All posts by Bernie Cross

It looks like coloured spaghetti

19/12/2017 Bernie Cross 2 Comments

Too many wires !!!

The engine’s brakes had not been working properly since I bought the bus and I didn’t have to use them anyway as it was so flat in South Australia and the Northern Territory. This is going to be a job the will take some time as I will have to trace the wiring loom from one end of the coach to the other. The main problem is info, I’ve have most of the manuals that I need to be able to fix most things but finding out the colour codes for the wires is not so easy as nothing matches what is on the drawings that I have. I have searched the internet for more wiring diagram but to no avail and I can’t seem to find anything that looks even remotely the same.

So with a multimeter in hand, I thought the best place was to start with power to the switch, then start tracing the wires from there. Well the good thing is I’ve got 24v at the switch, the bad news is now people have been here before me modifying the wiring loom.

The main board outside, below the driver’s seat.

Looks nice and tidy in here, but somewhere in there may be the problem of the J brakes.

Mmmmm some one has been here before me, lot’s of cut wires.

Doesn’t look so nice now as there are lots of wires that have been cut or have never been used. The fuse holders that have been burnt out (3 of them) after being moved, as well as modifications over the years to fix or been up graded.

This job just got bigger

So now its time to trace all the wires not being used and tagging both ends of them, this will help find where they go. After making a 9v system to clip onto the wires its just a matter of finding the other ends of the loom.

Now the fun begins, just have to find out where they are going.

Sub board down the back of the coach in the battery bay.

Somewhere in here is the wires for the J breaks that are not working.

Look more wires behind the dash. Ahhhhhh!

Some switches work and some will not be needed any more.

The J breaks will have to wait

I’ve just been told that I can move into the equestrian shed so the wiring will have to wait for now, as the main problem is the roof leak under the top decking. This started after we move up to Toowoomba, it may be a small pop rivet as it’s not a big leak more like some capillary action going on.

Just a small shed 🙂 Makes the couch look small.

Motorhome fit out

Some new running lights for the old coach

10/12/2017 Bernie Cross 2 Comments

Upgrading time for the running lights

It was one of the jobs that was started down at Leigh Creek, but I ran out of time before heading up north to Yulara. The old running lights did make it to QLD with a quick fix up here and there. We are waiting to move under cover in to the big equestrian indoor arena at the Toowoomba Showgrounds to start fixing the roof leak found on a good down pour while up here.

We have been in the Toowoomba area now for four weeks and I must say it’s quite a nice place. Apart from having to move out of the Showgrounds for one week as the place was booked out. We decided to stayed on a farm for that week at a farmstay called The Chookhouse. It was great, the owners were very nice, it was the first time for them having a 12m motorhome parked there.

LED light time

The old running light had seen better days and as the front of the coach had already been fix in S.A , we now thought it was a good time to finish them.

The former owner had already fitted new LED indicators/reflectors which made the old running lights at the side of the bus look even older.

Just a little bit stuffed, how where they even working?

I’ll have to patch up the holes later before the paint job.

More soldered and insulation under the coach.

That will do for now

Until the inside is finished, the outside will have to stay looking like someone does not love it. I’m really looking forward to the outside being all painted, it’s going to make such a big difference, that will have to wait for another day.

Motorhome fit out

Time to clean up from Chuwar

05/11/2017 Bernie Cross 2 Comments

Our first house sitting 6 month stay

With the bedroom done to a point that we are happy with it’s time to clean up. The house sit has been great! We looked after two dogs, Lexy and Kingston. The cat, Charlie who had a swagger about him strutting around like he owned the place. Walking the dogs every day kept them happy and me a bit fitter.

A bit of a mess

The rubbish bin’s were full for about 2-3 weeks as we cleaned up and set up the trailer for a tip run to get rid for more stuff …..that we really don’t need.

We need to sort out if we store it or get rid of it ?

Setting up for a kitchen

For the time being (as we will be living onboard again), we need a make shift kitchen again. This time it’s going to be a bit bigger then last time with more storage and bench space.

This will do for the time being, on this side.

Still have a lot more to set up, but for now this is stage of the cleaning up, a lot more will be done later. I have to cleaning out the bins under the coach so we can start packing the tools from the shed away.

Where is the drivers seat?

Think the driver’s seat is here some where ?

Sometimes I think we are mad fitting out a motorhome on the road while at the different times living in it. It has had it’s moments, but life is good and we are having fun most of the time. But now it’s time to head off up the range to Toowoomba. Charmaine will be much happy with no more having to sleep in the troopy for a week at a time.

