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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: chazwood on February 21, 2008, 08:45:21 AM

Title: That outside plug.
Post by: chazwood on February 21, 2008, 08:45:21 AM
There is a little trap door on the side of my bus up front, ( if you took a shot at the driver who was stealing you bus, because he didn't need a key to start it....you'd hit him in the calf with your bullet) that has what looks like a 230 plug inside. (two blades running in a straight line with a ground below, like this       -.-     ). I would like to know about this plug.  ??? I think there was a junction box in the luggage rack for the janitors to plug in their vacuums (220 vacuums ???) and pretend they were cleaning.  (but what they were really doing was just pushing all the dirt into the air ducts.) I'm wondering about everthing  this plug powered and how easy it would be to hook it up to a 110 inside plug. I just want to make sure it didn't also power some inter-galactic verifying modulator, that would blow me and my family into some deep-space-black-hole, if I use it. Can someone please tell me what it's function was and where it goes?


Thank you
Chazwood

P.s. If you don't know by now ...I have an 82 mc9.
Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: Len Silva on February 21, 2008, 08:56:44 AM
I beleive it was for the "station lights", used to light the interior for cleaning and maintenance.
Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: chazwood on February 21, 2008, 08:59:13 AM
was it 110 or 220? did it just supply that junction box in the rack or did it go somewhere else?  (i.e. the 110 fluorescent lights)  I'm trying to find all the lose wire ends, ( after I took down the luggage rack) so I don't power up and have my kids lick a bare wire and get a free hairdo.
Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: buswarrior on February 21, 2008, 01:06:44 PM
Hi chazwood.

From the factory, as noted, that plug should power the in-station fluorescent lighting.

Did your bus have fluorescent lighting? Does your destination sign have a set of duplicate bulbs that won't light?

The different plug? Chime in those who know for sure, not the theorists...

However, only the bus gods will know what the various owners may have done with the wiring and purpose between then and now.

Do some wire tracing, and then with everyone clear, plug it in, and do some body testing with the multi-meter.

In-station lighting is a marvellous thing in lightly converted buses. Lots of light when you need it.
I left all of mine up the ceiling in the MC8.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: belfert on February 21, 2008, 01:57:35 PM
For safety reasons, I would not apply power to that plug if you think there is any chance of cut wires electrifying stuff.

That plug isn't going to do you any good once you do the electrical system in your bus anyhow.  The plug isn't the right type or in the right location for a campground plus the wiriing won't support much draw anyhow.
Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: chazwood on February 21, 2008, 05:13:37 PM
Quote from: belfert on February 21, 2008, 01:57:35 PM
For safety reasons, I would not apply power to that plug if you think there is any chance of cut wires electrifying stuff.

That plug isn't going to do you any good once you do the electrical system in your bus anyhow.  The plug isn't the right type or in the right location for a campground plus the wiriing won't support much draw anyhow.

ok. just thought that little trap door was cool.
Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: Stan on February 21, 2008, 05:26:36 PM
On the MC-7 I had the plug was a standard 120 volt male socket. From there the wires went to a breaker box mounted on the back wall of the spare tire compartment, at the top. One breaker fed the ceiling florescent lights and the other breaker fed a 120 volt bulb in each bay fixture (beside the 24 volt bulb). I don't remember if there were 120 volt bulbs in the destination sign.  HTH
Title: Re: That outside plug.
Post by: mc8 tin tent on February 21, 2008, 06:28:42 PM
Chaz
  I reused the door and installed a single (clock style recpt.) in place of the old mail plug. This has worked very well with theme camping ,Please make sure it is connected to a gfci breaker .I would also replace the wires, the old insulation will be cracked an broken( from age and over loading).Good Luck & Remember do it your way!!!!!!!!!
Dwayne