7 ms·

Holy hell. I'd love to live in that. Sure, I live in a rather cheap apartment right now, but come on. That's beautiful work, cheap, and probably could sell for

Holy hell. I'd love to live in that. Sure, I live in a rather cheap apartment right now, but come on. That's beautiful work, cheap, and probably could sell for a hell of a lot more. The only stipulations coming to my mind that would stop me from rushing out and doing it /right now/, are * What are the laws like, regarding parking and sleeping this somewhere? Do I have to find campground or something, or just live in Walmart parking lots all the time? * What's done for cooling/heating? Does this require a pretty temperate environment, or is it relatively well sealed? * Is all power generated by the bus? If so, does that make traditional tasks on the computer or other places hell, with the shaking, and if not, what generates it and how much can you support? In general, I LOVE the idea, and the execution. That bus looks as roomie as my(once again, crappy, but still, a real) apartment.

sliverstorm 13y ago
What's done for cooling/heating? Does this require a pretty temperate environment, or is it relatively well sealed? Vehicles leak like sieves unless you seal them up yourself, which could be a catastrophically bad idea if exhaust starts to find its way into the vehicle while it is running. Aside from opening windows or bundling up and shivering, your cooling/heating options are either typical house HVAC appliances, or extending the functionality of the onboard heating and cooling and hoping that you bought a diesel, which are much more tolerant than gasoline engines of idling all day. Which brings me back to the risk of exhaust gasses when the passenger compartment is mostly sealed. For electrical power to run appliance-type HVAC, you could use a small generator.
- quaunaut 13y ago
  Shouldn't all mechanical areas be able to be sealed off from the living area, given enough insulation at the windows? I could see the driver area not being sealed off, but still having the living area be absolutely safe.
  - ars 13y ago
    The operative word is "Should". And in fact that's how they make them, but they don't always stay that way.....
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    Not a chance. Vehicles leak everywhere. Through the firewall, the doors, the windows, the roof, the floorboards, the... everywhere. We aren't talking about the metaphorical submarine with a screen door. This submarine was built out of screen. You can seal it! Yes, you can, absolutely. The question, remember, is what happens when you seal it and accidentally miss that one critical leak (of which there are many) through which the exhaust then hotboxes you in your nicely sealed cabin.
    - aspensmonster 13y ago
      I suspect this is why so many people that live out of vehicles (Cars, RVs, whatever) have a fire/carbon monoxide detector.
      - weaksauce 13y ago
        I think having more than one for redundancy would be a good idea.
    - runeb 13y ago
      *nicely sealed coffin
  - eksith 13y ago
    In many cases, this is why the trailer is still somewhat better if you're thinking totally mobile living area. Since it has no engines to speak of, the only worry about leaks is if you connect 1 or 2 LPG tanks. Need to keep an eye on the gas lines for vibration induced abrasion/breaks if you move about a lot to make sure they're still intact. As an alternative, a heat exchanger ventilation system may work. This way, you can maintain a comfortable temperature indoors for a bit longer while still ventilating.
- ballard 13y ago
  A simple sheet of clear plastic (even cling wrap) sealed across the window will keep air from circulating. Used this on a house with single-pane windows growing up. Works amazing, simple and cheap.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    Of course you can manage to improve the insulating properties. I'm not questioning that. I'm questioning whether it can be done safely with an automobile.
    - ballard 13y ago
      Only mentioned as windows are biggest heat loss sources other than doors, and this bus has tons of windows obvsly. I'm with you on that point. What's the least flammable insulation available for body filling, fiberglass? Edit: ceramic or rock wool perhaps, but mind the dust and know which treatments were applied.
  - fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
    Is there a periodic tropical storm at your house? Because driving at highway speeds is like having gale-force winds blow at your house.
- ars 13y ago
  For the sake of pollution I really hope he's not idling a diesel all day. And [most] generators are also really bad.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    I know nothing of Hank, but it is funny how the canonically most-environmentally-friendly people, hippies, do that kind of thing all the time without a second thought. The ancient Beetle that puts out more smoke clouds than horsepowers, for example. Hank certainly has other options. He can stay at RV camp grounds and use their hookups. He can buy massive banks of batteries. He can travel only in good weather in temperate climates. I'm just speculating assuming none of these are acceptable options.
