Converting a MCI bus into an RV...

[Skater368]

please show me an rv built that has anything you’ve mentioned. Remember this is an rv not a house. Nailing guards are not necessary not any type of conduit unless it’s located in a storage compartment per rvia guidelines. If so it simply has to be covered, covering can be wood, hell it could be carpet it just can’t be accessible to snag or be cut.
Also most rvs and trailers specifically tell you NOT to drill screw or nail anything into the walls for that reason. However my wires located inside my dividing walls are all stapled to a stud as usual.

This is what sucks about social media. I am silently watching your build and am enjoying all of it. Taking time to have to defend what it is you're doing takes time, focus and enjoyment away from you.

My father in law did an MCI bus conversion long ago and it turned out ok. They used it and toured America in it. He never burned it down or hurt anyone.

Keep the faith Brother.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

Ok, I have only watched a couple of your videos and I have 2 comments. I don't mean any disrespect so take them as you will.

1) Sorry, duct taping 110v wires in a wall is and just "remembering the number 10 inches from the ground" so I don't drill into them is not acceptable.
2) Please try and practice some sort of safety. Trust me as an old timer you will wish you had. Or for the very least think of the children.

have you ever been to a manufactured home or RV plant?

I would love to hear your suggestions! Because running everything at a certain height and keeping everything constant is far safer than what they do at the factory

 

[merc_400r]

please show me an rv built that has anything you’ve mentioned. Remember this is an rv not a house. Nailing guards are not necessary not any type of conduit unless it’s located in a storage compartment per rvia guidelines. If so it simply has to be covered, covering can be wood, hell it could be carpet it just can’t be accessible to snag or be cut.
Also most rvs and trailers specifically tell you NOT to drill screw or nail anything into the walls for that reason. However my wires located inside my dividing walls are all stapled to a stud as usual.

To be RVIA certified you must meet NFPA 70 ANSI standards, so yes when it comes to the 110v electrical you treat it like a house. Your assumption about the RVIA guidelines is incorrect, here is a link:

Association and ANSI Standards | RVIA

Look at that link, you should get all these books and study them. This is only the safety portion of RVIA, there are much more if you want to actually get certified. So far you are not in compliance at all. Basically every RV that you see with the RVIA seal on the front has to meets these standards which are 99% of the RV's you can buy. So I don't have to "show you an rv built that way" when they all have to be to get the cert.

And FYI, with out the RVIA cert you can/will be denied at a lot of higher end RV parks.

 

[ka0tyk]

To be RVIA certified you must meet NFPA 70 ANSI standards, so yes when it comes to the 110v electrical you treat it like a house. Your assumption about the RVIA guidelines is incorrect, here is a link:

Association and ANSI Standards | RVIA

Look at that link, you should get all these books and study them. This is only the safety portion of RVIA, there are much more if you want to actually get certified. So far you are not in compliance at all. Basically every RV that you see with the RVIA seal on the front has to meets these standards which are 99% of the RV's you can buy. So I don't have to "show you an rv built that way" when they all have to be to get the cert.

And FYI, with out the RVIA cert you can/will be denied at a lot of higher end RV parks.

nah im good.

 

[Singleton]

To be RVIA certified you must meet NFPA 70 ANSI standards, so yes when it comes to the 110v electrical you treat it like a house. Your assumption about the RVIA guidelines is incorrect, here is a link:

Association and ANSI Standards | RVIA

Look at that link, you should get all these books and study them. This is only the safety portion of RVIA, there are much more if you want to actually get certified. So far you are not in compliance at all. Basically every RV that you see with the RVIA seal on the front has to meets these standards which are 99% of the RV's you can buy. So I don't have to "show you an rv built that way" when they all have to be to get the cert.

And FYI, with out the RVIA cert you can/will be denied at a lot of higher end RV parks.

