Uh Oh, Help, I'm thinking again! What's in your condenser bay?

Paladin · January 27, 2008, 10:04:20 PM

So I decided to look closer in my bus at the floor area around the top of the condenser area. I'm not happy with the over all condition and decide to re weld the laterals right above. Once I got those cut out I decided that I'm also not happy with the tin junk that is sitting over the condenser bay area so I pull that out too. Now I got everything cleaned up and a straight open hole running through from the floor of the bus to the condenser bay but I ran out of welding wire before I could finish the job.

Now I've been thinking that maybe I'll raise the interior height of that bay by bringing it up a couple of inches. The space above and up to the floor is pretty much dead space anyway.

Then I begin to think that since I'm really running out of places to locate things I might want to put my genset in there. There is no OTR air and my generator would fit in there. It already has vents through the floor and a mesh door so lot's of air, simple to run cabling...... Just insulate the sides, top and maybe around the bottom then maybe that's a decent place to put it??? I could easily run an exhaust line under the bus and away.
I'd rather put the genset in one of the luggage bays but I'm completely maxed out in space there. I know that here is a bit cramped and less than perfect but I'm running out of options. Maybe batteries should go there instead??

What do you guys have in your condenser bays?

A 40' bus with all of these bays and nooks and crannies still really gets cramped in no time at all!

-Dave

ChuckMC8 · January 28, 2008, 02:25:11 AM

DAve, Here's mine- I used the condenser bay door, removed the expanded metal and put in a peice of stainless and a latch from an ambulance door that will lock the compartment. I lined the compartment with 1" thick sound deadner material from the HVAC suppier. Its super quiet-
A piece of the removed mesh forms the vent for the geneator. The water heater is also in the condenser compartment, but is boxed inside with sheet metal- HTH Chuck

Gen is an Ohno Marquis 7000
Alcoas are Kenworth pattern with Goodyear 11R-24.5
click on my profile, then photo page for more pics

JackConrad · January 28, 2008, 04:55:54 AM

We installed our PowerTech generator in this compartment after soundproofing the compartment. We left the mesh in the door, but covered the inside of it with soundproofing. Jack

tekebird · January 28, 2008, 05:34:15 AM

1. All that open Venting may not keep your generator cool....it's all about air flow both while stationary and underway.

on my 04 I moved the genset to the condensor bay and had to do some re engineering as I waas overheating the genset.

keep in mind also that many gensets ( the electric side needs cooling air too.

2. If you decide to cover that area and want some nice OEM GM Flutted skin give me a call or send a note.

ChuckMC8 · January 28, 2008, 06:54:43 AM

I use a digital thermostat that I bought at Wal mart- The "remote" goes in my generator bay and the "home" unit sits in my dash. EZ, Cheap and effective

H3Jim · January 28, 2008, 07:08:15 AM

But you are definitely on the right track. Look for all the nooks where you can stash stuff. Its all about space usage. The more nooks you can fill up, the more your bays are open / the more stuff you can take with you.

johnjem · January 28, 2008, 02:57:45 PM

i put my 10 golf cart batterys in there left the wire grille on the door batterys still get a good vent

belfert · January 28, 2008, 04:57:10 PM

My Dina condenser bay is quite different than MCI or GMC, but I put my Powertech generator in there. I left the vents on the door open as the Powertech has a sound enclosure. There is still some room left and I am thinking about moving my house batteries in there as well.

Dina used a short wheelbase so there are only two full width luggage bays and one 2/3 width luggage bay. 1/3 of one luggage bay is walled off for the condenser bay so I have fairly limited bay space.