    - cinquemb 13y ago
      Maybe solar panels/battery/converter combo? Darren from Hak5 is touring across America to hacker spaces and the like, and he did something like that[0] which surprisingly was used to power more than I thought would be feasible. And this was on a sprinter van, so with a bus like this, one could get 4x the amount of energy. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kSX2j7MGT0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kSX2j7MGT0
      - sliverstorm 13y ago
        Solar power would be great for charging a laptop or running a heater plate, but for HVAC? Air conditioning and heating both gobble power, and there is no sun to power your heater on a cold night. Sample window air conditioner: http://www.sears.com/kenmore-15-100-btu-room-air-conditioner/p-04270151000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 http://www.sears.com/kenmore-15-100-btu-room-air-conditioner... 1410 watts, AKA 2 horsepower. Old fashioned space heater: http://www.sears.com/kenmore-oil-filled-indoor-heater/p-03272085000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 http://www.sears.com/kenmore-oil-filled-indoor-heater/p-0327... 1350 watts
        cinquemb 13y ago
- jacquesm 13y ago
  You could install a webasto diesel fueled stand-heater. They're cheap and you can plumb them right into the main tank, a bus would likely require several of them. If you insulate a vehicle besides exhaust fume collection you'll have to be very wary of condensation as well. My experience is limited to converting a Fiat Ducato delivery van into a small RV: http://pics.ww.com/v/jacques/cars/ducato/ http://pics.ww.com/v/jacques/cars/ducato/ On something the size of the bus in this article you could stuff the roof full of solar panels and install an inverter + a battery pack, then use that to drive a regular AC. A bit over the top maybe but with that much roof surface it is an interesting option.
  - tcdent 13y ago
    Awesome conversion. Didn't expect the crowd here to get this excited about mobile living. Myself and a few friends are working on slightly more 'extreme' motorhomes (based on military 6x6's), designed for unimproved roads and long-term travel. We're all somewhat independently employed, so the transition to a mobile life is a no-brainer. Hope to see more people in our industry take advantage of their freedom, too!
    - jacquesm 13y ago
      Thanks! Any link to your projects? 6x6 sounds interesting :) j
      - tcdent 13y ago
        Here's my friend's build thread. I'll start publishing info on my project in the next couple of months. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/955676-mah-deuce.html http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/955676-ma...
        spydum 13y ago
        I just spent at least 4 hours reading that thread (and subsequent pirate threads), totally enamored.
        13y ago
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
  >For electrical power to run appliance-type HVAC, you could use a small generator. Naw, man. You need a _big_ generator. source: I also bought a bus.
  - toomuchtodo 13y ago
    Big is subjective. I have an RV I bought for ~$10K that I'm renovating to live in full time one day, and it has a 50A Onan gas generator, which I wouldn't call big. It can drive both AC units onboard at the same time.
    - fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
      That is 6kVA. I'd call it medium sized generator WRT RV's, and suggest you not spend your summers boondocking in the Southwest, or Gulf Coast.
      - toomuchtodo 13y ago
        Taking it to Burning Man. Tomorrow. I've budgeted for quite a bit of fuel. Next year I plan on going solar, when time permits.
        fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
        Oh god. I did that with mine right after I bought it. It was great, but it cost me (and our companions) so much money. $4k in fuel $2500 in tires. What kind of Bus? Where are you starting out from?
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        98' Winnebago Adventurer. Chicago suburb. First burn ever (have been trying to go for years).
        fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
- stcredzero 13y ago
  There are 12 volt AC units available, but they are more expensive, and not every vehicle's electrical system can handle it.
Anonymous412 13y ago
I just did a Google image search because I was curious to see other conversions. I found this one with a wood stove for heating... http://i.imgur.com/MLwif7M.jpg http://i.imgur.com/MLwif7M.jpg
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
  This is probably the finest example I have ever seen. http://www.ourodyssey.us/index.html http://www.ourodyssey.us/index.html Of course, not everyone even wants something that fancy, there are a lot of more utilitarian designs that are done quite well too.
Shivetya 13y ago
