School Bus Conversion Electrical System
Today was hard to explain. We tested continuity of wires. We wanted to know if a wire runs to a light we didn’t need. If the controls to that wire attached to the fusebox (for lack of a better word) in a way that was no longer necessary, we knew we could take out that component.
The end goal was to wire the bus to run as a vehicle with road legal lights and take out everything else.
Two School Bus Home Electrical System
We have two separate electrical systems:
- The Vehicles Electrical System – Charged by the engine
- The Houses Electrical System – Charged by the solar energy system
Electrical Removal Decision Process
Knowing that the bus’s electrical system would be separate from the vehicle’s system empowered us to take out a lot of wires, relays and other devices. That helped move the project along all day.
“Is that element essential to the bus for regulations or driver comfort?”
If no, get rid of it.
If yes, label it and move on.
Honestly, about 15 pounds of wire was removed after everything was said and done. Some of the wire is this awesome 12 gage copper wire that we can use for lights and whatever else. That’ll save us running a lot of wires later into the build.
Moving the Floor
The floor turned out to be pretty easy to start. We just used really big crowbars and razor blade knives to cut the plastic on the top of the existing floor.
We’re ready to have a big day of existing floor removal tomorrow. Please feel free to watch that.
I need my electrical system done like yours. Who helped you?
My friend who is a self taught electrician helped me with the design and taking the right things apart. He and I both read the manuals for the solar system and basically came to a conclusion on how it was all supposed to be wired up. Then I wired up the majority of it after he gave me a few helpful tips.