings and have a plan for the door , the more I look at the old door the more I will regret not doing it,

Last week been mainly getting rid of old wood and rubbish its amazing where its coming from everytime I get rid of a car full there just seems to be more and more lol.

all the appliances have been moved to my home so they can be cleaned up and tested fully rewired etc...

Was planning on reusing the old cupboard doors but yet again i know it will always feel like a compromise so will end up junking them and make my own I know it will add more time on the build but end of the day the bus sat for 4 years so a few extra months to get it the way I want and to be happy is no hardship

and I have bought another rooftop a/c, heating unit, the other one I have works fantastic but its 240 only and is a bit power greedy, the one I have just bought runs on 240 and 12v, and is a bit smaller and lighter so the old one will be up for sale in the near furture

 

[tick59]

HOPE YOU HAVE A BIG CAT LIVING IN THE BUS TO TAKE CARE OF THE MICE OR THEY WILL GET BACK IN WITH THE BUS STANDING SO LONG.

 

[lee52]

HOPE YOU HAVE A BIG CAT LIVING IN THE BUS TO TAKE CARE OF THE MICE OR THEY WILL GET BACK IN WITH THE BUS STANDING SO LONG.

well hopefully I have now found and sealed/ fitted vents to all the access points the previous owner had a 10mm flex running throu 40mm holes etc.. and it had been parked up for 4 years left full of food oh: on the plus side for the last 4 years nobody had mice problems since my bus had been parked there so at least I have helped everybody else lol

 

[lee52]

Diy Blown air heating

Been thinking about blown air heating/gas fire

the fire/blown air is a carver cb1800 and I have been thinking about not having a gas fire installed at all

I have convector heaters for when on a hook up and a blizzard ac unit (hot and cold) which runs on 12v and 240

but want/need another source of heating so I was having a look through my shed ( I am a hoarder) and I have a thermotop 5kw diesel water heater, which runs and works as it should, the bus has 2 of the espacher heater matrix's with the fans (not sure on their proper name) and these are designed to use the coolant heat from the engine.

so I was thinkin If I was to build a box to house one of the matrix (or maybes 2) and have my truma vent TEB1 fan unit to pull the heat from matrix (has the fan speed thermostat control) and use the thermotop to generate the heat I was thinking this will provide a blown air system
I have meters and meters of blown air piping and coolant piping, so to build the system will only cost me the price of some antifreeze.
heres a simplified drawing of my idea
Has anybody tried this with any success?

Gonna try to build up a mock this week to see how effective it will be

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[UK Pete]

Been thinking about blown air heating/gas fire

the fire/blown air is a carver cb1800 and I have been thinking about not having a gas fire installed at all

I have convector heaters for when on a hook up and a blizzard ac unit (hot and cold) which runs on 12v and 240

but want/need another source of heating so I was having a look through my shed ( I am a hoarder) and I have a thermotop 5kw diesel water heater, which runs and works as it should, the bus has 2 of the espacher heater matrix's with the fans (not sure on their proper name) and these are designed to use the coolant heat from the engine.

so I was thinkin If I was to build a box to house one of the matrix (or maybes 2) and have my truma vent TEB1 fan unit to pull the heat from matrix (has the fan speed thermostat control) and use the thermotop to generate the heat I was thinking this will provide a blown air system
I have meters and meters of blown air piping and coolant piping, so to build the system will only cost me the price of some antifreeze.
heres a simplified drawing of my idea
Has anybody tried this with any success?

Gonna try to build up a mock this week to see how effective it will be
View attachment 23773

Thats how my system works, webasto thermo top heats up fluid and circulates this round the system in a big loop going from thermo top to water heat exchanger then on to the blown air heater matrix then on to the header tank and back to the thermo top, when i want just water i dont turn on the heater matrix fans, which are also linked to a thermostat to keep the temperature just right
pete

 

[lee52]

Thats how my system works, webasto thermo top heats up fluid and circulates this round the system in a big loop going from thermo top to water heat exchanger then on to the blown air heater matrix then on to the header tank and back to the thermo top, when i want just water i dont turn on the heater matrix fans, which are also linked to a thermostat to keep the temperature just right
pete

so you have a calorifier in the loop for your domestic hot water? think I am liking the sound of that

 

[lee52]

not much to report at the mo finished cleaning all the floor up (removing old glue and vinyl) floor is in really good condition its 26 year old ply and underneath it shows no sign of delamination or rot the only bit of rot is upfront under the front access panel/bonnet underneath the coolant header tank is a bit rough but this is a seperate piece to the rest of the bus so a fairly easy repair.

is it worth sealing the floor in anyway I know it has survived 26 years without any protection , but I would feel happier sealing it, with the weather been better I have started to clean up the chassis ready for a coat of paint I would say 80% of it is very good and still has orig paint but I want to clean all the oil and crap of and all the out riggers have surface rust still solid though theres lots of redundant cables and piping etc... so going to scrap all the crap and a nice fresh coat of paint its a combo of rust prevention, weight reduction (losing all the crap) and making maintenance/install easier and just looking better (looks better MOT wise if you know what I mean)

so would you guys seal floor was thinking a varnish on top and wax oil or stone guard underneath or will this cause more probs than preventing (floor not been able to breath)

