We are Maddy and Zach, this is where we'll be sharing our stories and adventures as we convert our school bus into a tiny home on wheels. We will be documenting our bus build and our travels, along with any other cool things we want to share. (:
Let me give you guys some advice, don't spend your money on a roof deck, trust me it is not a big deal. I would add more solar panels and a couple of storage boxes up top as well if you have the room; it is money well spent, and makes a lot of sense! 😉🤐🤪
Awesome upgrades. You know, I always wanted a bus with under belly storage. When I go to look at one and realized the doors open from the bottom and swing up.. didn't like it. So you have to stoop down to get under the door to access your stored items. I decided I did NOT want underbelly storage and I'd so 2 of those boxes like the one you did, where the door drops down from the top and offers like a shelf of sorts while you dig through it. Next uprade ?!?!?! You need to get a pair of wireless mics for the cam. LOL
It’s always nice to see how you work together to make your dreams come true. I’m originally from Decatur and know how humid and hot Illinois can be. Very nice air conditioning unit.
It’s all still Freon. It’s just a different type no vacuum and that dent oil is going to get so dirty and wait till you hit a big old rock. Send it straight through that fan shroud.
just no vacuum on the lines and a unit that is not designed to move in a vehicle and also under the bus good choice I would like to know how the flare fittings will hold up under such vibration 😒
I have a question, I finished my lease, and not sure if I want to buy a house, or start on a skoolie project. My question is strictly on engine. If I decide to go ahead and buy a school bus, what engine should I look for? Don't want anything underpowered, but also I don't want the most inefficient for my application. Any suggestions? Thank you 😊
Did I hear that correct? You’re going to be in Illinois for the summer? That air conditioning system will be a godsend for you! Thanks for sharing your story!
Shouldn't you protect the outside unit under the bus in some way from road dirt? It looks a bit vulnerable to road damage. Other wise it should be great.
Sounds like a great system. From what you're saying, it's working better than i expected. I thought it was a cool only system. So it does also do heat?
@@maddyandzach Do keep in mind, it's not really hot as of yet. I sure hope it keeps up in the July and August months too. You'll have to give us an update video when that time comes.
I am mostly living in my attic. While insulated, its the hottest and the coldest room in the house. 21 years ago i got two AC units from a sale. Since they were rather weak, i got two. Each used about 980W fix, and was supposed to have a cooling capacity of 1200W. A COP of only 1.2. Last year i replaced them with a modern 3.4 kW AC Inverter unit with a SCOP of 6 for cooling and 4 for heating. The difference in power consumption is quite remarkable. We have a big solar system, during the summer all AC units, a total of 6, run for free. Last summer i havent seen any bigger consumption than 1200W, this only a short time while cooling down starting with a hot room, after that it was mostly below 500W. The old units had nearly all the time a consumption of 1960W. Heating with this units is also quite effective, since they heat as long as the air comes out of them warmer than the room temperature, so they can heat the room with a very low "water" temperature. Hot water heating systems need higher water temperatures to achieve a sufficient watt output. What did catch my eye: Is there a direct line of sight from the back wheel to the outside unit in front of it? If so, stones stuck in the profile of the tire could fly directly from the tire into the heat exchanger, who wont like that at all. This AC unit is not meant for mobile use, so it has no protection.
37 gallons are about 140 liters. $148 are about 137€. Thats 0,98€ per liter. My actual price per liter diesel here in germany is 1,6€ per liter (2,1€ at the Autobahn). That 37 gallons would cost me here $242($318 Autobahn). You have really dirt cheap fuel.😮 The CO2 tax might raise the price +0,2€ until 2026, from 2027 on it might be another +0,4€. That might cause an uproar, though. Diesel is still the cheapest fuel. Well, there was a reason why i got a small electric car as a complement to our solar. It runs for free since the beginning of march.
Hey Zach and Maddy, glad you made it safely home. When i drive before i go through Illinois i fuel up and after i get out of Illinois. Also to protect your privacy may want to blure out the longitude and latitude info on the dash cam.
Start towing a car behind the bus so that you can both 1) be in the bus and keep each other company, 2) you don't both have to drive all the way, and 3) you should save on fuel. Best wishes for your next adventure!
You guys need to look into that Open Roads fuel discount card. You will save a lot of money. The card is free Open Roads fuel discount card. Keep up the hard work guys. You’re doing a fantastic job. We love your videos.
My last bus 1991 International Bluebird would go easily 70mph on the Interstate, but at 70mph it only got 8-9mpg. At 56 to 58mph it would get 11-12mpg on average. I once even hit 13mpg out west Texas, but that was the exception, not the norm. Either way, all diesels have a sweet spot as for how fast is the best fuel mileage, so you'll have to play around to find it. It took me about six months on the road before I found where mine is at.
