Once we had the AC power worked out, it was time to tackle DC. We’re using 2 big-ass batteries: specifically, Vmax Charge Tank SLR 155 AGMs. I’ll spare you the technical details, but if anyone ever wants to talk batteries, hit me up (You know you want to). While these batteries hold quite a charge, they weigh in at about 100 lbs apiece.
So the first challenge of the DC system was figuring out where to stash those bad boys. My ceramics teacher, Jennifer, put me in touch with a welder named Drew who works out of the Moncure Museum of Art. Courtney and I drove the bus down to Moncure on a Sunday morning, and Drew set to work building us a steel battery box, which he welded to the undercarriage. I provided in-the-way supervision.
So the first challenge of the DC system was figuring out where to stash those bad boys. My ceramics teacher, Jennifer, put me in touch with a welder named Drew who works out of the Moncure Museum of Art. Courtney and I drove the bus down to Moncure on a Sunday morning, and Drew set to work building us a steel battery box, which he welded to the undercarriage. I provided in-the-way supervision.
As we were getting started with the battery box project, Drew mentioned that he had a friend who’d lived in a bus for 13 years. About that time, a geo metro whips into the driveway and out steps Odie. Odie told us he’d been a traveling tree planter (presumably this was during the 60s and 70s), and had converted 2 busses into homes-on-the-road. For 13 years, he traveled around the country, living in his bus and planting trees. Naturally, he was interested in our project and full of ideas. He mentioned that he still had his old busses on his land, along with some RV parts and a wood stove or two. “Ok, we bite,” we said. We followed him over to his property, which was packed with school busses, a hand-built cabin, a pile of Geo Metros and Datsuns “for racing,” an RV that was "left after the cops broke up the music festival we had,” a defunct bar, a wood shop, metal shop, and a workshop where he builds colloidal silver generators. Suffice it to say, Odie’s an interesting fellow. He sold us a hefty wood stove (see below) that will probably turn our whole metal bus a glowing red. He also offered us a free spot on his “Bus Ranch,” should we ever be looking for a place to settle down.
Courtney wanted to throw in a kitten picture. They were hanging out behind the museum. We tried to adopt one, but our landlord, in her infinite wisdom, promptly squashed that idea.
After our adventure in Moncure, I installed the batteries in the new box and hooked them up to the charger/converter. I also installed a digital battery monitor and a couple of d/c outlets to ensure the system worked, and whadya know…my little iPhone lit right up. On the marital front, I learned that saying “If I start flopping around, knock me off of the power source and call 911” is not something you should say to your wife. Even in jest. Ever. Learning curve.