Bad Day

[Busted Knuckle]

Glad to see that the repair is finally done. Good catch on the fuel thing. (ain't the first time a bus has had fuel disappear at a shop after sitting a long time!)
Have fun with the "projects", it seems life is back to normal for you as there are always "PROJECTS" popping up!
  BK 

[freds]

Dang I am almost back on the road!!!

As part of the collision repair they reworked the fuel tank and one of the things that I had requested while they had the tank out of the bus and recertifying it was the fix the Aux fuel tap for the generator and diesel boiler for the hydronic heating system.

It was pulling both fuel and air when you were trying to suction fuel out of the main tank which was causing both the generator and the diesel boiler to shut down. Note this problem already existed before I side swiped the fire hydrant. Prevost quoted $800.00+ just to remove the fuel tank to start work on that problem.

So since they were repairing the fuel tank I asked for extra attention in this area (repeatedly) with very little feedback so I kept reducing the scope of things I wanted them to address to just the collision repair and this task.

They are sort of subcontracted to the local Prevost maintenance facility for doing collision repairs. Heck in my last weeks observation they are working on lots of seated Prevost's for parking lot rash type stuff.

Anyway there is old and new plumbing (fresh fuel hoses) which I had covered with the owner before he stroked out and kicked the bucket. They hooked up the old system which has it's problems without talking with me.

The widow is struggling to keep everything running and the new shop foreman does not translate too well to the mostly Mexican crew.

I drew diagrams and pointed to end point hoses, etc.

The worker who was working on the project pulled the recently installed new hose to the diesel boiler and was wondering why I wasn't happy with only a single hose to the generator. They ended up ripping the new stainless steel skin back off the bus in order to work on this problem.

Anyway after a day and half I think things are finally correct fuel distribution wise (I can see fuel that is non-frothy coming out of the hose at each distribution point).

I think if I had just taken over as the full time foreman it could have been done in a half day.

Just a few more items to fix on the bus that are not related to the collision and I maybe headed out for Texas from LA.

If nothing else I need to start putting in some road miles to get away from here!!!

I am hoping to close out this saga and get back to personally enhancing the bus to my version of a high tech nerd bus.

Some of the things on the near future punch list are:

1. Bring up the StarLink internet dish for high speed internet as a external roof mounted item that be automatically extended and retracted while parked.
2. Implement the PepLink router configuration  to automatically fail over from StarLink to Cellular data if there is momentary outage from the satellite dish so online conference calls are not interrupted.
3. Centralize water feed to automatically fill the fresh water tank (The local crew was able to route hoses which I couldn't figure out to feed back to fresh water tank in the front of the bus from the plumbing bay).
4. Track water consumption with a flow meter so that you don't run out of water in the middle of the night because you flushed the toilet and the pump runs dry the rest of the night because you are asleep.
5. With the flow meter and automation be able to automatically fill the fresh water tank when hooked to an external water source.

Hey TGIF!!!

 








 

[Jim Blackwood]

I recommend you not make that tank fill an automatic operation but a manual one. The reason? Not all water sources are palatable and you don't want to contaminate your good fresh water with local sulfur water the first minute you hook up. Much better to retain the sweet water you have for drinking and run the shower and such off the hose. Plumbing in a manual valve for tank fill should not be at all difficult and even an automatic shut off should be feasible.

Jim

[sledhead]

can you give more info about this

1. Bring up the StarLink internet dish for high speed internet as a external roof mounted item that be automatically extended and retracted while parked.
2. Implement the PepLink router configuration  to automatically fail over from StarLink to Cellular data if there is momentary outage from the satellite dish so online conference calls are not interrupted.

thanks   dave

[freds]

can you give more info about this

1. Bring up the StarLink internet dish for high speed internet as a external roof mounted item that be automatically extended and retracted while parked.
2. Implement the PepLink router configuration  to automatically fail over from StarLink to Cellular data if there is momentary outage from the satellite dish so online conference calls are not interrupted.

thanks   dave

Hi Dave

Will do and I will make a full post on my build thread when I finish it up. But hey most of the info that I got on this is below:


Video on how to roof mounted Starlink dish and peplink.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIfiZwU3J9c

Another video on how to power Starlink via DC power

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrGCL9pNDDc&t=36s


Fred

[sledhead]

thanks Fred

nice video but it might be over my pay grade

I will wait for your report

[windtrader]

Think twice about a permanent mount of starlink. I've had mine several months now and like those with sat. tv, there are times where you park is not where you get a good signal.

I have a tall pole but it hasn't really been that useful. I've found that I can find a spot on the ground that gets a good as shot as higher. That may be because I'm not as constrained horizontally so getting clear sky is about the same whether on the ground or on a pole. 

I find a spot that works then put a folding chair behind it so it don't get run over.

If anything is the constraint on signal is having a longer cord. I just just had mine out to 75' and got a good signal. But I'm sure one day I will need a longer stretch.
Storing and set up is a couple minutes work so personally roof mounting isn't something for me.