Its pretty far away from being usable as a true living space. I give him credit for an interesting interior layout but other than that he skipped completely by the hard parts. Those being fresh, gray, and black water, as he hasn't installed real water using fixtures. That takes a bit more knowledge than laying out some plywood and having a rats nest of wires. Which leads into the next point, I would love to see the electrical panel if any. A supplemental electric system would be good to have plus input for high amp electricity that many campgrounds offer and most appliances require. Of course that roof has lots of possibilities, provided panels that can be secured for highway speeds can be found, let alone conform to the shape of the room. School buses are interesting, most conversions are pretty bad like he said, you end up with a submarine effect which can make some people queasy when its rolling. Modern homes wheels are at times better inside than many homes I have been in. They don't need to cost an arm and leg either. For anyone wanting to travel the RV style their best bet is to rent, as a lifestyle choice go buy a used one.
- samatman 13y ago
  Technically he's got "black" covered, since he has a composting toilet. I do look forward to seeing how he solves the water problems: I hope that floor was loosely installed.
- zeckalpha 13y ago
  I think that Jake Von Slatt's bus, while less designed, might have more of these things you are looking for: http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml
mathattack 13y ago
Seems like a mobile trailer, though, right? You wind up living in a trailer park?
willyt 13y ago
There's masses of DIY information on dealing with all these problems in yachts. Power, water, sewerage, heating etc are all solved easily with off the shelf parts available for this market. Practical boat owner is good magazine to find out about this kind of stuff in the UK. Insulation is a bit tricky because the water vapour generated by breathing and washing etc will condense on the inside of the metal shell of the vehicle, potentially causing problems with corrosion, mould growth and rot in any organic elements. Ideally you would seal up the bus, put in plenty of insulation and have mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. Choosing the correct insulation and making it vapour tight or ventilating the cold side is the hard part. Hygrothermal simulations are becoming quite easy to do these days so this may be the way to go with regards to designing the insulation.
axus 13y ago
Self-storage places commonly rent out RV and bus parking for like $100 / month.
nobodysfool 13y ago
It's interesting, but this is more geared towards road tripping than living. There's no privacy really except for the bathroom, which if you are not living alone it would drive you nuts. If he added some walls to the structure, that would have given more privacy and provided a different layout than laying everything on the sides.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
babuskov 13y ago
Well, Walmart's parking is a private space, so they could ask you to leave. But maybe they won't as it would attract people to come and see it - and buy something in WalMart along the way. As for public spaces, I don't know about US, but in my country it's regulated by the law where you can park Buses and Trucks overnight.
tryitnow 13y ago
Excellent question about the laws. I've looked into the RV lifestyle and I concluded that large class A motorhomes are pretty much limited to being semi-permanently parked in RV parks - with the occasional overnight at places like Wal-Mart when traveling. The exception being in more rural areas where no one cares if you boondock. However, don't let the cheap price of this bus fool you - it would be an expensive lifestyle. In the SF Bay Area, it will probably cost a minimum of $600 per month to rent a lot. For about $200 more you could rent a room in an apartment with other housemates. Getting further out of the metropolitan area (about a 3 hour drive) an RV lot is going to run in the range of $300 per month. RV lots are a luxury, not necessarily a way to live cheaply. For dirt cheap living, look into urban boondocking in a van or small RV or look at buying cheap rural land and parking something like this bus on it permanently (in impoverished parts of the country that setup could cost about $10,000). This is a brilliant project - I really like the wide open feel - something you rarely see in a Class A motorhome (which is what this should be compared to). However, you would need something stronger than translucent screens to make this a go. You would need screen that block out all light and most heat flow. Otherwise, this thing is going to be hell to heat or cool, but honestly, that's a minor issue. The translucent screens look nice, but I am betting something completely opaque would be more efficient and hence a lot more useful. But on a temperate day that near-panaromic view would be amazing and something you don't see in class A motorhomes.
pinaceae 13y ago
i would add the problem of movement forces on the storage space. he has open, flat shelves. open in the direction of the vehicle, so the first attempt of breaking harder will throw a bunch of stuff around, incl. that slide out keyboard. RVs and boats need to be designed differentlty, a house rarely moves.