1) custom / home built builds can’t be RVIA certified
2) only RVIA members can certify a unit to RVIA standards
3) members don’t get audited to RVIA standards, it is a self report / certification activity

if you have ideas of what @ka0tyk ca do better maybe share those thoughts in a constructive manner. The way you went about posting your thoughts come across as an attack. Maybe, have you thought about doing xxxxx.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

1) custom / home built builds can’t be RVIA certified
2) only RVIA members can certify a unit to RVIA standards
3) members don’t get audited to RVIA standards, it is a self report / certification activity

if you have ideas of what @ka0tyk ca do better maybe share those thoughts in a constructive manner. The way you went about posting your thoughts come across as an attack. Maybe, have you thought about doing xxxxx.

There is always that guy that knows how to do it better, but has never done it

 

[outboard_256]

1) custom / home built builds can’t be RVIA certified
2) only RVIA members can certify a unit to RVIA standards
3) members don’t get audited to RVIA standards, it is a self report / certification activity

if you have ideas of what @ka0tyk ca do better maybe share those thoughts in a constructive manner. The way you went about posting your thoughts come across as an attack. Maybe, have you thought about doing xxxxx.

I didn't see his posts as being disrespectful.

He literally posted a link with all the safety guidelines for building an RV that RVIA requires. I think that was his nice/blunt way of saying here is the correct way to do it, in paper. That way if he says you need all wires in walls in a conduit you can't say "you don't know what your talking about" or "There is always that guy that knows how to do it better, but has never done it ". And Ka0tyk's response with "nah im good" to the actual guidelines is kind of crazy to me. If I was building something I had no clue how to do and someone said, Hey you are doing it wrong, here is a book on the correct and safe way to do it. "nah im good"

 

[Singleton]

I didn't see his posts as being disrespectful.

He literally posted a link with all the safety guidelines for building an RV that RVIA requires. I think that was his nice/blunt way of saying here is the correct way to do it, in paper. That way if he says you need all wires in walls in a conduit you can't say "you don't know what your talking about" or "There is always that guy that knows how to do it better, but has never done it ". And Ka0tyk's response with "nah im good" to the actual guidelines is kind of crazy to me. If I was building something I had no clue how to do and someone said, Hey you are doing it wrong, here is a book on the correct and safe way to do it. "nah im good"

Typed a few responses, but to avoid going off topic, I will say this.
The RVIA standards are guidelines. Members don’t even need to follow them. Let that sink in, RV manufactures don’t even have to follow the standards and are never audited against those standards. I did a ton of research when I purchased my custom ToyHauler and an RV Resort did not honor my reservation since I had no sticker. Tried to get it certified, no luck. Was told by an RVIA member, just cut a sticker off a totaled RV and use that. Ka0tyk stated early in this thread, he is using those standards as guideline, but since his rig could never be RVIA certified, he will follow the standards that make sense.

 

[ka0tyk]

There is always that guy that knows how to do it better, but has never done it

that’s the problem. Both him and outhouse256 seem to know it all yet have zero experience or even suggestions and it seems like unless some “professional coach builder” does it, it will always be wrong in their pessimistic opinions.

at any rate we have already booked 16 sites with zero issues all including our make and model and look forward to having fun enjoying the fruits of our labor.

 

[ka0tyk]

I am not a RVIA expert at all. Actually looking back on the posts the only person that keeps talking about RVIA is Ka0tyk. It looks like merc_400 posted the RVIA links because Ka0tyk was saying his way was correct because he is following the RVIA guidelines. No one is telling Ka0tyk that he needs to follow RVIA, Ka0tyk is the one that brings it up. They are telling him what RVIA is saying that conflicts with what he is doing. If he wants to do it his own way that's fine but don't say I am following RVIA guidelines, that's when I think people are going to say something.

just leave.

 

[outboard_256]

Typed a few responses, but to avoid going off topic, I will say this.
The RVIA standards are guidelines. Members don’t even need to follow them. Let that sink in, RV manufactures don’t even have to follow the standards and are never audited against those standards. I did a ton of reach when I purchased my custom ToyHauler and an RV Resort did not honor my reservation since I had no sticker. Tried to get it certified, no luck. Was told by an RVIA member, just cut a sticker off a totaled RV and use that, Ka0tyk stated early in this thread, he is using those standards as guideline, but since his rig could never be RVIA certified, he will follow the standards that make sense.