Kingston

Lexy

Charlie

An interesting next 12 months

The next 6-12 months are going to be more interesting as we will be living and working on the coach at the same time, not sure how that’s going to work out at this stage, but we are thinking of how we are going to manage it.

Toowoomba Time

Living back in the coach for now, it’s nice to be back on the road. I am thinking about looking for some part time work while still working on the coach. I’ve fortunately found a small water leak on the roof with all that ran we got the last few weeks, so will be fixing that first. I have some sparky stuff in and around the coach that’s needs a good redoing and rewiring, then onto the water tanks with some plumbing work.

Temporary living

Ok it’s still needs lots of work, but who cares. We are in our own place and it’s a comfy home for us.

Temporary dinning area till the bathroom is finished.

Motorhome fit out

Bathroom vanity wall time

31/10/2017 Bernie Cross

Setting up for the black mirror area

But first I’ll have to run some 12v cables for the LED lights for the vanity as well as the laundry area so they can be switch on by them self. Than we will need 240v power for the front load washing machine under the bench, some were as well as a power point.

240v ran in the conduit and 12v for the vanity light.

More power bits. On this side will be the start of the kitchen.

12v power for the LED lights and a 240v power point.

I’m leaning the wall back at the top so I can see in the mirror.

Clean up time

Now that is done it will be time to start cleaning up as I’ve made a mess, our house sit is getting close to ending and we will need time to organize the coach back into some kind of a place we can live in again. I’ve still have to put the sola panels back on and rewire then and a bit more to tidy up outside before we can start packing up.

Motorhome fit out

Bathroom over head cupbroad

22/10/2017 Bernie Cross

More cupboard space

If one thing for shaw, this motorhome will have lots of storage space which puts a smile on Charmaine’s face. With this next cupboard there’s no smile on my face, it’s going to be a pain to fit into place as well as make. Good thing is no body can hear me cursing from inside the coach. First off I’ll just finish off the bathroom vanity side wall for some were for the overhead cupboard to be fitted too.

Now that I’ve worked out where it will be going I’ve screwed some scrap to the wall to hold the cupboard in place till it’s all screwed into place. It’s modification time let the fun begin.

Overhead cupboard needs some modification.

I think it’s coffee time now, maybe after I clean up a bit. Well that was not to bad after wall, I just like to bitch sometimes. So the next job will be the back wall behind the sink area as well as some sparky stuff.

Motorhome fit out

Time to get my draws on

15/10/2017 Bernie Cross 1 Comment

Draws for the vanity

After finishing the vanity and fitting the sink in place with all the plumbing, now was the time for the draws. There will be three a deep draw down the bottom and two smaller draws above that, which will have to be modified to fit around the plumbing.

Now the fun begins

The bottom draw just missed the s/trap which was good, but the next two won’t be so lucky. I’ve even dropped the draw runners down as fare as I can go so we have more room for the top draw.

Now that was not to bad, but the top draw is going to be another thing. I’ll be left with only around 220mm of draw space on either side of the sink and 60mm at the front of the draw, but that should be heaps of space for Charmaine.

Even have somewhere for the toothbrushes.

Didn’t lose to much space in the second draw.

Well I’m glad that’s over, but I will properly going to have the same thing in the kitchen though.

Motorhome fit out

Bathroom vanity and laundry time.

09/10/2017 Bernie Cross

Let’s make more box’s

Out of the bedroom and now into the bathroom. Starting on the vanity and laundry side, it was time to make some more cupboards up. There will be a 900mm three draw as well as a 300mm cupboard and beside that we will be putting in a front load washing machine under the bench top.

Vanity in place just needs something to sit on.

Time for the plumber’s hat

Now I can fit the sink to set up for the drain pipe as well we need to put in the hot and cold water pipe’s, as the wall lean in at the top I’ve offset the cupboards off the wall. This will give me some space to run the pip work and drop it through the floor.

Drain hole for the sink and washing machine.

Water all plumed up for washing machine.

Most for the plumbing has been done, but now I’ve got to put in the back wall behind the washing machine area before I can run the drain pipe all the way.

Drain and tapes finished for the washing machine.

I’ve built a wall so I can finish off the washing machine area and on the other side will be the start of the kitchen, but thats an other day.

Well that was fun

The next job will be to fit the draws under the sink, and as you can see the sink will be in the way for some of them. Looks like it will be modification time again.

Motorhome fit out

Going over to the other side, of the wardrobe that is!!!

