We can't say enough about how much we appreciate having some time parked in one location. It allows us to get to know the area a little better and affords us an opportunity to get some work done. This spring we took some time in New York to tackle a few lingering projects. We knocked off some roof leaks and the A/C pretty quickly, but had one more big beast to contend with.
We needed to get a diesel air heater installed - we had some 30-degree nights in Florida, so you never know when or where you'll need some extra warmth. Because of our footprint, the options for installing the heater were a little limited. We decided to install it (and a CO detector) beneath our bed, with the duct running up to our headboard. We've said before how lucky we got with our bus and, when it came time to install the heater, this project was no exception.
I had been assuming that we'd need to lower the fuel tank in order to install the fuel lines leading to the heater, but I was glad to be proven wrong! Because of the way our bus is built - with joists running perpendicular to the frame rails - I was able to reach between the floor and the frame to access an auxiliary fuel tap that was already installed in our tank! The beauty of using an auxiliary tap is that they don't draw the full capacity of the tank, meaning we can't use up all of our fuel just by running the heater. (If you're looking to buy a van/bus, scope out the VIN number and bring it to a dealer - they should be able to give you a build sheet that would list optional features like an auxiliary fuel tap.)
Once the fuel lines were installed, we had to punch some holes through the floor for some wiring, intake and exhaust and the fuel lines. One thing that we had to do, due to the placement of our controller in relation to the heater, was to extend the wiring harness for the controller (I believe extensions are available for purchase, but I already had a ton of wire on hand). The installation of the fuel pump, intake and exhaust (including the world's most adorable muffler) proved to be exceptionally easy.
Before running the ducting, I decided to test to ensure the heater worked. Unfortunately, we had a slight issue. The manufacturer had pressed the impeller fan too far onto its shaft, creating an awful racket as it spun and rubbed against the enclosure. After contacting them and a moderately helpful Facebook group, I was convinced that all that was needed was to pry the fan away, slightly. With that done, the heater worked beautifully and made minimal noise, at low speeds. At high speeds and during the cool-down process, the fan makes considerable, but not unbearable, noise. Different placement of the heater may have changed that, but most of the noise seems to come from the air passing through the vent.
The vent was installed in our headboard and is able to spin to direct the heat, offering some control over where the hot air will blow. We built an enclosure to protect the heater against damage, maintain airflow and create a shelf in the area above the heater. Once that was done, all that was left was to connect the heater to the vent. Because of the way the heaters operate (only going to a low-power mode and not cycling on and off), we learned quickly to set the desired temperature of the controller far lower than what we would prefer the space to be - we keep the heater set at 66° to comfortably sleep at around 70-72°.
After the heater was installed, we couldn't put off repairing the exhaust any longer. The last few feet of the exhaust had been rusty when we bought it, but when we had issues with our intake and were blowing out lots of sooty smoke, that rust caused issues. Because the exhaust wasn't forced out the end, it seeped upwards and into our storage and through the windows. Even after clearing up the intake issue, it seems we hadn't completely fixed that soot problem. We ordered some pipe and hangers and a union and were able to set things up very quickly. Why is it that we always procrastinate on the simple stuff?
Besides bigger projects like these, we had some small stuff to take care of, as well. We swapped out our inefficient and ineffective sealed beam headlights for some LED models in a matter of minutes (14, to be exact, including photographing each step of the process).
We also did some finishing work on the cab. We installed some custom trim by the passenger footwell AKA our hamper bay, reaffixed the edging around the doghouse, painted our trim and installed the stair tread caps to complete our entryway. Charlotte also got some new shocks, which we were surprised to feel how much they improved our ride. The new tires probably also helped smooth things out as well!
We also decided to do some reorganizing and rearranging while we were parked. We completely gutted our "garage" storage in order to install the heater, so it made sense to try to come up with a better use of the space. We were able to improve our storage and make better use of the space, despite having lost some area for the heater. Never under-estimate the power of organization!
Since we were back in familiar territory and, as they say "All work and no play...", we were sure to take advantage of some of the wonderful things our area has to offer, as well as the benefits of a parked bus. My sister was kind enough to gift us an old outdoor table set, which we enjoyed immensely as the spring weather followed us from the south, up the coast. Although it’s fun making your backyard anywhere you park, it’s also nice to set up a permanent backyard to enjoy delicious meals, reading in the sun, and cocktail hour.
We visited some of our favorite wineries and cideries and a new brewery. We brushed up on some old and new skills. We made sure to spend time with family and friends. We ate at some of our favorite places. We enjoyed some of our favorite local hikes. I even did some work on my motorcycle, getting it one step closer to being on the road.
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