I am not a RVIA expert at all. Actually looking back on the posts the only person that keeps talking about RVIA is Ka0tyk. It looks like merc_400 posted the RVIA links because Ka0tyk was saying his way was correct because he is following the RVIA guidelines. No one is telling Ka0tyk that he needs to follow RVIA, Ka0tyk is the one that brings it up. They are telling him what RVIA is saying that conflicts with what he is doing. If he wants to do it his own way that's fine but don't say I am following RVIA guidelines, that's when I think people are going to say something.

 

[Skater368]

I didn't see his posts as being disrespectful.

He literally posted a link with all the safety guidelines for building an RV that RVIA requires. I think that was his nice/blunt way of saying here is the correct way to do it, in paper. That way if he says you need all wires in walls in a conduit you can't say "you don't know what your talking about" or "There is always that guy that knows how to do it better, but has never done it ". And Ka0tyk's response with "nah im good" to the actual guidelines is kind of crazy to me. If I was building something I had no clue how to do and someone said, Hey you are doing it wrong, here is a book on the correct and safe way to do it. "nah im good"

I think when people take the time to put up a build thread, they take pride in their work and their project. I've been silently watching and following without comment. In my opinion, when someone see's something that may not be correct or to code or whatever their beef is, they should contact the builder in a PM.

The way this was done, it turns into a shit-storm and the builders energy to share is diminished.

I did a Resto Mod on a 68 Vette. I bought a suspension package from Shark Bite. It was complete with a coil-over and linkage package updating the rear single leaf spring rear suspension those cars came with. it had disc brake conversion, rack and pinion steering etc. I was doing the build on a Corvette Forum. I had put up a picture of my progress. I, unknowingly installed a part upside-down. The vendor (Shark Bite) was silently watching my build. He took the time to send me a PM to tell me what I had done wrong.

His discretion saved me time and more importantly, embarrassment.

I think some people, need to think further about their actions.

That....is.....all.

 

[Skater368]

To add. I did a build here on RDP back in 2012 or so. It was a 21 Daytona splash. It was a Bitz built hull. The build thread turned into a complete goat rope and I never finished it. I was actually pretty apprehensive about doing the Skater build that I am a few days away from completing.

Taking the time away from your project, your job or your family to share these build needs to be respected.

Kaotyk has been graceful enough to take copious time away from his build and his family to share this, I for one want him to keep the same energy sharing that he has.

 

[hallett21]

Looking good!


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[X-rated]

Just confirmed my suspicions.......people r dicks!!!

 

[t&y]

>>>>>> at any rate we have already booked 16 sites with zero issues all including our make and model and look forward to having fun enjoying the fruits of our labor.

That's what it's all about. So I'm curious now. If you have 16 sites booked, how far ahead in real life are you in comparison to your videos? Or is that more of a future timeline to keep you moving?

 

[ka0tyk]

That's what it's all about. So I'm curious now. If you have 16 sites booked, how far ahead in real life are you in comparison to your videos? Or is that more of a future timeline to keep you moving?

We have about 3 videos waiting. We are going to do a couple small trips to work out bugs end of June. Then we have like a two week gap which gives us two weekends to fix/change stuff and then we have a large trip all the way to Boston and back over four weeks.

 

[ka0tyk]

To add. I did a build here on RDP back in 2012 or so. It was a 21 Daytona splash. It was a Bitz built hull. The build thread turned into a complete goat rope and I never finished it. I was actually pretty apprehensive about doing the Skater build that I am a few days away from completing.

Taking the time away from your project, your job or your family to share these build needs to be respected.

Kaotyk has been graceful enough to take copious time away from his build and his family to share this, I for one want him to keep the same energy sharing that he has.

ive posted a build of a tahiti jet boat, a 21 bahner, and a 21 warlock. for me its not the end product, its the journey along the way. i always get comments like "omg you're crazy." I get to learn a lot of fun stuff. I'd rather be out in the garage workin on a project.

or making a trailer for my kids power wheels

I always encourge people to get out there and make something!

