Electric or Propane for your Appliances in Next Bus

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

If you were to convert a bus from scratch, would you include Propane in your build, or build an all-electric Bus Conversion?

My 1967 Eagle, converted in 1996, was built as an all-electric bus.  There is no propane on this bus.  After dealing with filling Propane tanks for the past 30 years in bus conversions, I really like this idea.  With electric appliances becoming more energy efficient, going all-electric makes much more sense than it was 30 years ago.

Also, with Lithium Batteries and Solar Panels, it is very easy to utilize the real estate on the roof of a bus to power electric appliances for many hours, which would have been very expensive and very heavy 30 years ago.

Also, when I was traveling down the east coast after 911, there were tunnels that I had to stop before entering and turn off my Propane Tanks in order to pass through. 

Finding and getting to a Propane service location such as Flying J, was a bit of a hassle too, especially with a 40' bus with a Toad, and even more difficult when off the main highway.  I decided that removable portable tanks were much easier, as my MC-9 had.  I could remove them and there were many more options for filling them, so if I ever decided to have Propane on board again, I would go this route.

I have an Aqua-Hot heating system that runs on diesel fuel that heats my bus with three radiator-type heaters with fans located in the front, middle, and rear of the bus, and my water is heated the same way, and I can even pre-heat my engine with this same unit on a cold winter day.  Therefore, this is another reason I do not need Propane on board.  This unit is fueled out of the same fuel tank as the main engine, so I only have to deal with one type of fuel on board, and I have to stop for fuel quite frequently anyway, so if my heating system runs on diesel, it is a one-stop shop.

Another consideration is we have all seen many RV's and some buses explode or catch fire due to Propane accidents, and explosions do not happen with diesel fuel, fires do, but usually not sudden explosions with no warning. 

So, the question is, if you were to convert another bus from scratch, and you did not have any appliances or diesel heaters to start with, would you build it to use Propane or be All-electric, and why?

[dtcerrato]

We enjoy both but mostly propane. We do a lot of boon docking and propane serves us best. We've been in the predominantly propane mode since 1973 without issue. All our tanks are portable @ four 30Lb. cylinders so refills don't need to happen frequently. We also have some portable electric appliances. Hadn't seen an iron nor kitchen mixer that runs on propane & through the years upgraded to supplemental solar and battery banks but propane over time keeps draw off the batteries and manages to keep the genny mostly quiet. 

[windtrader]

All electric would be the call. I have panels and a 6kW battery and pretty much fully off grid. I just returned after a couple weeks and never went on the pole. The propane left is for the stove which is minimal. An induction plate or two would take care of the stove but not the oven. We don't use it so not a big deal and plan to get a air fryer for the oven replacement.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

We enjoy both but mostly propane. We do a lot of boon docking and propane serves us best. We've been in the predominantly propane mode since 1973 without issue. All our tanks are portable @ four 30Lb. cylinders so refills don't need to happen frequently. We also have some portable electric appliances. Hadn't seen an iron nor kitchen mixer that runs on propane & through the years upgraded to supplemental solar and battery banks but propane over time keeps draw off the batteries and manages to keep the genny mostly quiet. 

When I was fully propane, I could last most of the summer on my two 30# tanks, but in the winter in cold climates, such as in NH one winter, I would go through two tanks per week.  So a lot of this depends on where you plan to spend most of your time.  This also should also be considered, so it is not black and white as your mileage may vary as they say.

[luvrbus]

Propane is not difficult to find all your Tractor Supply stores sell it ,if you have portables every Walmart has propane exchange, I never had the portable tanks mine were all ways the frame mount non DOT tanks and never expired and never had a problem having it filled.Lol living here in the hot desert in the Valley we have propane dealers on every corner it seems like. As a owner of the diesel fired and electric Aqua Hot I wouldn't bet on having good heat or a hot shower when you need it, with Thor owning AquaHot now we maybe smelling bad and freezing our asses off Gary

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Propane is not difficult to find all your Tractor Supply stores sell it ,if you have portables every Walmart has propane exchange, I never had the portable tanks mine were all ways the frame mount non DOT tanks and never expired and never had a problem having it filled.Lol living here in the hot desert in the Valley we have propane dealers on every corner it seems like. As a owner of the diesel fired and electric Aqua Hot I wouldn't bet on having good heat or a hot shower when you need it, with Thor owning AquaHot now we maybe smelling bad and freezing our asses off Gary

Propane is not hard to find in most cities, but getting a 40' bus with a toad into some of the places can be challenging even for those of us who used to deliver heavy equipment on flatbed trailers.  But with the flatbed trailer, I pulled behind a Mack with an 18-speed gearbox, I could usually drag the trailer over anything in the way.    So this is why if I were ever to go back to Propane heat and appliances, I would have portable tanks.  But with an all-electric coach and a diesel heater for me, it is not an issue.

