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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: ToppDog on July 01, 2010, 12:20:21 AM

Title: MCI 102dl3 ?'s
Post by: ToppDog on July 01, 2010, 12:20:21 AM
Hello all.

Just curious if any of you familiar with MCI's know what is directly behind the battery bay, & if it would be possible to move it somewhere else & place a side entry in that location?
Title: Re: MCI 102dl3 ?'s
Post by: Slow Rider on July 04, 2010, 09:37:18 AM
I have no clue on a DL3 but on my MC8 the air conditioning bay is behind the battery area.   Well I think it is.  If I am wrong the corrections will roll in shortly :)

As far as moving the batteries, sure.  On the older MCI's some folks move the batteries to the space once occupied by the compressor for the a/c when they remove it.  You can do a search and read the arguments for/against this option.

Frank 
Title: Re: MCI 102dl3 ?'s
Post by: John316 on July 04, 2010, 11:43:25 AM
Dog,

Behind the battery bay is the air conditioning bay. It is accessed through a door in the third bay. We removed all of the coach OTR air, because we were tired of putting money into it, and we had better use for space (we have a 1995 DL3).

FWIW

God bless,

John
Title: Re: MCI 102dl3 ?'s
Post by: Bill B /bus on July 04, 2010, 04:40:38 PM
Air conditioning evaporator coil, heater coil and two blowers inboard of batteries.

A lot of converters are moving the starting batteries to the aft passenger corner of thew bus. Puts the batteries next to their job, starting the engine. If you leave the big cable in place form the battery box then that becomes your cross connect line for the house batteries charging from the alternator. AC Compressor was in that corner on a lot of MCI's .
Title: Re: MCI 102dl3 ?'s
Post by: ToppDog on July 08, 2010, 12:38:12 AM
Thanks guys!  That is good to know.  I'm guessing from looking at comparison photos that the DL3's & D3's are pretty much identical except that the DL3's are stretched a little in front & behind the rear wheels allowing for an extra window.  I like that the windows & bays below line up perfectly.  I am thinking of a floorplan that would be something like this, although not to exact scale:

(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imagedump.com%2Fimage.cgi%3Ffile%3D561323.jpg&hash=3a99b21610bd286e0fe5ae72dd4d653245fce631)

The picture didn't format well transferring from publisher to paint, but you get the rough idea.  The living area would have a sleeper sofa with 3 swivel captains chairs/recliners.