sliverstorm 13y ago

What's done for cooling/heating? Does this require a pretty temperate environment, or is it relatively well sealed? Vehicles leak like sieves unless you seal them up yourself, which could be a catastrophically bad idea if exhaust starts to find its way into the vehicle while it is running. Aside from opening windows or bundling up and shivering, your cooling/heating options are either typical house HVAC appliances, or extending the functionality of the onboard heating and cooling and hoping that you bought a diesel, which are much more tolerant than gasoline engines of idling all day. Which brings me back to the risk of exhaust gasses when the passenger compartment is mostly sealed. For electrical power to run appliance-type HVAC, you could use a small generator.

quaunaut 13y ago
Shouldn't all mechanical areas be able to be sealed off from the living area, given enough insulation at the windows? I could see the driver area not being sealed off, but still having the living area be absolutely safe.
- ars 13y ago
  The operative word is "Should". And in fact that's how they make them, but they don't always stay that way.....
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  Not a chance. Vehicles leak everywhere. Through the firewall, the doors, the windows, the roof, the floorboards, the... everywhere. We aren't talking about the metaphorical submarine with a screen door. This submarine was built out of screen. You can seal it! Yes, you can, absolutely. The question, remember, is what happens when you seal it and accidentally miss that one critical leak (of which there are many) through which the exhaust then hotboxes you in your nicely sealed cabin.
  - aspensmonster 13y ago
    I suspect this is why so many people that live out of vehicles (Cars, RVs, whatever) have a fire/carbon monoxide detector.
    - weaksauce 13y ago
      I think having more than one for redundancy would be a good idea.
  - runeb 13y ago
    *nicely sealed coffin
- eksith 13y ago
  In many cases, this is why the trailer is still somewhat better if you're thinking totally mobile living area. Since it has no engines to speak of, the only worry about leaks is if you connect 1 or 2 LPG tanks. Need to keep an eye on the gas lines for vibration induced abrasion/breaks if you move about a lot to make sure they're still intact. As an alternative, a heat exchanger ventilation system may work. This way, you can maintain a comfortable temperature indoors for a bit longer while still ventilating.
ballard 13y ago
A simple sheet of clear plastic (even cling wrap) sealed across the window will keep air from circulating. Used this on a house with single-pane windows growing up. Works amazing, simple and cheap.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  Of course you can manage to improve the insulating properties. I'm not questioning that. I'm questioning whether it can be done safely with an automobile.
  - ballard 13y ago
    Only mentioned as windows are biggest heat loss sources other than doors, and this bus has tons of windows obvsly. I'm with you on that point. What's the least flammable insulation available for body filling, fiberglass? Edit: ceramic or rock wool perhaps, but mind the dust and know which treatments were applied.
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
  Is there a periodic tropical storm at your house? Because driving at highway speeds is like having gale-force winds blow at your house.
ars 13y ago
For the sake of pollution I really hope he's not idling a diesel all day. And [most] generators are also really bad.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  I know nothing of Hank, but it is funny how the canonically most-environmentally-friendly people, hippies, do that kind of thing all the time without a second thought. The ancient Beetle that puts out more smoke clouds than horsepowers, for example. Hank certainly has other options. He can stay at RV camp grounds and use their hookups. He can buy massive banks of batteries. He can travel only in good weather in temperate climates. I'm just speculating assuming none of these are acceptable options.
  - cinquemb 13y ago
    Maybe solar panels/battery/converter combo? Darren from Hak5 is touring across America to hacker spaces and the like, and he did something like that[0] which surprisingly was used to power more than I thought would be feasible. And this was on a sprinter van, so with a bus like this, one could get 4x the amount of energy. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kSX2j7MGT0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kSX2j7MGT0