As for the Aqua-Hot system, it took me about three years to get the kinks out of it after sitting idle in Phoenix for three years before I bought this bus, Lloyd DeGerald now has it running like a fine-tuned machine.  If for some reason it fails on either Diesel or Electric, I have always been able to count on the other one working. I am not sure about their future, but the older unit seem to be pretty popular with the high-end bus crowd.

[dtcerrato]

When I was fully propane, I could last most of the summer on my two 30# tanks, but in the winter in cold climates, such as in NH one winter, I would go through two tanks per week.  So a lot of this depends on where you plan to spend most of your time.  This also should also be considered, so it is not black and white as your mileage may vary as they say.

Through the years living the cold months on rapidly depleting propane warranted us to install a couple diesel air heaters so now heat in the cabin can be shared by diesel AND propane heaters. To keep riding the redundancy train we also carry gasoline for the genny to bring the total heat sources to three although the term boon docking we usually enjoy in moderate weather, when full timing on the campground power pole sometimes many months to years at a stretch on a project then we're usually on electric heat and plenty of it. We haven't forgotten the main engine with it's 2000W block heater.

[Glennman]

I like having LP on board. I installed gas appliances for years and am very accustomed to them. We have (2) 30# tanks with room to haul more if needed. However, with the electric system I installed (800AH lithium and 3k solar), I can see going electric, but I like having available options, so I would probably not limit myself to one system or the other. I would probably to a combination of both to some degree again.

[Jim Blackwood]

For me, propane was a requirement of the build. For two basic reasons and several supplementary ones. First, I insist on a propane range. Call it a quirk if you please, most people today have no actual appreciation of what it is like to cook on a proper propane burner because everything on the market today was designed by a bean counter and only heats the sides of the pan. Absolute trash. But enough of that rant. The second reason is that I like the convenience of a absorption type refrigerator that can run on propane while on the move. Those are the two biggies. Next, I like the convenience of a dual heat water heater with it's rapid recovery and ability to hold warm water temp on just the pilot light. These three things are enough for me to justify carrying propane.

Having made that decision, using propane to power the genset was not difficult. I have about a 50 gallon SAE certified tank onboard and refilling is as easy as calling the local propane supplier for what amounts to a residential delivery. They come to you, roll out the hose, and top the tank off. No fuss no muss.

If I did not have the auxiliary Eiberspacher diesel fired heater I would consider a propane furnace but am happy enough that I don't have to, although I really don't know which one would be the most economical. Still, not having to use propane for the heat means the tank will last much longer between refills, and topping off the main fuel tank is a bit easier generally. However, should the need arise it is also quite practical to call for a fuel delivery to top off the diesel tank as well. Same deal, they come out and top off the tank. So far as I know that is common anywhere you go.

Jim

[luvrbus]

Aqua Hot gets costly to keep running I haven't spent much on my unit yetI have a problem with the demand hot water now that needs attention,it does piss you off though when something goes wrong and the pump is obsolete on 12 year old $20,000.00 system.There no getting around 200 bucks a year to keep one going,antifreeze for mine is $35.00 a gal.The $5 H/F rubber hammer to beat on the pumps to get to run is the cheapest item I have ever bought for the Aqua Hot

[sledhead]

now I understand why I could not keep my Aqua Hot working

"The $5 H/F rubber hammer to beat on the pumps to get to run is the cheapest item I have ever bought for the Aqua Hot "

I installed propane on my all electric coach so I could have a propane cook top and a propane bbq and not have to run the genny every time I wanted to use anything when boon docking .

with 6 coach batteries and the inverter A guy can only do so much before starting the genny 

 

[dtcerrato]

with 6 coach batteries and the inverter A guy can only do so much before starting the genny

Amen to that. Two 5 month AK road trips w/o solar, battery banks, & inverter = several hundred genny hours each trip. Our 3rd latest AK road trip with all the above upgrade = 9 genny hours. Quite the difference!

[luvrbus]

I have owned both the AquaHot built on the Webasto and the Oasis built on Pro/Heat burners made in Canada, The Oasis IMO was more trouble free and parts didn't break the bank since the Pro/Heat uses a low pressure fuel system and the Oasis has better customer service they don't try and sell you another unit they help fix the problem. Aqua Hot service people don't care for Oasis not enough money in parts I guess. You can spend some bucks on the Webasto parts

[Jim Blackwood]

Generators are loud. Propane is quiet. I like quiet.

Jim

[peterbylt]

We are an all-electric coach, residential fridge, Microwave, Air fryer, Induction cooktop, electric hot water.
When we designed the coach I planned on building a decent solar system.

I do have a portable propane tank on board for the grill, Coleman stove and a few burners that we use outside on occasion.

We do not Boondock that much, mostly stay in campgrounds with hookups, but there have not been any issues when we are off the hook, the solar system provides about the same as if we were plugged into a 30 amp Park hookup .

If there is an issue with the power hookup or it’s cloudy for a few days and the batteries get low, I have a rather large diesel generator (20kw) that I can easily run off or charge the batteries.

In the words of a friend of mine, “Nothing tastes as good as an Ice Cold Beer that was cooled by the sun!”

Peter