 

[Terry]

Personally I wouldlet it breath
terry

 

[lee52]

Personally I wouldlet it breath
terry

so would u seal the plywood floor then terry top and bottom, I know the bus has survived 26 years of neglect but want to do it right first time not having to rebuild her again

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[Terry]

I would just under-seal the bottom -if anything - chances are you will be using Cushion-floor or something inside --- I have got some sparkly HD vinyl for mine same as they use in canteens,hospitals etc If I don't like it once down I will revert back to covering it over in my fav vinyl plank
terry

 

[lee52]

I would just under-seal the bottom -if anything - chances are you will be using Cushion-floor or something inside --- I have got some sparkly HD vinyl for mine same as they use in canteens,hospitals etc If I don't like it once down I will revert back to covering it over in my fav vinyl plank
terry

I think Ill chip guard the underside and the chassis then paint the chassis (cos it looks nice ) I have be looking at the industrial vinyl ( which is what the bus had orig)

 

[lee52]

well its been a bit of a let down made my mock up diesel fired hot water/blown air system and its rubbish :Sad: so a redesign is in order I have a webasto 5kw water heater works fantastic and as it should eberspacher calorifier heats water very nicely but the blown air bit is crap to say the least I built a mock up chipboard box audi a4 heater matrix (lots of fins ) at one end and a truma fan at the other end of the box the air directly out of the fan is between 49c and 52c (depending on if webasto is running as it kicks in at 70c and drops out at 76c) I was hoping for hotter temps, then put 3m of blown air piping on and the output temp is a whooping 19.5c
this was outside ambient temps are 10c. I was hoping for higher temps directly out of fan and was not expecting so much temp drop in the pipe work, I left it running for 2 hours while I was jobing on, I know in the bus it will be warmer as it wont be drawing in ambient temps. so not sure how to improve things the has a nice air space between matrix and fan so it wont cause a cold spot on matrix the box is air tight so it can only pull air through the matrix. I could allways double up matrixs either is series so air goes through one then the other or have them side by side so it will slow air speed going throu matrixs and more heat transfer

 

[TheBig1]

you will need to get the heater matrix really hot to be able to blow air through it to heat, otherwise it will be cooled by the moving air...just like a car radiator

 

[lee52]

you will need to get the heater matrix really hot to be able to blow air through it to heat, otherwise it will be cooled by the moving air...just like a car radiator

thats why I was thinking 2 matrixs side by side as there will same volume of air passing but over a greater area so will slow the air speed over the fins, temp wise the webasto is preset to cut of at 76c and cut back in a 70c, the surface temp of the matrix feels really hot to the touch,

or maybes scrap the idea or could go for a wet central heating system

going to keep the webasto even if its just for hot water as I picked up a calorifier of friend at work today and its a 50L and with the clever use of valves I can use the webasto to heat water and engine or water only or have engine heating water while driving

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[lee52]

well been a while since any updates sadly the joys of working a 60hr week and balancing home life

well this week I completed all the wall and roof insulation, and for very little cost the previous owner had insulated the wooden floor but not the roof oh:
I had kept the kingspan I had removed from the floor (in really good nick) and recycled this for the roof and walls. I used expanding foam to stick the kingspan and to fill any voids that I could not get to with the king span, and I am impressed with the difference in temps and I have still got plywood to go on so should be all good. out of daftness I insulated the full right hand side and placed a couple of digital temp meters one on the right and one on the left same height from roof ( 4inches) same distance from walls etc... didnt have any heating on and there was a 7c temp difference from one side to the other so thats quite pleasing to see such a difference

the roof and walls are made up with a ali frame work with ali outer skin so all insulation in between the stringers etc.. any gaps or voids filled with expanding foam, Is it worth ali taping joints as well ?

the old wall insulation was only where the old bus windows had been they had not bothered to do anything below the waist line and the insulation was a right old mix I think it was what ever he picked up first lol we had a mix of polystyrene, rock wool (full of mice nests) and that green fibre stuff you use for under laminate flooring,, so now its all kingspan so should be a big difference in temps and temp stablity

 

[lee52]

well not a huge amount done this week due to 12hr shifts at work and then my second job :Sad: but today I have made access to the bus a little better well I think its better the door is taller and wider than the off center caravan thing that was fitted before at the moment it has a double glazed infill not sure if Ill keep the glass or put a double skin ali insulated infill in

the whole job cost me the princely sum of £11:49 theres still aluminum infill to go down the sides instead of the ply as in pics but I left the ali at homeoh:

oh and I have some more motorhome style handles for the door

 

[Terry]

HI Lee stick your ali onto the timber :thumb: my ambulance is 1.5 mm ali bonded to quarter ply bonded to 40 mm Styrofoam boned to ali again then i bonded 3 mm ply finished boards
terry

