Storing Bus with slides

[Bill1170]

Any pros or cons on storing the bus inside a building leaving the slides either in or out. This would be for short term usually no more than a month at a time.
Bill

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I do not have a slide coach, I did not rear the manual, I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I don't think it makes a difference whether the slides are in or out. What I would do if I had a slide coach however is remove air pressure from the bladder seal. I would want the seal to relax.

If the coach were stored outside I would NOT ever allow the seal to relax because if water or moisture should get into the coach the problems could be extensive.

That is only an opinion, not supported by facts or knowledge.

[merle&louise]

Bill,

I don't have any official regs on storing a slide in or out, but I store mine deflated and the slides in. I keep the coach inside which allows me to do so.

I agree with Jon, I think that is better to relax the rubber as opposed to keeping it inflated all the time. My rubber gasket is 12 years old and it appears to be in good condition. So I guess I must be doing the right thing.

I am not sure but I BELIEVE the air pressure on the slide gaskets is about 22psi. That is not a great deal of pressure; just enough to keep the water out.

Just my .02

[Jerry Winchester]

My qualifications are the same as Jon's but unless I heard a solid argument to the contrary, I would store them with the slides in unless I had it in a clean room like Jack 14R. The reason being that if there were any dust, condensate or crap built up on top of the slide while it was stored, it would now be on the inside when you retracted the slides.

[jack14r]

JDUB,you are too nice,how did that happen?I also agree that the roof of the slide could get real dirty in some places,I keep my slides in except when cleaning inside the coach or cleaning the hidden sides of the slides.My coach stays aired up in storage with regulated shop air,so far I have not had a problem,time will tell.

[rfoster]

I have a slide coach and agree with Jon. Mine is stored inside with slides in and aux air off. I have left the slides out on ocassion while stored inside with aux air off but with the narrow storage area I have - it makes it difficult to walk around the bus with slides out.

I have read the supplemental slide operation and maintenance chapter that came with the coach and it does not address proper storage of a vacant coach regarding slides. I think Prevost assumes you do not store them, rather you use them full time.

[garyde]

I think the slides are designed to stay out for extended periods. The slides don't behave differenty occupied or not. Dust would be a concern but people live in their Coaches year round so its not a big deal. I agree you would want your aux air turned off if not attended.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Why would it be beneficial to store with the Aux Air OFF?

I would think letting the bus do its thing from time to time, adding air to the system to keep proper pressure would be a positive thing, UNLESS you had a major leak and the Aux Air was running continuously.... that would not be good.

Gary S.

[Ray Davis]

Why would it be beneficial to store with the Aux Air OFF?

Probably the same reason that I turn off my aux compressor every time the bus goes into it's storage location. I don't want the compressor coming on, a leak existing, and the little compressor working 24/7 until it fails completely.

Ray

[merle&louise]

You know, it would probably be a good idea to turn off the water pump also. Same logic.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Gary,

When our bus gets air pressure from the engine driven compressor it passes through a dryer and "wet" tank so the air is actually quite dry.

When we are parked we compromise by using our aux air compressor, which at the very least should have a moisture trap, but not all are equipped with a system as good ad the bus air drying system. That puts water from condensation in the aux system, and if that moisture reaches the suspension system valves they have the potential to corrode because the Norgrens for example are aluminum. We who have lived in the north where temps can easily get sub zero are particularly sensitive about any moisture in the air system on the bus because if it has moisture and the moisture freezes a valve or a device then there is aanother whole set of problems.

If for no other reason I shut my aux air compressor off when the bus is at home and most of the time when we are "camping" unless I need to use an air powered device.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Well said everybody, and I understand it better now. :)

NOW if I can just remember to add "Turn OFF Aux Air" to my list of things to do when storing the bus, and then remember to turn it "back on", when I take the bus out, that will be a good thing. :D


Hey, have I told you guys lately HOW MUCH I LOVE my slide? :D

Gary S.

[travelite]

Gary,

When our bus gets air pressure from the engine driven compressor it passes through a dryer and "wet" tank so the air is actually quite dry.

When we are parked we compromise by using our aux air compressor, which at the very least should have a moisture trap, but not all are equipped with a system as good ad the bus air drying system

John,

I'm surprised that the aux air compressor doesn't plumb in up stream of the bendix air dryer. Is the aux system a Prevost or a Converters addition? Is it 120V?

Thanks,
David Brady
'02 BlueBird Wanderlodge, LXi,
NC

[jack14r]

The compressors are converter installed,they can be 12 volt or 120 volt.My shop air has a refrigerated dryer and the air is very dry,I like it being aired up and everything working.I also leave the water pump on all the time.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

What Jack said.

Where an aux compressor gets inserted into the Prevost system is usually at the steer bay far downstream from the dryer and wet tank. In fact the converter compressed air supply point is actually marked by Prevost. and it is mounted on the bulkhead near the Norgren solenoids and over the 3 and 5 port Norgren valves. On my coach there is a water trap, but it is likely to only hold about 3 or 4 tablespoons of moisture.

There appears to be a second point to connect aux air on my coach which I only recently found. It is on the passenger side at the rear of the little compartment behind the tag, also marked "converter" by Prevost. I cannot tell if that is in the system ahead of or behind the dryer and wet tank.

[Orren Zook]

I cannot tell if that is in the system ahead of or behind the dryer and wet tank.

Even if that line is before the air dryer, the dryer won't cycle unless it gets a signal from the unloader port of the air governor on the coach compressor. I'd bet that it does go into the wet tank tho'.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If I were to guess I would say it goes into the small aux tank on my coach located passenger side above the tag axle.

[Bill1170]

Well a question about storing with slides in or out leads to other info. All good to think about. I decided to call Bryan Joy with prevost about letting the air pressure off the seal and his response was that it made no difference either way and that the aux air would leak down sooner or later anyway and thus the seal would relax. The air pressure is only about 12 lbs on the seal and so if the pressure stays up that was fine.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Ok, I have to get this one posted. I think that "letting the air pressure off" would feel better! SORRY, I had to say it. Laugh!!!!:D:p Little Friday evening humor:)
Sandy

[Bill1170]

Sandy, I see you dont miss a thing!
Bill

[Bus1]

How about nitrogen for storage air? A small tank and regulator plugged in (or plumbed in) to the aux air, inert/dry gas which won't promote oxidation of seals and airbags from the inside, won't promote corrosion, and a catastrophic leak will simply exhaust the nitrogen tank instead of running the aux-compressor continuously.