With spring comes weekends full of soccer, martial arts, and camping. Although we had limited time to work on the bus, we managed to make significant progress, including completing the kitchen.
Stationary A/C
April was spent building a frame to hold the AC condenser under the bus. We used U-channel from the depot and leftover brackets that we had purchased to install the solar panels on the roof. Once everything was bolted together, we moved the bus to the driveway and tried to install these brackets. Unfortunately, they did not fit in the planned spot. I tried to move the coolant hoses out of the way as best I could, but they just wouldn’t fit right, so we needed to find a new spot.
Our new spot was next to the fuel tank, but that means we can no longer fit the grey water tank there. Originally, that’s where the propane bottles were supposed to go, so we need a new tank plan. This is a problem for later.
After several hours of drilling and bolting, we finally had the frame in place and ready for the condenser. Once the condenser was in position, we noticed there was too much movement in the system, so we had to add some longitudinal braces to stabilize it securely.
After that, it was a matter of hooking up the electricity (which, of course, we initially got wrong, as I had forgotten which wire I had connected where on the evaporator after two weeks). Then we used a vacuum pump to evacuate the system and then let in the freon. Once everything was installed, it was the big moment to switch it on. And this lovely cool air flowed into our bus living room! Great success!
Time for the kitchen
Next, it was time to finish the kitchen walls. The challenge was to ensure that all connections remained accessible after installing the walls, which required some creative cutting and framing. The kitchen area looked much better with the completed under-wall! From there, we built part of the kitchen to prepare for installing the stove and sink.
Then it was time for work and travel, so we put the bus back in storage. We used this time to find a sink that would fit. Easier said than done, with a heater in the way and a custom kitchen layout. Three sinks later, we finally found one that would fit.
Wiggled too many hoses
In May, Oma came to visit. Always ready to lend a hand, we went to the storage unit to pick up the skoolie and… discovered LOTS of coolant fluid next to the bus! Not good! I suspect that since those hoses are 19 years old, they couldn’t handle the tugging and wiggling I did to install the air conditioner brackets the other day. It looks like we need new hoses. Luckily, we found two valves on the engine that let us shut off the hoses leading to the front of the bus, so we can delay that job until winter. We had to add 3 gallons of coolant to the bus and clean up the storage unit before heading home.
Everything AND the kitchen sink
Once the bus was in the driveway, we could start working inside again. Oma helped add more ceiling planks to the bus and then filled the hundreds of screw holes we had made. Next, we visited the depot to look for a kitchen counter that we could cut to fit. We bought a butcher block and then cut the holes for the stove and sink. It’s always nerve-wracking to cut big holes in a $150 piece of wood, but it turned out great. Soon, we were able to dry-fit the sink and stove. Oma then spent a couple of days polyurethaning the counter. It came out beautiful!
The installation of the counter was straightforward, and once the sink was secured, we began working on the kitchen tiles. We used a smaller version of the tiles from the bathroom, and they turned out great. C decided that the boards used on the ceiling would work well on the wall above the counter, and it indeed looked good! Then Oma had to go home, and I had to travel some more, so the bus went back to storage.
Finishing up the kitchen
Once the walls were complete, we installed the stove/oven. It definitely has turned out to be a lovely space.
Looking forward to the next time we can work on it! We are so close to finishing, we can taste it!