    - sliverstorm 13y ago
      Solar power would be great for charging a laptop or running a heater plate, but for HVAC? Air conditioning and heating both gobble power, and there is no sun to power your heater on a cold night. Sample window air conditioner: http://www.sears.com/kenmore-15-100-btu-room-air-conditioner/p-04270151000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 http://www.sears.com/kenmore-15-100-btu-room-air-conditioner... 1410 watts, AKA 2 horsepower. Old fashioned space heater: http://www.sears.com/kenmore-oil-filled-indoor-heater/p-03272085000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 http://www.sears.com/kenmore-oil-filled-indoor-heater/p-0327... 1350 watts
      - cinquemb 13y ago
jacquesm 13y ago
You could install a webasto diesel fueled stand-heater. They're cheap and you can plumb them right into the main tank, a bus would likely require several of them. If you insulate a vehicle besides exhaust fume collection you'll have to be very wary of condensation as well. My experience is limited to converting a Fiat Ducato delivery van into a small RV: http://pics.ww.com/v/jacques/cars/ducato/ http://pics.ww.com/v/jacques/cars/ducato/ On something the size of the bus in this article you could stuff the roof full of solar panels and install an inverter + a battery pack, then use that to drive a regular AC. A bit over the top maybe but with that much roof surface it is an interesting option.
- tcdent 13y ago
  Awesome conversion. Didn't expect the crowd here to get this excited about mobile living. Myself and a few friends are working on slightly more 'extreme' motorhomes (based on military 6x6's), designed for unimproved roads and long-term travel. We're all somewhat independently employed, so the transition to a mobile life is a no-brainer. Hope to see more people in our industry take advantage of their freedom, too!
  - jacquesm 13y ago
    Thanks! Any link to your projects? 6x6 sounds interesting :) j
    - tcdent 13y ago
      Here's my friend's build thread. I'll start publishing info on my project in the next couple of months. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/955676-mah-deuce.html http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/955676-ma...
      - spydum 13y ago
        I just spent at least 4 hours reading that thread (and subsequent pirate threads), totally enamored.
      - 13y ago
fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
>For electrical power to run appliance-type HVAC, you could use a small generator. Naw, man. You need a _big_ generator. source: I also bought a bus.
- toomuchtodo 13y ago
  Big is subjective. I have an RV I bought for ~$10K that I'm renovating to live in full time one day, and it has a 50A Onan gas generator, which I wouldn't call big. It can drive both AC units onboard at the same time.
  - fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
    That is 6kVA. I'd call it medium sized generator WRT RV's, and suggest you not spend your summers boondocking in the Southwest, or Gulf Coast.
    - toomuchtodo 13y ago
      Taking it to Burning Man. Tomorrow. I've budgeted for quite a bit of fuel. Next year I plan on going solar, when time permits.
      - fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
        Oh god. I did that with mine right after I bought it. It was great, but it cost me (and our companions) so much money. $4k in fuel $2500 in tires. What kind of Bus? Where are you starting out from?
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        98' Winnebago Adventurer. Chicago suburb. First burn ever (have been trying to go for years).
        fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
stcredzero 13y ago
There are 12 volt AC units available, but they are more expensive, and not every vehicle's electrical system can handle it.

Anonymous412 13y ago

I just did a Google image search because I was curious to see other conversions. I found this one with a wood stove for heating... http://i.imgur.com/MLwif7M.jpg http://i.imgur.com/MLwif7M.jpg

fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
This is probably the finest example I have ever seen. http://www.ourodyssey.us/index.html http://www.ourodyssey.us/index.html Of course, not everyone even wants something that fancy, there are a lot of more utilitarian designs that are done quite well too.

