Some like the clean look, others have rooftop air, in motion satellite, fresh air vents. Some have covered the emergency exits and some still have them. Just curious and looking at ideas. I do like the idea of the mini splits, they are quiet.
On my bus, I have three roof airs, two Fantastic Vents, three drain vents, batwing TV antenna.
On my truck, I have two Fantastic Vents, two drain vents. The roof is too tall for A/C's
If you do use mini splits, make sure you open the condenser/compressor cabinet to see that all freon lines are supported from vibration. Good Luck, TomC
Lots! Between my two roof hatches I built a 26'-long walkway, from which are hinged eight support frames for my eight big grid-tie PV panels that can sit down against the roof or be raised up to 45 degrees from horizontal. There's still space for two solar water-heating panels, and maybe also two small 12V PV panels for my starting batteries. For me, the roof merely is some useful space to help make my bus as functional and effective as possible. An incidental, but probably significant, benefit is that almost my entire roof will be shaded, greatly reducing the sun's heatload on the bus. My 2kW of PV panels will be more than enough to run a mini-split A/C.
John
You've seen my roof. We love our fantastic vents (4 of them). And I would never build a bus without the mini-split. It continued to make heat when we were down to 8* one night....but not enough heat. We've stayed comfortable to 20*. But this topic isn't about our awesome mini-splits, even though they use very little power and are very quiet :)
On the roof I also have my WiFi Ranger Sky unit, four Fantastic vents, and it kept the roof hatches on the outside.
TIKVAH
(Dave Rush)
MCI 102A3 6V92
Full Time On The Road - I couldn't fix my brakes, so I made my horn louder
One emergency hatch stock, three vents, one AC, one refrigerator vent and a crank up antennae.
Brian
All depends how you use the bus it's a wash on all of it,me no way would I depend on electric heat I don't care for the power pole all the time.
With mini splits I don't care for wall space they use and the ugly unit inside the bus but they are a less expensive route to go than a Aqua Hot and Crusiairs the people I know with mini splits have a love hate relationship with those I kept the top of my bus clean fwiw
The only thing on my roof is 5 gallons of Liquid EPDM. ;D The 42,000 btu Mitsubishi Mr. Slim mini split takes up 14" of space in the "house equipment" bay. It is the ideal solution for me. I want an empty roof and spend most of the time plugged into a 120/240 50a pole. Boondocking, big water tanks, PV panels and battery banks aren't for me.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7hyH1hL4OWo/UnFqpIoj9hI/AAAAAAAACqM/JmuQrCzFEjo/w627-h836-no/20131030_152247.jpg)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTjpLIyD.jpg&hash=50c3e17cdca0d3b11516d20ec1ec38f308049988)
The sides were important for me also I wanted no vents anywhere on the baggage doors and body and Matt likes that
I am not boon docker but a few days or a week fishing for Salmon or Steel Head in Idaho on a river without a power pole I can handle that ;D
How is that stuff on the roof working for you Jesse I have a 45 footer I am taking to Albuquerque to have the roof sprayed with the smooth bed liner material in white the 1st of Jan
Quote from: sparkplug188 on December 05, 2014, 06:04:30 AMThe only thing on my roof is 5 gallons of Liquid EPDM. ;D ...
Same for me. But it's not a question - my bus is right at 13'6" -- no way to run even a tv antenna or anything (unless it retracts down below the roof line in the back).
Clifford- The Liquid EPDM looks and feels the same as the day I coated it. It is still "rubbery soft" like a thick sheet of EPDM. It has been two years with no signs of chalking, cracking, or peeling. I fully expect it to last 10+ years before needing a second coat.
I will be the first to throw EPDM coatings 'under the bus' if their product doesn't live up to their claims.
http://www.epdmcoatings.com/ (http://www.epdmcoatings.com/)
When I had my truck bed Rhino lined it was over $600 for an 8' bed. How much does it cost to line a bus roof?
I have no idea Jesse what it will cost he is a good friend we are going to do the bays with all compartments and we are thinking about doing a round shower stall with the material if he can make it look like tile
I have three rooftops, a vent, two escape hatches, and a Fantastic vent on my roof. Mini splits were not really an option when I built mine, plus I need the bay space.
I am looking at putting the liquid EPDM on my roof next year. I talked to places both local and across the country about putting bedliner in the roof of my bus. Prices were between $3,000 and $5,000. All were more than I have to spend on the project.
Mine won't be anywhere near those prices paybacks are hell ;D
one fantastic fan in the bathroom...
basement air from First Co. out of Dallas TX. with a 24"x24" by 42" closet air handler ducting integral to cabinets overhead..... it is a unit that normally would mount on a high rise condo, a 3 ton unit, R22. so no roof warts for me but I do have bays vented...