03/10/2017 Bernie Cross 2 Comments

One down one more wardrobe to go

I must say it does get better on the second one as you know not what to do already. This side will also have the stereo fitted above the wardrobe as well as a speaker, so I’ll have lots of wires to play with here. The switch for the bedroom lights will be on this side that will only be 12v for the LED light strip’s.

Setting up to screws to put the wardrobe in place and the power for the other wardrobe light running under the floor.

Stereo time

Got to have some tunes in the bedroom, so with a bluetooth stereo we can have sound for our phones or the laptops when watching a movie in bed. So it’s time to put the wardrobe on this side as well as fit the stereo so I can totally finish off the wardrobe.

Now to cut the face board to size, not much room to play with.

All in place, now I’ve got tunes when working.

Finishing it off now

Now the stereo’s in place Charmaine spotted a space behind the stereo that she said would be good for more storage. Looks like I’ve got to make an other cabinet as well, it will all so give us access to the stereo if we need to….hopefully not though.

No more whole and access to the stereo if I need it.

Cabinet door fitted, this will be covered the same as the wall later.

Still have to finish the walk way and utility door.

Light fitted into the utility cupboard, comes on when you open the door.

Bedroom door closed or utility door open depending where you are standing.

Apart from the cabinet, draw fronts and wall cladding the bedroom is finish. We still thinking of ideas for the walls, and will get all the draw / cupboard fronts when the kitchen and bathroom are finish. This way we can get them made up all at once, so that will be in the future some time off, for now.

Motorhome fit out

The bedroom need some wardrobes

25/09/2017 Bernie Cross 2 Comments

New bedroom wardrobes

We bought new wardrobes just to cut them up just because nothing ever fits when your making a motorhome. This will definitely be a custom motorhome with lot’s of storage space, Charmaine’s very happy.

First off we had to make some room to build them as most of the supplies are in the coach as well as being a work place.

Wardrobe time

Making up more boxes again, screwing and gluing them together after cutting them down to size. We had to cut 35mm off the bottom and around 250mm off the top to make them fit the place as well as some where to put the speakers. The off cuts will be used to make up some more cupboards that will sit on top of the wardrobes, the more storage space the better.

One more box on top made up of off cut’s.

The trim around the wardrobe take’s time.

Utility cupboard

Behind the passenger side wardrobe there will be a narrow utility cupboard wide enough to fit the cordless vacuum, the deck ladder for the back hatch roof top deck access and other cleaning things. This one has to be made from scratch as it’s such an odd shape, it will have three to four deep shelves, for laundry washing bottles ect .

Power to charge the cordless vacuum in the utility cupboard.

At this stage I’m just making it up as I go along, but I think its enough for what Charmaine needs for the use of this space. Now it’s time to cut the rest of the pieces up that I need so to finish screwing and gluing it all together. The top of the walls actually lean in around 85mm and by not going all the way to the ceiling I don’t have to worry about the curve for now.

Now for the other side wardrobes

I had already built it so, it’s just a matter of starting on the trim to go down the side between the wall the support under the wardrobe. Then build a small cupboard to go on top and somewhere for the other speaker with the stereo. The passenger’s side has all the wires, 12v lighting as well as the speakers on that side.

Motorhome fit out

Bathroom wall’s to go up

20/09/2017 Bernie Cross

Getting closer to having a bathroom

With the bathroom floor in place and water proofed it’s now time to start on the walls. But first we have to work out were the toilet window will go and lets hope it’s in the right place.

Passenger side marking out for toilet window.

We have a hole in the side of the motorhome.

Now to start on the wall’s

First off is to cut the insulation followed by gluing it in place, a job I love to hate. Second stage is to cut the first sheet of ply to size and making sure the window is cut out in the place. Now it’s time to start fitting it to the side of the coach.

There will be one more sheet put up on this side for the moment which will finish off the bathroom wall and part of the kitchen.

The vanity and laundry side

This side will be straight forward as there is no window to go on this wall at all. So it’s just gluing the insulation in place then cutting the ply to size. Screw some packing in place so I can glue and screw the ply to the wall.

Vanity and laundry side, with packing screwed into place.

Looking from the front of the coach at the bathroom.

Top of the toilet and shower wall finished.

240v for a power point in the vacuum cupboard and 12v for a toilet light.

Start of the wall between the bathroom and kitchen.

After running some more power cables around the top of the walls and finishing off the transition from the walls to the ceiling. Just some more painting for Charmaine to do to finish off the bathroom walls for now. Look’s like the next project will be to build some wardrobes to close off the bedroom from the bathroom.