 

[lee52]

I just seen in the pic I even have a kingspan insulated window now thats insulation no condensation for me LOL

 

[lee52]

HI Lee stick your ali onto the timber :thumb: my ambulance is 1.5 mm ali bonded to quarter ply bonded to 40 mm Styrofoam boned to ali again then i bonded 3 mm ply finished boards
terry

do you mean for the 2 side infills or for the door infill Terry

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[Terry]

2 sides -you can also get plastic infill panels for the glass bit ie measure thickness of glass unit and buy a infill panel -usually plastic outer skin s with either polystyrene or Styrofoam middle or if you want to get posh steel lining in the center
terry
edit if you need to know how to get the glass out give me a shout

 

[lee52]

2 sides -you can also get plastic infill panels for the glass bit ie measure thickness of glass unit and buy a infill panel -usually plastic outer skin s with either polystyrene or Styrofoam middle or if you want to get posh steel lining in the center
terry
edit if you need to know how to get the glass out give me a shout

think I might live with the full glass door as it lets in a lot of natural light, easily changed at a later date if I dont like it,

got a bit done today mainly cutting and sticking kingspan and filling any voids with expanding foam (I reckon the bus might double up as narrow boat now)

 

[Minxy]

Hi Lee, I must admit I like the new door especially with the glass in it, without it the steps would be difficult to see I would think.

As for the Kingspan glass 'screens' ... a bit OTT but it will be lovely and snug in there in winter!!!

 

[lee52]

Hi Lee, I must admit I like the new door especially with the glass in it, without it the steps would be difficult to see I would think.

As for the Kingspan glass 'screens' ... a bit OTT but it will be lovely and snug in there in winter!!!

silver screens are so last year lol everyone will be kingspanning it

 

[lee52]

well not a great deal happening unfortunately ive been doing 90hour weeks at work so not much spare time,
the bus had the orig fibreglass profiled roof lining which I decided to junk and now I have a nice flat (slightly curved side to side) ceiling front to back, looks much bigger and more motorhome (also makes it easier to plyline).

110% decided on the layout did various layouts on the pc, even drawn them on the floor in chalk. and then on the final layout to confirm I knocked up some simple bits of furniture out of scrap sheets of ply (made bed wardrobe false walls etc..) so I could walk through it if that makes sense, I know it might seem OTT but I want this to be right first time and the layout dictates where the windows and electrics need to be routed etc...

Started fitting the windows (the bus had 3 crappy windows in the hab area)

the windows I am fitting are caravan double glazed units (got a set of 9 for 45 notes) the big issue was the window seals standard caravan seals only seem to come in a max width of 40mm unfortunately the walls in the bus are 50mm, and have you seen the price of the caravan seals cheapest I found was 4quid a meter. so after a bit of head scratching I decided on using a 90degree bulb seal (like the ones on car doors) went to my local scrappy and got 2 full sets from ford focus's for free:thumb:. after making some hardboard templates fitted 3 windows so far and then had loads of rain this weekend and not one leak, unlike 2 of the windows fitted by the previous owner

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[Terry]

Hi LEE simply screw 2 x 2 on the inside 1 ins from outer edges then drill through/screw into your windows and into place then you can screw your internal bits to the 2 x 2 -sealant on to the outside window before fixing once secured clean off excessive gunge
terry

 

[lee52]

Hi LEE simply screw 2 x 2 on the inside 1 ins from outer edges then drill through/screw into your windows and into place then you can screw your internal bits to the 2 x 2 -sealant on to the outside window before fixing once secured clean off excessive gunge
terry

do you mean screw the windows so they wont open

 

[Terry]

No don't be daft You would have to make a frame up to make up the 2 ins from out side face to inner wall hence the 2 x2 --you can drill this and screw through it into your outer frame pulling the window tight to your van s outer skin = window fixed and if you bedded it on sealant = no leak -then you can fix your inner window bits/boards to the 2 x 2 -Hope you understand what I mean
terry

 

[lee52]

No don't be daft You would have to make a frame up to make up the 2 ins from out side face to inner wall hence the 2 x2 --you can drill this and screw through it into your outer frame pulling the window tight to your van s outer skin = window fixed and if you bedded it on sealant = no leak -then you can fix your inner window bits/boards to the 2 x 2 -Hope you understand what I mean
terry

I have used the method that is on the right of the pic I attached, I will sort a proper pic out soon. the window fastens to the bus using the orig window rail/hinge at top the wood to frame window aperture is 40mmx25mm with a rebate to allow for the seal

 

[lee52]

No don't be daft You would have to make a frame up to make up the 2 ins from out side face to inner wall hence the 2 x2 --you can drill this and screw through it into your outer frame pulling the window tight to your van s outer skin = window fixed and if you bedded it on sealant = no leak -then you can fix your inner window bits/boards to the 2 x 2 -Hope you understand what I mean
terry

lol I have just worked it out lol are u talking about cassette type window aka seitz windows mine are the orig style caravan windows hinged at the top plastic double glazed

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