Exhaust Fume Hose Or Not

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Those of you keeping your bus indoors, are you using any hose or other method to exit bus/generator exhaust outdoors, besides opening the doors and windows.

The link is to show an example... Wondering about your opinions pro and con.

http://www.industrial-grade-hose.com/Engine+Exhaust+Fumes+Hose.htm

http://www.crushproof.com/exhaust.html?gclid=CPKCgqyO6JYCFQq4sgod0k7cOA

JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Since we opted to avoid the NY state crappy weather and worse taxes I just open our doors.

When we lived in NY the barn had cracks in the siding, but I still opened the door.

If you are going to use hoses which allows you to keep the snow drifts out of the garage, you need an adapter for the oval exhaust pipe on the engine. The generator exhaust on your bus is either a 2 1/2 or 3" pipe so that will be no problem. The question is are you going to use a blower on the exhaust to suck the fumes out or are you relying on a good connection at the exhaust pipe. I would opt for the blower.

[rfoster]

No Jim, Diesel fumes smell good. You don't want to waste them.

Besides a round hose won't work on the exhaust tip of your bus.

[0533]

What about Gen exhaust that comes out of the roof, Wabasto exhaust under the aft end and of course the main Detroit exhaust that is oval. 3 areas of concern that should be exhausted to be safe, fan idea is a good one, some type of central location that receives all 3 exhausts with fan and thermostat.

[tdelorme]

Jim, I would think an inline fan would be much safer than just a hose running outside the barn. This company makes a bunch of different size inline fans that are the best I have found. We use these and get about ten years out of them before replacement.
http://www.fantech.net/inline_duct.htm

[JIM KELLER]

Jim, Good information. I have thought about this many times. Our Bus Garage is probably the safest, strongest building on our property. In case of a Hurricane I would like to move into the Bus and have the option of running the generator. I would need to find the proper hardware to exhust the tubing through a solid poured concrete wall. Thanks for the links and good luck on your Bus pick up in the very near future.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Thanks for the ideas and discussion. I was concerned because it is not always nice enough outside to open the doors, and besides the pressure from the exhaust blowing floor dust around, and the diesel particulate entering all cracks and crevices of the bus and building is not too pleasant.
Jim I also thought of the generator as an auxiliary power source in an emergency.
Maybe you could buy or rent a concrete hole coring saw for your through the wall hole.

This topic is inspired by my concern for unattended winter storage. (I didn't think I would have to deal with it, but since I bought a bus sooner than the plan, I now must).

When the bus is in storage and one is using all the electrical devices to keep it at temp. you are totally at the mercy of the electric co.. If the power goes off you are screwed. Especially if you are not there and you don't know about it. Even with very reliable power it still can go off at any time, and probably in the worst weather at that. (the bus will be 98 mi. from home)
It would be nice to have the gen. come on automatically, but then the problem is turning it off when power is reestablished.
There is a land line phone device, something like X10 with which you can receive notice and run devices over the phone, but I do not have phone service at the barn and don't want to get it, soooooo back to the think tank.

I know it would be best to winterize the plumbing, but then you are kept from using the bus.

JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim,

In western NY with the risk associated with a power loss you have two choices. You must winterize the coach (not easy as you have likely read on recent threads) or you need to be able to monitor the coach.

Given your distance to the bus I think you ought to consider paying a neighbor to call you if the power should fail at the very least, but more to the issue to go into the garage every day to verify the bay and house temperatures are OK. You may wish to maintain a degree of privacy regarding the coach, but if that is your concern at least understand the consequences of the risk you are taking.

I will NEVER leave my bus unattended. Dead batteries, broken pipes, mold damage and all sorts of other minor problems occur over time if something on an unattended coach goes wrong.

Despite what you paid for it, it is still an asset with a replacement cost in excess of $1,000,000 and needs to be cared for as any asset worth that much does.

You do have a generator start feature related to loss of shore power. But you still have a finite supply of fuel so it is only a short term solution. When we lived there our power frequently went off due to the weather. Since the bus was across the driveway in the barn it was no big deal. If I was almost 100 miles away it would be a big deal.

Winterize it completely if you have to.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Well we all know, your right again.
I didn't want to hear it, but I know that's what I have to do.
We winterize the house plumbing even though we keep the heat set at 55 deg..
It sure will get me into all the nooks and crannies, and I don't look forward to that in cold weather.

Paying someone is out of the question for me. If they error it is still my damaged property.

JIM

[sawdust_128]

I'm kind of going through the same process regarding remote storage.

Here is a possible solution.

http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/microtechnologies/Item/VM500-3/

I'm looking for something like this that is cell phone-based so I don't have to go through installation of a land line. Then, I think back and I know that during power outages, land lines seemed to fair better than cell phones. Then I go back the other way and know that if the weather brings down the lines, phones are probably gone too.

However, I can at least call this one and get a status. It not answering is a status and a trigger to action.

Here's another option, a you piece together solution set.

http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Motorola/Item/HMTS4150/

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Yeah Ed, that is almost the same thing I was looking at. Mine was sold at Radio Shack, at least it was 12 yrs. ago.