Clifford, how are you cooling gen-sets with no bay vents ?
Remote radiator and squirrel cage fans, air in and out from the bottom of the bay for the generator. It took me awhile to figure how to make a propane fridge work without cutting a hole in the top and side though but I got done
One black/gray tank vent, two emergency hatches and three Maxxair vents.
Stink pipe and 2 vents . 2 mini splits underneath. I would like a sunroof slash emergency exit .does anyone have any inexpensive ideas that will look nice ? Thanx all..
Wow, a good mix. Just trying to get an idea on what I may want on top, and if need be the associated wiring inside.
My roof is pretty busy with two roof airs, one fantastic fan, a fridge vent, a plumbing vent stack, an old TV antenna, two solar panels, a radio antenna, and I forget what else. No emergency exit hatches anymore. The sliding windows open wide enough that I think we could get out with fire on our heels, or if the bus was on its side after a roll-over.
JC
My roof.
Gordie- I like the clean roof-- looks slick. :) How did you form the expanded metal to match the contour of the aluminum siding? I couldn't find any close up pictures on your blog.
Our roof is kinda unique because of 3 factory installed skylights. Plus previous owners over the years have installed: a remote control 360 degree spotlight, 3 2-way radio antennas, 2 rooftop a/c's, 2-different styles of TV antennas, a Maxx air vent cover and vent fan over bathroom. And a partridge in a pear tree.
One day I am going to pull some of the extra stuff off the roof. Just waiting for the time to stop and do it.
Siberyd
Quote from: sparkplug188 on December 05, 2014, 06:04:30 AM
The only thing on my roof is 5 gallons of Liquid EPDM. ;D The 42,000 btu Mitsubishi Mr. Slim mini split takes up 14" of space in the "house equipment" bay. It is the ideal solution for me. I want an empty roof and spend most of the time plugged into a 120/240 50a pole. Boondocking, big water tanks, PV panels and battery banks aren't for me.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7hyH1hL4OWo/UnFqpIoj9hI/AAAAAAAACqM/JmuQrCzFEjo/w627-h836-no/20131030_152247.jpg)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTjpLIyD.jpg&hash=50c3e17cdca0d3b11516d20ec1ec38f308049988)
How are you venting the plumbing, fridge and other necessities? If you don't mind me asking,
Will
Some like the airplane design with trying to maintain as much of an aerodynamic look as possible. Mine is more of an interplanetary or interstellar craft with equipment and antennae protruding wherever needed. Why be earthbound?
Will- The fridge is a standard 120v residential fridge-freezer combo. No need to vent the fridge. I copied Sean's plumbing-- cheater vents (AAVs) on the sinks and a tank vent/overflow out the side wall.
Quote from: Seangie on June 30, 2014, 08:46:16 AM
Ive got a studor vent on my fresh water tank to let air in as the fresh tank tank drains.
As far as gray and black tanks you need to do as Brian said above and have an exterior vent for gases...etc. Our exterior vent goes out into the rear tire well and doubles as an overflow relief (its higher than the tanks but lower than the floor of the bus) just in case the gray tank or black tank overflow.
-Sean
I have 2 a/c units and an in motion sat. Also a stink vent. That is it for now.
James
Quote from: sparkplug188 on December 06, 2014, 01:41:26 AM
Gordie- I like the clean roof-- looks slick. :) How did you form the expanded metal to match the contour of the aluminum siding? I couldn't find any close up pictures on your blog.
Sparkplug,
The large bay door is standard factory. Almost all 4014's have it. The expanded metal was stamped to match the fluting. I made the forward bay door using the donor bus' bay door expanded metal, cutting out the center of the existing front bay door, cutting the expanded metal to fit and riveting the new piece in place. I did make another for the oil cooler using standard expanded steel and and 1/4" rod to match fluted lines.
Those vents fit the look of the bus. They look like they belong there, not an afterthought. I am so stealing the 1/4" rod idea!
On my roof is as many square metres of solar as I can fit.
2 ac units, 2 fans, fridge vent, black tank vent, 2 antennas, 3 solar panels and the air horns.
Pigeon $#!%.
The bus was at the farm in Blackie, Alberta, this summer, backed partly into a Quonset shop, where the god damn pigeons roost and nest. I placed a plastic owl on the bus. That only scares them for the first couple of days.
JC
I saw a plastic owl here the other day that had a pigeon sitting next to it on each side and another one that was sitting on top of it. Got a good laugh. ;D