Hell look at some of my halloween costumes!

wood is pretty fun too!

 

[cold_one]

I just came across this thread and watched that last video posted. I don't know what is correct on the electrical but as a retired shop teacher I have some constructive criticism.

You should practice safety around the table saw. That is one of the most dangerous wood working tools. You have no hearing protection, no eye protection, long sleeves, no push stick, no safety switch (using extension cord for on/off), no blade guards, no splitters, no anti-kickback and you have a toddler playing inches away grabbing on to the wood as its cutting. It only takes a split seconds for that table saw to launch that whole sheet across that yard at your kids head level. I took a screen grab to show you what I am talking about. I also noticed you use 2 other different saws in this one video with no safety precautions. You should really take safety seriously.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I just came across this thread and watched that last video posted. I don't know what is correct on the electrical but as a retired shop teacher I have some constructive criticism.

You should practice safety around the table saw. That is one of the most dangerous wood working tools. You have no hearing protection, no eye protection, long sleeves, no push stick, no safety switch (using extension cord for on/off), no blade guards, no splitters, no anti-kickback and you have a toddler playing inches away grabbing on to the wood as its cutting. It only takes a split seconds for that table saw to launch that whole sheet across that yard at your kids head level. I took a screen grab to show you what I am talking about. I also noticed you use 2 other different saws in this one video with no safety precautions. You should really take safety seriously.
View attachment 986259

This has to be a joke! If not..

Wow.. glad you weren't my shop teacher

My shop teacher tought me how to hold on to the wood and keep my fingers away from the blade!

I just cant get over today's society and pointing out what people are doing wrong. Instead of complemting them, such as "hey, its cool to see your kid working with you, instead of stuck behind a video game"

The poor kid is nowhere in harms way! He is on the front of the blade and outside the fence! The wood will go backward if anything not sideways.

Maybe you are seeing the saw in a different direction, if that's the case I may question your shop teaching skills



Push sticks? Operators hands are well away from the blade! Push sticks actually would be more dangerous.

 

[ka0tyk]

Push sticks? Operators hands are well away from the blade! Push sticks actually would be more dangerous.

i mean my kid is holding the push stick in his hand in that pic. but i generally wont use a push stick to rip a sheet of plywood.

ill give ya the eye protection... i should.

I’ll be tossing this replacement in tomorrow.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

i mean my kid is holding the push stick in his hand in that pic. but i generally wont use a push stick to rip a sheet of plywood.

ill give ya the eye protection... i should.

I’ll be tossing this replacement in tomorrow.
View attachment 986263

I'll admit I didnt notice the broken switch, but to be honest, I'd use the cord too, to get the job done.

The rest I was just going off the pic that he screenshot.

 

[merc_400r]

This has to be a joke! If not..

Wow.. glad you weren't my shop teacher

My shop teacher tought me how to hold on to the wood and keep my fingers away from the blade!

I just cant get over today's society and pointing out what people are doing wrong. Instead of completing them, such as "hey, its cool to see your kid working with you, instead of stuck behind a video game"

The poor kid is nowhere in harms way! He is on the front of the blade and outside the fence! The wood will go backward if anything not sideways.

Maybe you are seeing the saw in a different direction, if that's the case I may question your shop teaching skills



Push sticks? Operators hands are well away from the blade! Push sticks actually would be more dangerous.