The way I see it if you get the warning you still have to go to the bus and do something, and if I have to go 98 mi. in a snow storm that sucks, so it will be winterizing. Another part of it even if it were in a building out my door, in a sever climate you need to be prepared for the worst. This fall my local power went off for 4 days. In sub zero, what do you do then?

A possible plan C for you. Since there is no storage space, look for a larger buildings that can be rented /leased, and you sublet out space to others. There may be a demand for more storage in your area.

JIM

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Jim I can tell you with complete certainty that once you have winterized your camper a few times it is not that hard or take that long. All of the others here crying about having to do this are just spoiled and soft.;)

I make sure I roll in with empty tanks. Open and drain out the hot water heater and close then put 30lbs regulated air to the city water hook-up and systamatically go around opening the fixtures till nothing but air comes out 1 gal of RV antifreeze fills 4 drain traps.

The water filters also have to be manually unscrewed and drained prior to air and the water line for the ice-maker has to be loosened to evacuate the water there.

If you have a washing machine add that. I can do it in 1/2 hr.


I must admit I do look forward to the day I do not have to do it any more:rolleyes:

[sawdust_128]

Jim I can tell you with complete certainty......................................... .................. I do look forward to the day I do not have to do it any more:rolleyes:


Joe: You are a genius. That's it!!! New plan A; acelerate the effort to go full time. New Plan B; run south from the cold even if it isn't going to freeze, at every opportunity. New plan C; go live in it if not A or B.

You POG guys really know how to fix a problem with a coach. Even the wife likes this idea, she just went to pack a freeze alert bag. If our last outing is any indication, she'll be loaded and warming up the Detroit in 20 minutes after she hears the alert. Bad news is that since I insisted that she also drive, she might just leave without me:eek:! Think about it wife, dog, coach, pickup and Thompson 1911 .45 gone in a flash. A complete loss; and I would still be freezing the ole bahyingas off.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Yeah, Ed, not to worry the bus would be saved from the freeze. Isn't that what you started out to accomplish?? Just tell the wife you are going to go to Va and stay with Corona Kelly and she will be back for you in a flash.

OK Joe and Jon, you gave me the confidence and pushed me over the edge to do it. I will winterize!!!!!!!!!

Enough glory for you. It wasn't that at all. Barb said; YOU WANTED A BUS, NOW YOU BETTER DAMN WELL TAKE CARE OF IT.

I think the most difficult part is the washing machine, and dishwasher. I believe even without seeing them that on the dishwasher a valve must be removed.

[rfoster]

Jim: I dunno if you need to know this right now or not, but your bus has a two legged dishwasher only. No winterizing needed, just food.

I never winterized that bus as it stayed parked in a constant 57 degrees even on the coldest days. I would think it would take more the 1/2 hour with the filters and various plumbing fixtures. But I dunno, never did it.

I would considered spending the winter in Florida with Lew if I were you.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Thanks for the heads up King. I don't really know what I have yet. That's another reason I have been relatively quiet. Not that keen on a dish washer anyway. Paper plates sound good to me. Here that Shookie.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim, assuming you are going to winterize it, You can drain it quite well from the water bay. Open all the valves upstairs and let as much as possible run or siphon back. The washing machine and the refrigerator water supply lines are a different story. You can shut off the valve to the refrigerator (its a little valve where it tees off the nearest water line), remove the line and hope it drains as much as necessary. The washing machine is built in and to access the drain and water lines is a major task. Pay Joe for 1/2 hour of his time and turn it over to him after he shows you his liability policy with you as named insured.

I think you are going to use a lot of non toxic anti freeze running it through the washer, the refigerator, and in all the P traps. It will get a lot easier every time you do it, but I gurantee you the first night you realize it is going to hit zero your butt will be puckering thinking about all the places water could still be trapped and frozen. The worst part is you will not realize how well you did until you fill it with water and turn on the pump.

[sawdust_128]

Jim: I think if I played a Corona Kelly Bluff, my wife would call it with a great Dick Cheney impression "So."

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Who is it here that suggests buses aren't for sissies:confused:

If I had a conventional fridge with an ice maker that can not be accessed from the rear like a propane fridge and lived where winterizing was necessary this is what I would do.

The first time I pulled that fridge to winterize it I would install a T-fitting both before and after the ice maker solenoid at the bottom rear. I would run the 2 lines off them somewhere easily accessible and put a shut off where ever you terminate them.. When pushing air or r/v antifreeze into the bus you could open the one that feeds the fridge to clear it. The other line could then be opened and by simply blowing into it would clear the water from between the solenoid and the ice maker itself.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Sure sounds easy. It will take all of your half hour winterizing time just to pull the refrigerator, not including time to add the fitting. But I agree that makes sense to do for future winterizing.

Jim, If you want I have a platform which you will need to roll the refrigerator on. The refrigerator is installed about 3" off the floor so you will need it or you will need to make one. Stop here on the return and we can have dinner and let you borrow it.

You will see the problem dealing with the washer when you get to the bus. Perhaps I can help with that also.

[hhoppe]

JIM: just buy a case of cheap vodka and after draining the water pour the vodka in each appliance. Save one bottle to drink in the springtime when you find out it didn't work. Don't leave any can or bottled liquid in the shut down refrigerator thinking it won't explode. The springtime vodka will be ok.
I would stick with Joe's methods to the letter. Good Luck.