BUYING, IMPORTING, CONVERTING AND REGISTERING AN AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS AS A UK MOTORHOME

Utilities (Sink, gas,FRIDGE, HEATER, WATER, ELECTRICS)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Contents
  • Introduction
  • Why choose an American Bus
  • Buying and Importing a US School Bus
  • Amazing Spaces
  • Blog
  • Stripping out
  • Interior
  • Construction
  • Planning
  • Electrical
  • Utilities
  • Seats
  • Floor
  • Engine
  • Exterior
  • Underside
  • Headlamp
  • IVA Test
  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Original Photos
  • Artwork
  • Links
  • Misc Stuff
  • Update November 2021
This was the plan for the layout for the utilities.  Life is easier if you use a control unit like the PMS3 in which case the electrics are all wired in and out of the control unit.  I setup a test rig outside the bus so I could test everything was working
Picture
A couple of observations:-
  1. The fridge needs two 12v connections, one to power on 12v (when driving) and the other for the ignition switch.
  2. You need several holes in the floor below the utilities, one for waste water from sink, one for gas compartment escape, one for emergency water drain from Truma and one for cold water inlet from fresh water tank.
  3. The Truma has a thermostat - site it away from the hot air vents
  4. The PMS3 charges the Leisure Battery from either 240v connection or split charge relay (prevents utilities draining main bus batteries) from alternator
  5. The gas flues need to be above the fridge/boiler (hot air rises).  Watch out for open-able windows above flues.
Insulation on the floor of the Utility area
Hot air duct from the Truma boiler. There are vents, but you can cap off one of them.
Drain from the waste tank which is connected to the sink
I used two of the hot air vents from the Truma heater
Only needs short lengths of ducting
Fittings for the water tanks (bought from CAK Tanks)
The Truma has a vent that opens when the temperature drops below 4 degrees. You need to wire this directly to battery - not PMS3! Think about it!
Fresh water cap
View from work surface showing drain to waste water tank slung below the bus
Back of PMS Control Unit
Battery Terminals from eBay
Water hose (cold)
External shower has temperature mixer control
Hot and cold pipes to external shower unit
240v Inlet which connects to the PMS3 control unit
Pressure guage for gas supply
USB 12v socket
Gas pipe splitter from eBay
Opening for SMEV sink/hob
Basic frame for the Utilities
I found some flexible auto hose to connect fridge to the external vent
Carbon monoxide warning unit behind fridge grill
Connection from fridge for external gas flue
Fridge wiring diagram
Gas goes to Fridge, Truma and Hob so needs to be split 3 ways
I used a copper pipe to distance the hot Truma connection (right) from the gas hose connection (left)
Twin gas cylinders. I can switch from empty to full
Value showing gas pressure
Original water heater by drivers seat
Sink/Hob
Mark out holes for 240v, Truma flue,gas flue and Shower
Fride ignition uses a separate 12v supply
You need lots of these jubilee clips
Mark all wires!
Pipe reducer for sink drain to waste water tank
PMS3 Control Unit - shows battery condition
PMS Control Unit. If you have 240v inlet you can connect 240v appliances
Hot water piping
20PSI pump was sufficient. It works on maintaining a positive pressure on one side
You can see gas pilot light in middle right window
Sink
Sink/Hob in test rig
SMEV details
Bracket for CAK water tanks
Fresh and waste water tanks
Testing water supply / boiler
Test rig with everything in place
You can see black emergency water drain in foreground
Spaying the external connectors bus yellow (colour from Colour Match Paints)
Air vent for Truma
Cold water supply for Truma
Controls for Truma. The left one specifies which energy source(s). The right one specifies what to do with it (water, heat, thermostat)
Emergency (prevent freezing damage) Truma value is open unless fed with 12v from battery. If you wire to PMS the tank will drain when you switch off PMS
Snap on connectors - push them on hard!
Underside of sink/hob
I didn't need the microswitch for the tap since I was using a positive pressure system.
Basic Utility carcass to check positioning for everything
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  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Contents
  • Introduction
  • Why choose an American Bus
  • Buying and Importing a US School Bus
  • Amazing Spaces
  • Blog
  • Stripping out
  • Interior
  • Construction
  • Planning
  • Electrical
  • Utilities
  • Seats
  • Floor
  • Engine
  • Exterior
  • Underside
  • Headlamp
  • IVA Test
  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Original Photos
  • Artwork
  • Links
  • Misc Stuff
  • Update November 2021