Shivetya 13y ago

Its pretty far away from being usable as a true living space. I give him credit for an interesting interior layout but other than that he skipped completely by the hard parts. Those being fresh, gray, and black water, as he hasn't installed real water using fixtures. That takes a bit more knowledge than laying out some plywood and having a rats nest of wires. Which leads into the next point, I would love to see the electrical panel if any. A supplemental electric system would be good to have plus input for high amp electricity that many campgrounds offer and most appliances require. Of course that roof has lots of possibilities, provided panels that can be secured for highway speeds can be found, let alone conform to the shape of the room. School buses are interesting, most conversions are pretty bad like he said, you end up with a submarine effect which can make some people queasy when its rolling. Modern homes wheels are at times better inside than many homes I have been in. They don't need to cost an arm and leg either. For anyone wanting to travel the RV style their best bet is to rent, as a lifestyle choice go buy a used one.

samatman 13y ago
Technically he's got "black" covered, since he has a composting toilet. I do look forward to seeing how he solves the water problems: I hope that floor was loosely installed.
zeckalpha 13y ago
I think that Jake Von Slatt's bus, while less designed, might have more of these things you are looking for: http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml

mathattack 13y ago

Seems like a mobile trailer, though, right? You wind up living in a trailer park?

willyt 13y ago

There's masses of DIY information on dealing with all these problems in yachts. Power, water, sewerage, heating etc are all solved easily with off the shelf parts available for this market. Practical boat owner is good magazine to find out about this kind of stuff in the UK. Insulation is a bit tricky because the water vapour generated by breathing and washing etc will condense on the inside of the metal shell of the vehicle, potentially causing problems with corrosion, mould growth and rot in any organic elements. Ideally you would seal up the bus, put in plenty of insulation and have mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. Choosing the correct insulation and making it vapour tight or ventilating the cold side is the hard part. Hygrothermal simulations are becoming quite easy to do these days so this may be the way to go with regards to designing the insulation.

axus 13y ago

Self-storage places commonly rent out RV and bus parking for like $100 / month.

nobodysfool 13y ago

It's interesting, but this is more geared towards road tripping than living. There's no privacy really except for the bathroom, which if you are not living alone it would drive you nuts. If he added some walls to the structure, that would have given more privacy and provided a different layout than laying everything on the sides.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

babuskov 13y ago

Well, Walmart's parking is a private space, so they could ask you to leave. But maybe they won't as it would attract people to come and see it - and buy something in WalMart along the way. As for public spaces, I don't know about US, but in my country it's regulated by the law where you can park Buses and Trucks overnight.

tryitnow 13y ago

Excellent question about the laws. I've looked into the RV lifestyle and I concluded that large class A motorhomes are pretty much limited to being semi-permanently parked in RV parks - with the occasional overnight at places like Wal-Mart when traveling. The exception being in more rural areas where no one cares if you boondock. However, don't let the cheap price of this bus fool you - it would be an expensive lifestyle. In the SF Bay Area, it will probably cost a minimum of $600 per month to rent a lot. For about $200 more you could rent a room in an apartment with other housemates. Getting further out of the metropolitan area (about a 3 hour drive) an RV lot is going to run in the range of $300 per month. RV lots are a luxury, not necessarily a way to live cheaply. For dirt cheap living, look into urban boondocking in a van or small RV or look at buying cheap rural land and parking something like this bus on it permanently (in impoverished parts of the country that setup could cost about $10,000). This is a brilliant project - I really like the wide open feel - something you rarely see in a Class A motorhome (which is what this should be compared to). However, you would need something stronger than translucent screens to make this a go. You would need screen that block out all light and most heat flow. Otherwise, this thing is going to be hell to heat or cool, but honestly, that's a minor issue. The translucent screens look nice, but I am betting something completely opaque would be more efficient and hence a lot more useful. But on a temperate day that near-panaromic view would be amazing and something you don't see in class A motorhomes.

pinaceae 13y ago

i would add the problem of movement forces on the storage space. he has open, flat shelves. open in the direction of the vehicle, so the first attempt of breaking harder will throw a bunch of stuff around, incl. that slide out keyboard. RVs and boats need to be designed differentlty, a house rarely moves.