How to Bus build book

[harleyman_1000]

 Is there such a thing as a build a bus for dummies 

[Cary and Don]

Yes,  Dave Galey's Bus Converters Bible.  He wrote these books some time ago,  but the basics are there and still apply.  I would also invest in electrical for dummies and plumbing for dummies.  It doesn't matter if it's a bus or house,  the general information is the same.

Don and Cary

[Jriddle]

Send me your address by PM. I will give you mine. I will not be able to send it for a few days though.

John

[Dave5Cs]

Harleyman check your e mail, your welcome HTH.

Dave5Cs

[Kajun_Taz]

Where can someone buy a copy of it... and how much does it costs on average?

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Scott,

Here is the link from our web site for the e version.
http://www.busconversions.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=38&osCsid=48hevkd8ikgjldpaubkf751s23

Hope this helps
Nick-

[harleyman_1000]

Harleyman check your e mail, your welcome HTH.

Dave5Cs

Thank you Dave. I was up reading it until 3 am

[Acausey]

I think most of Dave Galey's books are available on Amazon. They have been a huge help for us as we have converted our bus. Some of the details may be a little dated, but they are good for inspiration and ideas if nothing else. 


~ Andy

[harleyman_1000]

 The plumbing helped me to understand how to rework my bus, but the wiring section isnt helping me to understand it? I understand house wiring, but am totally lost with the 12 volt 

[Dave5Cs]

Harley try here it will give you a basic understanding. I am not the one to ask about 12volt or any DC wiring. Still trying to figure it out, house wiring is a lot easier IMHO.

http://www.reference.com/motif/consumer_electronics/12-volt-camper-wiring

Dave5Cs

[akroyaleagle]

You have received some good suggestions. Here's a few more for 12V.

Always use stranded wire! 14ga will do most of the DC stuff but check the amps you are going to demand through it and step up to 12,10, or 8 if needed.

Install a ground bar near where you have your 12V supply bar.

Run a 8 ga wire from the house batteries ground post to the ground bar. Run a red 10 gauge from the hot side of the house batteries to the 12V supply bar. I suggest putting the ground on one end of the battery pack and the hot on the other end. Also run a red 8 gauge from one end positive on the batteries to the other end positive. That will help equalize the load.

NEVER WIRE HOTS OR GROUNDS TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOADS!

Always run a separate ground wire from the ground bar,  to the switch, then to the load.
Always run a separate hot wire from the hot bar to a dedicated fuse in the fuse panel, then to the load.
If you buy a fuse panel with indicator lights, you will know at a glance which fuse is blown.
Buy bars with excess terminals on them. (For future brainstorms)

Avoid ever splicing a wire. That's just asking for trouble later.

Number each wire on each end, and record it on a wiring record/log/diagram, whatever makes them identifiable in the future. You should have NO unnumbered wires A/C or D/C in your coach.
If you need help locating the supplies, let us know.

[harleyman_1000]

You have received some good suggestions. Here's a few more for 12V.

Always use stranded wire! 14ga will do most of the DC stuff but check the amps you are going to demand through it and step up to 12,10, or 8 if needed.

Install a ground bar near where you have your 12V supply bar.

Run a 8 ga wire from the house batteries ground post to the ground bar. Run a red 10 gauge from the hot side of the house batteries to the 12V supply bar. I suggest putting the ground on one end of the battery pack and the hot on the other end. Also run a red 8 gauge from one end positive on the batteries to the other end positive. That will help equalize the load.

NEVER WIRE HOTS OR GROUNDS TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOADS!

Always run a separate ground wire from the ground bar,  to the switch, then to the load.
Always run a separate hot wire from the hot bar to a dedicated fuse in the fuse panel, then to the load.
If you buy a fuse panel with indicator lights, you will know at a glance which fuse is blown.
Buy bars with excess terminals on them. (For future brainstorms)

Avoid ever splicing a wire. That's just asking for trouble later.

Number each wire on each end, and record it on a wiring record/log/diagram, whatever makes them identifiable in the future. You should have NO unnumbered wires A/C or D/C in your coach.
If you need help locating the supplies, let us know.

Im redoing a coach, and it's a mess with both 12 and 24 volt system, and none of the wiring is marked

[jpsmitty]

You can get Dave's book directly from him
http://www.winlockgaley.com/

[akroyaleagle]

Im redoing a coach, and it's a mess with both 12 and 24 volt system, and none of the wiring is marked

That, unfortunately describes the majority of converted coaches I have seen.

It is a lot of work to clean it up. Too many folks now just patch something in.

[Cary and Don]

If you have both 12 and 24 volt have separate colors for each,  red for 12 and red with white stripe for 24.  Then you will never mix the two up. We also did a color code ring to denote house or coach wiring.  Make a drawing of each panel you install and label all the connections on it like any manual.  Makes it a lot easier in the future without opening up the panels.

Don and Cary