I am guessing you didn't watch the video. Safety was my 2nd point I made but everyone jumped down my throat about the electrical comment I didn't even talk about safety. I am glad someone else noticed it. If you watch the video his fingers are inches away from the blade as he rips a 4" strip of plywood and holds the skinny side while his kids plays with the other end coming out. If his kid pushs that pices sideways alittle bit it will cause a kick back and send that piece flying and draw ka0tyk's fingers into the blade. No one can shut off the saw because it has no on/off switch. Its so cringe worthy. Here is a screen shot showing what I am talking about.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I am guessing you didn't watch the video. Safety was my 2nd point I made but everyone jumped down my throat about the electrical comment I didn't even talk about safety. I am glad someone else noticed it. If you watch the video his fingers are inches away from the blade as he rips a 4" strip of plywood and holds the skinny side while his kids plays with the other end coming out. If his kid pushs that pices sideways alittle bit it will cause a kick back and send that piece flying and draw ka0tyk's fingers into the blade. No one can shut off the saw because it has no on/off switch. Its so cringe worthy. Here is a screen shot showing what I am talking about.

View attachment 986264

Ok. I get it.. I just know I grew up around alot worse. But I also grew up around wood working as that's what my dad did for a living.

Roy Underhill "the woodwright shop" was my idol!

Atleast the kid isnt sitting behind the computer burning hookers in grand theft auto!

My point being everyone is quick to point out what he is doing wrong. But, wrong by who's standards? Society's?

@ka0tyk keep doing what you are doing..imo.. I dont see these guys posting up posts or vids of their projects..

Maybe I'm out of line, but...

 

[DRYHEAT]

The safety police are really killing my buzz for this thread.

I’m sure they mean well but who of us hasn’t done something in what may be not so proper and/or safe manner throughout life.

Farmer/redneck engineering has existed for a long time, and works just fine. ( that statement was not an insinuation or judgment on anything kaOtyk has done here ) just that sometimes you make do with what you have available.

 

[cold_one]

This has to be a joke! If not..

Wow.. glad you weren't my shop teacher

My shop teacher tought me how to hold on to the wood and keep my fingers away from the blade!

I just cant get over today's society and pointing out what people are doing wrong. Instead of complemting them, such as "hey, its cool to see your kid working with you, instead of stuck behind a video game"

The poor kid is nowhere in harms way! He is on the front of the blade and outside the fence! The wood will go backward if anything not sideways.

Maybe you are seeing the saw in a different direction, if that's the case I may question your shop teaching skills



Push sticks? Operators hands are well away from the blade! Push sticks actually would be more dangerous.

I really hope you are joking about your shop teacher telling you to hold the wood and just keep your fingers away from the blade. When a kick back occurs it draws your fingers towards the blade and no matter how careful you are it can get you. I wish I could show you the number of push sticks that have been destroyed over the years in my classes that would have been fingers. I have the unfortunate memories of 3 accidents I have witnessed on a table saw. First was a kid going exactly like ka0tyk, not using a push bar and it kicked back and sucked his fingers in. Lucky it only got the finger tips of 3 fingers, but blood everywhere. 2nd was a 1/2" sheet of plywood that kicked back and shot it across the room. A student 15 feet away at another table got hit and broke 3 ribs. 3rd was a splinter that hit a student caused by not wearing proper eye protection (they were wearing regular eye glasses instead of safety goggles). Student had to get eye surgery and had slight permanent impaired vision for life out of that eye.

The table saw is really dangerous. This isn't some safety police going overboard, if you don't know how serious a table saw is you shouldn't be using it. I am new here but I am really surprised at the lax attitude this site has over safety and doing things the correct way. I understand we want to see the build but if he is doing something blatantly unsafe and wrong shouldn't we tell him before someone gets hurt?

 

[Ricks raft]

To be RVIA certified you must meet NFPA 70 ANSI standards, so yes when it comes to the 110v electrical you treat it like a house. Your assumption about the RVIA guidelines is incorrect, here is a link:

Association and ANSI Standards | RVIA

Look at that link, you should get all these books and study them. This is only the safety portion of RVIA, there are much more if you want to actually get certified. So far you are not in compliance at all. Basically every RV that you see with the RVIA seal on the front has to meets these standards which are 99% of the RV's you can buy. So I don't have to "show you an rv built that way" when they all have to be to get the cert.

And FYI, with out the RVIA cert you can/will be denied at a lot of higher end RV parks.

