Author Topic: bus air  (Read 8197 times)

Offline frontman

  • Frontman
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
    • Big Back Yard
bus air
« on: January 19, 2013, 08:38:24 AM »
I have a 96 Prevost with a series 60 and the coach air doesn't work.  Is this a really expensive fix?  Would I be better off just running the generator and having the roof airs going?
Chad

Offline robertglines1

  • steam nut
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4557
Re: bus air
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2013, 09:17:19 AM »
Was writing a detailed response and something on board took over my computer and redirected. Simple; Has it worked since you owned 45XLE? Lite on lower left dash say hi or low on when you have ac turned on? freon in system/any? takes 27lbs 134. will take 4 or 5 roof air minimun.  stock is almost 96,000 btu cooling. roof tops are 15,000 each you do math. Isn't bus dark blue=add one roof top.   Bob
Bob@Judy  98 XLE prevost with 3 slides --Home done---last one! SW INdiana

Offline chazwood

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 430
    • Thekempters
Re: bus air
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2013, 10:15:38 AM »
I like my over the road air.
1983 Eagle Bus Model 10
6V92
Thekempters.com

Offline muldoonman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1139
Re: bus air
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2013, 05:22:59 PM »
Wouldn't take for my OTR in my 91 Prevost  8V92TA. Haven't noticed any change in fuel mileage in summer. Have read where a lot of the folks take um out. Why, don't know, if it's a factory install. Like anything else takes work to keep um going. I'd say fix it.

Offline frontman

  • Frontman
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
    • Big Back Yard
Re: bus air
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2013, 10:17:00 AM »
Thanks guys.  I'll start looking for someone to take a look at it.
Chad

Offline scanzel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 861
Re: bus air
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2013, 03:38:45 AM »
Could be freon. If it is very low the system won't let the compressor clutch engage. Might be some leaks in the system. On my 1989 Prevost my compressor needed rebuilding etc. Cost $4200.00 for complete system overhaul.
Steve Canzellarini
Myrtle Beach, SC
1989 Prevost XL

Offline TomC

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9255
Re: bus air
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2013, 06:59:27 AM »
If your bus is insulated well (I have 2.25" of spray foam) and your windows are tinted, it doesn't take much to A/C the bus. Two of my 13,500btu will cool the bus to the mid 70's in 105 degree weather. Was once in 108 degree weather coming through Needles, Ca and I turned all three on. Looked back at my wife a half hour later and she had a sweater on! Considering I've had the three roof airs on the bus since '95 and except for cleaning the filters and replacing one external shroud, I've done nothing to them. I don't think anyone with over the road A/C can say that. Good Luck, TomC
Tom & Donna Christman. 1985 Kenworth 40ft Super C with garage. '77 AMGeneral 10240B; 8V-71TATAIC V730.

Offline lostagain

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3031
Re: bus air
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2013, 07:20:08 AM »
OEM bus air is nice to have, but can be expensive to maintain. It is the biggest maintenance expense for commercial operators. When I looked after the hockey team's bus, it averaged $1000/year to recharge and fix. Could never find the slow leaks. If they found one (professional refrig. company), another one would appear soon. It was a 102D3 with not many miles. Some bus nuts have reported trouble free systems. But be aware just the same.

JC

 
JC
Blackie AB
1977 MC5C, 6V92/HT740 (sold)
2007 Country Coach Magna, Cummins ISX

Offline Mex-Busnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1147
Re: bus air
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2013, 07:21:31 AM »
Have read where a lot of the folks take um out. Why, don't know, if it's a factory install.
Why have many of us removed them? In our case, the compressor was missing (removed) when we got the bus. Just the parts to rebuild our factory a/c to factory condition would have cost us 45% of what we paid for our bus, plus freon and labor. So it was an easy choice for us.

And the factory a/c system components are expensive, plus they weigh more than an ex mother-in-law. On our 32-year-old bus, chances of something else in the system developing a fault are high, and many a/c parts are now made of unobtanium.

Oh, and then there is the little detail of the proper type of freon for some of these old systems now being ILLEGAL.  
Dr. Steve, San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico, North America, Planet Earth, Milky Way.
1981 Dina Olímpico (Flxible Flxliner clone), 6V92TA Detroit Diesel
Rockwell model RM135A 9-speed manual tranny.
Jake brakes
100 miles North West of Mexico City, Mexico. 6,800 feet altitude.

Offline Mex-Busnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1147
Re: bus air
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2013, 07:22:43 AM »
My browser crashed mid-way through the post. Sorry for the double post!
Dr. Steve, San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico, North America, Planet Earth, Milky Way.
1981 Dina Olímpico (Flxible Flxliner clone), 6V92TA Detroit Diesel
Rockwell model RM135A 9-speed manual tranny.
Jake brakes
100 miles North West of Mexico City, Mexico. 6,800 feet altitude.

edeshields

  • Guest
Re: bus air
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2013, 08:10:02 AM »
Your 96 Prevost is a nice ride. Seems to me you'd be devaluing your investment if you didn't. I bet you paid many times greater than the repair cost for your bus. Plus, the comfort factor is worth it.

Offline Emcemv

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 306
  • 1973 MCI MC-7 Combo
    • Pictures
Re: bus air
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2013, 09:50:32 AM »
I am having the same dilemma with our new to us 73 MCI 7 . The bus air has no freon in it so is obviously leaking. I am not going to fix it, looking at the system, it is 40 years old and has probably a hundred feet of piping and loads of places to leak, plus it holds like 20lbs of freon and it is really expensive to fill. We have 3 built in AC units that work great and almost never need maintenance. My only complaint is that we can only run one off the inverter so need to run the genset if it is really warm. I am going to put a small mini split AC unit up front, I have seen one of these that operate at 24vdc which may be best as it would leave me inverter power to run another one of the house units and not have to run the genset.
Bruce & Nancy Fagley
1973 MCI MC-7 Combo Freighter
450HP DD 8V-92T 2000 Reman
HT 740 Allison
Woodbury CT.

Offline Lin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5531
  • 1965 MC-5a
Re: bus air
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2013, 09:56:31 AM »
Factory AC is great if it works and useless if it doesn't, so it all comes down to cost of repair and maintenance.  Once you get an estimate of what it will cost to get it in A-1 condition, you can decide if it's worth keeping.  House air is not optional, it is mandatory.  If your OTR air works, then your house air is a backup, but if the OTR does not work, the house air is your main system.  Now the OTR air is way over powered for an RV use.  It was designed to instantly cool a bus with a huge window and passenger heat load. I would guess that those loads could be an easy 40k to 50k BTU's (considering the 50 people alone would be more than 25k BTU's).  Hence, the reason for removing your OTR air is that it doesn't work, is too costly to fix, and you don't really need it.   The reason for keeping it is that it does work, is worth the repair and maintenance cost to you (remember, it will not be a one time fix), and is the first class system.
You don't have to believe everything you think.

Offline tomhamrick

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 419
Re: bus air
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2013, 10:33:06 AM »
When we had our 1984 Eagle. The OTR did not work so I pulled it all out and sold the parts. It was in such a condition it would have been to costly to repair. On the 1991 Prevost that we now have, the OTR was working fine when we bought it just a little low on freon. I had it charged this summer, but it is low again so I will have it leak tested and repaired again. I like the OTR heat as well as it keeps the coach toasty and the driver comfortable even in cold temps.
Tom Hamrick
1991 Prevost H3-40 VIP
1981 Eagle 10
Forest City, NC

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal