MCI center floor duct

[JohnEd]

There is a recent post on the center air return duct for the OE AC system and it reminded me of a question I have had for a long time. 

I am  resolved that I will have to access this area and CLEAN out the coruption that is in there.  It would bother me just knowing it is in there, let alone run the risk of future odors being generated by that rot.  Need to do the air beams, anyway.  Can I use that air chamber for circ or ducting?  They did! 

I recently read a post that said that most conversions had had their original wiring ripped out and replaced.  Is that the case?  I had thought I would install  terminal boxes and run a multiconductor cable the length of the coach to use for additional meters and such but a new chassis harness would mean at least a few miles of new wire.  I will gladly do that, however, if there is any reservation of the OE stuff holding up.

Thanks,

John

[DavidInWilmNC]

John,

I'd say it's a great idea to remove and replace the front and rear floors.  Even pulling up the ramp on my MC-8 allowed me to see how nasty it is down there.  I pulled up the rear floor of mine over the air beams.  I took out the fiberglass wheel liners, replaced the rusted steel over them, re-sealed everything, painted all metal, re-insulated, and ran new ducts from the center return for four floor registers in the bedroom.  I then installed new plywood over that area.  I've cut holes in the sides of the return for supply registers in the bathroom and bedroom.  I didn't pull up the floor over the bays, as it was in fine shape and there's really nothing to clean out there.  I haven't pulled up the front section yet.  I know that will decommission the bus for a while, so I've held off on that project.  I'm using the original return as a supply duct.  I lined it with 1/4" foam board and thin duct sheet metal.  I haven't connected it to the HVAC blowers yet, but that'll happen when I pull up the floor in the front.  If you do this, you'll have access to the section between the part of the center channel that's in the bays and the part where the returns are.  You can install conduit here (there's about 1-1/2" of fiberglass insulation) and seal and rivet the sides back on.  I did all this as I didn't want the air to have to blow out along the windows like MCI did originally.  It also seems like a basement A/C could connect to this ductwork, if i ever wanted to have a basement unit.

My 8 has all its original wiring.  It's all in very good condition and everything seems to work.  I'd say that I'd replace it if there were problems, but not to trash it if it's working fine.  Good luck with it.

David

[JackConrad]

Look at the condition of the wiring in the rear panel and about the rear axle. If the wiring in that area is OK, the rest probably is in even better condition.  We were amazed at the amount of crud that was in all the OEM AC ducts. We have been in several conversions that, after sitting a few weeks, had a musty.moldy smell. I think at least some of those were due to what was left in the OEM ductwork.  Jack

[JohnEd]

David,

Thank you for your solid advice.  I wanted to use the center to handle air in some way and as a supply for heat with floor registers seems the best usage.  Glad the info I got about the wiring was not an absolute fact.  Maybe we can meet at the caverns in a couple of years.  Don't get back east much since I retired.

Jack,

I read a couple of posts years ago that said leaving the dirt in the center was foolish and soon regreted.  I will follow your advice, for sure.  How does vac. out the chuncks and then pressure wash it out the front door sound to you as a process.

Thanks again,

John

[JackConrad]

I read a couple of posts years ago that said leaving the dirt in the center was foolish and soon regreted.  I will follow your advice, for sure.  How does vac. out the chuncks and then pressure wash it out the front door sound to you as a process.

That is what we did.  Jack