I’be owned 7 rv’s and worked on 40-50 installing satellite and A/V equipment. The electrical and plumbing are a joke. Just pull off a panel and look. The OP looks way better/safer. The high end coaches $500k up are better not great. The $million up start to look like a high end custom boat. Parks aren’t checking rvia tags, they don’t even check age. Most require 10 year or newer, mine is 20, but clean and never been asked at arrival.

 

[ka0tyk]

Well while you ladies were arguing at the hair salon I did some more work.

 

[240Hallett]

And you just let yer kid stand there barefooted

JK
Bitchin project!

 

[ka0tyk]

Another trip to the depot. Walls should be getting trimmed up tomorrow.

 

[ka0tyk]

It’s a hot day.

 

[ka0tyk]

And that’s it for this weekend. Finished all the flooring in the bus and did trim on the two front sides.

 

[ka0tyk]

 

[boatnam2]

Coming along nice, good work!

 

[fmo24]

You commented about flooring under pedals. My tile does not go under.
There is rubber ribbed mat around pedal area

 

[ka0tyk]

View attachment 987038
You commented about flooring under pedals. My tile does not go under.
There is rubber ribbed mat around pedal area

thanks, it appears that my gas pedal is drive by wire, but the brake sits on top of the valve assembly. looks like ill be going around it as well.

 

[RichL]

Just my $.02 here but I would think rubber mat in the immediate area of the pedals would reduce the risk of a slippery surface in the event of traveling in rain or snow conditions. Your rig, your deal, but that's just how I think about stuff like that. Keep up the good work.

 

[HitIt]

It’s a hot day.

Were you hydrating enough? Where are the water bottles? Did you take enough breaks to cool off? If not, your mental state could have been compromised and you should not have been operating any sort of machinery. You could have been seriously injured. And if you family was around, you could have injured them, too. Don't you care about your kids?

 

[WYRD]

Way to crap on a really cool thread. I get where the safety concerns are coming from but think a pm would have been much better suited then an open post.

 

[crzy2bealive]

Way to crap on a really cool thread. I get where the safety concerns are coming from but think a pm would have been much better suited then an open post.

Dam what did I miss


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[X-rated]

JEEZUZ H!!! I hope Hitit was trying to be funny, I really think he was. This is hands down the coolest thread on RDP right now. Fuck any of you Fuckers that dont think so!

 

[ka0tyk]

Some generator stuff. The wiring was quite messy and some of the wires didn’t appear to be hooked up. Through fb and another forum I was able to figure out where everything goes. Cleaned up the harnesses, added a fuse as per the schematic I’m waiting on a fitting for the diesel tank and then I can fire it up.
before:

after:

 

[ka0tyk]

Also got the biggest extension cord I’ve ever seen in today. 50amps 50 ft.

 

[Kbach]

Also got the biggest extension cord I’ve ever seen in today. 50amps 50 ft.
View attachment 988251

See if you can find a semi cheap electric cord reel on Craigslist, eBay, junkyard, etc.
My new coach has one and it’s night and day difference. No more untangling a 50+ pound mess of 50’ of wire!

 

[fmo24]

Also got the biggest extension cord I’ve ever seen in today. 50amps 50 ft.
View attachment 988251

Not sure if I’ve you seen you address surge protection? Mine is inline so it checks power from post before allowing power to coach to protect all the electronics like tv and such. If nothing in line than get one of the plug in types. A lot of shitty power in campgrounds

 

[ka0tyk]

Not sure if I’ve you seen you address surge protection? Mine is inline so it checks power from post before allowing power to coach to protect all the electronics like tv and such. If nothing in line than get one of the plug in types. A lot of shitty power in campgrounds

got it earlier in the thread.

Converting a MCI bus into an RV...

stuff showing up. This thing is beefy. It’s like the size of a football.

www.riverdavesplace.com

 

[ka0tyk]

 

[Ol Man]

Assume not April foolssssssssssssssss

 

[hallett21]

Lol


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[fmo24]

Congrats I guess lol. Always enjoy following your projects